This chapter is dedicated to you sissy Maryam_aminchi 💘 and we're missing you so much. You've to come back.... soon😞😞

"Ruqayyah oya wake up, you need to get ready" Anty shafa'atu spoke in a low voice.

She's been waking me up for the past 20minutes but it was all in vain. I was too tired because of the work we had yesterday. Running errands, a little battle with ya husna's tailor, booking for the photographer and the like. Thank God, anty shafa stayed to help. The house has been a little crowded for the past six days. And today, being the sunah day (naming ceremony), the 7th day, the house would probably look like a bomb's hit it.

Dada came on the 3rd day and I couldn't be more happier. If I wasn't with hajia mama, you'd probably see me with her. I always enjoy her company. Mama didn't come because in our tradition, Mothers normally don't go to their daughters naming ceremony. Unless they're shameless and immodest.

I heaved a deep breathe and took a quick glance at the clock. It was already 10am.

I jumped out of the bed and hopped into shower. Once i was through, i donned an atamfa fitted gown, which was sewed by hudayya and delivered to me just two days back.

Anty shafa was also slaying in her black and white atamfa.

She told me ummy, the makeup artist was already here. My mind instantly drifted back to the time me and yasmeen were talking about Mrsbazza as the makeup artist i would hire for my wedding. Indeed, You plan and Allah plans. But truly He is the best of all Planners.

I nodded and walked out of the room. I entered the one adjacent to ya husna's, where hajia mama and dada were sitting. The house was already starting to corrupt into mega rush.

I met them with yaya, uncle m's maternal grandma, with three other old women. I greeted them respectfully.

"Ruqayyah 'yan mata, you've really grown up" Yaya teased making me blush a little.

"Did you have your breakfast?" Hajia mama asked.

"No, i just woke up" I answered.

"You should go and eat before the food finishes" She instructed.

"I think you should just call the maid to take the food to where asma'u and the makeup artist are" Dada suggested. I nodded, walked out of the room and into the one where i was told ya husna and the makeup artist were.

"Rukky" Said ummy as she stopped with the make up to hug me. I hugged her back and enquired after her. She was with her other elder sister, which I recognized to be Maryam, also know as Ambul. I always tease her about the nickname when we chat. We exchanged greetings as Ummy continued to do her job while me and Ambul talk.

"What's the baby's name?" Ummy suddenly asked.

"Khadijah, we named her after mama, so we'd be calling her with Amani" Ya husna replied.

"Mashaa Allah" Ummy and Ambul chorused.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful baby" Ambul grinned admiringly.

"Thank you!" Ya husna grinned back.

Soon, Munubiya brought the breakfast. Aunty shafa joined us and we all continued to chat about many things as we eat until Ummy was through with the makeup.

"Wow! Mashaa Allah, this mai jego looks beautiful as ever, Uncle m will definitely go gaga" I wigged my eyebrows to which she gave me the evils in return. She borrowed my phone and took a selfie.

"Inyeeh!" Anty Shafa grinned "Pretty pretty lady"

Ya husna chuckled and rolled her eyes "I will quickly go change now" She said and walked out

"Yallah rukky, lets doll your beautiful face" Ummy smiled and gestured for me to sit on the chair ya husna sat on earlier.

"I don't want you to intensify it, a nude makeup to be precise" I said with a grin while she gave me a thumps up.

She changed me into a doll in less than an hour. I couldn't stop thanking her and smiling at myself.

She started with Anty shafa's while i went to ya husna's room. She was now dressed in a blue with a pop of black and white atamfa. A peplum blouse and a six pieces skirt. I told her how glamorous she looked and changed amani's clothes into a cute black gown, a silver bootees and a black hairband.

I carefully placed her inside a milk soft shawl and scooped her up in my arms. Ihsan walked into the room with a poker face, complaining about Munubiya not giving her more zobo.

"Ya salam! ihsan, look at your clothes fah, zobo all over shirt, ai gara da ta hana ki, oya come and change" Ya husna scolded. Sometimes, i found it so funny and really unbelievable. The girly ya husna was now a big mommy, with two baby girls. Sooo dreamlike!

We later sauntered out of the room and entered the one hajia mama and others were. I handed Amani to them and went downstairs to the kitchen to check if everything was going well. After checking everything, i moved outside to see the men already setting the canopies and chairs.

'Its going to be a long day' I thought and heaved a measured breathe.

✨✨✨

"Ruqayyah where is Asma'u?"

"Ruqayyah where is the food?"

"Ruqayyah where can i find Dada?

