Love At First Sight

32

Iqram's POV.

I love moments like this.
Abdul is playing with Lina as we converse.

"So we're going there tomorrow?" I ask him.
I heard about what happened to Safina last night.

I called her immediately and we talked for a long time, I'm excited because she'd be staying with us after settling everything.

"I can't believe Sadiq would do something like that, why?"
"I don't even want to think about it anymore"

Lina giggles as he starts throwing her in the air.
"Please stop throwing my child like a loaf of bread, it's dangerous".

"She's enjoying it" he defends.
"And I'm uncomfortable"

He continues anyway.
Why can't he just play with her normally?
The last time I saw him spinning her on the kitchen stool.

"Is Khairat going too?"
He nods "Of course, she asked for her specifically"

"So she prefers her over me"
He rolls his eyes "Not again. Well technically she knew her before she knew you but that's besides the point she asked for you too"

I know he's just saying it to make me feel better.
I'm more surprised that he's calm.
Since his marriage I've realized that Khairat rarely goes out and if she does she never ever lasts long but today she left by 6am and it's already 7pm and she's still not back.

He's way too calm.
"What about Khairat? She's still not home"

"She's working"
I gasp.
"She has a job?"

He nods "She never told you?"
"It's not like we're friends, what does she do?"

"Uh—she's a translator"
I smile "Does that mean I can watch a movie before it hits cinemas? Or is she just a state based translator".

"Nope. They don't need to see her face to face, they can call from anywhere in Nigeria. All she needs to do is get a call, maybe live meet, they send her the movie via whatever, she translates and sends it back. They send her the money and free tickets".

I gasp.
"Seriously"

He suddenly smiles "She'll be back any minute now but the movie she's translating for should be in theaters by months end, you three should go"

"Three?"
"With Safina of course"

"Yes! We should do it"
He shakes his head "Now you're interested"

Yeah, I love movies.

::

They just stare at me.
Saying nothing.

"Why didn't you tell us?"
Ummu Salma asks.

I might have kept it from my friends that I have a co-wife. I didn't know how to tell them and it eventually slipped my mind.

They came to see me today and ran into Khairat who was so eager to tell them she's the wife of the house.

I roll my eyes "It's nothing"
Hafsah shakes her head "It's not nothing. You and Abdul were everything. You were perfect and now you're telling me he remarried?"

I nod.
"His devil of a grandmother forced it on him, telling his father it's her dying wish and guess what, she's still alive" I huff "I hate her".
Ruth huffs "Why are you sad though, she seems really nice, very cool and she's funny"

None of them objected to it which meant they all agreed.
"She did serve us those bomb milkshakes" Kareema adds.

Khairat came back early from helping Safina because of her work, she still had a lot of translating to do with little time so they waited in her living room before I arrived.

"She also showed us part of the movie she's translating, it's French romance. What's better than that?" Ruth says.

"Yeah and they give free tickets too" I add.
Do you know that feeling when you boast with your siblings or something they have, I feel that way right now.

"Really?" Ummu Salma asks "It would be great to escape for a day and watch a romantic French movie in a cinema"

I nod "Yeah and they're VIP tickets too"
"Can I get one?" Kareema asks.

"I'll see what I can do".

::

I was going to get my charger in the dinning room, earlier when I was helping out Khameelah with an essay I took it there to charge my phone.

I'm an English whizz so she came over, she said she'd prefer it to a video call.

I see a laptop on the dinning table, checking it I see an open folder, filled with so many movies.

I couldn't help it, I'm obsessed with watching all these international movies even when I don't know a thing they're saying.

I start running out to get my flash drive but I remember I have my phone so I hurry back.
I turn on my airdrop and stay sending 2 first.

They finished and I start sending another two.

"I'll call and see what happens" I hear Khairat's voice, probably on the phone.

I turn off the air drop and cancel it, running as quickly as I can hitting my phone on the rail of the stairs as I made my escape.

Sloppy.

::

Safina moved in two days back and I have to say, it feels better.

She always finds a way to make she, Khairat and I hang out together so things have been less intense.

Someone knocks on my bedroom door as I'm changing Lina's diapers.
"Come in"

Khairat opens the door and peeps "Muhsin is here, he came looking for Abdul and when I told him you were here he said he'd like to see you before he takes his leave".

"I'm busy" I pout not to her but I didn't want to go.

"I can finish up" she suggests.

"Okay"
I might say anything about Khairat but at least I know she really likes Lina.
"Thanks" I walk out.

"How's Sakinah?" I ask as we walk to the gate.
He smiles "Doing okay, she's still living with me".

I look at him confused "I thought she was leaving since you were getting married"

He huffs "Marriage is not easy when you have a child because you want someone who would accept and love your child as well".

I nod "That's true"

He smiles "I met Abdul's sister in there, she's really a breath of fresh air"

I nod "Don't go there if you're not serious".
He scoffs "With my age and situation playing around isn't something I can afford and I know she just went through a divorce and escaped a bad marriage".

I raise my eyebrows "How did you know?"
"The look on her face when she said she recently got divorced".

I say nothing.
"Don't worry, I won't drag you in it"

I smile "Thanks".

::