Noorur-rahman

The Replacement

"How is he your brother, Naana?" Noor asked after dragging Naana away from the crowd of their siblings and the exciting mother, who did not even noticed her return, due to her excitement for her son's arrival. Though, Noor could care less about that, since she have another riddle to solve.

"How I am supposed to answer that, he's my brother, the one I told you about." Well, she remembered that part. Though, Noor is not sure whether she listened to the exact part where Naana told her that the substitute chemistry teacher from her former school, is her brother.

But then when Hajiyan Gusau was there,  she mentioned something about the child that filled her daughter's void. My replacement, is it?

"So, he's the yaya whose room I'm currently using, I mean he used to sleep on that bed?" Noorur-rahman pointed at the bed, somewhat disgusted or whatever it was, Naana could not point a finger at it. So she just nodded.

How could her day end so terribly after being so good? "Ya Allah, what kind of drama is this again!" She muttered pulling away from her sister and running her palms over her face. She really did not signed up for all these. Perhaps, this is what Isma'il meant by you never know. She's still perplexed, nevertheless.

"Why are you bothered about it? It's because of the room?" Naana asked, finding no any other reason for her sister to be so ruffle over her brother's arrival. Matter of fact, she's over the moon having her two elder siblings in one place. Little did she know that those the two might be the perfect recipe for disaster.

"Me?" Noor points at herself with her fore finger, appearing to be surprise. "Of course, I'm not." Well, that's a lie!  She's very much disturb about it. Now, she wonder how she can lay down again and sleep on his bed. And maybe that's the reason why she thought a lot about him lately. God why? I have sleeping on his bed! She cries inwardly.

God!!!

Back in the living room Mubin went still on his seat, his blood has already ran cold. At first he thought his eyes were hazy, they weren't seeing clearly from the long journey he had. But then his mother didn't go anywhere nor are his siblings as tired.  Then she must really be the person.

Noorur-rahman Adam!

Her arrogance has already polluted the air, although she didn't stayed for a while in the living room. He can still feel her damn strong aura everywhere, especially on his nerves. Why's she here?

"We have a guest at home, Mubin. And she's using your room for now." His mother said awkwardly, which is too obvious.

"My room?"

"Yes, your room. You're not around and she needed some privacy. Now, let me arrange something for you to eat." And she went off smiling, leaving his brain more dense than ever.

"But who is she?" And why my room, of course he muttered the last parts inwardly.

"She's mama's daughter. Even Hajiyan Gusau came to see her." Kulsum  whispered in his eyes.

"WHAT!!!" That came out more that intended. He gulped down the sudden knot that formed in his throat. Kulsum is a child, she might be mistaken. But come to think of it, why will Noor leave her glamorous life and come down to Sokoto just to claim his room? He need more clarification from someone older. That's; if his mother will do him the favor of explaining things, in such a way that even a three years old could understand.

"She even had an argument with Hajiyan Gusau." The kid whispers again after a long silence in the room as a result of his exclamation.

"Why was that?" Kulsum shrugged with pursed her lips, for she have no idea why her grandmother and new sister had argued that day. Though, all them were afraid at that time. Hajiyan Gasau was one heck of woman, she's loving and caring. But her no nonsense attitude made everyone stay within their limit. However, Noorur-rahman failed to noticed that even after the woman had wore her most serious possessed look.