I inwardly groaned as people kept shooting questions my way. How am I supposed to answer them? I'm i a Multi-tasker or a computer?

"I don't know" I quickly muttered to them and ran off. The house was filled to the brim since after dhur prayer, people have been coming, moving up and down. As expected, the house was scattered, children running here and there inside and outside the house, young and old people chatting, gossiping and laughing lively amongst themselves.

With much effort, i finally got out of the house and walked to where i spotted ya husna and uncle m's relatives snapping pictures. She was now putting on a light brown lace, with a milk veil draped around her body. Her makeup was still visible but the lipstick and eyeshadow were gone. While amani was now dressed into another cute light brown dress.

Ya husna and Aunty amina (Uncle m's immediate sister)

Ya husna with Aisha AKA Minal (Aunty amina's daughter)

I took some pictures with them and went to where i saw Anty shafa and some Aunties dancing to Barmani choge's grandaughter song; who is centered around five upturned calabashes floating on water and played with the hands by elderly women.

"Come on, dance" Aunty shafa urged pulling my hands.

"I can't, there's so many people watching" I shouted over the music and laughed at how she sways her body with some nice moves. Sure Aunty Shafa is a good dancer. I don't dance in front of people. Not that I'm bad at it tho, i just feel shy and embarrassed.

"Pleasee, it's only ladies, just a little" She urged more.

I sighed in defeat as she pulled me closer to the elderly women beating on the calabash. Suddenly, they changed the tune and started singing another song, making the ladies cheer with joy saying 'Mai tuwo tuwo kande'. Merriment could be heard everything.

"How do you guys do it?" I asked slowly trying to imitate their moves. Anty Shafa showed me, thankfully I quickly grasped and continued to dance along.

"I'm tired anty shafa, I'm out" I shouted over the music, trying to catch my breathe. I had to admit, it was damn fun but i could faint any minutes. My throat was literally dry.

I made my way to the kitchen through the back door to avoid people. I gladly grabbed a bottle of cold water from the fridge and gulped it down in a blink. Taking a few breathes, i moved upstairs to ya husna's room. I could remember keeping my iphone there.

"I hope i will find it there" I murmured as I accelerated up the stairs.

Thankfully, there was nobody in the room, so it would be more easier for me to search for it. I spotted it right on the vanity table.

I was greeted with 11missed calls. Two from Ameela, two from mama, three from Yasmeen and four from Al amin.

My gaze was glued on Al amin's number for some minutes before i pushed back his thought away. I hissed, damning myself for forgetting to recharge my line and made a mental note to call them later.

I moved downstairs and was about to walk to the kitchen when i saw Yasmeen and Umma walking inside the house. I walked up to them and hugged Yasmeen. As soon as we pulled away, Umma enveloped me into a warm one again.

"How are you?" She enquired, smiling sweetly at me.

"I'm good Umma, how's the trip?"

"Good Alhamdulillah" She smiled and i ushered them to one of the sitting rooms. Thank God, it was clean.

"What happened to your cheeks? They look like balloons" I said, pinching yasmeen's cheek playfully, knowing she hates chubby cheeks. In fact, she hates chubbiness, she would do anything at any price to maintain her figure.

She gasped "Are you serious?? Oh my God" She quickly brought her phone to her face to examine it. I poked out my tongue at her "I was just kidding"

She sighed and slapped my arm "I almost freaked out"

I almost forgot Umma was there if not because of her soft chuckle. "Kai yaran nan baku da dama" She shook her head still chuckling.

I smiled almost shyly and told them i would go call ya husna. I met her still snapping pictures with people and wondered how she was able to smile throughout, her cheeks ought to be hurting real bad. I would totally put on a poker face if it was me.

I managed to get to where she was and informed her about Umma's arrival. She told me to order Munubiya to take some foods to them and she would be there in a jiffy. I nodded and made my way to the front door when i heard my name being called. I growled internally and turned around to see Adda adama, mama's sister, holding a tray with some warmers on it.

"I've been looking for someone to take this, there's a bako in the guest room, danAllah ya ru nu mo (Please take this to him)" She tried to make the sweetest voice she could muster. Much as i was bad at my mother's native tongue, which is fulfulde, I could still understand but can't reply fluently. Unlike Ya husna, she speaks it fluently. Many people asked me 'how?'. But truth be told, even i, didn't know how the hell that happened.

I reluctantly nodded and took the tray, of course not before asking her politely to tell Munubiya ya husna's order.

