Eid Mubarak to you and your family ✨
As they drove back home bintu was so exhausted, she just wanted some sleep but considering the amount of people that came to congratulate her, that might be impossible. As they step inside the house, the first person bintu saw was Irfan with little Aisha on his laps, he was typing furiously on his phone with his back facing the gate and with all the noise that filled the compound he became unaware of bintu's arrival.
Bintu didn't go to him because there where many task at hand.
The house was covered with three large canopies, bintu's uncle's where all present and where busy with their foods, her aunts where busy sharing the souvenirs and take away package to those who wish to go home with their foods. The Children and toddlers where doing what they do best, running around and destroying whatever they see.
Bintu was about to enter the living room but ofcourse she couldn't do that in peace too. One of her cousins ran into her making her land on a dirty floor.
"Ahh ahh waye wannan(who's this one)" bintu yelled angrily and look down on the mischievous boy that was sited comfortably on her laps.
"Kai sadik why are so troublesome" bintu said tiredly as she lifted the boy from her laps, before she could say anything else, the boy ran away.
"This children will not kill me" bintu said as she stood and went upstairs to change her clothes.
"Wai Ina bintu(where's bintu)" Mujahid asked as he collected the food from his wife's hands.
"I don't know fah, since we came back, I haven't laid my eyes on her"Amani said as she looked around.
"Lubna ta please go and call anty bintu for me"Mujahid sends his daughter.
"Ok"
******************
"Keh bintu hurry up now ahh ahh, how many minutes will it take to change clothes, you know people are waiting for you outside and I've heard your classmates have arrived" Nabila said annoyed at how bintu is being sluggish.
"Laaaa... Nabila please go and entertain them before I'm done, wallahi I don't feel so good that's why, please mubeena you too go and serve them some food, I'll be down in a minute Dan Allah" bintu pleaded
Mubeena eyed bintu playfully before dragging her sister downstairs.
"Phewww!!" Bintu signed and sat down on the mattress, she was busy looking for her shoes but her headache won't let her be.
"Anty bintu"bintu opened her eyes and saw lubna closing the door behind her.
"Yes"
"My daddy has been looking for you since, he said I should not come back without you" lubna said and folded her arms which clearly shows she's not leaving without bintu.
"Haaa" bintu huffle dramatically and laid back "ku kasheni kawai(just kill me now)
***************
"Ya Mustafa, I honestly thought you where not going to make it" ladi said with a grin enjoying her brothers company.
"Haba how can I miss my baby's walima, come to think of it, where is bintu, I haven't seen her since we came back from their Islamiyya " Mustafa had just finished eating when ladi came to sit beside him under the canopy.
"Hmm I don't think you're going to see bintu now, as it is everyone wants to see her" ladi smiled and shook her head.
"Wallahi even me too, I haven't seen that girl since we came back"Nasir adjusted his chair next to Mustafa as he was also done eating.
"I was really impressed with bintu's speech MashaAllah, our little bintu is not too little anymore"Mustafa said and ladi smiled at that.
"Ya Tanimu would have been really proud, May Allah forgive his shortcomings"Nasir said sadly and they Chorus an Ameen.
Ladi's phone rang for the umpteenth time that day but she didn't bother to even look at it. She hasn't talked to Shamsu since she went to their house, she knows she's being dramatic but she's a woman and how will she be a normal woman without being dramatic once in a while. She wouldn't lie and say it doesn't bother her even though it has just been a day and Shamsu had tried to approach her earlier during bintu and fadila's walima but she blatantly ignored him.
"Isn't that your phone that has been ringing for almost 5minutes, it might be some people that are trying to locate this house"Nasir pointed out while he stoped Aziza that has been running about Infront of them.
"Ohhh don't worry it's no one of importance" Ladi said with a fake smile
Nasir just gave a her a weary look but didn't say anything, Mustafa puts his fingers in his beard and paused for a while. Ladi's phone rang again but she immediately switched off her phone to avoid any kind of suspicion.
Mustafa gave ladi a long knowing look before he let out a wide grin that exposed his 32 teeth. Ladi became really uncomfortable at how her brother was looking at her with a weird smile, it's not like she doesn't like his smile but the way he was smiling and looking at her, there's definitely something behind it.
