Chapter dedicated to me me me AmirahJulde 😊😊 #selflove. For as you guys are sleeping, I'm here typing 😂😂😂...
Surah An-Naba, Verse 8:
وَخَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا
"And We created you in pairs,"
~~~
"As I said, remember to give her undivided..."
"Quality attention" Sameer and I finished up the sentence for Yusuf and laughed while he dusted invisible things off his shoulders, feeling like a pro. Sameer came along this time around, since it wasn't really an occasion, and that was after we filled him in on everything that happened during the day. Khalil wasn't with us.
The girls that conveyed the bride started trooping out when they heard our voices, they all greeted us and walked ahead. Qudsiyya was the last to come out, I prayed she won't stop and talk but seemed luck was not by my side.
"The groom can't wait to be with his beloved"she teased
"Qudsiyya you're are talking to a King" Sameer chipped in
"Oh, forgive me. The fact is still sinking in." she grinned
"Now let's go then, so he can go in and rest"
"No no, not yet. Where is our kudin sallaman yan kawo amarya money for the bridesmaids" she stretched her hand, the other akimbo, looking at me.
"Don't worry we will settle you, mu je. By the way Qudsiyya, when next do we get to be invited again?"
"Invited again, as in when Khairi puts to bed?" she asked
"No not that, I mean for your own wedding" he said which made her stop in her track. There was dead silence as Sameer realised what he said but then, there was no way to retract it.
The smile on Qudsiyya's face vanished but she quickly replaced it with another that didn't reach her eyes.
"Sameer Sameer , come and give us our money first then we talk" she managed to make light, the tensed silence. Sameer smiled then they all bade me goodnight and left.
I didn't like what Sameer said, but I'm sure he didn't intend to cause any harm by so doing. Now Qudsiyya was my agemate, few months older to specify, and her being a girl, it was expected that she be married by now, because in this part of the world, it is believed that a girl child shouldn't spend more than twenty years of the first part of her life in her father's house. So for that, girls mostly got wedded at ages 16,17,18,19 and hardly even 20.
I usually don't like it when relatives pass comments like "yours is next", or "we want the next time we come to this house to be for your wedding" or yet again "wacce kaza tayi, kukuma yan baya saura ku" or worst still "ba kinki yin aure kin tsaya zabe ba". There is nothing wrong in saying "Allah ya nuna mana naku" or "Allah ya kawo muku nagari". I mean six out of ten girls would love to get married, the other two are possibly confused while the last two are either in denial or lying to themselves about the obvious fact.
There is no need for rushing into a marriage, marriage is too serious for that and that's why it's a contract that binds two souls as one. Marriage isn't like going to the market to pick a dress and buy, which you can easily dispose of when you are tired of it or when it is worn out. No, marriage is a life time commitment, and that's why it shouldn't be rushed into.
There are three things that are taken seriously even when said in jest: marriage, divorce and revocation (of divorce). This is a hadith.
Imagine waking up to someone's face every other day of your life, imagine having to be intimate with that person, imagine getting pregnant for that person and actually bearing his kids, imagine having to obey that person and live under his roof, under his strict rules and instructions for the rest of your life, and yet again, imagine that you never in the first place loved that person. Of course you will never be happy, for the rest of your life. This cases are mostly in the instance of women. Indeed, women are mostly at the receiving end in marriages. Yet again, that is why it shouldn't be rushed. Better to be late, than jump into a marriage minus love. As Abba always say, whatever is worth doing, is worth doing well.
Qudsiyya deserves to be happy, she deserves a good man, she deserves nothing but a happy life. Growing up without a father really affected her even though she tried as much as she could to not let people see through her fears. At first she was repulsive towards the men that came to seek for her hand, later on when the proposals kept coming, she decided to loosen up a bit, but then the men didn't want to marry her again when they learn about her father. It wasn't that her father had a bad record or was a criminal, it was just that he had been absent since before her birth. How more shallow could people's thinking be. Well people with such shallow mind didn't deserve her, she's too precious for their kind. She definitely deserves better.
***
I entered the room with a salaam and was met with the most beautiful creature ever. She looked breathtakingly beautiful. She was so Masha Allah, she made me go In shaa Allah.
I was carried away taking in her appearance when she replied my salaam.
I walked deeper into the room and sat beside her on the bed for a while before I spoke "How are you"
"I'm fine" she replied in a whisper.
"I took the tray of food that was kept beside me and kept it in front of her "You should eat something"
She shook her head and said "I have eaten"
"Are you sure" she nodded in reply
"Okay then, drink some fresh milk" I passed a cup of fresh milk to her, which she took from me and drank a little. I could tell she was nervous, to some extent, I was too.
I cleared my throat and began to talk "welcome to my humble abode Khairi, and also, welcome to my life. I won't promise to give you heaven and earth Khairi, but I promise to take care of you to the best of my abilities. Food, clothing, shelter would all not be a problem In Sha Allah. I will try as much as possible to be emotionally there for you always. You will be happy in my house In Sha Allah" I stopped to catch my breath then continued "Do you promise to be my queen and mother to all my kids Ummulkhair" I asked
She nodded, a lone tear making its way down the corner of her eye. I wiped it away for her with my index finger. "The tears you will shade in my house, will In Sha Allah always be nothing but tears of joy. Now get up let's pray, or do you need to perform ablution?" she shook her head meaning no.
We prayed the nawafil prayer recommended for newly weds and prayed for a long time. I then turned around and hovering over her, I carefully pulled a few strands of hair out of her head scarf and recited the required prayers.
