Bound ✅

London

Ever ever been in a situation where you're nervous and at the same time feeling anticipatory? Ever feel anxious and also hopeful for the future? Best way to describe Halima's feeling was to ask a teenager attending a new high school with no friends. She was in a turmoil.

She had checked in at the airport and sat down in the lounge tapping her feet. All that remained was the calling of the flight. Her mother and sister had left the airport immediately she checked in.

Soon, she heard her flight number being called. She'd memorised the number and so when her fight number was called, she got up immediately.

After going through the motions of getting admitted into the plane, she finally agreed with herself that she wasn't dreaming and she was on her way to one of her dream countries.

In the past one month, she'd packed, unpacked and repacked and then packed again. She'd first in apprehension gone to the embassy where she was granted visa without fuss and a ticket was hand-delivered by a DHL dispatch rider to her father's house.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. I'm Captain Ayman Danlami and welcome to Flight Number 1678, Boeing Jet 743, non-stop from the capital city, Abuja to London. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have smooth and uneventful flight." The speaker overhead cackled and then fell into silence.

Soon, they were lifting into the clouds and the first thing Halima did was take a video of the clouds with her new phone. It was one of her biggest dreams.

*****

"Halima Sadiyya Aliyu?"

Halima nodded at the uniformed driver and he took hold of her trolley of bags. Once he took control, he put the small white marker board that her was written in capital letters on into the trolley and began rolling it.

Halima pursed her lips and walked right after him, her hands adjusting her wrapped hijab that had come loose while she pulled her bags from the conveyor belt.

"First time in London ma?" She smiled automatically and nodded enthusiastically. She had nothing to say, she just wanted to sleep and eat.

Soon, they were at the car and while he put her bags in the boot, she walked off to drop the trolley where others were packed. The air was a little biting but she'd anticipated it by wearing a sweater under her light down jacket. Google had informed her exactly how cold it could be in December for London.

"Ma'am. Please sit." And sit she did.

******
A knock sounded at the door and Halima stopped in the motions of unpacking her clothes. She wanted to sleep early so she could wake early.

"Assalamualaikum Alaykum?" She said as she opened the door to Farida, Jamal's younger sister.

"Walaikum Salam. Anty." Halima rolled her eyes to the heavens, she hated being called Anty more than anything.

"I'm Halima. Nothing more." Farida shook her head and adjusted her cap, her motions reminded Halima she'd not yet let her in.

"Come in please." They walked in and Farida shut the door behind her. "I honestly cannot call you your name, you're four years- well nearly five years- older than I am. Mummy didn't raise me like that. If Anty makes you sound so old, I can call you Ya Halima?"

Halima cocked her head at her and smiled, allowing her.

"I'm sorry I didn't come pick you at the airport. I went with Ya Jamal to buy things for the new year." Halima's facial reaction made her pause. "I resumed a few days back but I'll return tomorrow. That's why Mummy put your ticket for today." Halima nodded, hed mind was still whirling with the information that Jamal was in the same country with her.

"Uhmmm, Jamal hasn't left yet?" Farida replied in the negative.

"Okay."

******

Immediately after Fajr prayer, Halima gingerly padded downstairs in her thick socks, sweater over thick wollen trousers and a long hijab she'd worn to combat the cold. She couldn't imagine staying here forever.

"Assalamualaikum Alaykum?" Halima jumped. She turned and Jamal was right behind her. He stood in the doorway bathed in light from the dining room. She was holding the staircase banister in fear.

"Wallah you scared me." He just blankly looked at her and motioned her with his index finger, Halima found herself following him. He was still dressed in his pyjamas, a silk baby blue set that he kept buttoned up tightly.

As they walked into the living room,  lights flickered on, illuminating their path. Halima finally took stock of the living room. The design was very different from their Abuja house, the living room was filled with clutter, fashion magazines on a low coffee table, elegant chairs that just made you want to sit on them gently and the warm tones that bellied the white, pastel colors they used in Abuja.

"I'd hoped to see you before I left." Halima nodded, gently pulling herself from her deep reverie. She loved house design and interior decor.

"Here I am." She sat on one of the chairs and relished the feeling of rubbing her hands over the arm of chair like a child.

"I don't know what you did or said to my mother that makes her think you're the best for that position. There are more qualified people who I'm certain will do a better job." He finished his sentence but one phrase held in Halima's head.

"What do you mean 'what I said or did'?" She raised an eyebrow at him. She watched him spread his arms wide.

"You could have said anything that endeared her to you. Knowing my mother." Halima swallowed, relishing the sprinkles of water in her brows from her ablution earlier. It was time to school this man.

"I think I'll have you know. That it was in your interest that your mother asked me here. Because not that I didn't have a lucrative job in Abuja, I did. But I came here because of your girls. Because I knew your mummy would be hard pressed dealing with yoir father and then two little children." She swallowed some saliva ans continued.

"Makes me wonder though, how you reason. You're quick to accuse, you're quick to jump to conclusions. You make me think of how you run your businesses if you have no discretion like this." She got up, carefully placed the throw pillows just the way she found them and climbed the stairs, leaving Jamal gaping behind her.

******

Another one,

I'm howling here, I had no idea our girl could talk like that. 😂😂😂

So, Hi guys, how are you all doing? How has your week been? Beautiful hmm, I know.

So, what do you all think Jamal's life issue is. One minute he is all weepy and the next accusing.

Alright, see y'all soon.

Ciao

The Omoope🤸🏿‍♀️🤸🏿‍♀️