"Nasir, about what I told you in Kano" Mustafa said
Nasir turn his gaze from his now sleeping daughter to Mustafa with a confused look "about what..."
"Ladi, could you please call mujahid and the rest for me, there's something I wanted to do since last week and since we're all here in Kaduna, it has all made it easier"Mustafa said seriously and ladi did as she was told.
Mustafa waited for Ladi to disappear from his view before he turned back to Nasir"About that man that has asked for ladi's hand...."
"Ohhhh... It totally skipped my mind, don't tell me you're planning to finalize the date since we're"
"Exactly what's on my mind, I wanted to come since last week with our Uncle but he got sick and travelled to Eygpt, I wanted to wait until he's back but he ask me to go on his behalf with Kamal (latifa's husband)" Mustafa said
"But why did you plan to go last week when you know you're still going to come back for bintu's walima" Nasir asked.
"The man was so persistent, he calls me almost everyday to remind me of his intentions"
Nasir laughed at that and Mustafa joined"isn't he too eager to get married "
"Ahtoh that's what I thought, the guy seems desperate" Mustafa shoke his head.
"I hope the energy stays the same as it is now after he marries Ladi"
"Ameen"
*******************
"Nusaibaaaaaa" bintu jumped from beside her uncle and hugs Nusaiba, they just arrived and she came looking for bintu so that they could go to their classmates.
"Ina wuni(Good Evening)" Nusaiba squatted to greet Mujahid.
"Lafiya lau how are you"Mujahid replied with a smile " this must be your friend ko bintu"
"Yes, she's my best friend"bintu grin at Nusaiba.
"Toh Allah yayi Albarka (May Allah bless you)" Mujahid says as he patted bintu's back, they both chorus an Ameen before going out to their classmates.
Ladi came in and informed Mujahid about her brother's request, she saw Kamal coming out from the kitchen holding a sleeping sakina.
"Ahh ahh baban twins, why didn't you come with my boys" ladi said as she collected the sleeping baby from his hands.
"That trouble makers, I left them with their grandma" ladi nodded and informed him about mustapha's request, Kamal went back to the kitchen to inform latifa so that they could come together. Ladi went upstairs to lay sakina, she sat down beside the sleeping baby and dialed Niima's number.
"Hello" Niima answers with a muffled voice, she was eating her cupcake when ladi's call interrupted her.
"Where the heck are you" ladi said with a hint of irritation.
"Downstairs ofcourse with Amma, where else will I be" Niima answers looking around to see if she could sight ladi.
"Could you please come up. I think Ya Mustapha is up to something"
"Alright I'm coming"
The first person bintu saw when she got to where her classmates where sited is barau with a large serving spoon on his hands, she also sighted faith garba chatting with mubeena. Most of her classmates came, even the ones she didn't expect.
"Heyyyy everyone, ahh ahh Victoria so you came"bintu said while smiling
"No she's going, mtsewww see stupid question ooo" Zara yarima said playfully but Victoria glared at her.
"Abeg Fatima don't mind her" Vicky smiled widely at bintu "so now you're now a graduate, abeg come and seat next to me" Vicky dragged bintu from Nusaiba
"Yessso"bintu giggles
"Stop feeling yourself, we'll soon start our junior WAEC" barau said without even looking at her, his main focus was the plait filled with jollof rice that Nabila just passed him.
"Barau you're such a kill joy wallahi" Mahmoud said collecting his own food.
"See you this Mahmoud better don't disturb me, you think we're in class ko. Don't you all know that Fatima is my girlfriend" barau said with a smirk and they all gave him a pointed look.
"Upon all people you think Fatima will glance at you" faith smirked back at barau " and where did that serving spoon come from" Faith laughed and they all joined her except barau.
"People think they can mock me because I'm short bahh, I'll soon surprised you people" barau said to no one in particular before devouring his food.
"Uhm... Nusaiba where is bilkis" bintu asked.
