She peeped her head through the small crack of the door to their bedroom, she found Ya amma and Yasmin both seated on the carpet, eating tuwo and conversing.

She smiled mischievously as she thought of giving them a scare. She ran into the bedroom and sprawled on her bed without warning which sent Ya Amma falling back to the ground, and Yasmin flying towards their toilet. "Subhanallah!" Ya amma exclaimed, cradling her chest in her hand. Maryam started laughing so hard that tears streamed down her face. When they all saw that it was Maryam, ya amma rushed to her side and hit her saying, "You this stupid girl, you nearly gave me a heart attack."

Maryam rubbed where ya amma just hit and pouted saying, "but I didn't give you right? Why did you have to hit me like this. Gaskiya ni I'll report you to baba just because he is not around doesn't mean you can just bully me anyhow."

"Wallahi ya maryam someone will think you are the auta," Yasmin said looking at maryam and shaking her head. "Wallahi kuwa. Ai its all baba's fault, he pampers her alot. I wonder how you are going to get married if you remain like this, you better change." Ya amma eyed her, as she grabbed her phone from under the pillow.

Maryam looked at them from one person to another, the smile she had on her face faded and her expression became ardent.

Adda amma and yasmin fought hard to hold back their laughter. "But ai everything we said is true, so.."

"Ughh.. whatever." She rolled her eyes and got up, keeping her bag and veil on her bed. "So how is aunty Sadiya and them Aisha?" Adda amma asked going back to her food. "They are all fine." She then remembered Abdallah. "Oh ya abdallah is downstairs seff." She shook her head at her clumsiness and rushed out to mama's room to tell her.

She told mama and went downstairs to call him upstairs. She found him seated in the living room downstairs. "Ya Abdallah do you want something?"

"Just water."
"Ok, Mama is calling you," she said, and headed to the kitchen to get him some water.

She took the water to him, and went back to their room. "I met mimi today." She sat on the bed facing them.

"Really, where?"
"On our way here, we stopped by to give ya Muhammad a hamper... then she told them exactly what happened.

"Oh Allah, that girl I wonder what Ya Muhammad sees in her," Amma crossed her arms, clenching her jaw. Yasmin scoffed, "Wallahi."

"Amma, Maryam,Yasmin come downstairs your father is here." Their mother called. Maryam eyes lit up, a huge smile enveloping her face. "Baba!" She shrieked and got up, running as fast as she can to the living room downstairs. She found baba standing by the long seater, talking to Mama. "Baba," she called happily and jumped into his arms.

"My baby." He giggled twirling them laughing. The family were not surprised because they were always like that.

"Sannu da dawowa baba,"Amma and Yasmin greeted both closing in to hug him.

"Yauwa my girls kuna lafiya?" he asked, hugging them both. "Fine Alhamdulillah." They both said with a smile.

"Masha Allah." he smiled taking a sit. Maryam also sat next to him, and collected his phone. "Dan Allah Maryam let him rest." Her mother literally begged, sending looks to her daughter.

"Aa kyaleta." He said with a smile holding her hand. She looked at their mother and sticked her tongue out at her playfully.

"Jairan yarinya ni kike ma gwalo." Mama laughed as she moved to hit her but she quickly ran to Abdallah and hid behind him laughing. They all laughed, and moved to their various sits.

"Abdallah yaya aiki" Baba asked turning to abdallah.

"Lafiya Alhamdulillah." he answered with a smile.
"Madallah." Baba nod his head, and they spoke for a while. He went to their step mother's side and came back 20 minutes later, freshened up, before they went to his side to eat lunch along with their stepmother.

☀️

"Allah ya kiyaye hanya baba." The girls prayed, looking at baba as he settled in his car.

"Ameen ameen" he said with a smile, hugging them one after the other. "I will miss you Baba na." Maryam pouted.

"I will miss you more mamana but don't worry I will be back in two days time In Shaa Allah." He promised.

"Toh yar baba matsa mana mu matanshi mu mishi salama."  Mama said and she smiled moving aside .

"Allah ya kiyaye hanya Alhaji." Mama said with a smile. "Ameen ameen hajiya." He answered also smiling. Hajiya juwairriya and her kids also said goodbye to him, and then he left. Maryam also bid them goodbye, claiming that she has a competition with Ya Muhammad today and left.
                              ~~**~~
"What have you both decided to make?" Aisha asked curiously. They were all in the kitchen now ready to start the competition.

"They won't be the ones to decide what to cook but I will." Mummy said and they all turned to her.

Maryam and Muhammad both had aprons on and were facing each other as they both stood opposite each other by the kitchen island.

"Are you excited?" Mummy asked "Yes, I can't wait to prove ya Muhammad wrong." Maryam giggled whereas Muhammad smiled saying, "we shall see."

"Okay. You are going to make a two course meal. A main dish and a dessert." She had announced.

"I have a two papers here with me today. Each has the name of a particular main dish and dessert, which each of you will pick one and work on. We will choose which one tastes better without knowing who made it."

Maryam nodded, liking the challenge. She gets excited over little things. Muhammad adjusted his apron, staring at Maryam in amazement.

"Ok." they both said and mummy smiled placing the papers on the counter. They each picked one and opened it.

"You have 1hr30 minutes to cook. We shall be waiting in the living room," mummy said. Maryam felt like she was in one of those 'Chopped' series.

