Abuja, Nigeria

Hey, good afternoon
I wanted to tell you Layla has been discharged

Fahad kept the phone and sighed softly, he whispered Alhamdulillah to himself.

He rested his back on the headboard then looked at the phone beside remembering the call that came through after his mother left the room.

“Sir, Mr Dikko was sighted in his house Melbourne, do you want to keep an eye on him?”

He'd grunted no and thanked the private investigator.

Everything will get better with time, he thought closing his eyes. He'd been in his room all day, Huda and Aneesah had entered once wanting to play game on his PS5, they wanted to cheer him up he knew but they gave up and left not five minutes after they finished a fake argument just so he would intervene, he knew all their plots.

“Sup big bro.” Adnan's head popped in with a wide smile, his large body squeezed in seconds later and he stood over the bed with two game pads in hand.

Not looking up he shook his head no and waiting to hear the door, contrary to what he expected he felt the bed dip under his brother's crushing weight.

“Get off, you'll break my bed.”

“Haha very funny.” his tone dripped with sarcasm.

Adnan is twenty nine years old and second born to Abubakar and Barr. Salima Barkindo, unlike his elder brother, he was fair like their mother and tall, but very muscular, which was fat when he was a teenager, they made sure to remind him all his muscles were just strong fat. Like Mahmud Aliero, he's also am architect and manages the construction company.

“What exactly do you want?” Fahad muttered with a small a glare, why was it so hard for his family to let him stay in his room alone quiet, in peace and avoiding all interaction with them.

“I just signed a really complicated project with an automobile company, the least you could do is let me relax a bit before we start.” Fahad sighed giving up, he stretched and took the controller Adnan held out for him.

“Only because it'll be fun to make you lose in front of Huda, hopefully she'll send a video of your pouty face to Aisha.” he finished with a smirk making Adnan turn with his cheeks a darker shade, who said being fair is a walk in the park?

They walked out and like he expected, the rest of his siblings were sat in his living room, Huda obviously over dressed with her black sequence dress that was leaving a trail behind her, she held a remote, a makeshift mic and cleared her throat when she saw them.

“Hey it's not fair that he was the one to get you to come out, I saw you first,” she shouted oops and removed the ‘mic’, “That wasn't meant for all of you”.

“I knew him first.” Adnan replied with the same tone she used, she huffed before clearing her throat.

“Welcome to the Barkindo-I can't remember which number-” they laughed, she waved her hands for silence before continuing-“Official hamma Fahad schooling hamma Adnan in a game of Mortal Kombat 11 ultimate.” she made a hooting sound, failed hooting sound while the rest clapped, she bowed then sat beside Fahad on the couch, the rest took their seats on the hand.

Nabila sat alone on another sofa, while Ja'afar sat on the carpet, 'wanting a grade A view of the battle field', his exact words.

“You have to call out start.” Aneesah reminded her.

“Oh,” she raised her hands up then made a motion of waving flags, “Start!”

Only laughs and screams could be heard from the room, like expected, Fahad did win.

“I let you win.” Adnan turned to him with a smug smile.

“I let you lose.” they both laughed.

“Good night hamma, I have to sleep else ammie murders me tomorrow.” Huda yawned, she stood up and he expected her to walk out, she sat back her head on his lap with a smile. “Can you massage my head please?” she took of the cap she had on, her long hair was in knotless braids, no argument he put his hands in the thick tresses and moved them in a soothing way.

“Your head is like a coconut.” Aneesah commented her hands folded against her chest.

“Hamma,” she complained to him, he chuckled.

“Don't worry, it's a pretty coconut.” she pouted but didn't comment.

“Do you guys remember when Aneesah was in third grade and this boy was teasing her for having curly hair and a giant of a brother?” they all laughed, the subject blushed, she'd honestly felt insulted and reported him.

“You did show him you were giants, he never talked to me again.” they laughed.

They believed in everyone fighting his own battles but then, you always have back up.

