Being Mrs Dantata

29

She faced Mas'ood. "Wake those your friends up too. Don't think the men are going to escape kitchen work."

Mas'ood groaned. "Mama, it's too early."

"I will hit you, Mas'ood Dantata." She then faced Zayd and smiled. "You, my dear, can go to bed. Stay with Hanan, okay?"

Zayd smiled back at his mother. "I was planning on doing so anyway."

Umar grunted as he stood from his prayer mat so Hassan could fold it. "We have apples and pineapples koh? I think we have yoghurt too."

The Dantatas groaned. They knew exactly where he was headed. Umar eyed them. "Jama'a, ba ku san abin da kuke rasa ba. Only Hanan has taste in this house. Just wait until she wakes up."

Zayd sighed. He spoke quietly. "So I'm going to taste that atrocity when I kiss her today."

Zafeenah, who was the closest one to him, burst out laughing. He glared at her which only made her laugh harder, a hand on her baby bump. Zainab kept glaring at her husband. Umar cleared his throat as he sat, purposely looking the other way.

Aliyah chuckled, taking her mother's hand. "You know you love him either way."

Zainab's sigh was heavy. "Unfortunately, that is true."

Amal smiled as she joined both women. "Just as Zayd is going to love Hanan no matter what."

Zayd, who was about making his way back upstairs, glanced at his first wife. "I just have to find a way to get her to turn away from it."

Hauwa snorted. "Goodluck with that. Our parents have tried and so has everyone else. She can be quite stubborn, you know that."

Amal laughed. "He does. He knows that."

Zayd rolled his eyes and ascended the stairs. He met the room arranged and empty. He moved to call out for her when the bathroom door went open and Hanan stepped out, showered and dressed. She slowly closed the door behind her, blinking. "Why do you look like that?"

"I was expecting to see you in bed but you weren't there."

She walked to where their boxes and bags were kept. She put her folded pyjamas on the top of her box before she faced him. "I woke up when you and Amal left and couldn't go back." She watched him walk over to where she stood. "So I decided to have my bath which was a good choice because for some strange reason, I bled a lot last night."

"Are the cramps gone though?"

She nodded, looking up at him. "Yeah, they are. Have I told you good morning?"

He shook his head, her hands in his. "No you haven't, but that's not a big deal. This dress is very pretty."

"It's just a simple black dress, Sa'ed." She was smiling. "Don't make it a big deal."

"You look beautiful in anything. I'm wondering how you can't see that."

She stepped forward to hide her face in his chest. "It's too early for all this."

He laughed – the sound deep and velvety. "I don't think it is. I'm serious though."

"You're quite buff."

He smiled. He caught the deflection quite easily. "That's not going to work on me, Nehita. We're talking about you."

She wrapped her arms loosely around his middle and leaned back so she could look up at him. "I mean it though. I noticed it the first time we hugged and I kept wondering how I never saw it."

His smile was so fond. "I'm not that buff though. I'm just healthy."

"And I'm skinny."

His smile widened. "No, you're just perfect." He leaned in and pecked her lips. "Just perfect and I wouldn't want you any other way."