His cologne. . .
Nana was asked to get dressed the next day. Her mother didn't tell her much about him, only his name. That didn't bother her. She's going to do everything Islamically, how Allah asked us to. This is about marriage, she's asked her father whether he did some research about the guy and he said yes. Everything is good and his reputation is great even among his neighbours and employees. If everything about him is good, then who is she to say no. She's not plucky enough to bring her own spouse.
It's not like she'd find anyone herself as she's always staying at home all by herself.
Instead of wearing her casual clothing today, she decide to wear one of the native wears she's never worn. It's skirt and blouse. The skirt was style in a very beautiful fish flay, eight pieces and the blouse has a low peplum with three steps. She didn't know how to tie the head tie so she called Hannatu but she's yet to arrive.
"I'm here, I'm here, Mrs Impatient." Hanna graced her with her presence with her hands up in surrender.
"You're supposed to say I'm sorry." Nana rolled her eyes at the insensible teenager. She never says sorry no matter how many time Nana asked her to say it.
"Never!" Hannatu ricochetted nonchalantly before standing in front of Nana. "Now let's get to work and wait for our Knight in shining armo-" she trailed off when she heard the beeping sound of a car rolling into the house.
Curiously, they both perk their ears like elves. Hannatu was quick to walk to the huge window, facing the entrance of the house, Nana stood up, ferrying to where curious Hannatu is peeking at and did the same. She even went as far as decapitating the window seal before poking her head outside, the hot weather heating her face up. She thank Allah that she didn't put in any makeup -she loves makeup- or the makeup would've started rolling down her face. Besides, this is about marriage, she'll not plaster anything on her face. He might fall for the wrong face.
"That car is so hot." Hannatu blinked at the white SUV/Crossover 2016 Land Rover Range Rover that sat proudly in the parking lot.
One by one, the doors started opening. First, the passenger's side, then the driver's side and lastly, one of the backseat doors opened. A beautiful girl came out of car -backseat- clasp in a black abaya and black heels, from what Nana could see, the girl is very fair but not pale. She ambled to the passenger's side after closing her door to assist an older woman from her seat. She also came out in different outfit, Native wears and sky blue veil with matching bag and flats, his mother.
The person they've been waiting for distanced himself from the driver's seat. His shiny black shoes came into view first before his whole long leg and body. Nana eyes almost jumped out of it's socket. She knew she was supposed to look at him once and then lower her gaze but it seems like she hasn't seen enough, so she stared.
From her view by the window, she can see that he is very very tall and also fair like his sister if not more. He is wearing dark grey kaftan with matching Zannah Bukar cap bowing on his head. How can someone have height and beauty at the same time? Oh her Allah, he is very handsome. When that thought crossed her mind, she immediately lowered her gaze.
What was she doing? A'udhubillah! What is wrong with her! Though he may or may not be her husband, but still, she's stared more than she should and that is haram, he is not her Mahram. Astaghfirullah! But she can't help it, and she didn't promise not to look at him for more than a second more because she would, and she knows that. Why is he so beautiful?! Again, she's following Satan's lane. Oh well...
And she was the person who asked someone to lower his gaze once. She was walking to the Islamic school she teaches when a guy almost bumped into her, she raised her head to look at where he was staring at, only to find him looking at a girl. She couldn't see both the guy and the girl's faces but still ask him to 'lower his gaze and to stop bumping into people' she said before walking past him. She could feel his gaze as she continue to walk and she's never been thankful about wearing niqab. She wouldn't have talked to him if she wasn't wearing one, it gives her so much confidence.
Nana ferried back to the varity stool and sat down, trying to get some senses into her head. After some pep talks, she calmed herself and try to will her head not to look at him. Hannatu finished gushing and came to stand next to Nana, spinning the chair around so that Nana can face her.
"Take this and let's start, mom will soon yell at us for delaying." Nana gave the head tie to Hannatu before huffing out a breath.
"There is this new head style I saw on I*******m earlier, let's try it." Nana did nothing but nod her head at whatever it is that she's saying, her mind isn't with her. Everything is settling in now, she might get married and start a new life somewhere with someone new. Ya Allah see us through!
"Nana!" Just when Hannatu finished twisting, knotting and pushing, Nana's mother called out her name from down the stairs. She knew that was bound to happen.
