Kano State, Nigeria.
2018.
People die but memories don't. The memories are like black canvas of sky full with stars, so beautiful yet unreachable. We can gaze up at them everyday and smile but couldn't complete the urge of reaching out for them, to get closer and bask in their warmth. Maybe that is that is the power memories have, to have your heart yearning and craving for the old days spent together. The yearn to be back in that person's arms knowing they are gone forever.
The day bleeds into night and Falak could think about nothing but her father. It's been long since she last thought about him that deeply apart from when she is saying a prayer for him in each of her sujud. She missed her father so much at that moment and could only sit down to recall the memories they shared. The bittersweet ones that gets ruined when her stepmother will come and ruin it for them. Though it's a village of Fulani people and they are known for their shy nature so they are not really too bond up but the father and daughter relationship can't be denied. He's loved her like his life.
She's changed into her silky knee length trouser and button up shirt pajamas and settle herself on her side of the bed. She placed her head on her knees and start to think about all the things he's done for her, the ones he sacrificed just for her own happiness. Even though he made the mistake of not taking her to her mother, she understands what he was feeling at that moment and will not hold it against him.
He felt like he has no one in the world except her and if he'd let her go, he would be all alone and that village is not a home to some no matter how long you've stayed. She would stay with him for a long time if it is said again and won't change anything from their lives to come for luxury. She hardly gets something enough to eat but his love is enough to placate her grumbling stomach and not think about his endless advises. He is always full of advises which she missed. He would've become a great motivational speaker in her village as people come for advises most of the times.
If he was still alive, she would've been rained with advises that she won't dare do anything wrong again in her life. Even now when she wants to do something, his words will halt her from doing so. She don't want to disappoint her dead father and disrespect his words. He is the best person out there and she is terribly missing him. Her father was her joy and role model, it's a disaster that she don't even have his picture with her.
Or she should go to the village and demand that Adama should give her one if she has, she could only hope she does. Or maybe she can have some artist to draw it for her since she can describe her father's face even after waking up from sleep but the first option is better than the last so hopefully, she will be going to Matan Fada very soon.
"Why are you crying?" Came Shaddad's voice as he trudged into the room after finishing his work back in the living room.
"Nothing." She sniffed, not knowing when the tears gushed down her cheeks and she could feel it's stickiness on her neck which means she's cried so much.
She heard his sigh then saw him sitting down on the bed next to her already dressed in his favorite pair of slate sweats. He is also ready to sleep so she sniffed one last time and hastily clean her tears not to leave any trace. She could swear he has never seen her cry after the little incidence some years back when she vowed to move on from him in the dining table right in front of everyone. Since then she's never cried except the ones she shed when Bilal betrayed and that was it.
"What is it?" He asked again, this time his voice more quite but the quite decree of authority and concern is interweaved in and she can't help pouring her heart out.
"I was only thinking about my father." She cried yet again as though she didn't finish clearing the tears from her face and neck, now it made it's way to the valley of her breasts.
"Oh. May his soul continue to rest in peace." He doesn't know what to say or do to his emotional crying wife so when she moved closer and lie her head on his shoulder, he dropped his right hand on her own shoulder in silent support.
"He used to say I was his star and that is why he couldn't stop himself from naming me Falak. He said he wanted to name me Umnia which means gift but when I was born, the stars were shining brightly and they were lots of them so he changed his mind and named me Falak. I told him Umnia is more awesome but he argued for a long time telling me how a star is also a gift so the name has everything inside of it and more." She kept quite and manumit a smile at the bittersweet memory.
"He was right." Shaddad agreed with a ghost smile and unconsciously started making unknown patterns on her shoulder which soothed Falak in more ways that he could think.
"He was dark skinned. I once asked why I was fair and he was dark like my other stepsisters and stepbrother so he sat me down and narrated my mother's story to me and that was the first time he told me about her. I asked where she is and he said she is with her Prince and I will find mine soon but when I clocked fifteen without a suitor, he started worrying if there really is a prince out there for me."
She chuckled a little as she clearly recalled how her father will fight Adama when she said she is going to die a spinster while he pacify her that the people in the city don't get married early so maybe that is why she is also not married because her husband might be from the city. Falak won't lie and say she didn't wanted to be married then. All her friends got married and stopped talking to her because she is unmarried and considered a bad omen except for Fikriyah and Marawiyya.
She wanted to get married and feel among. She knows how beautiful she is even then, her father never cease to tell her how beautiful she is which makes her never insecure of her appearance no matter what. It is even said in the whole village there is no one like her but why didn't she get husband? Everyone adored her and would want their son to get married to her but no one stepped forward. She found out her mother stopped anyone from marrying her and she is grateful. She wouldn't have met Shaddad.
"And here I am." Shaddad said and Falak rose her head to see him with s normal smile on his lips. Not a ghost one, not a small one, but a real genuine normal smile.
"You smiled." She murmured in a trance, totally mesmerized and blown away by it.
He looks so young, carefree and juvenile. She couldn't move to do anything stupid and find out she was just hallucinating. She just stopped everything, breathing included to make sure she didn't let that moment slip. She took in everything he is giving like the oxygen she needs to survive. She gulped everything down afraid she might choke but still can't get enough of him. The side of his eyes glinted so she lightly lean down and place her lips on his in a light kiss.
"I'm serious, you should smile often." She whispered, her lips brushing his whenever she speaks which sends jolts down her spine and she frisson.
"I'm trying." His voice was so husky that she didn't hear much what he said and if not that her eyes are transfixed on his lips, she wouldn't have understood what he said.
"Keep trying." She didn't know when her leg draped itself on his or when her arm snuggle behind him and cuddle up with him, her face so close to his.
