Gbazango, Abuja, Nigeria.
Monday 12th February, 2018.

Nana Asma'u graciously walked out of a not painted bungalow followed by her five siblings; Nana UmmuSalmah, Nana Saudah, Adam, Lut and Isah, respectively.

She grinned as she walked to where AbulKhair's car was parked. She turned to say bye to her siblings when she made eye contact with her mother. She quickly averted her gaze as she remembered her mother's words to her on her own birthday after seeing the gifts AbulKhair sent her.

She avoided her mother's heated piercing gaze and waved her siblings bye before entering the front seat of the car.

"Mashaa Allah la quwwatta illa billah. Fatabarakallahu ahsanal khaliqeen. A'udhubikalimatillahi tammah, min kulli shaydanin was hammah, wa kin kulli aynin lamma. You look takeaway as always Nana Asma'ul Husna." AbulKhair said forgetting all what he was told earlier about his parents making Nana Asma'u blush.

"Thank you. You don't look bad yourself." Nana Asma'u said and AbulKhair chuckled.

"Just admit it. I'm handsome." AbulKhair grinned.

"Not even close." Nana Asma'u said and AbulKhair shook his head.

"did you like the gifts?" AbulKhair glanced at her to see her expression.

"I loved, love and will forever love it, but i love you more. But how dis you know my signature perfumes?" Nana Asma'u questioned.

"promise you won't beat her." AbulKhair begged glancing at her to see her expression.

"Salma! I'm so killing that girl." Nana Asma'u said removing her black vivo phone which had a broken screen. The power button didn't work neither did the charging point. She could only switch it on by tapping the screen countless times. She never let it die because of lack of charge, if she did, she would have to take it to Saminu Likitan waya {phone doctor} to switch it on for her. And for that, she had to pay fifty naira.

You must be wondering why didn't she tell AbulKhair. Well, she didn't want to be a burden on him. He already did so much for her family. Her father, Ibrahim had passed on while her mother, Hansatu believed she was too old to work and that her children should get money for her.

"Nana Asma'ul Husna what happened to your phone? What about the one i gave you?" AbulKhair questioned albeit he knew the answer.

"nothing happened to it." Nana Asma'u muttered silently. She was lying and they both knew it. She just didn't want to say the truth. No matter what your mother does, respect her and keep her secret safe with you. Same goes for the father.

"Nana Asma'ul Husna i saw the iPhone x i gave you in your mother's hand. Why are you lying to me? You know that no matter what your mother does I'll bever judge her. I know what it feels like to feel embarrassed by family. I'm your fiancé, your husband to be In Shaa Allah. You know you can tell me anything." AbulKhair coaxed stopping at a red traffic stop.

"well actually, her phone spoilt so i gave her mine." Nana Asma'u lied again. AbulKhair knew she was lying but would let it slide. He knew that no matter what, she would never say what her mother was or did. That made him trust her the more, she was definitely a wife material.

"okay." AbulKhair said and continued driving.

He drove them to her uncle - Ayyuba - 's house. They entered the middle class family's living room and sat on the ground. Nana Asma'u stood up to call her uncle. Minutes after, she was back with her uncle towing after her.

"Baba in wuni. {Uncle good afternoon} " AbulKhair greeted respectfully bowing his head down.

"lafiya qalau da na. Ya aiki? ya komai da komai? Ya akaji da qarin hakuri? {all good my son. How's work? How's everything? How have you been coping?}." Kawu Ayyuba said patting AbulKhair's back.

"komai lafiya qalau mu gode wa Allah. {everything is fine we thank Allah.}"

"Toh Mashaa Allahu. Habiba! Keh Habiba. Zo{come.} Bring him some refreshments. Husna, follow her and when you bring the refreshments please excuse us. I have to talk to him." Kawu Ayyuba said and a plump dark brief girl nodded dragging Nana Asma'u along with her.

"kehhh Husna i didn't know you were with this fresh guy. Ya hadu fah {he's fine.}" the plump girl named Habiba squealed as they get the refreshments ready.