Ja'afar who was the most violent and not much older than her suggested she broke his arm, he'd even taught her how to do it without their mother’s knowledge, big brother duties he called it, Nabila the peacemaker didn't agree and said she should talk to him, Adnan took the easy way out, he went to the school and picked the boy up the placed him on his shoulder, he'd been scared of heights but they didn't know.

It was safe to say he was traumatized and kept his distance. Fahad who was in college then had the laugh of his life when he returned from school and heard the tale.

They spent the rest of the night reminiscing old times, it was twelve and only Fahad and Adnan were awake, the former took Huda and laid her comfortably on the chair, she was the first to fall asleep, seeing she hasn't slept in more than twenty four hours.

“You'll be fine.” Adnan assured walking down the hall his brother standing in the middle of his living room.

“I know.”

“Where are you going?” Fahad called after him.

“To sleep in your bed and I do hope it breaks.” he finished with a laugh, with no comment on that, Fahad walked out after switching all the lights off, he closed the door behind him.

The weather was cool, the moon and all the security lights on made the scenery worth looking at, he sat on the bench in the garden behind the house, he has spent many sleepless nights there.

His siblings might have gotten him to at least laugh it out but it always came back, when he’s left to his thoughts.

He heard footsteps but didn't turn, somehow knowing who it was.

“The view is Magnificent.” Abubakar Barkindo commented sitting beside his son.

“Good evening Abba.” Fahad greeted respectfully but still not looking at his father, he knew he wanted to talk to him,

“Na so you wan give my wife high blood pressure abi?” out of everything he expected his father to say, that was the last.

“Huh?” he didn't know when the word got out.

“Well yes, aren't you trying to give her hypertension? She's been worried sick about you, though I think it's just middle age crisis.” that part was spoken lower than a whisper, it made Fahad's lips tug.

“That's not a nice thing to say about your wife.”

“She won't know,” he breathed out and turned to his first son, “What is it you actually want? I mean no one wants to stay a bachelor forever, except you perhaps, so tell me why that is that?”

When Fahad was a child, he'd always liked how his father was straight forward but right at that moment, he would've liked for Alhaji Tafida Aliero to be his father.

“You don't have to answer, we're way past that,” he pointed between them “Me and you,  you don't have to explain to me you know, because the only thing I can tell you is that it'll be fine, but will it really?” he stopped to take a breath.

“It won't necessarily get better, we just get over it, there's something funny about pain, you decide what it does to you, you can let it break you or make you, but you feel it and there's nothing, and I mean nothing you can do about it, but I want you to decide Fahad, whether to let this break or make you.” he stood up.

“You know what's right for you, I'm not going to force you but you know you have to get over this, sooner or later and then take the next step in life,” his rubbed his hands together, rocking on his feet “You take care of everyone, let someone take care of you.” he patted his back and added after a few seconds.

“Take this as a cheat, think about getting a wife because your mother has made it her mission to get you a wife herself.” with that he left Fahad with his thoughts jumbled.

He looked skywards and let out a breath, deciding he wasn't going to see answers in the sky, he stood up and went back to his apartment, his siblings sprawled every which way in his living room brought a smile to his face, automatically lifting his mood. He performed ablution and went to the other bedroom after switching off the lights, they all had bad habits of leaving the lights on and closed the door gently so as not to disturb his siblings, he sprayed the prayer mat in the room and faced the qibla, submitting all his affairs to the almighty and all hearing.

**** **** ****

“Finally!” Layla sighed Falling face back on her bed then lifted herself off a bit to peek at Khadijah who found a comfortable seat on the loveseat.

A knock sounded over the door, it was pushed open by Deena who had the cake box in her hand, Khadijah asked Abba to inform her, he'd happily munched on the tuwo and groudnut soup with ugu she’d brought, Layla threatened to cut off his hands when he'd asked for second helpings.

Junior who didn't turn their way declined when she'd offered to serve him, too invested in his game. She almost force fed Khadijah somehow reading she hasn't eaten anything, it wasn't hard to know seeing she didn't stand up to pray, she doesn't like eating and it's only worse on her period, she cajoled her into eating half a morsel, but she'd felt happy that least she put something in her stomach.