They continue to stare at each other, searching, drinking in each feature and each pore. They both have small smiles on their lips, impaling and basking the warmth of togetherness and oneness. Their hearts roared like angry dragons while their stomachs try settling the butterflies commingling inside them ready to go for a war. Their smiles are caressing their minds.
One of them lean in and merged their lips but can't be said who was it, maybe the magnetic pull between them but then again, it doesn't matter who leaned in or not. All that matters is that they have their lips adjoined and their heart howling in flutters and glitters. Falak move herself and straddle Shaddad, letting the kiss lead them wherever it is it wants to. It was so tender, docile but dithyrambic making the duo feel goosebumps all over.
Over and over she tasted the universe at the tip of his tongue while she offers him the stars with every stroke of her lips. And just like that, they find themselves tangled in marital bliss filled with passion and love.
•~•~•
"Are you serious right now?" Falak asked Amrah, the body beautician from her wedding who left the State after her wedding for some relative wedding in Kaduna.
"Have I ever joked about such things you silly person? I never expect it to turn out to be your brother but he is the one. Falak I'm afraid he will find me and put me in some cell in the palace." Her voice thinned to fearful at the last part, holding Falak's hand on the table.
They are in Falak's office in the hospital where she came after she asked Falak if she is busy or not. She told her she could come hearing the undertone worry laced in her voice so she narrated some story for her and Falak would swear she don't understand most of the things she is trying to tell her. She was talking so fast so Falak stopped her with the question and she continued now she don't know how to ask what she means.
"I don't even know what to say." She pretend to understand what she is saying and even sighed. She hopes that is the right answer though, or Amrah will have her head.
"You are not helping me calm my nerves now." Amrah wrenched in more worried voice than before.
"Okay, should I call him so you guys can talk and clear the misunderstandings?" She asked hopefully. She wants to slip away from that situation badly and if calling Harith is the only way, then so be it.
"Is it the right idea? I don't even know wallahi what I want to do at this moment." She whined then clicked her fingers like an idea dropped from her head.
"It is the best idea I can come up with so you can stop being paranoid about it. I don't even see why you are worried when I know he might've already forgotten about it." Falak grumbled, removing her phone from her desk and quickly dialled Harith number.
"Hey, can you please come down to my office for a minute." She said into the phone and he rasp out his reply then she hung up and kept the phone all the while glaring at Amrah.
"He is coming and if you dare chicken out, I will deal with you." She narrowed her eyes at Amrah who sheepishly grinned and started waiting patiently while fiddling with her fingers anxiously.
Falak adjust her oyster kitten on her legs. She is dressed in sangria yoke waist skirt and oyster drop shoulder shirt then wrapped sangria dove hijab around her. She didn't feel like going into trouble with the mermaid skirt she first removed which she normally wear with kimono or abaya and coming to the hospital with that is not really one of her bucket list.
Shortly after, Harith walked in in all his glory featuring pine Corneliani jacket, a frost white dress shirt underneath and matching pine slacks encased his long legs. He has black Italian leather shoes enshrouding his feet. All in all, he looks breathtaking even to Falak and not to talk about Amrah who is about to pass out though her back is facing him. She could feel his present in the room, it is hard not to.
"Welcome, bro H. Have a seat in my beautiful office." Falak exaggerated and ask him to sit on one of the chairs next to Amrah.
"Beautiful indeed." His deep voice rasp making Amrah clench her legs and grit her teeth.
"Whatever, bro. This my friend here has something to say to you. Her name is Amrah, Amrah, he is my big brother, Harith." She introduced to take the burden off Amrah seeing as she is about to flee.
"Uh, I just wanted to apologize for what happened this morning. You left the scene angry and I thought I could come say sorry myself." Amrah said in a small voice hoping he will understand what scene she was talking about. She didn't even look up to see him, she is too afraid to.
When she left her home in the morning to go pick some herbals, she's met with an accident and it was his car. Her Honda Civic hit his Audi A4 and he was furiously raining insults at his guards for what, she don't know. He promised to sue the person in the other car which was her but she didn't got down from the car seeing such powerful person. His guards came and talk to her and she politely apologized. They told her it was okay but they don't know what the Prince will do.
Her Honda Civic is new which she got to buy when she finished working for Falak. She don't want anyone to take it from her not to talk that her family are not rich. She lives with her mother who is also working to get them something to eat so if he does sue her, then she is done for. She will have to sell her car or even with their house to pay so she use her connection with Falak to come and apologize personally.
"Oh, no problem. I was only angry, you don't have to worry." He let out a small smile and stood up eying Falak while she does the same.
"Is that all?" Falak asked Amrah before Harith could leave. She was looking at the like a hawk and thought they matched.
"Yes." Falak heard the relieve in Amrah's voice so she followed Harith outside to talk.
"I think you should totally have that girl's number. You guys matched like a missing puzzle." She exaggerated while he only glare down at her.
"Don't try matchmaking me with anyone. I am already in love with another woman, my heart is not with me. She might end up hurt." He warned and gave her a wink before leaving the Ward through the elevator in his powerful strides almost matching Shaddad's.
Falak widen her eyes and laughed at him. So he really is in love with another woman? Woah, who is she?! Oh she is going to Perter him about this woman he loves till he gets it out of him.
*****
Yoyoyoyo!
How are you?! Harith is in love o, hahaha, who saw that coming? And can you believe Shaddad up there, me is shying😹 don't worry, next chapter will be amazing InshaAllah.
RQ; Would you rather be able to tame a lion or be able to speak to animals in general? I think the latter but then again, I loveee lions, You?!
Aishatu.