"Let's sleep, it's late already" I said when I was done. I got up and lay on the bed, then pretended to be sleeping. Khairi got up and walked to where her boxes were kept and pulled out a jewelry box, she turned around to make sure I was sleeping, and when she thought I was, she turned again and took off her alkyabba, then her earrings, rings and bracelets. She then unknotted her head scarf and her hair fell on her shoulders, they were shoulder length.
She then fiddled with her necklace and tried to remove it, put it seemed to be tangled with her hair, she turned around as if to ask for my help but quickly decided against it. She did all this, thinking I was asleep. She kept battling with her necklace and was on the verge of tears when I got up and walked up to her where she stood. She froze at the electrifying feeling she got when my hands brushed her neck as I pushed her hair to the side and tried to unhook the necklace.
I finally succeeded in removing the necklace and dropped it inside the box with the rest of the jewelries. I gently turned her around, put my palm under her chin and lifted her face up to meet my gaze.
"Look at me Ummulkhair" I whispered into her ears making her shudder, her eyes finally met mine and I gave her an intense look, her eyes, I couldn't say what colour they were at the moment, all I knew was that I'm in love with this woman standing in front of me and I'm grateful for having her in my life. I slowly lowered my face and my lip met hers, my right fingers combed through her hair while my left searched for the hems of her wrapper.
Few hours later when she fell asleep, it was in my arms...
The world is full of worldly enjoyments, but the best among all worldly enjoyments is a righteous woman... A mar'atus swaliha.
Indeed I had found my mar'atus swaliha and I'm grateful to Allah for that, and with a smile plastered on my face, like the contented man I was, I slowly and peaceful fell into a deep slumber.
***
The following morning, I woke up to Khairi's beautiful face and smiled. I turned around and continued looking at her for a long time when I saw her smile in her sleep, I wonder if she was dreaming about me. I hoped so.
Early in the morning, before Subhi, Umma sent the maids with hot water for Khairi. I helped her take the water to the bathroom and waited for her to finish taking her bath, then I took mine. We prayed Subhi together, I didn't go to the masjid. Immediately after praying, she went back to sleep while I remained on the sallaya and prayed till the sun started rising before going back to sleep.
I remembered that I had to be in the Palace very early then frowned. I wish I could have more time to spend with my wife but it seemed I couldn't. She stirred in her sleep and slowly opened her eyes, adjusting it to the ray of sunshine poking from through the window.
I smiled at her and mouthed a "Good morning" then got up. She smiled back and covered her face with the sheets. "I have to get ready for the Palace now Khairi, sorry about that okay. But them we have to go and greet Umma and Mama before I go, so get ready too. She gave me a nod. I was really looking forward to when I will start having conversations with my wife, slow and steady wins the race I thought.
I got ready and waited for her in the sitting room while she took her bath and got ready too, she came out after some time. "Go and where your alkyabba" I said. She went in and came back wearing her alkyabba. I was about to wrap my turban when I decided to tease her "Please help wrap my turban" I said "Okay" she answered and collected it, and to my surprise, she was doing it the right way, so I was curious to ask.
"Who thought you how to wrap a turban?"
"Adda Qudsiyya"
"That's so nice of her. What else did she teach you?" I asked and as if remembering something, she blushed, a cute light shade of pink.
"Khairi" I called and she looked at me for a while, then looked away. I finally saw the colour of her eyes. Dark grey.
"shahla"
"Uhm" she creased her eyebrows
"Shayla, dark grey eyes, the colour of your eyes" I said, totally lost in her eyes.
"Ehm.. I miss Adda Qudsiyya" she broke the silence and the gaze too.
"Would you be allowing me to go see her often?" she pleaded
"You are the Queen here shahla" I chuckled
"Whenever you want to see Qudsiyya, you send for her. However I like that you call her Adda, that shows that you respect her, as you know she's older than me, and she's my sister." She nodded slowly.
"Now let's go" I held her hand and we walked out together while the guards followed us with greetings and praises. Now one thing I realized was that, I was never going to escape this formalities, like forever. That's almost the end of private life for me.
We arrived Umma's chamber and the first person we saw was Batuul. She looked up and answered our salaam and when she saw that it's us she smiled and stood up, then greeted me and turned to Khairi.
Khairi made to get on her knees but was held half way from doing so by Batuul.
"Get up please, don't do that, ever again."
"But you are my princess"
"And you are my queen"
"I am really sorry my princess, for eve..."
"Shush, I'm the one to apologize to you Ya Khairi, for the horrible things I did to you, please forgive me" Khairi couldn't say anything as Batuul engulfed her in a hug to which she was surprised at first, then later on hugged her back, they both cried. I looked at both of them, I was happy that they've settled their differences at last. I didn't know it was going to be this easy though.
"Come, Umma is inside." Batuul held her hand and they walked inside, I followed suit.
We greeted Umma and had breakfast with her before going over to greet Mama.
They were parking. Already they had intended on following Baba to go see his other family, immediately after my wedding. They were leaving in two days. Khairi wasn't happy to learn that Qudsiyya was leaving for a while. We left there after sitting for a while.
I accompanied Khairi back to our chamber before heading to the Palace, after making her promise to take good care of herself for me. I was late, on my first day of resuming duty.
I really am going to have a long journey ahead.
~~~
So another update in less than 9hours 😂😂anya you guys didn't jazz me kuwa?
It's few minutes after 4am😰 and I'm here trying to update, I sacrificed my chuweet sleep for you guys, just to show how much I love you ❤❤❤
Please do vote and tell how the chapter went, let me sleep small before Subhi😂😂 that's if at all I can.