"Habiba! You'll never change keh kam. How far with Hussaini?" Nana Asma'u arranged the tiger nut drink in a tray, then placed Al-Kubus and sugar coated tiger nut in different plastic bowls before placing them beside the tiger but drink. She then added the silver cup and gave Habiba.

"ashe he was just playing with me. Nikam I'm even tired fah. Kawai Mama should allow Baba to get me married to anyone of his choice amma ita ta nace wai i have to marry a man of my choice. Toh what should I do when the man hasn't arrived? I should remain a spinster for the rest of my miserable lonely life?" Habiba had never been in lucky when it came to relationships. She was always left heart broken. Her dad - Uncle Ayyuba - wanted to get her married to a cousin of theirs - Lukman - but her mother - Aunty Zee or Mama Zainab - refused. At the age of twenty eight, Habiba still remained unmarried.

"ki bar wa Allah komai {leave everything in Allah's hands}, Mr right is on his way In Shaa Allah {If Allah wills}. Kawai have tawakkul {trust and utmost faith in Allah}." Nana Asma'u adviced and they took the refreshments to the parlor.

"Thank you. Muje wajan mama {let's go to Mama}." Habiba said dragging Nana Asma'u as they talked about random things.

"toh Malam AbulKhairi. You haven't completely made your intentions on our daughter clear yet. You come here with her almost every day and as her waliyy {representative} i need to know. Do you intend to marry our daughter?" Kawu Ayyuba scooted closer to AbulKhair who was sitting on the floor with his head hung low.

"yes Baba. I intend to marry your daughter. The reason why i haven't sent my representatives is that i needed to stabilize myself. My father's property hadn't been made mine yet but Alhamdulillah now it's all mine. But i still need some time to get everything straight and be sure that I'll be capable of taking care of your daughter and providing her needs before jumping into marriage. In Shaa Allah {if Allah wills} I'll send my representatives by the end of next month." AbulKhair concluded.

"ah toh Mashaa Allahu. That's good ai. You've proven to me that you are a real husband material for my daughter. Allah ya kaimu {may Allah spare us till then}. May Allah bless you. Bismillah. Have some refreshments." Kawu Ayyuba said and left AbulKhair to have some refreshments.

AbulKhair munched on some sugar-coated tiger nut as she remembered how he had met her. He had posted a picture of his on Instagram and someone tagged her with a caption 'Asmee a perfect replica of your description of your dreamie'. AbulKhair had stalked her and finally sent her a DM. After lots of persuasion, she finally agreed to meet her and then and there he fell for her, hard.

And here they were already talking about marriage.

AbulKhair called Nana via phone and she came out. They bid Kawu Ayyuba and Aunty Zee adieu.

AbulKhair drove them to Ajobis Kitchen where they had drumstix and shawarma. After visiting three more places, AbulKhair drove them back home as it was almost eleven in the night. They had lost track of time. Once he had parked in front of Nana Asma'u's parents house, he looked over to her.

"did you have fun?" AbulKhair asked. He always did to make sure she was okay with everything.

"yes Abul, for the umpteenth time i did. Allah ya saka da Alkhairi {may Allah bless you abundantly}. May He replenish the money you spend on me and my family." Nana Asma'u said.

"Nana Asma'ul Husna, how many time do i need to tell you not to thank me?" AbulKhair said.

"but i didn't thank you so.." Nana Asma'u winked.

"Lailahaillallahu Muhammadur Rasululahi sallalahu alaihi wa sallam {There is no God except Allah and Prophet Muhammad [peace be unto him] is his messenger}." AbulKhair exclaimed as he clapped his hands dramatically.

"Keh Nana when did you start winking at men? Am i that handsome that I made you forget your manners?" AbulKhair grinned proudly as he dusted imaginary dust off his shoulders.

Nana Asma'u covered her face with her yellow veil timidly. She couldn't believe she had winked at AbulKhair. He'd use it to tease for the rest of her life. Oh Lord, what had she done?

"Abeg stop feeling yourself." Nana Asma'u said.

"just admit it." AbulKhair adjusted is Kaftan.

