UNFURLING FATE.

Heartbreak.

We put the cakes in the oven and started preparing the buttercream,

"Good morning," Aaliyah strolled into the kitchen, opening the fridge and getting a bottle of water.

"Hello, did you sleep well?" I faced her, though it was past one pm right now. They never woke up early, I wonder how they went to school.

"Yes. Laila and I are going out later." She tells me straight up.

I only nodded my head at her, they'd probably already spoken to General about it so who am I to say a thing?

"Have you spoken to your brother?" I asked her just to be sure,

"Just tell him we're at daddy's house if he happens to call please."

I stared at her like she had two heads, she wants me to lie to him?

"Aaliyah I cannot lie to him, what if something happens?" I reasoned with her,

"Nothing is going to happen. Tell him we're at daddys, please please."

The probability of General calling me was less than zero, so I was not even going to have to lie to him. But I wanted no parts in anything they were planning, so I ignored her last sentence and turned to what I was doing with Alisha.

A few seconds later, the kitchen door closed, telling me that she'd stepped out. With a sigh, I continued to whisk the butter cream.

***********************************

It was after Maghreb when Laila and Aaliyah came to tell me goodbye. They were both dressed in black body con dresses, their hair packed up into a ponytail. They looked like fraternal twins!

"Just go with your guards and come back soon please." I told them, uneasiness coursing through my veins.

My words were not graced with a reply as they walked out, so Alisha and I continued to do her project that she was given to do during the holiday. She was leaving tomorrow so I tried to make sure all of her assignments were completed.

We continued to do that till it was time for Isha, during which we went to my room and prayed, and decided to eat dinner and call it a night. So imagine my surprise when I heard the front door open.

At first I thought it might've been the girls and they actually listened to me and came back on time, that hopeless thought flew straight out of the window when I saw my husband walk through the living room door,

I quickly gathered my words and greeted him, "Ina wuni," he simply nodded his head as he walked to the dining room,

Alisha and him exchanged greetings and I heard him tell her how famished he was, I went in behind them and caught him serving himself after serving her,

"I wasn't aware you were coming back today, let me make your chai." I told him and started to excuse myself when his voice stopped me,

"Maryaam." My eyes shut, it'd be so long since he called me that.

I stopped in my tracks but did not turn around, "come and eat first." So I tentatively walked back to the table and sat down,

What I dreaded the most came the minute I swallowed my first bite,

"Alisha go call your sisters for dinner."

Alisha looked between me and General, I looked away from her not knowing what to say or do. "Yaaya sun fita."

He nodded his head before directing his next question at me, "They informed you yes?"

I nodded my head, a bit at ease seeing how he didn't make it a big deal. "Where did they go?"