It was Samira and A.J's Waleema. Alhamdulillaah everything was going on well. The bride is more beautiful than she was on the day of her Niqaah. She was even glowing. She seemed to cling to her husband and her husband wasn't ready to let her out of his sight either. They were absolutely inseparable. The smiles on their faces were growing wider and wider and was even becoming infectious. It was obvious how happy they were. Anyone who looked at them was bound to smile as well.
The hall they had booked for the Waleema wasn't as extravagant as one will expect from such rich families of the bride and groom. Everything was kept as simple as the Niqaah. The decorations weren't extravagant and a show-off. And most importantly everything was done, Sunnah. No haraam activities. The men were separated from the women. Everyone modestly dressed. There was enough food and drink for anyone who wanted to eat. Invitations were opened to all without restrictions based on status. Both the poor and the rich wined and dined such that it will be hard for one to differentiate. There were congratulatory messages, good wishes and du'as for the bride and groom. Qur'an recitation and a Daawah on successful marriage for all to take heed.

Samira couldn't be anymore excited about her Waleema. She felt absolutely over the moon and was going to burst out of happiness. Especially as she sensed her husband take her hand in his. She felt spasms of awareness shot through her at that and she blushed furiously as her mind immediately took her back to her first night with A.J.

***
She had been in the living room with A.J's cousins and aunties and most importantly his mother after her aunties had left her there with them. She had wanted to protest and go back to the house with them but she couldn't. She had been scared to be left all alone with A.J's family but they had welcomed her warmly. His mother had taken her hand and sat with her, smiling and telling her stories about A.J's childhood a d giving her advices. The cousins just wouldn't stop the teasing. She had gotten to know then that the teasing actually runs in the family.

It had been getting late and so one by one the cousins and aunties had retired to their various rooms with the exception of her mother-in-law and her younger sister. They had also helped her to A.J's room to 'prepare' her, they had said. She had felt the goosebumps in her as soon as the door closed behind her and they left her alone. No sooner were they gone had she heard his angelic voice saying salaam upon entering the room. She hadn't known how to respond as her voice had deserted her. Finally, in a squeaky voice she had answered and A.J had chuckled at that before he sat beside her. He had just looked at her longingly and she had wished she was as little as a mouse so she could just disappear under the bed to escape his gaze. She had palmed her face to hide her wild blush and sighed.

"A.J. please." She had pleaded in a muffled tone when she realized he wasn't planning to stop looking at her and she was starting to feel uncomfortable.

"What? Am I not allowed to gaze at you anyhow I want because you are now halaal for me? Do you know how much I've longed to be with you and to just stare at you like this without hesitation?" A.J had complained. Uttering the last part in a hush tone and slowly tearing her hands apart from her face and touched her chin to make her turn his way.
Her eyes still wouldn't meet his but still he placed his right hand on her head and said the usual du'a the groom says upon his wife on their first night.

Her eyes hand widened when he had placed a fully grilled guinea fowl before her with two glasses of non-alcoholic wine. She absolutely loved guinea fowls from the north because of how tasty they were especially when they were spicy. But she hadn't wanted to embarass herself so she decided not to eat. Eventhough she had so wanted to. So she had simply told him she didn't know how to eat guinea fowl. He had laughed to tears at that as her face heated up. When he seemed to calm down, he told her Adam had told him, that was her favourite. She hadn't been able to take the embarrassment anymore and so she had rushed to the wash room with A.J still laughing uncontrollably behind her.

After they had performed two Nawafil Salaah. They proceeded to bed where Samira had slept at the far right from him as if a scorpion laid in her left and a mistake from her would result in a sting. With her heart beating frantically in her chest and her index finger in between her teeth, she had anticipated the touch that will lead to him taking what rightfully belongs to him.

A.J had gone closer to her and pulled her to him. She had froze at that and felt jolts of electricity pass through her at his touch.
He had chuckled teasingly and whispered,

" As if she's ever been scared of anything. Relax baby. I'm not going to bite. And I won't do anything I'm not going to do later which is bound to happen even if not tonight. Or should I?" He had asked teasingly with a wink. She had huffed, wiggled out of his enbrace and threw a pillow at him. He had then laughed outrageously at her again.

