It's Not All Roses...

CHAPTER 10 . Love sick

important A/N at the end

Hugging Ibrahim again after 2 years felt so unreal. I'd missed him so much. He's literally my best friend after naseerah. Even though there's an 8 year difference between us. "Ehem... Can I get a hug too?" Zainab asked. "Of course" I replied reaching out to hug my sister in--law. She gave me a bone crushing hug. "Ehem... Zainab you are squishing me..." I said. "Oh sorry, it's just I really missed you" she replied releasing me.
"So how is everything?" Zainab asked, obviously excited. Her two year son tugging at her jilbab. "You're such a handful" she scolded lifting him up. He's so cute and quite cheeky. "What of his elder brother?" I asked. "He's in school" she replied . "School, so soon but he's only four" I said. "Well that's how we do it here" she replied laughing.

************************************"but still Zahra how could you do that? You could have called me I'lld have come" Ibrahim said. He was currently scolding me. "I know, but I was just trying to be considerate. Plane tickets are not cheap you know" I replied pouting. "But still...if you had told me earlier" he replied . I could tell he was annoyed by the way his eye brows were twitching. "Do you still wear niqab?" He asked. Oh ow I knew this was coming. I put on my most neutral expression. "Hun?" I asked, pretending like I didn't know what he was talking about.
"Niqab, the face veil"he repeated. "No!" I said. My voice sounding a little bit louder than I intended. "Why?" He asked. "Nothing" I replied non chalantly. "For Allah's sake, what is wrong with you?" He said obviously trying hard not to yell. "Nothing I replied, I wasn't just feeling it anymore" I said, putting my arms akimbo.
"But still Zahra, even if you don't believe it's compulsory, you should still try to put it on" he said, his voice a bit calmer.
"Listen Ibrahim, I don't want to wear the niqab. I don't know how many times I would say it. Or would you rather let me say it in arabic?" I replied. " What is it? You just said so it's not compulsory. Leave me alone, last I checked I am your sister not your wife and I can do as I please..."

"Zahra!! Emi lon ba soro beeyen. Am I the one you are speaking to like that? " he replied. "Ehen, igbayen wa nko . And so." I yelled back at him.

"What are you going to do? Get me married?" I asked now breathless. "Yes, if that's what it takes to knock some sense into your head" he replied. "Sorry to burst your bubble brother, but forced marriages are not allowed in Islam" I replied. "Don't provoke me" he said.
"Ibrahim,can you please come for a minute?" Zainab called from the kitchen. Interrupting our discussion. "This is not over, we still need to talk" he said walking out.

Woah, now that didn't go well. I can't possibly tell him about Jaleel now. I also can't say he was the reason I stopped wearing the niqab.

Flashback

"Jaleel I don't think I can do this anymore. It hurts me everytime. I can't even look at myself in the mirror. Imagine me, a niqabi. Jaleel let's just stop here ."
We were sitting at a restaurant.
"C'mon Zahra, it's not like we're committing zina or anything. And our situation is different, I actually want to marry you. It's just my mum and all..." He said . "What of your mum?" I asked.
"See, Zahra dear, can you drop the niqab for now? Atleast until we get married" he asked. "What? Drop the niqab, for what? Haven't you already seen my face?" .
"It's not that, it's just my mum would never let me marry a woman who covers her face. After the nikkah, you can put it back on. Please babe, please." He said. "Nonsense" I said storming out of there.

End of Flashback

I miss wearing the niqab, but I know it's just temporary.

************************************
The traffic was a painfully slow, I had forgotten how terrible Lagos traffic was. I was on my way to Naseerah's house. Currently I was sandwiched between a fat, sweaty man who kept resting his arm on my shoulder in the name of sleep. And a middle-aged woman whose toddler seemed to be playing football even though he was strapped to her back. The driver suddenly zoomed causing the bus to accelerate forward. The fat man's head was now on my shoulder, not to mention the fact that he smelled to.
"Onike wa oooh" I said signalling the fact that I was alighting. I got down from the bus and dusted my baby pink jilbab. Pink was a loud color here in Lagos especially for a jilbab; I just couldn't resist wearing it;it is so pretty.

***
Sure, I had missed Naseerah. And could not wait to throw my hands around her but a heavily pregnant Naseerah was definitely not what I was expecting to see. "Naseerah !!!!! You're pregnant... Again!!!. Oh my days I missed you so much" . "I missed you too... "How many months gone are you?" I asked. "Just six months" she replied lazily. "I know, I know I look nine months gone . I basically look like a balloon" she continued and sighed. "No, seerah. You look beautiful. Motherhood must be so wonderful" I replied. "Yeah it is, don't worry very soon it would be your turn" she replied.

"Mummy?..." A todler called, he hid behind Naseerah . "Oh my days this must be mas'ab he's so big now".

"Come inside, let's talk well before the mosquitoes start coming in. You know Lagos and mosquitoes na" she said, shutting the door behind her.

"How old is he again"? I asked as I looked at mas'ab. It was so obvious he was Abdullah's son . He looked everybit like his dad, except for his eyes. Those were naseerah's.

"He has your eyes." I said. She chuckled. "Yeah everyone says that, and he's almost two. Don't you remember when he was born?" she replied. "I do, he's cute" I replied.

"Okay enough of Mus'ab. Who's this guy you are telling me about?" She said dragging me by my arm towards the couch. "Oh, he's name is Abdul Jaleel and he's absolutely amazing" I said.

"Look at you sounding like a love sick teenager." She teased . "Oh seerah, you have no idea. I love him, I am so inlove" I replied with a sigh.
"Good. Has he come to see your dad, when is the nikkah? "Actually he would soon come, he's just trying to sort some problems first. He said to give him time." I said.
You know we can't delay so as to avoid fitnah" she said. "And to be honest zee, I feel you should take it slow. Convincing yourself that you are in love will only do you more harm than good tbh. Remember halal love starts after nikkah. With the way you claim to 'love' him and the way he claims to reciprocate you feelings I wonder why he hasn't come to visit your dad " she continued. "It's enough Naseerah! Can't you even be happy for me?!"

"It's not about being happy for you or not. It's just that this guy seems like bad news. Wait... Does Ibrahim even know about him? What's the thing I am hearing about your niqab? For goodness sake Zahra what has come over you?" She asked her voice laced with concern.

"I'm leaving" I said standing up. "Really!You're leaving!! Zahra what has come over you?" She yelled.
"I will call you later. Inshaa Allah" I said and I walked out.

A/N: my friends and I just started an event planning business.
It's called "hayaa_events".
We basically plan events according to the Qur'an and sunnah. Segregated seatings, halal nasheeds, and all. Based in Lagos Nigeria. Check us out on instagram @hayaa_events