A trip to the past

July 2016

Noor jumped happily as she hugged a slightly taller Sa'ad. He looked uncomfortable with her arms around his neck and her body pressed against him.

"I'm so happy today" She rejoiced. Her childish voice had begun to change into a melodious soprano. She had slowly bloomed into a young girl with unbelievably delicate features, long and straightened black hair that reached past her shoulders, and honey-colored skin.

Sa'ad was a bit taller for a fifteen year old. His shoulders were broader and his jawline had sharpened drastically in a span of one year. Puberty had hit him pretty hard as his soft boyish voice suddenly changed to a husky, deep one.

"Abba said he's taking me with him to Kaduna, for a few days!" She jumped yet again

"Really? That means you'll spend your birthday away from us" Sa'ad spoke.

"It's going to be so special! He even said he had a surprise gift for me" She squealed with joy.

Sa'ad sulked. He had planned a picnic in his parents garden for just the both of them on her birthday. A special gift for her lay perfectly wrapped in his room.

"When will you be back" he had asked, pushing the sadness away.

"He didn't say, but I will spend the whole summer break there"

Halima was tensed because of her daughter's persistence. She was more tensed thinking of Noor's trip to Kaduna. Noor had never stayed away from her, not even for a single day. And now, Noor would be spending her whole summer with her step mother and siblings. Halima thought of the vie between herself and Rabi, her husband's second wife. The vie had soon developed between the children as each fought for the love of one father.

Halima tried to persuade noor, not to go with her father. Noor was still adamant about the trip.

"Don't go Noor, this whole trip will bring nothing but heartache and sorrow. Believe me" She said after a full hour of her persuading her only child.

"You can come along too, if you want" Noor spoke. Her words cane out more harsh than she had intended.

"You know I won't. But one thing is for sure, when you come back hurt and weak, I will not console you" with that Halima walked away.

And when Noor went upstairs to pack, her mother didn't help her. During dinner, her mother didn't spare her a glance. The next morning Noor and her father were on their way to Kaduna.

Even though Noor felt sad about her mother's glutinous nature and the fact that her mother didn't give her a goodbye hug, the overwrough she felt demised ever other feeling. She was keen to meet her siblings. She had meet them several times before but this was different, she will be staying with them.

Her father told her lot of stories along the way. He told her stories of his days in the university, and how he had been adamant on joining the army.

"Why did you leave the army" Noor had asked

"Well..it was tiring and time consuming"

The whole car trip was exhilarating and Noor was sure she would never forget it.

The sun had set when they reached the Abubakar residence. It was a big house, even bigger than what noor had imagined. As her father parked the car the front door opened.

"Welcome home daddy!" Noor's younger brothers chorused. Khalil and Khalifa. Their name were similar but their nature was poles apart. Khalil was carefree, friendly, considerate and kind while Khalifa was cold, tough, rugged and had a dislike for Noor. Khalil was seven and in primary school and Khalifa was eleven and in junior secondary.

Khalifa had a scowl on his face as Noor stepped out from the car. She smiled at both of them but only Khalil smiled back at her. The scowl on Khalifa's face softened when their father stepped out and ruffled his hair.

Noor stood awkwardly beside her father as her three sisters took turns in hugging their daddy. Jamila was the oldest and also the meanest person. She was seventeen, tall and slim with a big ego. She was gorgeous and bonny. Jamila despised Noor and saw her as a competition. She felt Noor had taken her place in their fathers life and she could do anything, absolutely anything to take Noor's place.

Then there was Fatima, fifteen, short and plump. Fatima was smart and intelligent. She was an aspiring doctor who was always found in her room reading. Fatima had always treated Noor friendly and, to Jamila's confound, Fatima had looked forward to Noor's arrival.

The third was Nuwaira who was named after Mami, their father's mother. She was thirteen, the same age as Noor and older by five months. Nuwaira loved food more than anything else.  She was indifferent towards Noor. To her, Noor was just another sister.

It was after Noor had taken off her shoes and sat on one of the sofas that Rabi, her stepmother walked out from the kitchen. She wore a blue apron that was covered with stew. She was a small middle-aged woman with wrinkles covering most of her skin. Rabi and Halima's vie and dispute had made Rabi dislike Noor a lot. But as much as Rabi disliked Noor, she never showed it. She was a caring stepmother towards Noor, which made Noor adore her.

