Maryam had just come out of the toilet, with a towel wrapped around her. She was looking fresh and radiant such that Yasmin kept teasing her, saying perhaps her 10 years crush is about to progress.

She had to practically threaten her before she got her to shut up. Even so, whenever their eyes 'accidentally' meet, Yasmin would raise her eyebrows at her with this stupid grin on her face.

"So what are you gonna wear?" Ya amma asked watching Maryam as she took a sit in front of the dresser to apply lotion. "An abaya probably. Why are you making a big deal out of this, it's just a brother-sister day out." Yasmin snorted with laughter saying, "keep repeating that to yourself until you start to believe it."

"Thank you, sister." Ya amma laughed high five, and they high-fived. She rolled her eyes and glanced at her reflection in the mirror as she did a light makeup consisting of only eyeliner and lip tint. Once done, she grabbed her phone from the bedside drawer and checked her messages. She saw a missed call from Siddiqa.

She quickly called her back and while waiting for her to answer, she opened her wardrobe to find the clothing to wear. She picked a rose gold gown and paired a grey veil with it.

"What do you think of this?" she asked placing the clothes on her bed. They both looked at it and nodded their heads in acknowledgment. She smiled and dialed Siddiqa's number again when she didn't answer. She picked up after two rings, "hey girl." Maryam said excitedly.

"Assalam Alaikum, ya ukhtie, how are you?" She greeted in a fake Arabian accent which made Maryam laugh. "Amin wa Alaikum Assalam, ya ukhti Khayfa hakuli?"

"Alhamdulillah, let's stay there before I embarrass myself," Siddiqa said and chuckled. Maryam laughed as she walked to a little corner in the room to change. She put the phone on speaker, reduced the volume, and kept it on top of a cupboard.

"So how far, any gist. Ke Maryam I forgot to tell you what went down between ya musty and Aunty furera today." Siddiqa asked enthusiastically after a short pause. "what did she do again this time?" Maryam asked slipping into her gown.

                           —————
The house was extra quiet today, being that all the children and hajiya Juwairiyya were away on a mini-vacation. They have been gone for almost two days now.

The only people at home were the men, the ladies, and mummy. The men were all at mummy's side assisting her in some work.

"Mummy it's about time you throw this set out, it's outdated," Aisha said, raising pointing at a set of plates, on the kitchen countertop. Mummy's hand paused where it was reaching for a saucer in the cupboard and turned to face her. "Which set?"

"That one." Aisha pointed. Mummy looked at it and her face melted into a smile. "No matter how outdated it gets, I can't just throw it out. Your father gave it to me as a wedding gift. I know Ku yaran zamani wouldn't understand." She smiled reminiscing about their wedding.

Muhammad and Abdallah who were also seated by the side working glanced at each other and chuckled. "Oh, mummy is head over heels in love with daddy." Abdallah teased raising his eyebrows playfully at mummy which earned him a smack right across the back.

"Kaniyan ka da head over heels." Mummy hit his head now. "Kai mummy," he rubbed his head pouting and they all laughed. "Yaro ba kunya." Muhammad said, instigating mummy. Ya Abdallah eyed him as he says, "kaji munafinchi."

Aisha fake-gasped cupping her mouth, "Subhanallah, ya Abdallah is it our one and only ya Muhammad you're calling a hypocrite?" She looked at mummy then ya Abdallah.

"Ji yarinyan nan." Ya Abdallah eyed her and looked around to find something to throw at her. "Mummy!!" she squealed and hid behind ya Muhammad when she saw Abdallah holding his slippers to throw at her.

"Ai she is right, bakada kunya, am I not older than you?" Ya Muhammad said. "Gaskiya kayi tsawon kafa." Mummy added.

Ya Abdallah held his hands up saying, "A'a I'm sorry before you gang up on me." They all started laughing and talking about something else before Muhammad excused himself, and Abdallah followed him.

"Oh, I can't wait to hear all about what's going down today." He mischievously said, smiling. Muhammad gave him a side glared as he walked into their quarters. He removed his shoes and kept them on a rack. "Abdallah, can you grab me a can of soda please?"

Abdallah nodded and headed to the kitchen, while Muhammad strode to his room. He entered his toilet directly, took a quick bath, and came out. He found Abdallah on his bed looking out the window and sipping sprite.

Muhammad went and grabbed the clothes he was going to wear. "Ya Muhammad."

"Hmm?" He hummed as he sat on his bed bench to rub Vaseline. "would you tell me the truth and nothing but the truth?" Muhammad gave him a funny look with raised eyebrows, "why does it feel like I'm about to be interrogated?" He finished chuckling. Abdallah laughed before he turned serious again. "What do you truly feel about Maryam? And, don't lie to me."

Muhammad turned and looked at him, "hone..." Abdallah cut him short saying, "And don't tell me you don't know." He cut him short.