"I don't know how to eat guinea fowl." He had rubbed more salt into her wound by mimicking her when she had declined the offer to consume her favourite and he had just placed it in the refrigerator for later. At that point, she had thrown more pillows at him as he burst into more fits of laughter. But when he saw the tears forming in her eyes out of frustration, he had stopped, opened his arms wide to indicate an embrace to which she narrowed her eyes at him, anticipating a tease.

"I promise I won't do anything and I won't tease you again..." He had said before she went to him slowly but willingly. "Until tomorrow." He had added with a chuckle when she ended up in his arms and she had sighed loudly and annoyingly at his last words.

"I just want to hold you in my arms and run my fingers in your hair like this. It's something I've dreamt of doing several times. And now that my wish is coming true, please do not deny me the privilege." he had said. He drew her more into him and removed the small hijaab she had on all that while and soothingly run his fingers in her soft and silky hair, breathed in the amazing scent of her and then kissed her hair. They had both laid down relishing the embrace and each of them consumed by their own thoughts as A.J caressed her arms with both their eyes closed taken in the feeling of finally being together. At that moment, Samira's urge to go back to her home, together with all the nervousness and anxiety had vanished into thin air as she relaxed into her husband. 'Her husband', it sounded strange and foreign but it was more of a privilege for her to be the wife of a man like A.J as she had so longed to be, Alhamdulillaah. And with that they both drifted off into a comfortable sleep.
***

Samira's face heated up as she remembered all these. And she even melted when A.J winked at her. Her barely obvious makeup saved her, else her blush would have been really apparent. Indeed, it was a privilege to be his wife.

" You look so beautiful that I want to kiss you." He whispered in her ears only for her to hear. Her eyes widened and she squealed as she covered her mouth with the right hand wondering if anyone had heard them. She looked at him to see any sign of teasing in his eyes. But there weren't any, on the contrary, he was very serious about it. Suddenly she became all shy and her fair face flared up in a blush.

After the gathering had dispersed, with only family and close friends left, Samira started to look for Najwa. Najwa had stayed for Samira's Waleema even though her dad had gone back for an emergency business meeting. He had promised to pick her back up tomorrow but had just called he wouldn't be able to as he was heading to Abuja at that moment to complete some negotiations for a contract. But had advised she goes home by herself tomorrow as early as she could. He had also assured her he would let Samira's father know and will request for them to help her as much as they can. She sat quietly at the corner, thinking of how she couldn't say goodbye to him and pray for his safety. She was beyond sad even at this happy moments. She felt Samira sit beside her and she turned to look at her best friend. Samira's face was glowing. Evidently she was happy. Being married was actually working on her positively. There was an embrace as they both professed how much they missed each other.

"Going back tomorrow?" Samira asked when they withdrew from their comfortable embrace. Najwa nodded.

"And alone. Dad won't be picking me up. He's got business in Abuja." She added sadly.

"Aww. Daddy's girl. Don't worry I know my dad or my...brother will escort you to the airport." Samira assured hesitantly to which Najwa narrowed her eyes at her, at her mention of the professor.

"Or I could ask A.J to allow me see you off." She immediately suggested to cover up for her mistake.

"You don't have to bother yourself. I know you are tired and I know how reluctant you will be in the morning to leave your husband's loving arms to see me off. Just enjoy your honeymoon." Najwa teased winking at her.

"Najwa you are being silly these days." Samira lamented, hitting Najwa playfully on the arm.

"Mmmmm, It's contagious. I learnt all that from you." Najwa replied.

"So how has your stay in our house been?" Samira asked changing the topic.

"Very difficult. Have to stay indoors all the time doing my daily routine. Always alert thinking someone might come in. But it's fine. Mum and dad have been really kind and hospitable to me. That I'm grateful." She answered honestly.
"What of my brother? Has'nt he been hospitable enough."