Noor was served rice and stew, while her father went in for a bath. The over saltiness of the stew made Noor miss her mother's delicious meals. Noor had wanted to call her mother, to tell her they had arrived safely but the thought of her mother's hostile behavior towards her trip made her change her mind.

After Noor ate, Rabi had sent Noor's luggage upstairs, to Jamila's room which had created much of an uproar.

"No mom! I need my space. Let her stay in Nuwaira and Fatima's room" Jamila had protested.

"The room won't fit the three of them" Rabi had reasoned. "Besides, The arraignment is for a few days"

When Noor went upstairs, the room was empty. She took the opportunity to unpack her clothes. Pushing Jamila's clothes to one side, Noor arranged her things. She prayed the salats she missed and retired to bed. She then laid down on one side of the bed, making sure she left enough space for her sister.

The place seemed foreign and Noor had accepted it would take long before sleep came. She then took her new Nokia asha and texted her mother.

'Arrived safely'

Noor was aware she was not going to receive a response from her mother. Halima had an adamant nature. When she made up her mind about something, nothing could make her change her mind.

Noor also texted Sa'ad. It was more like a culture that they spoke everyday. Theirs was such a unique bond. They knew everything about each other. Sa'ad fulfilled the role of an elder brother in Noor's life, but she knew that he was much more to her than that. The whole 'turning into a woman' phase had sprinkled a bit of attraction towards Sa'ad.

Noor was as confused as every girl going through that stage. She had begun wanting to spend her whole day just listening to Sa'ad speak. His voice had etched to her brain that sometimes she would imagine his voice when someone else spoke. They had a strong bond. Something different. Something magical. Their relationship had a strange enigma.

Jamila majestically barged into the room and she frowned when she noticed Noor on her bed. Noor continuously stared at the ceiling, counting the stripes and examined the small holes. She heard the air conditioner beep but she could not protest even though she was freezing.

Noor had shut her eyes, pretending she was kilometers away, on her mother's lap. Even with her eyes closed she knew her sister had shut the lights. The room was now pitch black. The tiredness from the journey had made her drowsy. When she had begun to fall asleep, Jamila laughed heartily as she spoke to someone in her phone.

Jamila spoke on her phone the whole night while Noor kept tossing and covering her ears. It was 4am when Jamila decided to say goodnight and retire to bed

*

Noor was sore and tired when she was awokened by the irritating sound of a hair dryer. She sat upright, staring at Jamila who hummed as she dressed. The sun was up already and Noor wondered why no one had woke her to pray fajr. Her mother always made sure of that. She clumsily reached for the bathroom to perform ablution but the place was nasty. It looked like a storm had struck. Water had spilled onto the floor, and towels were strewn all over the floor.

Extremely tired and frustrated, Noor picked up the damp towels. When she was done with the bathroom, her stepsister had turned the room into a wreck hole.

When she came downstairs for breakfast, she met Nuwaira at the dining table, stuffing her face with mangoes

"Isn't it too early to eat mango?" Noor inquired but her sister shrugged and ignored her.

Not knowing what to eat, Noor sheepishly sat and watched Nuwaira, murdering mangos one after the other.

"You're finally awake" Rabi, Noor's stepmother spoke, walking out from where Noor guessed was the kitchen, with a bowl of porridge that Noor also guessed was her breakfast. She was starving.

Rabi the bowl to Noor but before she could collect it, one of the twin came running backwards and crashed into her, making the bowl tumble to the floor in various pieces.

Rabi gasped in horror. "My china ceramic! Couldn't you have been more careful"

For a moment Noor thought the statement refered to her brother, the the look Rabi gave her said otherwise

It's just a bowl!

"I..Sorry" Noor mumbled

She watched as her step mother huffed and walked away to the kitchen.

Noor started to clean up her supposed breakfast when she saw someone squatting down to help her. Fatima smiled then proceeded to put the ceramic in a plastic bag.

It was long into the afternoon when noor was laying on Jamila's bed, starving, that she thought

I should have stayed home with mom. I really don't belong here.

But little did she know, it was just getting started.

***

Hey lovelies

Okay! I know, I know! It has been extremely bad of me to not update for so long. I didn't realize it's been more than a month.

Okay, so who's excited about knowing Noor's past? Well then buckle up because it's going to be one hell of a ride. Lol

Bye
Love, Husnah💙