"Let's go now kids." She ushered the kids out. "All the best Adda." Ruslan gave her a thumbs up. "Thank you my baby." She winked.

"This is not fair, what about me." Muhammad said feigning a sad face. "All the best Yayana." Aisha cheered him.

"Thanks Iil sis."
"All the best." Abdallah said, referring to both of them, and they sauntered out.

She turned and their eyes locked, "All the best." he said smilingly.

"Thank you, same to you." She replied and turned to look at her paper once again. It had Fajita sizzle wrap, and chinese rice scribbled upon it.

Muhammad did the same. For him, it was Italian pasta and bbq sticky wings.
Without saying anything, they started working, and only spoke when necessary.

About an hour and 20 minutes later, Muhammad finished making his meal. He removed his apron and kept it on the counter. "And I'm done Alhamdulillah." He breathed, looking at the plates he had aligned on the island. He looked at the plate of pasta, and the bowl of bbq chicken wings on the side and smiled proudly. The kitchen was smelling heavenly.

"Wow, it smells delicious." Maryam took one look at his dish and commented. He smiled and got a bottle of water from the fridge. He looked at how she was struggling to plate her dish. The way she was crinkling her nose and wiping her sweat with the back of her hand as she focused on food, he found it adorable. "And it would taste as such." He said, and she nodded without saying a thing.

"Water?" He pointed the bottle at her.
"Yes please, I am so thirsty." He unscrewed the cap of the bottle. "Here." She stopped working and wiped her hand on her apron before drinking the water. "Thank you so much, I needed that." He spun, with a nod and grabbed another bottle of water from the fridge and drank it.

5 minutes later, Maryam was also done with her own dishes. They aligned the foods in the same place. That way, nobody would be able to guess which is which. Muhammad went to call them, whereas Maryam went and rinsed her face. When they all got back, they stood beside each other by one side.

Aisha came in first. She looked at the food and said, "oh ya rabb, it smells so delicious Masha Allah." Ruslan's mouth fell open also. Mummy walked in and sat on a chair in front of the dishes and said, "so I'm going to judge this food based on appearance and taste." She dragged Maryam's chinese rice to the front and said, "Wow, I like the plating of this one here, whoever did this, did a great job. The rice looks colorful with all the carrots, spring onion, egg and sausage and it smells divine as well. Now let's see how it tastes." She grabbed the spoon kept for her by the side and dug in. "Wow, it tastes strong, highly seasoned. It has a concentrated flavor, hot, spice and sharp, with an intense aroma." She ate two spoons, and pushed it away. "I am going to give this food an 8.9 with the appearance and taste." Mummy said, and gulped down half a cup of water.

Then she pulled the plate of pasta to her front, and looked at it. "Masha Allah, it smells delicious and the plating is fine. You grated cheese and topped it with basil." She twirled her fork in the pasta, and put it in her mouth. "Uhmm, it tastes very good. But it could have been even better if you had added a bit of seasoning, but other than that it tastes great. I give the food a 7.8" She ate another and nod her head in satisfaction. Muhammad and Maryam looked at each other, and smiled.

She then tasted the bbq wings and rolled her eyes back in pleasure. "Wow, This is the real deal, the sauce tastes great, the chicken is well fried, it's crunchy but not too crunchy, just perfect. Whoever made this, did a great job. Hence it gets a 9." She finished eating the wing, and wiped her hand on a tissue.

She gulped down a cup of water and grabbed a fajita wrap from the plate. She chewed and swallowed it with a smile. "Masha Allah I have to say the combination of spices, the garlic mayo and the tenderness of the chicken caused an explosion in my mouth. I absolutely love it." She said and took another bite. "It would also get a 9."

"So that concludes the competition." She looks at them, Maryam who couldn't contain her excitement let out a squeal and pulled mummy in a hug. "I take it you won." She smiled hugging her back. "Yes."
"Congratulations my dear. It tasted great."
"Thank you mummy."

"Yay!! Adda I knew you would win." Ruslan beamed of excitement and also moved forward to hug her.

"Congrats sis!!"
Congrats Maryam." The family congratulated her and proceeded to taste the food.

Muhammad rinsed his hand and looked at Maryam who was busy smiling and mingling with his siblings.

He grabbed a glass, filled it with orange juice and gulped it down. Maryam turned around, lowered her glasses and met his gaze, a smirk playing at the corner of her mouth. "Congratulations Maryam." She raised her eyebrows with a smirk. "Now I believe you," he said referring to the fact that she can cook better than him.

"You better." She smiled and grabbed a fork. "Let me try your own cooking now." She moves and fetched some spaghetti onto the plate. Muhammad also asked Aisha to fetch Maryam's food for him as he went out to answer a call.

By the time he came back, she had already finished the food and they except mummy were all seated talking. "Ya Muhammad ka gani Maryam cooks better than you." Abdallah said. "Alright we get it." He replied and they all laughed.

Aisha grabbed her phone and positioned it in front of them all, "let's capture this beautiful moment."

....
Hello guys🤗
How are you and everything?
I hope you are doing well.
I am so sorry for not updating for such a long time, things have been so hectic😪

I miss you guys.
Stay home, stay safe.
Ramadan kareem
I love you guys❤️