"I barely see him." She paused. "And I don't want to talk about him. I'm already having difficulties forgetting about him and thinking of him as my brother in law." She explained sadly but confidently with a smile and Samira concluded Najwa was starting to win the battle of forgetting about her brother and that she wasn't happy about at all.

"Now I will have to cope with living without you next semester. And I wouldn't be able to stay with my sister because she will be staying with your brother after their Niqaah. Even if there was no Niqaah, she wouldn't want to live with me. I will have to either endure with a new person as my roommate or live alone. But the latter sounds better. I had so badly gotten used to being with you." She said so sadly holding Samira hands. Samira couldn't help the tears that fell from her eyes at Najwa's words. She wasn't one who cried easily but Najwa's situation saddened her. She felt bad. But there was nothing she could do about it. She could only wish her brother had chosen to marry her friend and not Salma. The problem would have been solved that way, because then Najwa would be with her brother and she with A.J. who both lived in the same building but in different apartments. Only that A.J's apartment was below her brother's. But they could have still been together that way. She wished Najwa will fight for her brother. But how can one fight for someone who doesn't want to be fought for?

"But it doesn't mean we won't see each other. We will always be together." Samira assured as Najwa cleaned the tears that fell from her friends eyes and wished Samira could see her smile.

"Girls, It's time to go home now." Mrs Hikma interrupted them. They gave each other a hug. Samira promised to call Najwa in the morning before she leaves. Mrs. Hikma gave her daughter a hug too together with a couple of advice. A.J was waiting for her and so they left as soon as she got to him.

Mrs Hikma led the way and Najwa followed her quietly. When they got there the family van was full. So they had to either wait for the van to go and drop those in it and return for them or find other means of getting home. Suddenly, Mr Ibrahim appeared and told them Adam's car was empty and so they could take that one together.

Najwa was very quiet at the back seat as the professor drove on. With his mother beside her and his father beside him in the front seat, she felt less uncomfortable in the confines of the car with his presence, even though she just couldn't erase the thought of him from her mind. It was just unfortunate because that was exactly what she has to do if she was going to be the good sister-in-law she plans to be. The atmosphere in the car was awkward. Nobody made efforts to start a conversation. She stole a glance at the professor who seemed so focused on the road and wouldn't look elsewhere. Nothing could prevent the squeeze in her heart. She sighed worriedly about his bandaged hand, curious to know exactly what happened to him but didn't want to ask anybody. It was no issue of hers but it still bothered her. Mrs Hikma squeezed her hand and smiled at her as if she could read what was going on in her mind. Najwa smiled back although she doubted the woman could see it.

"Adam prepare. You will have to take your sister-in-law-to-be to the airport tomorrow in shaa Allaah. As such, you will have to do something about your deep sleeping habit. Make sure not to go back to sleep after fajr. She leaves early in the morning" His father ordered. Adam turned embarrassingly to look at his father who only smiled at him. But became sad upon hearing she was leaving. He had enjoyed her presence from afar.

Najwa on the other hand gasped at that. She doesn't want to be alone with him. All her efforts to avoid him will prove futile if it happens like that. She has to protest as soon as possible.

"In my company of course." His mother added to Najwa's relief.

"Najwa did your father tell you about my elder brother's son, Bilaal?" Mr Ibrahim asked. Najwa was confused and didn't know what to say because she had no idea what he was talking about.

"No" she answered curtly and the older man just nodded. She wanted to ask what about him but decided against it. She will ask her father later.

At this point, Adam's anger was boiling beyond a hundred degree Celsius. He gripped the wheel so tight his knuckles almost turned white. The last thing he wanted was this. Why couldn't they just see that Bilaal wasn't a fit for the niqaabi. His grip on the wheel became so tight blood gushed out of his wound staining the bandage he had on. He hadn't even realised it. Najwa was the first to see it, but out of shock she just gazed at his hand. Mrs Hikma followed Najwa's gaze and realised her son was bleeding all over again. Just then, he sharply pulled over in the house. Finally, he was at home and couldn't wait any longer to be in his room.

