6. Party

After Violetta got fired Halima felt like a huge boulder has been lifted off her chest, good riddance to bad rubbish, she had said as Violetta left after winking at a disgusted Sa'eed. Now sitting down in front of a mirror inside the walk-in closet of the suite Halima is clad in her party dress. 

Even though she's going to the birthday party of someone she low-key despises she can't help but feel happy and giddy. She calls Fatima but her airtime has been exhausted. I'll ask Ya Sa'eed to call her later. After smearing her lips with a glittery transparent lip gloss Halima uses a black S-pin to secure a black veil with silver beads scattered around it perfectly on her head. 

She stands up and looks at herself in the mirror. Her black and silver prom gown is looking so casual yet elegant and classy. The upper bust is silver while from the lower bust down to her legs is black and flowing.

Her silver stiletto is shining under the dim walk-in closet decorative light as her silver earrings with black diamond shaped jewelry encrusted in the middle of the slanted H dangles back and forth. A black silky material is tied in the Zara Buhari style and a black viel with silver beads scattered all over is draped meticulously as an S-shaped pin pins its two ends and the shoulder of the gown just by the collar bone. 

All in all, her dressing isn't too revealing neither does it give off a married woman vibe. It's simple, yet elegant and classy. After twirling twice in front of the mirror Halima puts on the lighting which was off except for the decorative bulbs that give a cinematic effect. She snaps alot of selfies. On setting the phone properly on the mirror she times herself and poses for a picture. As she beams at the camera Sa'eed comes and engulfs her in a hug from behind. She gasps and the picture gets taken like that. 

"gosh, Ya Sa'eed don't do that! You scared the hell out of me you know!" Halima shouts at Sa'eed with hands akimbo as she faces him. 

"well wifey, even if you have a heart attack your best friend, sister in law and best friend is a degree holder in medicine. She'll quickly whip something up and you'll be a-okay." Sa'eed says grinning while Halima glares at him in disbelief. 

" you look beautiful by the way. I'll have to get myself ready to gouge out people's eyes when they look at you."

"chill hubby...." cutting Halima off Sa'eed hums. 

"so it's no more Ya Sa'eed or Habeeby? Now it's hubby?" Halima groans in frustration but smirks as an idea makes its way to her head.

"well hubby, some hours ago you were like Roohie i love you this that this." 

Sa'eed groans in frustration "don't you ever forget things?" Halima smiles sheepishly at him

"Nope!" popping the P. 

"let's go." Sa'eed commands but instead of Halima to obey she decides to tease him since he won't be able to do anything, after all she's on her period. 

She moves slowly but confidently towards him with a grin-ish smirk on her face while he moves back warily. It's as if she's grinning and smirking all at once. She stands on her tiptoes and brushes her lips against his. He shivers and her smirks gets even wider. 

Halima wraps her legs around his waist and starts trailing kisses all over his face, neck, collar bone and under his white inner shirt, his black tuxedo already on the ground. Seeing that she has gotten the effect she wants she quickly runs outside the closet making Sa'eed groan in response. 

"I'm going to get you back for that" Sa'eed shouts at Halima as she runs out whilst laughing at an annoyed looking Sa'eed wearing back his black tuxedo with a frown etched in his face. He uses a brush to brush his low cut and then he adds a gel to make it glimmer in the night light. 

Going out he sees Halima sipping the hot guava leaves water from a ceramic cup. He looks at her and she grins. They go down using the elevator and reach the hall which is attached to the hotel. 

"you know what Ya..." Halima says but gets cut off as Sa'eed steals a long deep passionate kiss from her. As he breaks the kiss Halima drags him back and then kisses him ferociously. After a minute they both pull away from each other as Aleesha appears from behind and clears her throat. 

They are both panting with Sa'eed nuzzling Halima's nose. After they catch their breath, Aleesha gives Halima a once over and says "Romeo's wife, why are you just slimming down more? I thought i told you to get fat?" Halima just wants to pounce on Aleesha but stops herself and gives Aleesha a smile. 

"well, Romeo's ex-crush, why don't you ask Romeo?" Halima says with a full blown smile on her face. 

Sa'eed in turn says "Happy birthday Leesha, Allah's khair, Rahma and Afiyah always dearie." 

Dearie!? Seriously!? 

Halima just looks at Sa'eed and Aleesha and then checks her phone as it starts vibrating in her hand. It's a number saved as Amal. She picks it and a sniff is heard from the other line. 

" Amal, what's wrong? Are you crying?" Halima asks making Sa'eed's whole attention to turn to her. 

"Adda Halima.... Sorry... Please where is Ya Sa'eed? Can i talk to him?" Amal says in between sobs and then blows her nose. 

"okay I'll give him but what's wrong?" Halima asks as Sa'eed clasps his ear to the other side of the phone and Aleesha walks away. 

"it's Adda Nana."

"what happened?" Sa'eed says as he collects the phone and puts it on hands-free so that they both can hear everything. Halima is silently hoping that it's not what she's thinking. 

"well, Abba was going to UAE this morning so he sat us down in the parlor and he was talking about Adda Nana's business. He also talked about the rehabilitation center Adda Nana has been planning on going to. 

" he then talked to me about Hamza. Hamza sent his elders to ask for my hand in marriage and Abba asked me to which I said yes." one can sense the smile in Amal's talk. 

"Mashaa Allah congrats. Allah ya sanya albarka {may Allah bless it}." Halima says but Sa'eed's frown deepens. 

"when Abba, Ammi and Afnan were teasing me Adda Nana just stood up and started shouting 'I'm here leading a miserable life blah blah blah'. She thought i was rubbing it in her face. Wallahi {i swear by Allah} I'd never rub it in her face." Amal says crying all over again. 

" Look Amal, where is Fatima?" Sa'eed asks.

"she has been in her room since in the morning and now it's 11pm but she's still inside." 

" okay we're going to book the midnight flight back to Nigeria. Let me go book it now. Halima will call Fatima and talk to her because that nonsense won't be condoned. Has Abba already gone?" Sa'eed says looking and sounding clearly frustrated and annoyed. 

" yes Abba got angry so he left to the airport immediately. Ammi says he has landed in Dubai but he hasn't called and you know how international calls can be. Yanzu haka ma WiFi nake using {even now I'm using WiFi}."

"okay, let me call the Teemah." with that Halima cuts the call 

"go back to the suite, connect to their WiFi and talk to Fatima either on Skype or Duo. After that pack our clothes. There is a suitcase at the extreme end of the closet. I'll go and book our flight now." Sa'eed says just as Aleesha approaches them with a guy. 

"Romeo where to?" Aleesha asks. 

"home. Gotta go Leesha. Sorry to crash your party but family before anything. Bye." Sa'eed says walking away. Aleesha runs after him and soon they both come back together. 

"Romeo, Romeo's skinny wife, meet my fiancee, the actual host of the party, Ibrahim Abdullah." Aleesha says looking dreamily at the young man beside her. Halima almost does a happy dance. That there is some news and it has replaced the anger and disappointment she has been feeling since Amal called. 

" Mashaa Allah. Bye." Sa'eed says dragging the e as he walks away.