Al Qulub Haris

Four

The couple sat with their daughter in the front row of the theater, happiness written over their faces as they watched their Son being called to the podium to be presented with his degree.

"Alhamdulillah" Maryam kept mumbling, she couldn't believe her first and only son had just concluded his University studies but what she couldn't believe more was that his father wasn't there to watch his son be awarded with his first degree. Maryam had taken her sweet time to have an invitation sent to him knowing fully well they had only four, Sahabi being a dignitary otherwise they'd be given only two. She knew Adam was insolent but didn't expect it to be that bad.

Murtala, Sahabi's first son although not by blood was the fruit Maryam's marriage to her first husband Adam. Murtala had lived without his mother for seven years due to Adams refusal to share child custody but with Sahabi's help, her son was returned to her family in Adamawa where she frequently visited him before Sahabi suggested he should move in with them.

Murtala was a very reserved person, he didn't mingle too much and had very few friends. He never really liked being in the public eye, just like his father; Sahabi.

"Yaya!" Zahra ran to hug her brother "Hello buttercup" he said pulling on her cheek.

"My son" Sahabi placed his hands on both Murtalas shoulders, his pride being showcased and gave him a short hug "As far as I'm concerned you are Murtala Sahabi Kamba not Adam. Congratulations boy"

"Picture time" Zahra broke their hug. "No need-" Murtala said.

"-You can't escape pictures, not today" Maryam cut in. She made him take a picture alone and with her.

"Yaya can you at least smile" Zahra said, rolling her eyes. Murtala sighed in frustration but he had to smile, otherwise they just may keep taking pictures of him and he hated taking pictures.

✊✊✊

Sahabi walked into Maryams living room looking everything but pleased "Where is Murtala?"

"I don't know, he hasn't been picking his calls" she replied. He scoffed before walking back out.

"Yaya!" Zahras continuous yelling echoed round the house. She had gone round the house in search of Murtala; something she had never really done before, at least not in one day.

"Where could he be?" she asked herself. Then it occurred to her. There was one place he could be, their 'Safe spot' he called it. She sprinted down the stairs from Sahabi's office and under the staircase was a door no one really paid attention to. It would be safe to say only Zahra and Murtala had ever seen the other side of the door. She slowly turned the knob and entered with a 'Salam'. Zahra almost did a victory dance when she saw her yaya sitting with his back rested and eyes closed on a couch in the room which they had snuck in.

He opened his eyes and saw Zahra then smiled weakly at her. She was about to start whining about how she had searched through all twenty three rooms in the house (including kitchens, bathrooms and stores) for him when she noticed how off he looked and she knew they only went in that room when they wanted to get away from something or when they were really sad.

"Yaya" she said calmly.

"Buttercup"

"Are you okay?"

"Yes" he lied.

"Liar liar, pants on fire" she sang out, he couldn't help giggling.

"Come here you" he grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap, giving her a warm hug"I love you buttercup"

"I love you too yaya. So tell me, what is wrong"

"There's this girl-" he started.

"Aisha?Your girlfriend" she cut him off, wiggling her eyebrows as smirk appeared on her face.

"How did you know about Aisha?"

"Oh please, you talk about her all the time. Aisha this, Aisha that" she rolled her eyes.

"You know, you talk too much for a ten year old" He could not remember ever saying anything about Aisha.

"Yes Aisha. She's getting married"

"You're getting married!" Zahra clapped her hands together, a smile creeping its way to her lips.

"No" her excitement died down.

"Then who is she getting married to?"

"Someone else"

"Why?"

"Her dad is making her marry her cousin"

"I bet Abba would never make me marry anyone I don't love"

"What do you know about love Zahra?"

"More than you can imagine. Don't worry Yaya you'll find someone else who loves you like I do"

"You speak well for a ten year old"

"Abba and Mami are looking for you" he mentally slapped himself. He put Zahra down and rushed out of the room to Sahabi's office.

"Abba, Zahra said you were looking for me"

"Where have you been boy?" Sahabi asked tugging his glasses lower on the bridge of his nose.

"I fell asleep" He lied. Sahabi didn't think to check his room so he was good to go. He raised a few files and papers from his table in search of something "Aha!" he mumbled, pulling out a white envelope and stretching his arm out to Murtala "Congratulations boy. You start on Monday in sha Allah" Murtala ripped open the envelope and was greeted by another piece of paper which happened to be his appointment letter.

"Thank you Abba, may Allah reward you abundantly" he said, resisting the urge to jump up in excitement to avoid looking like a lunatic in front of his father. He walked out and as soon as he heard the door shut he shouted at the top of his lungs swinging his body like a child, he had forgotten he was standing right outside Sahabi's office who most definitely could hear all that was going on. Sahabi shook his head and held his newspaper higher.

✊✊✊

Zahra quietly watched her brother pace to and fro in the balcony through the transparent sliding glass doors, he looked disturbed and she wished she could hear what he was saying. She patiently waited for him to finish his call and return to the room.

"Yaya" she threw herself at him, taking him by surprise and trampling him to the ground. He groaned out in pain as she lifted her body off him and in the process sitting on his stomach for a few seconds.

"Are you trying to kill me? Do you think you're still five?" she just laughed at him and sat on the edge of his bed.

"Ice cream"

"Is that your new name?"

"Noooo. I want ice cream"

"There's lots in the freezer" he bent his head in various directions producing a crack sound "Go get some" he raised his hand to the back of his neck and rubbed it "God Zahra, I think you actually broke my neck"

xoxo hairanumar