“Thank you Deena.” Layla jumped up with a squeal when she sighted the box. Deena let out a small laugh seeing how her eyes sparkled like a child given his favorite candy, she rushed to Deena and peeked in the box, she ran back and crashed into Khadijah who was also laughing, she hadn't told her she'd brought her cake so it was a pleasant surprise.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, I love you so much Dee.” she squeezed her tighter, her eyes glazed with tears.

“Yeah yeah I know you love me, please cut the cake I need chocolate in my blood.” Khadijah managed to let out, laughter in her voice.

“Here's the knife, I'll go and get plates.” Layla nodded absent mindedly, peering at the cake like it was something out of this world, to her it is.

“I heard squeals, what do we have here?” Abba stood by the door, junior beside him both with curious looks.

“Don't even think about it Abba, bye.” Layla waved him off swiping a finger over the chocolate icing, she put it in her mouth and made a sound, Khadijah only looked at her with amusement in her eyes, half her attention on her phone.

“Hey Adda, sharing is caring.”

“It's a good thing I don't care about you.”

“You know the Aliero rule Layls, whatever comes in has to go around.” she eyed the new addition.

“Hey Khadijah, good to see you.” Asad smiled charmingly at said person, she smiled back politely.

“No, no, no, nobody is eating my cake.”

“Did I hear cake?” another voice sounded from the door, Layla made a crying sound.

“Deeeee….You should've kidnapped me and given me the cake, now I won't even have a slice.” She fake sniveled.

“Sorry?” she replied laughing.

Deena returned with about a dozen saucers, forks and a chef's knife on a tray, Layla eyed her which made her chuckle.

“You guys are too much.” Layla mumbled pouting at her siblings who were all eager for cake, they only laughed pushing her to cut it quickly.

“Wait!” Raina screamed and they all turned to her instinctively, she smiled sheepishly and held up her phone “Let me get a perfect picture first.” they groaned but let her do it, muttering how good of an idea it was.

Layla sat aside, arms folded seething, Khadijah tapped her with a small smile.

“I have a smaller one at home for you alone.” she whispered making Layla smile automatically.

“I have to go now though, junior looks tired and I need to go to work tomorrow.” she adjusted her veil then reached for her bag.

“Let me actually get you a slice, it'll be finished before I come back.”

With a laugh, she shook her head “Don't worry about it, we'll share yours when you come by.” she turned to junior and motioned for him to get up “Let's go.”

“Wait, he hasn't eaten.”

“I don't like chocolate cake.” Abba gasped when he heard that.

“Why though?” he shrugged since he couldn't remember either he's always been like that.

“Bye guys.” Layla said for Khadijah who smiled, they replied with byes and later.

“We'll play again sometime yeah?” Abba asked junior who nodded eagerly, they did a handshake they invented, he ruffled his short hair before going back to sit.

“You'll come by tomorrow right?” Khadijah asked after settling in the driver's seat, Layla replied with a nod.

“We'll talk later, take care.” she waved at junior who waved back eagerly, she closed the door on Khadijah's side and waited till she was out of sight before she went back inside.

“Ya Abdul, goodnight.” Abdulrahman, Sadiya's husband prayed for her safe return home, he tried to have someone drive her but she kindly refused so he settled for that, besides it would do things he couldn't.

They walked her to her car and went back inside after she drove off.

“She deserves more than the world has to offer.” Abdulrahman said holding Sadiya's hand, he made her sit on his lap, since the kids were in bed, he didn't see why she should be that far from him.

“Her best is coming, insha Allah.” he replied with ameen nuzzling her neck leaving open mouthed kisses.

“Let's call it a night, hmmmmm.” he muttered not raising his head up, with a small laugh she stood up with his help, he switched off the lights having closed the doors already, again he took her hands in his and they ambled up the stairs together, talking about light topics.