"She's coming, Aunt." Hannatu yelled back, knowing fully well that Nana will not yell out just like that. Even when there are no guests, she'd use the intercom and answer them but never yell through the house, it's just not her.
"Please come with me. I can't walk down there with three more new people, all alone." Nana nervously bit her lip as she clinging onto Hannatu's arms with contingency.
"Okay, let's go!" Hannatu remove Nana's hand from hers and walk to her wardrobe to bring out a matching big light brown veil. She drape it around her shoulder before holding her hand and dragging her down the stairs.
"And here she is!" Her mother's voice halted her inner thoughts, the voice was cheerful with a hint of pride shining it's way.
Nana's head was bowed but she could smell a very strong male cologne swirling around the whole living room and that cologne isn't her father's for she knew her father's own very well. This means it is Zayn's as he is the only other male there apart from her father. The smell is very strong and intoxicating and alluring to Nana's nostrils.
"She is beautiful, Masha'Allah!" Another woman's voice gush out. Nana knew who it was, the older woman -Zayn's mother.
"Come and sit next to me, dear." The woman said again. Nana's head was still bowed as she promenade her way to where she saw the woman sitting from the foyer, luckily, she didn't trip on anything. She sighed when her bum finally hit the sofa.
"Good afternoon, Aunt." She silently greet the woman, her head still bowed and only the woman can hear her voice.
"Afternoon, dear. How are you doing?" She fondly ask as she raise her head to look at her clearly.
"I'm fine, AlhamduliAllah. What about you?" She sank her teeth on her bottom lip out of habit.
"I'm fine also. You should get comfortable with me, because there is no way I'm letting a girl like you go. You're just perfect for my son." The woman didn't let her smile falter.
Nana shyly duck her head. She didn't dare raise her head to look at the person burning deep holes behind her back. Just when she was about to put the veil closer to her face, a girl came around her and sat down on their other side of the couch. Juxtaposition. Mother and daughter trap her in between them, this is getting very suffocating to Nana.
"You're beautiful!" Were the words that came out of the girls mouth when she pivoted Nana so that they are look at each other.
"You're more beautiful." And Nana isn't lying. The girl is very beautiful with her innocent dark eyes, long lean nose, beautiful plump lips that is matted with red lipstick and her oval shaped face. She looks around the age of twenty three or twenty four.
"Don't say that! How are you doing?" The girl asked.
"I'm doing good, Masha'Allah. You?"
"Same! Oops, I'm Maaysa, Zayn's only younger sister and you are Nana Aisha." Hearing his name again made her heart escalate.
"Yes." She replied, ducking her head when the elders started talking about letting the two -Zayn and Nana- of them talk alone in the backyard.
The nervousness creep into Nana that she didn't know when she gripped Maaysa's hand till she put her other hand on hers and give it a gentle squeeze before pasting a smile on her face. She'll have to save her. That smile did nothing to reassure her but at least she will try something.
"Nana and Zayn, you can go and talk in the backyard and we can see what to do from there." Her father fondly said to them.
"We should go together." Maaysa cheerfully grinned, she acts innocent but she knew she has to help Nana, the girl is nervous and she could smell it from miles away.
"Okay, you should go together. We'll just have some refreshments before you get back and talk about some stuff. Go on!" Hajiya Rehma chirped.
