Kindred Ties

Chapter 19

"Ya Muhammad!" Maryam smiled. Muhammad came to their house to greet mama since he's in town and she happened to be the person that opened the door for him.

"Maryam, how are you?" he asked entering the house.

"I'm fine Alhamdulillah, but I'm angry at you" she said following behind him as he walked into the house. He stopped and turned to look at her saying "Subhanallah, what did I do?"

"Yaya, how could you miss my graduation?" she asked motioning for him to continue walking as they talk.
He sighed and slowly shook his head saying, "I'm so sorry Maryam, Wallahi I had so much work during the period, I had a very important surgery that same day, that's why I missed it. But I promise to make it up to you."

They entered the living room with a salam. Fatima was playing on the carpet with her dolls. Her face lit up the moment she looked up and saw him. "Ya moha!!" She shouted and ran to him, almost knocking him down. "Fatiti." He said, twinkling at her. He picked her up and sat her down on his lap, as he took a sit.

"Ya kike?" He asked pushing her front braid from her eyes. "Lafiya, ya kake?" He chuckled and said, "I'm fine too Alhamdulillah."

"Ya school?"
"Fine." She said playing with his shirt button. "What do they teach you at school?"
"Numbers, two letter words and shapes."
"Is that all?"
"Yes, but our teacher keeps teaching us the same thing again and again. We tell her that understand but she doesn't stop." She said in her own grammar. Muhammad laughed and looked at maryam who also smiled and excused herself to go get him something.

"Toh ai that's the whole point of going to school." He said smiling. "I hate school, ya moha did you go to school?" She grimaced and looked at him expectedly hoping he would say he also doesn't like school.

"Yes, I did go to school, and do you know what?" He asked and she quickly shook her head. "School is actually fun."
"No, it is not."
"Yes, it is. You just make great friends, and study and it would be fun." He said, and she beamed saying "really?"
"Yes, I promise."

"Fatima, go and tell mama that ya Muhammad is here." Maryam instructed from the kitchen. "Toh." Fatima said, hopped off Muhammad's lap and ran upstairs to tell mama.

He sat back, and looked around the parlor. His eyes stopping on the large picture hung on one wall. It was a picture of the family laughing at something. He looked at baba and silently prayed for him, and then at maryam who was looking at baba and probably smiling at what he had said.

Allah sarki

"Assalam Alaikum." Maryam salaamed and walked in holding a tray. He glanced at her as she kept the tray consisting of a plate of Swiss roll and a jug of virgin mojito. "Have a taste." She motioned at the plate smiling, "I made it." She added.

He raised his eyebrows and picked the plate. He cut a piece with a fork, and ate it. Maryam looked at him expectedly as he chewed and swallowed it. "Hmm." He said and looked up at her. "It tastes amazing, Masha Allah. What is it?"

"Swiss roll."
"I love it." He ate another piece. "Thank you."

"You used to make and sell desserts before right?"
"Yes."
"Why did you stop then? You can't just let all of this - he raised the plate - go to waste."
"Well.. maybe I can start again." She scratched her head and sat on the arm of their sofa. "Not maybe Maryam, you should definitely continue doing it. If you don't I would hunt you down."

She laughed and he looked at her briefly for more than a moment. There is this twinkle in her eyes as she laughs. "Allah ya Muhammad I will have to think hard about it, because you know I'm..." she stopped thinking of the right word to say.

He leaned his head back and said, "lazy." She chuckled saying, "well I won't put it like that, but yeah."

Mama came downstairs smiling, "Muhammad, saukan yaushe?" Mama asked, walking into the parlor.

"Ina wuni mama." he greeted sliding off the chair.

"Ina gajiya,tashi ka zauna(sit up)" She said sitting on the chair maryam was on.

"I came back yesterday, nace barinzo mu gaisa." he said.
"Ai kam ka kyauta," she said.

"Maryam kin kawomai refreshments ko." Mama asked turning to maryam. She nodded and Muhammad said, "Yes mama, I just finished eating maryam's cake and it's like the most delicious cake I've ever had in nigeria." He commented and mama smiled.

"I told her that she should start her cake business once again, because this talent is not one to waste."

"I agree with you, we have been telling her that but she refused saying she can't deal with the wahala."

Muhammad looked at Maryam amusingly, and chuckled. "Maryam kenan."

"It's very stressful ne Allah," she tried to hold back a smile to look a bit serious.

"I will be your personal assistant and partner."

"Really?"

"Yes, get ready within this week let's go register your business and make some stickers and flyers." he said.

"Wait wai you are serious?"
"Of course. It's my way of making up to you for missing your graduation."

"Okay done."she met his gaze, a smile playing on her face.  Mama smiled watching the duo.

She then asked Muhammad about his work and stuff.

Ya amma, yasmin and adnan came downstairs shortly and greeted him. Mama excused her self and went to the kitchen.

"Amma, when are we marrying you off? " Muhammad teased .

"Look at you ya Muhammad, I'm the one to ask that not you. You will soon be clocking 32, and still no news of a sister-in-law."

"Don't worry amma, soon enough. I'm just waiting for the right time."

"Allah ya taimaka." Adda amma prayed. And they all muttered Amin. Mama joined them later on, and just talked until he decided to leave. Maryam came back from the kitchen holding a bag. She passed it to him, saying "please take this to mummy."

"Sure, thank you." He turned to the family and said "Toh sai anjima."

"May Allah bless you, thank you. Greet your mother please."

"Insha Allah, thank you." He walked out and closed the door after him.

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Fatima🥀