BECOMING MRS BUGAJE (COMPLETED, 2019)

CHAPTER 12: THE CONFESSION

"Thank you, now disconnect this thing and promptly call Abubakar. I think he may be calling you now because I kind of let it slip that we may have a date."

"See this shameless girl, are you setting the date yourself?"

"Ask Umma, how many days had it been since she had finished her kola nut? Hajiya Mama has done it all. She had been at work since the day I took off from Abuja. I did nothing."

"Maa sha Allah, I'm proud of you girl. It shall be well with you in sha Allah, for agreeing to do this for Allah's sake and their happiness. You've really shown great strength, may Allah bless it for you. I've always known you are made for great things."

"Ameen. You know, somehow, it actually feels normal. I don't feel constricted in this or downtrodden. At least I know we are on the same page with him. We joke about it and I don't think we are on the hate-page anymore."

"I am glad to hear that, now I know my Abubakar is safe."

"Nutcase, who is taking your black prince when I have my fair King? Now let me leave you to make that call. Ma'assalam."

Nafeesah's laughter filled her ears before she disconnected. 

***

Hajiya Kulthum was responding to her emails when her bedroom door opened with a Salam. She looked up from her desktop computer when Mubarak came into the room. Her face eased into a smile as he strode in. He sat on the brown soft rug that lay at her feet. She was waiting for him to say something, she had seen the look on his face when he came in, it was one that carried a lot of things to say. But he just placed his head on her knees and kept quiet. That was so unlike Mubarak, and it got her worried. 

"Mubarak, are you alright?"

There was silence before he spoke. "Hajiya, you know I love you, right? A lot."

"Of course I do, what is up with you?"

Mubarak sighed and looked up at his mother. "Was that why you made me do it? Because you know I wouldn't say no?"

Hajiya Kulthum stilled and for a moment she feared if what he said was true. Had she used her power over him to subdue him or had she done so to make him tread the right path? She held her breath when she asked, "Are you saying no now?"

"No, actually, I'm here to tell you that we've reached an agreement and we both are ready to take the next step in sha Allah. You can pick a date."

"We can?" Hajiya Kulthum's brows rose, her breath was back into her lungs with a whoosh, she had no idea how tensed she had been until he said those few words. 

"That is what you want, right?"

"Yes, silly. But of course your opinions matter, Ya Rahman come here, you have no idea how this news has gladdened my heart. May Allah bless it for you. May He bless you with obedient children that will be the coolness of your eyes and do to you more than you do to us in goodness."

Mubarak smiled. "Ameen, Hajiya. There is just one problem."

Hajiya Kulthum's hand left her son's, "A problem?"

"I need some sets of extra ears to listen to all her stories."

She swatted him with her hand, one landing solid on his back. "Gidanku, go away from this place. You are incorrigible."

"I love you too, Hajiya," Mubarak said still laughing, the joy in his mother's eyes holding his heart in a fist. Had he known this was the joy he could give his mother with his acceptance, he would have done so at the utterance of Maryam's name that first night.