The shy type. . ."You're going to see may or may not be your bride and in-laws, you can't wear suit." His mother screeched when Zayn sat down next to her on the sofa in the general living room."Maa, you were supposed to tell me that yesterday. Wearing a suit is stressing, now I have to remove everything!" He groaned before standing up and making his way back to his room at the back of the house.After checking his closet for two good minutes, he settle on wearing grey set of kaftan and matching cap. He smiled at his reflection, he likes wearing his mother's traditional clothe as much as he likes wearing his father's. It's been long since he last wore one, and now wearing it, he felt and looks different. He smiled at his reflection before walking out of the room and to the front door where he heard his mother and sister's voice coming from. They are b
Venturesome ride. . .If there is anything Nana hated more than strawberry, is being alone with a male specie. She's praying for the earth to open up and swallow her whole being. She could feel his gaze even with her head bowed, it looks like he's stripping her out of her shell and she's not liking it one bit but held her tongue in. It'll be inappropriate to talk to him in a bad way -that would've been the most sleaziest thing she's ever done in her whole life. Instead, she took a deep breath before raising her head to look at the fair human in front of her. She plastered a nervous smile, the veil drawing back, leaving her face bare for him to see.She heard a sharp intake of breath, she didn't know whether it's coming from him or her because the man blew her mind away. The specie in front of her looks like he's something from another realm. Maybe realm of jinns or mages.&nb
Tomorrow is the day. . .Nana stood tall in front of her students -females- looking at the throngs. Today will be her last day here and she wants to make most if it by talking about the topic every female will want to hear. They ask her to talk about Menstruation a long time ago but she said she wants to tackle more about it before transporting it to them. She is going to resign today and none of the students were happy about it, both male and female and even some of the teachers she doesn't talk to. She is kind of happy that she'll be missed but also sad. She loves them each in her own kind of way but half her deen is also calling out to her.Her soon to be in-laws house which by the way is where she's going to live, is not close to her house nor the Islamic school so now she'll have to resign, she doesn't even know what to do. She has no other choice! She has a
Alhamdulillah!Zayn ferried out of the mosque, hearing so many series of congratulations from relatives, family friends, coworkers, clients, investors and many more. He is officially married! He is a married man, damn, that's hard to accept but he manage to get everything into his head in a month. He, Zayn Khattab Borkan, is married to Nana Aisha Talib Aliero and instead of feeling the way he felt before, he felt sated and complete, like everything is just falling into place all over again in his life. Like she's just the star he needs to shine his dark night.He's willing to give his all to this marriage, he'll make it work. Just because that didn't happen in the past, doesn't mean he'll still hold himself hanged around everything. He wants her to feel loved, to make sure she is happy and fall for each other so that even when she regains her memory, she'll not fall apa
Ethereal and Nonplussed. . ."This is marriage dear. I know you're a teacher and you know most of the rights that your spouse have on you but there are things that you're still supposed to know. One of the one which every male hates is hissing. Don't you ever for the love of Allah hiss at your husband and I know you won't but please, they hate it with great passion, I also hate it. And then if you don't reply to them when they're talking to you, this one is not for all the males but try huh. If your spouse is angry, you should be calm. When one is fire, the other should be water. Always be the water my dear, I know you can do it."Our prophet (peace be on him) said: 'The woman who prays her five prayers, fasts in the month Ramadhan, protect her chastity and is obedient to her husband; such woman will enter Jannah from any of do
Beautiful. . .The word wouldn't leave Zayn's head immediately after he lifted his head up to look at his wife. She's just so beautiful and no, it is not the makeup for he knew she was beautiful the day he first saw her. Not only her face, her whole being in and out, she's beautiful, just perfect for him. He wants to make her his in every possible way, remove all his friends gaze from her. He'll look stupid if he doesthat but he badly wants to. On instinct, her mother shove her forward a little -he was already taking slow steps- and she almost lost her footing, she was waiting for the impact but it never came.She didn't notice Zayn walking to her, he walks faster when he saw that she was about to fall. His hands immediately went to her waist, holding her to him. He gaze down at her -her eyes were closed very tight and lips glued in a tight grip
SIYAN BAKI.The Hausa tradition continue to take place as the older women took her to her new home. The house is large but not extra large, even though she is not seeing it very much from her veil, she could tell that it is large. They walk her to her room and sat her down on a bed, her face still closed. They said a few words of advice about how to be a good wife before leaving her with her friends, waiting for the groom and his men to do the siyanbaki (something her friends will do -asking the groom and his friends to pay before seeing the bride). Nana shook her head at how they're talking about selling her for a million. More guests came in to see the house and walk out with her face still closed, she was just hearing the Allah ya sanya Alheri.Instead of listening to them, Nana spaced out, thinking about h
FIRST DAY.Nana blinked when she heard a groan coming from behind her. Who is in her room early in the morning and the voice sounds so male-ish. Fahad cannot be here then who? Just then, it hits her like cold water is dumped on her sleeping body. She was married yesterday and Fahad is really at home but not her home. She can still remember the heart wrenching goodbye they'd shared even though he told her that Zayn is a good man and he'll take care of her, Nana still didn't like the idea of living the comfort of her lilac and baby pink room.She swiftly pivoted when she heard the groan again, there, her husband is shifting positions on the couch with an annoyed expression even though his eyes are shut. Nana stifled a chuckle before standing up, still trying to adjust to the rays of sun that's coming from the huge window. She didn't fail to wake up for Subh prayer even though she was exhausted beyond words. She wake Z