"Adda?"
Aisha's voice echoed softly through the hallway.
She found Aya sitting on the tiled floor, knees drawn close, staring at nothing.
After the phone call, Aya had simply sunk to the ground. She wasn't sure whether it was the weight of her emotions or the heaviness in her limbs, but she couldn't bring herself to stand. The silence of the house wrapped around her, too loud, too empty, too full.
She didn't hear Aisha approach until her sister lowered herself beside her.
"Adda, are you okay?" Aisha asked, her voice full of worry.
Aya let out an empty, humorless laugh. "I don't know why everyone keeps asking me that," she murmured, eyes still fixed somewhere far away on the wall.
Aisha gently leaned her head on Aya's shoulder. "Because everyone cares about you," she whispered. "You're our big baby."
Aya exhaled shakily, a sound that was half-laugh, half-sigh, she turned her head slightly resting it against the wall. For a moment she looked like a little girl again someone tired of being strong, tired of holding everything together
"Aisha... do you think I'll be okay?" she asked, her voice soft and raw, not defensive, not dramatic just a quiet plea for reassurance.
Aisha immediately took her hand, squeezing gently. "I know you'll be okay, Adda." She said with certainty that didn't waver
She shifted to face her fully, her voice soft but full of meaning "You should see Humairah upstairs Wallahi she's glowing. She's been waiting for her Baba to call da kyar na samu tayi bacci. Doesn't her happiness calm you a little? She's the reason you agreed to this arrangement. And now she's the happiest I've ever seen her."
A small crack of emotion slipped through Aya's chest at that.
"That alone" Aisha continued "is a sign you made the right decision. Allah will put barakah in everything else and He will not abandon you"
Aya's throat tightened not painfully but in a way that reminded her of hope, of relief she didn't know she needed. Aisha was right. She didn't need to understand everything today, Humairah's joy was enough to anchor her even if only for the moment
Just then a voice cut through the hallway
"What are you two doing sitting on the floor in the hallway like this?" Hammah asked raising a brow
Both sisters looked up, he stood there arms folded, pretending to be annoyed but the soft amusement in his eyes betrayed him. Aya and Aisha simply smiled in response.
Hammah shook his head and lowered himself to the ground beside Aya. "Aisha, it's getting late. Shouldn't you be heading back to your house? Ina Faisal?"
"I'm sleeping over today," Aisha replied with a bright grin. "He already went home."
Hammah let out a long-suffering sigh that didn't match the small smile forming on his lips. "Wannan auren naki... at this point the two of you should just move to the guest chalet beside mine."
Aya laughed an actual laugh this time, warm and soft. Aisha, unashamed as ever, shrugged.
"I actually suggested that to him, and he said no."
This time both Hammah and Aya laughed hard, because Aisha's tone was not joking she genuinely meant it, the sound of their laughter echoed in the hallway like a breath of fresh air after a long day
"Gaskiya, Aisha," Aya said shaking her head, "you and your madness only Fahad can handle it."
Their laughter filled the hallway, chasing away the earlier heaviness. For a brief precious moment everything felt familiar again like home, like childhood, like peace.
That was when Baba appeared at the end of the hallway. He had been passing by but the sound of his children's laughter made him pause, he peeked into the hallway seeing the three of them sitting on the cold tiles head tilted back, faces relaxed, eyes shining with something that looked a lot like joy
His heart eased instantly
After the long heavy day seeing his children laughing together free of tension, even if just for this moment felt like a gift
And in that moment Baba knew
No matter what tomorrow held, no matter how much change was coming everything was going to be okay. For the first time that day he allowed himself a small smile
Then Hammah's voice came sober of their laugh earlier "A' jamo?" he asked looking softly at Aya
"Are you okay?"
Both Aya and Aisha burst into laughter at his question giving each other a knowing look and Hammah just look at them both confused at why they were laughing at his question "Mi don Jam Hammah" Aya said smiling brightly
"I'm okay Hammah"
At that moment Baba stepped fully into the hallway, his brows raised but a soft smile tugging the corners of his lips
"Sannun ku ko" he said gently "Kun cika min gida da hana yi ya"
'Well done. You've filled my house with noise'
Aisha rolled her eyes playfully "Baba we are bonding" she said leaning her head against Aya dramatically
Hammah scoffed "bonding on the floor? Very mature"
Aya nudged him with her shoulder and he nudged her back, softer than anyone else would ever believe from a man like him
Baba chuckled and shook his head "Ku tashi ku bar min hallway na lafiya"
'Stand up and leave my hallway in peace'
But none of them moved
Instead Baba sighed and walked towards them, lowering himself with the familiar little groan of an aging man until he sat beside Aisha. The tiles were cold but somehow the closeness made the space warm
Aya blinked surprised "Baba...... you're sitting on the ground too?"
"I might as well join you since you all seem comfortable disgracing my expensive flooring" he said dryly
Aisha burst into laughter immediately, Hammah shook his head with a proud smile their fathers humor was always a moment of comfort
But the laughter softened slowly, settling into something gentler. Baba glanced at his eldest daughter and Aya looked away, suddenly aware of how fragile she still felt
Baba reached out placing his hand over hers "Aya"
She swallowed hard "Na'am Baba"
"You're not alone kinji" he said quietly "Whatever happens next......whatever you feel, whatever you're afraid of.....you're not facing by yourself"
Aya looked at him then, really looked and saw it clearly the guilt, the love, the worry he tried to hide beneath authority. The man who made difficult decisions for his family but never slept peacefully on the nights those decisions broke one of them
She squeezed his hand slightly not fully but enough that he understood
Hammah watched them his expression softening in that rare unguarded way only his sisters ever saw. He nudged her shoulder lightly
"If Zahid gives you any problem" he said voice steady but eyes warm "Wallahi Aya he will answer to me"
Aisha gasped dramatically "Please oo Hammah a whole prince"
Aya let out a small exhale not quite laughter but close enough. Aisha smiled proudly at the sound
Then Dada's dramatic gasp came making all four Shettima's to look up "Yanzu nan kuke zaune I've been looking for you all around this house" she turned looking at Baba "Harda kai Usman"
'This is where you all are sitting. Even you Usman'
And they all froze in the exact same guilty posture heads slightly bowed lips twitching laughing sheepishly even Baba feeling like a child once again
"On don yahata ndiyam. Do you know the time?" Dada said giving them a look
"All of you should go and sleep now"
And they all scrambled to their feet a soft smile on their faces murmuring goodnight to each other, each one drifting toward the direction of their rooms with lighter hearts than they'd had all day
Behind them Dada and Baba remained standing in the hallway watching them disappear around the corners of the house. They exchanged a knowing look, their smiles small but full of peace.
Everything slowly, gently was falling into place
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A/n
Forgive me if there's any typing error the book hasn't been edited yet when I find time I will fully edit it
So what did we think of this chapter I love this family they are toooo cute
And you guys should congratulate me you are speaking to a degree holderrrr🤭
On a more serious note let come together and please pray for our girls that were taken in Kebbi. Allah ya Fido su and may Allah bring an end to the insecurity in this country. Ameen
Allah ya jikan Musulmai🤍
I'm going to give you guys a double update for your patience Insha'Allah
~xoxo lovergurl~