Nusaiba scowled" I don't know"
"Haba Nusaiba, are you still mad at her, come on you're not the petty type so don't even start"
Nusaiba signs and looks back where bilkis was seated close to a girl named Amina uthman.
"I'm coming" she stood and went to bilkis.
"You this girl, you can't even apologize ko" bintu glared playfully at bilkis.
Bilkis couldn't even look at her in the eye, she felt so guilty and she didn't have courage to apologize, she honestly taught bintu would never want to talk to her again.
"I'm really sorry, I know I had know right to entertain those rumors, even if it where true It wasn't my place to tell you, and now Nusaiba too won't talk to me" bilkis says while bowing down her head.
Bintu signed and waved at Amina uthman before her attention got back to bilkis.
"Hey, it's all in the pass, now let's enjoy the moment, wait... Look at how barau is eating with that serving spoon" bintu points at barau, bilkis looks at barau before looking back at bintu then they both bust out in a fits of laughter, Amina asked them what they where both laughing about and they pointed at barau, Amina just giggled and shook her head.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Yaqoub, come on, you need to hurry up" Shamsu said looking back at his watch with a frown.
"We really don't have all day, ladi's brother just called me and I don't want to keep them waiting" Shamsu said in a frustrated manner.
"Wait... My car keys, I can't find my car keys" Yaqoub said romajing through his side pocket "sorry let me just go and ask Maryam maybe I left it with her" Yaqoub said carefully in order not to irk Shamsu.
"Take johr, where will you even see Maryam now with all the people that are in there " Shamsu points to theirs house that is filled with peoplethat came to fadila's walima, mostly women and passed the keys to his friend "and we're going with my car, hanifa said they're out of refreshments so I'm going to buy some minerals on our way"
"Ok, but you owe me one, I haven't even finished eating my delicious meat before you interrupted me with your love live " Yaqoub teases Shamsu but the man doesn't seem to be in the mood.
"Hey... What's wrong, you haven't been yourself lately" Yaqoub thought about all the stress Shamsu has been going through lately, Fadila's walima, the problem with his acting principal and handling yet another school, his car business, hajiya's persistence on his marriage, moving to a new house... " Hey, don't stress yourself too much, inshaAllah everything will come to pass"
Shamsu's shoulder sags at Yaqoub's words "it's ladi"
Yaqoub furrowed his brows "what's wrong with her"
"She has been acting distant lately, she doesn't pick my calls nor does she reply any of my messages and now her brother has called me, he said they're ready to set the date today if I'm ready. I just can't shake the feeling that she's not interested in me anymore" Shamsu let out a pained laugh " or maybe she was never interested in the first place, come to think of it, ladi has never been expressive about her feeling towards me, what if this is her way of showing me her lack of interest" Shamsu looks at Yaqoub with his eyes filled with uncertainty.
"Heyyyy you really need to calm down, if ladi wasn't interested in you she would have never let you speak to her brother and I'm sure she wouldn't want to be familiar with your family. About the missed calls, maybe she's mad at you or something, what did you do" Yaqoub said thoughtfully.
"What could I have possibly done, is that what Maryam does to you when ever she's upset" Shamsu asked clearly lost.
Yaqoub laughed at that "hers is worst, whenever Maryam is angry, she serves me bland food"
"Ehhh"Shamsu widen his eyes at that
"Oh yes and she does it innocently so that you'll not suspect anything till you taste the food" Yaqoub shook his head " and at the end of the day, all this drama will be about something silly"
"Well I hope my situation will be something similar" Shamsu said when they got to his car.
"Wait have you told baba about what ladi's brother said to you" Yaqoub asked.
"Yes, his the first person I told before Hajiya, he even asked me to tell him the address of the house and something about him going to the mosque"
"Why would he want the address, is baba also coming"
"Who knows, he even said i shouldn't go with Shariff, he wants Shariff to escort him to the mosque" Shamsu said and they drove out of the compound.
✨✨✨✨✨✨
"So you've been worked up all because of a smile" Niima said with an eye roll
"You don't understand, the way he smiled, ya Mustapha didn't say anything after he smiled, what if..." Ladi sign
"See there's nothing to be worried about, anyways I think you guys should start packing your load since you're going back tomorrow" Niima said and stood up.