I went to the guest room and knocked. I didn't here an answer, so i pushed open the door to see nobody inside. I shrugged and found a spot to place the tray. Once i opened the door to leave, i bumped into someone making me stumbled back, Thank God i quickly got hold of the door's handle.

My eyes widened like saucer as they landed on the person in front of me. He too had his eyes widened for a moment before they came back to normal.

"Hey" He waved and smiled.

"What are you doing here?" I managed to squeak out words, after much silence.

He stared at me with those piercing eyes for some minutes before he chuckled "Yasmeen forced me to be their driver for today"

"O..okayyy" I dragged "Bye"

"Wait" He stopped me once i started walking, i turned and waited for him to speak.

"How are you?" He asked, with... Concern?

"I'm obviously fine" I chuckled nervously.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes"

"Sure?"

"Uhm yes"

"I heard the baby is named after mama"

"Yes"

"Do you love me?"

"Yes" I gasped once I realized what i had just uttered.

"I mean no.. Of course.. As in... How on earth.." I stuttered like a fool as i felt my cheeks warmed from embarrassment.

"I thought it would be a yes too" He laughed

My jaw dropped, literally stuck midair before I realized and gulped.

He sniggered then suddenly placed his hand on his nape "You've been ignoring my calls, why?"

Simply because i want you out of my life sweetheart.

Instead i stood there, staring at what i found the most interesting thing at the moment. His lanky toes.

"Can we talk for a moment?" He asked again.

"Errrr..." I tried to look for a reasonable excuse "I'm kind of busy right now, maybe later" With that I quickly walked out of the room before he even tried to stopped me.

I went back to the sitting room where i left Umma and Yasmeen to see a lots of warmers and all sort of drinks displayed in front of them. Amani was held in Ummi's arms as ya husna was sitting beside her, Hajia mama and Dada on the adjacent couch and Yasmeen on the other couch across from theirs, eating something from a plate.

Once Yasmee's eyes landed on me, she placed her plate on a coffee table and dragged me out.

"There's a serious issue we need to sort out" She said and i nodded, indicating for her to go on.

"Lets find a quite place" She looked around the place as if to say 'We can't talk in front of them'.

I nodded once again and dragged her upstairs to the room I usually sleep. "What's the matter?" I questioned meekly.

"Its about Ya al amin" She blurted out.

My stomach turned a somersault at the mention of his name. "What about him?" I managed to utter.

"I know you might get mad at me but i have to say it" She paused scrutinizing me "Since that day our parents called off your wedding ya al amin hasn't been himself, he has changed, not talking to people much, always with a sad face and much more changes. He later even blamed me for everything, saying if I hadn't told our parents about your fight, the whole calling off thingy wouldn't have happened. We fought that day and i told him not to put the blame on me because he was the one that caused it and jumped into conclusions. Months later, umma asked me to go call him when i saw him staring at your picture in his phone, i swear I thought he had a seizure or something because he wasn't even blinking" She chuckled and continued "I brought him out of his daydream by snapping my fingers in front of his face, 'You love her' were my first words, and you know what? that stubborn guy dared to deny me even after catching him redhanded. I told him about his sudden changes and tried to show him how madly in love he is with you and how he failed to agree with that. You know that day was one of the most happiest days of my life because he finally agreed Alhamdulillah. That day, Ya Al amin finally came to terms with his feelings for you"

I could almost swore my heart missed a beat at that.

"Please ruqayyah, i want you to do the same, i want you guys to fix everything and get married soon" She held my hands in hers "Please"

"Yasmeen.." I paused "What if he doesn't mean it?"

She sighed "He is my brother, i've known him for my whole nineteen years and i easily understand him"

"Yasmeen..."

"Please ruqayyah do this for me, for our parents, for their friendship's sake, for Allah's sake, I can't stand seeing both of you hurting while there's a decision, a very simple one" She said with imploring eyes.

"Well... I want him to prove it himself" I uttered.

I'm literally grinning like one cuckoo girl right now. Lmao, I think chapter 36 would be my best *wiggles eyebrows* I can't wait for al amin to prove his love.💃🏾

Sha how you? How school? How everything? How boyfriend? How husband? How mumcy and popcy? Hope all fine.

My sister was like "Are you nuts? How could you post suna pictures without a baby?" And i was like "Duh! It's doesn't matter, just want to entertain my readers, fair enough ay?". Lol!

And please can anyone of you who speaks fulfulde very well tell me if my sentence was correct 'ya ru nu mo'?

PS: Aunty shafa is Uncle m's sister. The same as ya husna's age.

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Lots of love!💕💕

Ruru!❤️