"Subhanallah Adam, what is wrong with you?" His mother screamed at him angrily. He was just very annoyed at his father for finding the 'perfect' time to destroy his mood. Why couldn't they just make those suggestions in his absence. Why couldn't they stop putting Najwa and Bilaal in the same sentence? Why?

He was also angry at himself for feeling the way he was feeling when what he should be thinking about is Salma and how she was going to be his wife by the weekend. But that thought couldn't help in any way because the thought of Najwa and Bilaal together, which disgusted him, seem to dominate. He started to take careful and strategic breaths in and out to control himself while silently reciting verses from the Qur'an to keep him calm. His insides were in turmoil. He just needed his rest.

"Mother, please calm down. Let's take care of this together ok." He said so softly to his mother and kissed her forehead and gave her a warm smile to relieve her of her worries after he had realised what was happening to him and how his mother was panicking. Najwa suddenly respected and admired him for the efforts he was making to calm his mother down.

"Let's get inside and let me have a look at it. I just hope nothing happened to the stitches though." His mother said more calmly. He suddenly felt guilty for making his mother flare up as a result of his behavior. It's just he doesn't know why the idea of Bilaal and Najwa together manages to irritate him in such a manner. He never knew he was capable of getting this flared up. Thankfully, Najwa didn't seem to know what his father was talking about. There was some relief there. But what he wasn't sure about was if Najwa might reject Bilaal's proposal. A good heart like hers might accept him. And that was a very much good possibility. He had been watching her in the rearview mirror as he drove on without her noticing. He saw some form of sadness in her eyes. Or was it just his imagination? Nevertheless, he wished he could do something about it. But he couldn't. He had no right. Maybe Bilaal will someday. But why is he torturing himself thinking of Bilaal? If he doesn't put his anger and emotions in check, his wound will never heal. But his heart will always be filled with remorse whenever he thinks about it. The wound at his hand wouldn't be worse than the one evolving in his heart, a place he never imagined could be hurt in such a manner. But if he feels this way thinking of Najwa and Bilaal, then he was sure he will kill when it comes to Salma. Salma, the love if his life, his angel. Sooner or later he will be graced with her beauty. Oh how beautiful she is, with that smile that could make one's head swoon. That could make one confused and at the same time sane and excited within.

As soon as they got to the living room, his mother took his injured hand and unwrapped the bandage to have a look at it. The stitches were ok, although a small area had gushed open causing the bleeding.

"I need to get the first aid box to disinfect it and then wrap it up all over again." She said, annoyingly. When she made to stand up. A concerned Najwa offered to help her with it.

"Don't worry mother, I will get it for you. Where can I find it please." She offered in her soft and barely audible voice.

"In the kitchen." Mrs Hikma replied before Najwa rushed off. What her voice did to his insides. She manages to always surprise him. And the least thing she does always catches his attention. Like how she's offered to help and how she called his mother 'mother'. How does she do this when he's never seen her face before and when she barely talks to him or even notices his existence. He realised he notices small details about her. Things that usually do not matter. Like the sound of her voice and how it reverberates in his heart, her long lashes, the little side of her face that he saw the last time, her toes and long fingers with the neatly cut nails. Those were unnecessary details that have managed to get stuck in his little memory. He wondered if she knew such things about him too. He doubted it. Because he seemed like a plaque to her, which he saw she was always avoiding him. He sometimes wondered if he had unknowingly offended her or that if his presence made her uncomfortable in any way.

He came out of his reverie when he felt a movement on his injured arm. His mother was carefully cleaning his wound with a cotton drenched with disinfectant. He hissed when it started to sting. Najwa was nowhere to be found. So he guessed she was in her room now. He so wished she had stayed. 'For what?' His inner self asked. But he had no answers to it. He just wanted to feel her presence. Was that difficult to ask?

"Look son, It's better you forget about Najwa and concentrate on your Salma. I couldn't believe it when your mother told me about it. But you easily fell into ny trap a while ago. With your reaction earlier, I had you where i wanted you. Look at what you've