Aya

Chapter 4- Baba's Words And Unspoken Fears

"Adda, baba dan do ne; baba is calling you" Aisha said as she walked into Aya's room to find her glued to her rose gold MacBook Air watching one of her usual K-dramas because yes Aya was a certified K-drama fanatic.

"Alright mi dan wara; I'm coming" Aya called out as she paused the latest Kdrama she was watching. The show 'A Young lady and A Gentleman' had her completely hooked, she's been binge watching it for the past two hours since her shower, waiting for Humairah to return from Islammiya.

Aya lived in a grand three story mansion elegant yet warm, with three spacious rooms on each floor and two beautifully furnished living rooms per level. The ground floor had a guest room that was rarely used except when Dada their grandmother came to visit. The other two rooms had been transformed into a cozy library and a private study for baba, where he spent most of his time whenever he was home, either working or relaxing in his living room while reading his newspaper and sipping his tea, the grand living room the largest in the entire house, filled with soft light and quiet hum of comfort

On the first floor was Aya's room tucked neatly down the hall, with Aisha's room directly opposite it which meant countless nights of Aisha sneaking over to disturb her when they were kids. To the right of Aya's room was Humairah's a beautifully decorated space that she rarely used, except on the occasional play dates. Still it was her room nonetheless, filled with toys and tiny dresses, though half of her clothes were in Aya's, the room was still filled with all the traces of her little personality.

And on the top floor was Baba's room and their late mother's, preserved just the way she left it. The air there always carried a quiet stillness, as if time itself refused to move on. No one had the courage to go inside and change a thing, her perfume still lingered faintly on the curtains, it was a sacred place one Aya often retreated to when she needed comfort, and one Baba visited on quiet evenings when memories of his wife became too heavy to hold in his heart.

The third room on the top floor had been transformed into a small kitchenette for baba. He never liked going all the way to the main kitchen in the basement whenever he wanted to get something, even though the house had both an elevator and an intercom he could use to call any of the workers. Still Baba preferred doing things himself

Truthfully all the Shettima children preferred doing things themselves, which was why there were fewer than five workers in the entire house. It was a trait their mother had instilled in them, one they held onto even after her passing. Even little Humairah had picked it up, she loved trying to do things on her own just like the rest of them.

Their Hammah had his own space just beside the main house, a cozy two bedroom chalet with a living room and a small kitchenette. Baba believed that once a man reached a certain age he shouldn't continue living under the same roof as the women of the house. It was a principle rooted in the teaching of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), one that emphasized modesty, respect and personal space, To Baba it wasn't just tradition it was a way of preserving harmony within the family

Aya walked calmly down the stairs to her father's study, already certain he will be there he was always there at this hour. And true to her thoughts there he sat behind his large desk, glasses perched neatly on his face, typing away on his desktop with his usual quiet focus

"Assalamu Alaikum baba" she smiled walking up to him behind his desk to give him a hug "Jambandu"

"Walaikumu Salam my darling" Baba said hugging her back and signaling for her to have a sit

"You called for me baba" Aya asked as she sat facing her dad while twirling a little on her seat

"Yes, I did" he replied adjusting his glasses with a small smile on his face "I spoke to your brother about you wanting to go horse riding Allah yayi Oga ya yarda: the boss has agreed" he chuckled shaking his head

Aya laughed softly at his tone, and Baba continued "Wallahi sometimes I wonder how I became the one seeking permission from my own son. But you know your brother, he just loves you girls too much that's why he is overly protective"

Aya giggled "Baba you know Hammah will never change he still sees me as that little girl that used to follow him around"

He wasn't always this strict with them but after the passing of their mother and everything that followed he became overly protective. You don't even want to see him with Humairah Aya's own is even small compared to that

He smiled knowingly "Ni ban san yarda zanyi da Hamman nan naki ba in na tashi aurar dake; I don't know how am going to do with your Hammah when it is time to marry you off" baba said his voice carrying a hint of humor but also that seriousness only a father could have

"Aure kuma baba?" Aya laughed  lightly, though her chest tightened. She couldn't tell if he was joking

"Yes Aure" he replied giving her a serious look "You don't want to get married ne Aya?"

"Baba I don't think anyone would want to marry me" she said fiddling with her fingers eyes downcast, "I come with too much baggage and too little to give" She could feel her chest tightening, her father had never brought up marriage with her before, and the suddenness of it all made her nervous

Baba leaned back in his chair removing his glasses and setting them gently on the table. "Haba Aya" he sighed, his voice soft but steady "You should never speak of yourself like that. No child of mine is too much of anything"

He paused giving her a kind smile "Kema kinsan life doesn't end just because it broke you once. Fa inna ma'al usri yusrah—indeed with every hardship comes ease. You're a good woman Aya and even more an amazing mother one day someone will see that."

"Ki je" he said gently "Dada is coming for a bit make sure they fix her room for her kinji?" 

Aya's heart instantly warmed at the news Dada was coming! She hadn't seen her in months, and her visits always filled the house with comfort and laughter.

But beneath the happiness a strange feeling tugged at her chest, a quiet unease she couldn't name, as if something was shifting something she didn't yet understand

"Toh baba bari in je: alright baba let me go" she said quickly standing up a little too eager to escape from the heavy conversation

"Oh, before I forget" Baba added as she reached the door "Hammah said he will take you to the horse club tomorrow you'll buy your horse and get an instructor"

Aya paused midstep her hand still on the doorknob "Toh baba... thank you bye love you" she said with a soft smile before walking out, gently closing the door even though she'd found it open.

That's when it hit her buy a horse?, why were they buying one when she could just ride one at the polo club like everyone else?

She sighed already knowing it was Hammah's doing, his way of making sure she only rode a horse she was familiar with. He still hadn't forgotten the scare from last time, even if she tried to laugh it off

But she had bigger things to worry about, Dada was coming and Baba was being strange. That scared her more than she wanted to admit

Her father had never brought up the topic of marriage before, it had always felt like a quiet taboo, a word no one dared to associate with her. And now he'd said it so casually like it was nothing and that alone made her chest tighten with unease.

Lost in her thought Aya didn't even get to feel excited about the chance of seeing him again. The man who had somehow found a place in her mind and refused to leave.

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A/n

Alright the story is about to get interesting please bear with me.

On another note why do we think Dada is coming?

Why did baba say all that?

And is anyone surprised that Hammah chose to still buy her a horse?😂