"Yeah latifa and Amma have already gathered my things, I'll ask mubeena and Nabila to help bintu with hers"
Niima looked down at her watch "toh it's almost time for asr, let me pray and go look for my children" Niima headed to the bathroom door but paused " yawwa I almost forgot, tahir gave me something to give bintu" she slide her hand into the pocket that was attached to her Ankara gown and brought out a brown envelope.
"Here, for bintu"Niima passed the envelope to ladi.
When ladi open the envelope, her eyes widened " la'ila, Niima I can't accept this, it's too much" ladi looked down at the N10,000 note that she held.
Niima hissed " it's for bintu not you madam, and I haven't given her my own gift "Niima's tone changed to an amused one " even irfan has gotten a gift for her, if you see how irfan was so nervous asking me if bintu would like his gift"
Ladi laughed before she told Niima to thank her husband on her behalf.
They both heard the the gate opening but didn't pay much hid about it thinking it might be more people thank came to congratulate bintu.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the canopy where ladi's siblings and in-laws gathered, Ya mustafa told them all about Shamsu, most of them where surprised because ladi never mentioned him in anyway to them but a few of them like latifa and Nasir already knew about it.
Ya mustafa also told them that he asked Shamsu to come today so that they would finalize the wedding date since most of their family where present and they all agreed.
"Wait but shouldn't we inform Ladi first to see if she agrees or not" Rashida suggested.
"I think she'll agree since we're all here now, we don't have to come back again in a short spam of time" Mujahid said.
"Mujahid is right, besides I've already told Shamsu to tell his parents if they're Ok with it then all if well, and now his already on his way" Mustafa added.
They where still discussing when they heard a car horn from outside, a bog went and opened the gate and the car came in and parked not far from the gate because of the canopies that occupied most of the space.
Everyone's attention became solely on the car when five men came out, three older that where probably in they're late sixties and two other young men, one looks much younger than the other.
Nasir stood and went to them, they shook hands in a respectful manner before he asked who they where.
"Assalamu Alaikum, My name is Alhaji Ibrahim jaji, this two men are my sons Shariff and haneef Jaji" the old man pointed at the two young men.
"My son Shamsu gave me the address to this house and...."
"Yes yes, you're welcome sir, please come and have a sit, I'm sorry we can't go inside the house. We're having a walima today, one of our daughters just graduated from Islamic school" Nasir said with a wide smile when he recognized the men as Shamsu's guardians.
"No problems, these two men are the imam of the mosque in our area, I asked Shamsu to do something for me, that was why we're here before him"
Nasir nodded and motions for them to go to the canopy where they could sit. The woman excused them and headed back inside the house.
"I Still don't see why we shouldn't inform ladi about this" Rashida said.
Latifa only shrugged " Maybe ya Mustafa wants to in from her himself and I don't think either ladi or Shamsu will have any problem with it"
Bintu didn't bother about the men that just came in thinking it's her uncle's friends, her attention turned back to her classmates.
"Eherm, bintu someone is asking of you" Nusaiba came to where Bintu sat beside bilkis and pointed to a boy with a huge gift box holding a little girl with his other hand.
Bintu looks at irfan curiously before going to where is stood a few feet away from there canopy "uhm, hello Irfan right"
Irfan nodded shyly and looks sideways.
'She's really beautiful'
"Are you looking for your mom" bintu asked.
"Huh... Oh no I uhm wanted to give to this" irfan stretches the gift box to bintu and that was when they locked eyes but irfan quickly looked away.
'God why am I acting so weird'
Bintu smile"thank you" she bent down and wiggle little Aisha's cheeks before turning around.
"Wait, can I have your number" Irfan said with a polite smile "you know just to keep in touch since we're friends now right"
"I don't have a phone"bintu said
Irfan blinks and then laughed "ohh I forgot you're still a small Child"
Bintu gave him a pointed look "ha ha ha! Very funny"
"Ok Congratulations anyways, I hope to see you soon" Irfan held his sister hands and gave bintu a smile.
"I hope not..."bintu said and turned around, she went back to her classmates not unaware of Irfan's stares.