"whatever helps you sleep at night. It's already late. I need to go." Nana Asma'u said trying to open the door which refused to budge.

"before you go, have this. Kar ki kuskura kice kin gode {don't even dare say thank you}. We've passed that stage." AbulKhair said handing her an iPhone six.

"haba no i can't collect this." Nana Asma'u said shaking her head. Her phone rang immediately.

"kaga Mama is calling me, please open the door." Nana Asma'u pleaded as she rejected the call.

"okay. Sai da safe {good night}." AbulKhair said reversing the child lock. Nana Asma'u looked at him surprised but quickly went out.

AbulKhair looked at her and smiled. She was the love of his life. He reversed his car and drove to his parent's house. He entered the house and let out a sad smile reminiscing all the memories he had with his father. He never knew his mother.

Back at Gbazango, Asma'u entered the house and met her mother seated on the only sofa in the parlor. A fawn blue, white and yellow exclusive super wax sewn into a six piece wrapper and peplum blouse was worn by Hansatu, Nana Asma'u's mother.

"Keh! Yau kuma meye aka baki?! {you! What were you given today?} I'm asking you something?" Hansatu thundered at a scared Nana Asma'u.

"Mama he didn't give me anything." Nana Asma'u uttered with a shaky voice.

"koh kuma ya baki kin ki karba bah? {or he gave you and you refused?}" Hansatu thundered again.

Asma'u kept quiet knowing that if she had lied, she would still be caught.

"waton saboda kar inci albarkacinki shine kika ki karba koh? Aniyarki dai zata biki. Munafukar banza {so because you don't want me to benefit through you that's why you refused right? Whatever wicked intentions you have will be sent back to you. Stupid hypocrite}. Kuma whether you like it or not, you're marrying Nuhu. That AbulKhair guy might love you but he isn't marrying you. Gwara miki ma kici kudinshi ayi miki taru. Kinfi kowa sani cewa Nuhu bah kudi gareshi bah {it'd be better if you extort money for getting things ready for your wedding. You know more than anyone that Nuhu has no money}." Hansatu said making Nana Asma'u scurry into the room she shared with her two sisters, Nana UmmuSalmah and Nana Saudah, both eighteen and fourteen respectively.

Nana UmmuSalmah looked up from the chemical equation she was trying to name as she heard footsteps. She sighted Nana Asma'u looking back.

"Adda Asmee yadai? {what's wrong?}" Nana UmmuSalmah said placing her pen in between her book and covering them before shoving them into her sack she uses as school bag.

"Mama ce fah {it's Mama}." Nana Asma'u said tiredly removing her yellow veil and folding it.

"The usual about Ya AbulKhair right?" Nana UmmuSalmah said shaking her head.

"Yes. I'm tired of it all nikam. I don't even know what to do anymore. Kawai na hakura {I've given up}. May Allah choose the best for me." Nana Asma'u said hanging her bag on the nail she forced into the wall.

"Exactly. Just leave it all to Allah." Nana UmmuSalmah said bringing out a white nylon from her side of the wardrobe.

"Keh kuma what's that?" Nana Asma'u questioned quirking her brows.

"it's an aika for you. Someone brought it."

"In gani {let me see}." Nana Asma'u snatched the nylon from Nana UmmuSalmah's hands.

In it was an iPhone x with a beautiful phone case. A letter was attached to it.

Assalamu Alaiki ya qalbee. I've switched my phone off for the night so that you can't say thank you. This phone is yours and yours alone. I intentionally didn't let your mom know that I'm giving you a new phone. Don't worry, I've given her some money. I have bought an Instagram account with three thousand seven hundred plus followers. You can advertise your scented khumrah there. The password is #ASMAKHAIR.

Your husband to be bi iznillahi ta'ala,
Ahmad Al'amin.

Nana Asma'u smiled and tucked the paper together with other letters he had written to her. She took the phone and did all the necessary things before writing a long thank you message for AbulKhair. He had subscribed a monthly subscription worth five thousand Naira which would provide her with fifteen gigabytes.

She smiled before taking a bath with cold water and going to bed with AbulKhair on her mind. How she loved that man.