Her Boyfriend, My Husband

CHAPTER 1

Yusuf's POV

Today Friday being a half day, I woke up before Fajr (dawn prayer) and walked down to the mosque. I love the feeling of serenity I get while walking to the small white building that was my neighborhood mosque. How the cool breeze calms me and clears my thoughts and with every step I take, I feel my spirit being cleansed.

Once in the interiors of the mosque, I prayed my two raka'a sunnah salah and sat there saying my istighfar before the mu'azzin called the adhan. After I finished praying, I got up and found a secluded place where I sat down to recite Suratul Kahf in a low sweet and melodious voice. I pondered on the meaning and lessons of the surah, I always marvel at the wisdom and utter perfection of the words of Allah.

Walking back to my apartment, I could see the sun rising over the horizon in beautiful shades of red and orange that spiralled into the cool blue of the sky. The pleasant morning breeze scented with the smell of flowers and the various decorative trees was blowing softly on my skin and I thanked my Lord once again for the numerous favours He has bestowed upon me.

In a few minutes, I was back in my apartment and I quickly got into the shower. Today it took me longer than the rest of the days of the week to shower since I had to perform the sunnah Ghusl for Fridays.

I cut my nails, starting from the index finger of my right hand to the pinky, then I went back to my left hand and started from the pinky to the thumb, cutting the thumb of my right hand the last. I went back to my toes, cutting the little toe of my right leg to the big toe, then I got back to the big toe of my left foot working my way to the little toe. I always cut my nails in a place where I don't pray since I know cut out nails are najs.

After I finished cutting my nails, I went back to my bedroom and opened my big spacious closet, filled with casual wears, formal wears, Army uniforms and traditional wears. Some of which I never wear. So today being a Friday, I took down a white kaftani, with a blue hulla with white and coffee brown stripes instead of my uniform and got dressed. I didn't bother with the babbar riga since I wasn't going for an occasion or an event. Before I left the room, I put on one of my favorite cologne, Annick Goutal Eau D'hadrien.

My three room apartment was always neat and well arranged with everything always perfectly in place. The only sign of it being a bachelor's pad is it's lack of food in the kitchen. All I have is an assortment of coffee beans and a coffee maker which really were all I needed, since I always ate outside. I made my favorite cup of very strong black coffee and left closing the doors with my smart lock code.

I got into my black Mercedes Benz S-class maybach with tinted windows and army plates, and drove to work. Today, the Abuja Friday traffic was not as hectic as I thought it would be which allowed me to get to the HQ just a few minutes to 8. I parked in my assigned parking space and when I got out of the car on my way inside the building, over two dozens soldiers stopped in their tracks to salute me as I walked past them heading to my office in the eighth floor.

In my office I saw some files on my desk that needed my attention and I quickly got to work. By 10, I was getting hungry, I called my secretary and asked him to order some food for me from our canteen. After some minutes a knock came on my door, I gave them permission to enter, a Sergeant came in pushing a food trolley, he let go of the trolley to salute me before proceeding to arrange the food on a table in the living area of my office where I sometimes host visitors. When he was through, I dismissed him and got up to eat. I opened the plates and was pleased with what I saw, garri with egusi soup filled with assorted meats. In a jug was fresh pineapple and orange juice, I washed my hands and dug in, a few minutes later I have cleared everything on my plate and sat down sipping my fruit juice. After I was done, I got back to my desk and called my secretary, to send someone to clear the plates.