Betrothed To The Heart

Kaduna, Nigeria. 

Family. 

Family is everything to her, she cherishes her family more than anything, she puts them first in everything she does, she sacrifices for her family. 

Though she couldn't protect that one family. But she still cares for him, even though he's miles apart from her. 

The soft evening breeze whispered through the quiet space of the kitchen as Walida shuffled through the kitchen, making her signature drink- Zobo (Hibiscus tea) - for her Abba and his friend - Alhaji Isah. 

Her smile was unwavering as she packed it up in a tray. She smoothen the non-existent wrinkles on her Maroon Abaya before taking the tray and existing the kitchen. 

She walked through the hallway that led to her father's private living room, the chandeliers there casting a warm afternoon glow on her fair skin. 

As she entered into her father's living room, she was welcomed with her mom's favorite turaren wuta(incense), she smiled then said her Salam, which was answered by both her father and his friend as they turned their gazes to her.

Walida plastered a soft smile on her lips, moving further into the living room to where they were seated, she placed the tray of the drink-zobo- she brought, on the Gueridon table between the two men. Lowering herself onto the Savonnerie carpet, she then parted her lips to utter. 

"Barkan ku da zama.”(Greetings to you all)

Baba smiled at her, as he poured a hearty amount of the drink into the tumbler on the tray, he suspired a moan as he took the first sip; mentally. The drink was exquisitely aromatic as always. 

He looked down at her figure seated on the carpet, head hung low. A soft proud smile hunged on his lips as he muttered, "Sannun ki"(well done) and then moved on to continue sipping his drink. 

Walida, familiar with her father's friend's unvoiced compliments smile, 

"How’s the company, hope there no any issues?" Baba asked after dropping the tumbler back on the table. 

Walida nodded her head, a genuine smile plasted on her lips."Everything's fine. Alhamdullilah," 

Everything was going smoothly and well, not until news reached her that her nemesis was joining the company. Darn, she heard he would be resuming on Monday, but, does she has the right to complain?. 

Tomorrow is Monday, walili you gotta be ready, hmm. 

Abba sipped his drink as he watched the exchange between his dearest daughter and his bestfriend. All he could say was Alhamdullilah-the two family's relationship has slowly melded, and that was all he could ask for. Though his other friend, Prof M. Marafa has withdrew completely from them- from him precisely-only formally greeting each other when met in the public. 

Not wanting to delve into that unwanted thoughts, Abba took a sip of his Zobo, complimented her as well, then started conversing with his friend. 

Walida looked up at her father, he was sipping his drink whilst adjusting his spectacle on the bride of his nose with his signature smile radiant. 

She smiled too-Her father is her everything, he's her supporter, her bedrock, her backer, her defender, her promoter, and also her biggest ally-and that smile on his face only can brighten her day and cheer her up. He never frowns when he's with her, not even when she did something wrong, he would scold her, after scolding her for hours he would hug her and apologise, and they both would laugh it off. 

He would even tease her mother sometimes, saying 'she loves me more than you' and she would simply laugh and reply, 'only God knows' and they would all laugh it off together. 

Walida unfolded herself from the carpet, bid them adieu. As she turned to leave the room, Baba's voice reached her, making her grin wider. 

"May God bless you daughter". 

"Ameen..." Her father replied, proudly. 

Walida left her father's private living room, and headed to the main building, the walk is just a seconds walk away. As she entered the living room downstairs, she spotted her mother seated on a sofa. 

"Assalamu Alaikum". Her tone, soft and calm. 

"Wa Alaikum Assalamu". Her mother replied, with a warm smile. And then darted her gaze back to her Samsung , probably watching a Tafsir. Walida sometimes wonder 'there are televisions for God's sake, why wouldn't she watch on it' the woman was always on her phone. But was she complaining?, Nay, never.

She preferred 'the phone' mother over the 'doctor' mother she had been before before. Now, she got to see her mom everyday and everytime, not just the scheduled mom she luckily see on weekends. 

Walida and Mami looked so much alike -like the mother and daughter they are, the slight difference was that Raliya's skin was fairer than Walida's - a trait Walida had inherited from her fathergot from her father- along with her small eyes. 

She made her way to the staircase, walking while holding her abaya a bit off, so she wouldn't trip and fall while ascending the stairs. 

She entered her room. It was dim, the temperature in the room was cool, and calm perfect for a good sleep. The walls were decorated with frames of diverse styles, each one claiming it's own place in the quiet space. One could say she was obsessed with art.

She removed her Maroon abaya veil and neatly kept it on the vanity chair. She then went further, and sat by the edge of her king-sized bed, her elbow on her knees, chin propped against her thumb, staring adoringly at her rooms.

'Walili, take a nap, you deserve it anyways, its just 4pm.' she murmured to herself, as her eyes landed on the nightstand clock beside her bed.

She lay down on the bed, facing the side of her floor-to-ceiling window, draped in an ash-grey curtain.

Just in a short while, her eyelids grew heavier. And in less than a second, darkness surrounded her as she let it took her away-off to La-la land.

Walida wasn't one to sleep much, yet today's sleep had been exceptional exceptional. She woke up around 7:34, likely after the Isha prayer. Sitting upright, her eyes wandered around the familiar corners of her room. 

She stretched and yawn, but suddenly jerk herself off the bed. Moving to the window, she swiped aside the ash-grey curtains, taking in the beautiful sight that unfolds before her. The sky is utterly dark - and then it struck her . "Subhanallah , My prayers" she snatched her veil from the vanity chair and quickly went into the bathroom. 

She performed ablution which hopefully washed the remnant of sleep that remained, and then went on to spread the prayer mat,facing the qibla, she offered her prayer. After completing the prayers, she chanted her supplication. 

And then left her room to bask in the comfort of her parents' company.