Muhammad smiled and scratched his head. "Uhmm..." he smiled again. He is probably thinking about a certain somebody. "I know that this is going to sound really cliche, but I'm saying it regardless."

Ya Abdallah nodded saying carry on. "When she smiles..." Muhammad started but was cut short by Abdallah who had that stupid grin again on his face. "When who smiles?"

Muhammad shot him a glare saying, "I don't know too." He moved to stand up, when Abdallah held him back saying, "I was just joking, come on, " he managed to pull him down promising that he would not interrupt him again.

"When Maryam smiles, I'm happy. When she cries, it breaks my heart and drives me crazy, I hate seeing her cry. When she struggles, I struggle too," his thoughts driving him back to when baba passed away. "I hate seeing her in misery, and I can do anything to bring her out of it." At that time when Maryam had the greatest breakdown of her life, he felt like he could do anything to get her to lighten up again.

"I miss her when she's not with me, I am always smiling and happy when she's with me. If that's love, I love her then." At this moment, Abdallah had the widest grin that even made his mouth ache a bit but it would be fine, he thought.

After a long pause, Muhammad looked at him and said, "but I don't know if I like her as a sister, or as who she is. I can't tell, I'm curious about my feelings too." Abdallah looked at him, and again, and again before breaking into a smile yet again.

"Wow! I didn't know we have such a great poet in this house." Muhammad hissed and stood up. Abdallah quickly rounded his side and tapped Muhammad's shoulder saying, "man I'm telling you that is love. We both know you have feelings for her. And it's is not siblings whatever they call it." he chuckled and Muhammad smiled and kept the vaseline he had just finished using back where it is.

"So, are you going to tell her?"
"What? No!" His eyes widened a little bit. "I don't want to mess up our relationship."

Abdallah gulped down his soda, and said, "Tell you what? I think she likes you too."

                        ———————

Muhammad arrived at Maryam's house to pick her up, he went in and found mama and hajiya juwairriya in the parlor having lunch.

"Assalam Alaikum," he salaamed and waited for them to permit him to come in. They all looked up and saw him, Aunty( Hajiya juwairriya) quickly wore a scarf. "Waalaikum Assalam," Mama answered with a smile. He walked in and sat down on the couch with a bismillah. "Aunty Aisha, Aunty Ina wuni," he greeted the both of them.

They smiled and answered him. "How is sadiya?" Aunty juwairriya asked. "She is fine. Wai tana gaidaku."

Mama smiled, "muna amsawa. Greet her for us."
Aunty juwy nodded her head in agreement. "Insha Allah I will tell her."

"How is work? You haven't returned, have you?" mama asked sipping her tea. He nodded saying, "yes but Insha Allah I'll return in a month."

"Toh Allah yasa. Allah ya kara jagora da lafiya." She prayed and he answered with Amin.

As for Aunty juwy, she just sat there scrutinizing his face. He shifted uncomfortably. When mama noticed that she said, "you're here to pick Maryam, right?"

"Yes, Aunty."
"Yarinyan nan da bata lokaci, Maryam!!" She called. "Naam."
"Wai baxaki sauri ba, Muhammad has been waiting for you fa, you are just wasting his time."

"Mama I'm coming. Ya Muhammad I'm sorry." He smiled and got up saying, "shikenan Aunty, I'll wait for her in the car."

"Toh shikenan. Oh Allah I didn't even offer you food or water. Amma!!"
"No, no Aunty, I ate something at home."
"Are you sure? Kodai bakaso kachi abinchi a gida nane?"
He laughed saying, "haba Aunty no, mummy made me eat this morning."
"Okay, Maryam would be out in a minute." He smiled and thanked her before he headed back to his car.

She came out a few minutes later, looking gorgeous. Muhammad looked up as she approached him sporting on her famous dashing smile. When she saw him looking, she waved at him, but he didn't even notice because he was so lost in looking at her.

Haram Muhammad, lower your gaze. He thought and quickly avert his gaze. He unlocked the car for her, and she got in.

"Assalam Alaikum," she greeted and didn't even let him answer when she started rambling, "ya Muhammad I'm so sorry, I was preoccupied with working that I didn't even notice the time. Sai da kazo."

"It's okay, it's okay Maryam." He chuckled watching her as she struggled with the seat belt. "Toh. Ina wuni." She finally strapped the belt and sat back with a huff.

"Ina gajiya, ya kike?"
"lafiya, ya aiki?"
"Lafiya, " he said starting the car. "ya zaman gida zance koh?" He asked. She chuckled and nodded, asking him about mummy and Aisha.

He told her they were all fine, and they spoke about some things, "So, where are we going?" She asked looking at him.

"That's for me to know, and for you to find out." He smiled and she smiled.

..............

I'm so sorry for the super late update, but these few days have been tough for me, as I've been preparing for school. All I've been doing is studying but I managed to find time to write this chapter, so bear with me, please.

I won't promise you regular updates, but I'll try my best Insha Allah.

Wish me luck.
Fatima🥀