There were too many things going on at once.
There was a loud knock coming from the door as someone called my name, there was what felt like a tiny hand patting cheek as soft breaths fanned my face, and there was the loud sound of jingling keys.
I reluctantly opened my eyes.
The first thing I saw was Alim's nostrils.
He was right in front of my face trying to wake me up.
I let out a laugh at the sight, explains the breath on my face.
He giggled at my laugh "Aunty Manal!" He said before laying on me in a hug.
I wrapped my arms around him before sitting up and keeping him on my lap.
His sister was at the door trying to use the keys to open the door I locked last night, but she's not tall enough.
Last night.
The events of yesterday came storming at me at once like a hurricane.
Oh God.
"Manal!" Amna's voice came from behind the door as she continued on knocking it.
Oh...I guess Alina was trying to open the door for her, that was why Alim was trying to wake me up.
I kept Alim on the bed before standing up and opening up the door.
Amna stood there looking like she had just woken up from sleep.
"Manal I've been here for almost 10 minutes!" She said
"I'm sorry, Wallahi I was deep in" I said.
"Anche na kira ki, they're at the big living room" she said.
(They said I should call you)
Who are they??
I wanted to ask her but I decided to just go see for myself, I walked back into the room and I wore my hijab before walking out.
Amna stayed back with the twins in my room and I walked to the big living room.
I said my Salam before walking in, they all looked at me.
Baba was seated on the big couch and Ya Muhammad sat on the carpet a few feet away to him.
Aunty Saadatu was on the other couch next to baba's and Ya khalifa was seated on the carpet in between the seats of both his parents.
I didn't know where to sit so I sat next to Aunty Saadatu on the carpet as they answered my Salam.
I looked up at Ya Muhammad and he was dressed in his white kaftan staring at me quietly.
I quickly looked away.
Ya Khalifa however had his head down looking at the carpet in front of him in his dark blue jalabiya, I guess he went back to their side this morning to get changed.
Baba cleared his throat "Now that Manal is here I will say what I have to say. Khalifa...you need to drop this new resentment you've developed over Muhammad, it's one thing to ignore him and refuse to talk to him but it's another thing to try to physically fight your brother over a woman, especially a woman that's already his wife, Kuma Muhammad ya girme ka nesa ba kusa ba, you owe him that respect and you must give it to him!"
He tried to do what??? He tried to fight him???
It's now that I look At Ya Khalifa properly that I see a bruise at the side of his cheek, Ya Muhammad however looks fine to me.
I didn't see the bruise last night so the fight must have happened this morning.
Oh My God.
This is bad. This is very very bad.
"Khalifa, with Allah being my witness I had no idea that you were serious about Manal, I knew you were fond of her, it was obvious to everyone with an eye, but because of your attribute of playing around with
girls and their feelings I didn't assume your feelings for her were genuine, I had thought it was something trivial to you as it always has been, and you've never come to me to tell me, nor has anyone else informed me-.. " before Ya Muhammad could continue Ya Khalifa interrupted.
"I told her! I told mama! But obviously she disregarded I and my feelings and she chose her favorite son over me! Just like it has always been! I told her! I told her I want to marry Manal, I told her Manal is the girl I want to marry!" He said loudly.
I kept my head down, not even knowing how to breathe properly.
"Don't speak about Mama like that with that tone, and let me finish speaking" Ya Muhammad said calmly, still keeping his composure.
Ya Khalifa forcefully stood up to his feet.
Innalillahi.
"No! That's all you all have been doing since, you've been speaking! It is I who would speak now!" He said out loud.
"Khalifa, calm down, I understand your anger and I know it is valid, but all this won't change anything, you need to keep calm so we can have a civil conversation, If I had known your feelings for Manal were this strong then I would have never married her!"
I breathed out through my nose trying to ease the constriction in my heart.
"Then you divorce her and allow me to marry her!" He shouted at his brother.
I had to look up for a second.
What?
The silence after that was painful.
Baba looked at Ya Khalifa as he blinked up at him "Amma dama Khalifa ashe baka da hankali?"
(Khalifa so you don't have sense?)
He ignored his father's statement as he shot daggers as his brother "if you care and you love me like you claim to, then divorce Manal and let me marry her, show me I'm your brother."
