Dried Ink

1

Hey guys. It's me. Again.
In the spirit of Eid, I hope you're all in good health?
Happy Eidul adha 💕

"Keeeee. Guess what?" Mufida screamed from the door.

"What?" I shouted in annoyance. She almost made me burn my head with the stretcher I was holding.

"Uncle Khalifa is getting married" my little sister beamed.

I was wrong about burning my head because her comment made me drop the open stretcher on my left leg causing my two last toes to scald.

"Subhanallah" I screamed and she quickly rushed to my side. She picked up the Vaseline from the vanity and gently applied it to my hurt toes.

"Let me stretch the hair for you Yaya Karima" She said picking up the stretcher.

"No. Don't bother" I declined. The pain in my heart needs more attention than my hair.
I picked up the grey ribbon and packed my hair twisting it thrice.

"Uhhm Mufida?" I called and she turned to look at me. "who's the wife?" I asked facing her.

She shrugged. "I heard Baba say it was one of Anty Aisha's children. I don't know which one. Must be Kubra though, because Hindatu has a suitor already. They might even do both weddings at once because.......... "

"Mufida!" I screamed.

"Oh. Sorry about my rambles. I'm just super excited" She did a happy dance.
I shook my head and turned away.

I sat down on my bed and unlocked my phone. My heart and brain were on a debate. Weather I should call Uncle Khalifa or not.

I finally went with my brain's choice of not calling him. What would I tell him anyways? Heard you're getting married? When's the wedding? Why haven't you told me? When did you start seeing her?

I rubbed my eyes and laid on my right facing the wall. I earnestly wanted to sleep. At least for the first time in my life, I hoped for sleep in the early hours of the afternoon.

Tears brimmed my eyes and I finally let them fall when I heard Mufida close the door. I hated sharing the room with my sisters. There was no privacy at all. Mama insists on it though, she says we'll grow up to be responsible to each other.

I wiped my tears with the back of my hands but more kept falling. I finally got a headache and closed my eyes.

I woke up three hours later the the bustle of my dear sisters in the room.

The stupid girls were already fighting over a color to wear for the dinner.

"When's the wedding? This one that you want to send me out of the room?" I asked them.

"In a month." Muflihah answered me.

I sat up in a flash. A month? What's the rush?" I asked.

"They're in love. Why do you care by the way?" Mufida inquired.

"Nothing. I'm just curious. I might not be in town then" I shrugged.

"No excuses to bail on your favorite Uncle's wedding now is there?" Mufida faced me, daring me to say otherwise.

I hissed and laid back down on the bed. I'll go only if I was willing.

I sat up and picked my laptop from my bedside table. I opened it and got on instagram to stalk Anty Kubra, my uncle's fiancee.

I stared at her beautiful face and stunning body. Aunty Aisha's children have always been slay queens and for-the-gram girls.
I scrolled through her pictures. Each, she had heavy make up on and the finest type of dress. I felt a little jealous when I glanced at the top left side of my computer and saw my face occupying a little circle there.

I hissed and closed the application.
"Show off" I muttered to myself remembering her stunning smile and her long nose. I hissed again.

I always knew he would get married to someone like her. Someone who was pretty and elegant. I looked round the room to see something else that'll take my mind off Kubra.

My eyes fell on my parent's wedding picture. They looked so young and in love.

Baba is the first child of his Parents followed by a single sibling; Anty Aisha.
Mama has two siblings, an older brother and a younger sister.
Mama's older brother, Baba Uthman is happily married to his wife Anty Maryam. Uncle Khalifa is Anty Maryam's only sibling. Mama's younger sister Anty Hawwa got married last year to Uncle Abbas.

I could still remember the huge smile Uncle Abbass had on his face when he came to the house after the knot has been tied. He looks at Anty Hawwa as if our own eyes hurt her, they are so in love.

Does this mean Uncle Khalifa would have the same smile? Would he be happy to be married to Kubra? Last I heard shaye shaye take. "Astaghfirullah" I muttered out loud.
Okay I lied, she doesn't smoke or drink, at least not that I know of.

I stood up and went to find Mama.
"Mama is it true Uncle Khalifa is getting married?" I asked

"Yes. What will stop him? You think he's like you? This is your second year in the University but you have never brought a guy home" Mama scolded.

I gasped. "What happened to Faruq? I brought him home last year" I argued.

"Faruq smokes Kreem, don't pretend you don't know" Mama reprimanded. I pushed my lips forward and frowned.

"Okay Mama." I nodded turning to leave.

"Where are you going? Khalifa is in his living room. Take his lunch to him" Mama called back and I inwardly groaned. The last thing I wanted was to lay my eyes on Uncle Khalifa.

I nodded and went to pick up my hijab.
Uncle Khalifa had lived with us since when he was in secondary school.
His room was in the male wing along with my two elder brothers. Isah and Yusuf.

I went straight to his room when I entered their building. Ya Isah worked in maiduguri and came home once in a while while Ya Yusuf traveled to Aberdeen for his Masters program.

I knocked on the door thrice before saying my Salaam. When I didn't hear a reply, I opened the door and dropped the tray on the table in the room.

"Thanks" I heard his amazing voice and I almost bolted due to shock. I turned to face him.
He laughed heartily when he saw the look on my face. I gave him a tight lipped smile and made to leave.

"You heard. Right?" I heard his voice.

I nodded. Fearing if I had looked at him, the tears I hid for long will come falling.

"I'm sorry i...uh.....didn't tell you earlier, Bae......Kubra wanted it to be a surprise" He said apologetically.

What?
Bae?
Is this what I'm getting?

"Uhhm. You don't have to explain Uncle Khalifa. It's alright" I just replied him and walked off.

I was almost at the door when he caught my wrist. I turned around to snatch my hand away from him.

"I'm just apologizing so you won't feel hurt. In case you thought me and you had something." He spoke clearly.

It didn't even faze him. The fact that he had played with my feelings until he met his the one, I scoffed.

"In case? In case? Haba Uncle Khalifa, even if we did, it wasn't going to work out" I managed to give a nervous laugh.

He laughed too and for the first time since I knew him, I thanked God for his inability to read faces and double barreled words.

He breathed out. Heavily, hard. "Thank God. I thought I broke your heart or something"

I smiled at him before making my way back to the main house.