There was silence in the room, only the sound of the clock ticking.
Tic tok.
Tic tok.
Tic tok.
Ya Muhammad spoke up nodding once "Shikenan Khalifa, If it takes divorcing Manal to make you believe I love and care about you then I'm willing to do it right now."
If we were in an animation then I swear my jaw would have been dragging on the floor. I let out an audible gasp as I felt the attention of everyone turn to me.
I forced my head down away from their stares.
Aunty Saadatu spoke up for the first time since I came in "Daga Kai har qanin ka duk kun haukache! Hankali ya tafi daga jikin ku!" She turned to me before pointing at me "look at her! Look at her very well, she's a human being! Not a toy that you will be playing around with from brother to brother, kuna da hankali kuwa? She has the most say in this since it concerns her more than it concerns anybody! And she has agreed to marry Muhammad so she'll stay married to Muhammad! You said to show you love and care about him you'll divorce her? Wallahi tallahi if you divorce this girl koh da wasa then I've cut all ties with you Muhammad! And you will seize to be my son as I will seize to be your mother!
So choose! Being disowned by your mother or proving your loyalty to your brother! You have nothing to prove to Khalifa! He's being irrational, childish, stupid and selfish! He has to accept this saboda haquri ya zama dole ah gareh shi! Manal is your brother's wife and you will not marry her! You have to push your feelings aside and wish the best for them and pray to Allah to give you someone who will be better for you!
I understand I am the main reason of this issue and I apologize, I should have told Muhammad about your feelings when he came to tell me about his intentions. But like he said I didn't completely take you seriously too, everyone knows how you are with your feelings that come to pass.
Muhammad is a better match for Manal, Khalifa you are still young and Manal is very young, you're not capable of taking care of her as much as Muhammad will, I had thought about this before speaking to your father, i didn't choose any of my sons! I chose Manal! I did this for her best interest and I chose Muhammad for her. And Khalifa you have to accept this. Kai Kuma Muhammad I don't want to ever hear you ever mention anything that has to do with divorce concerning this girl Wallahi, it is only death that will separate you da izinin Allah."
Baba muttered an 'Ameen' and he nodded in agreement and he opened his mouth to add on, however he was interrupted by his son.
Ya Khalifa who was still standing scoffed loudly.
"Ah! Of course! 'A better match for Manal', a better match indeed! Allow him to kill her just like he killed his first wife!" He bellowed.
He didn't even get to take the next breath after that before his mother stood up, her next move was slapping him across his face.
I looked up at the scene with my mouth wide open.
He did what? What does that mean?
"Fita Khalifa! Get out before I cause you more harm than this" His mother shouted at his face.
I've never seen her this angry before.
He was still very much angry too but I could see the regret in his eyes from his previous words.
I looked up to look at Ya Muhammad and I almost flinched
He was staring blankly at the bottom of the couch his mother was standing in front of with no emotions in his eyes, he looked...dead.
Ya Khalifa must have known the impact those words would hold on Ya Muhammad because he had succeeded in getting the blow to him and he got him good.
"Muhammad" his father said holding his shoulder and giving it a squeeze "ba ka da laifi."
(You're not at fault)
Ya Muhammad blinked before standing straight "I'll leave with the twins in a few hours, I got the house to be cleaned and prayed on yesterday since no one has been in it in a year, Manal doesn't have to move in with us today or this week, she can move in when she's ready" he announced to no one in particular before leaving the room without a word.
His parents looked at his retreating figure in sympathy.
Aunty Saadatu turned to me "Manal, you'll leave together with them later on, he will need you"
He will need me?
Need me for what?
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Keh kuwa Manal wife support mana, koh kin manta neh? 😔
D for Drama! Let me hear you say OH OH!...😭😭🤣😭🏃🏾♀️🏃🏾♀️🏃🏾♀️
I don't care what anyone says I love Khalifa' 🤣 He's just going through a hard time y'all ah tausaya mishi😔😂😂😂
Toh, Another chapter opened, Ya Muhammad and his trauma 🦦
Buckle up next chapter we're moving to our husband's house 😭😭🤣
Love, M ❤️