Four

The next morning, they ignored each other. Najma was fasting so it was understandable that she wasn't at the table to take breakfast. While Khamis was there, he didn't enjoy her absence. He wondered what she was fasting for and he didn't want to ask mummy or daddy. And he was curious.

The morning sped to noon early. Najma and Hajiya Aisha sat in the parlour chatting. Najma laid her head on mummy's lap as mummy massaged her hair.

She didn't care how old Najma was. She was her only daughter whom she had after seven years or waiting and when she did gave birth to her, it was confirmed to her that her husband wouldn't be able to concieve again. It was a hard time for them, taking them a while to accept fate and move on.

When Najma was thirteen months, they adopted Khamis who was fourteen months then. She remembered taking a promise to Hajiya Zainab, Khamis mother, she would take care of Khamis like he were her own. It pained Hajiya Zainab to separate with him though, she pleaded but none listened to her because it was part of her husband's will.

Alhaji Muhammad Bayero, Najma's father was from a royal family but even their father was not a crowned prince. They learnt that he wasn't involved in any of the activities in the kingdom then. All he cared was his business and study at the states thence they crowned his younger brother and when the king died he succeeded him. The current king was very old presently and the next crowned prince was Khamis's father who had already died. His son Khamis was supposed to be the next heir but since he was young, daddy was sure they would give someone else.

"Mummy," Najma called out after she had been in reverie for a while. Since last night, she had been pondering on the little chatter she had with Khamis, it made her sleepless.

"Najmeey, my star." Hajiya Aisha praised her, caressing her cheek dearly.

Najma smiled, weighing what she was about to ask mummy.

"Why do I feel sad and unhappy when Amish talk of other people?" She felt Hajiya Aisha's hand stopped moving for a while before they went back to moving slowly as if assimilating her words.

Hajiya Aisha smiled again when she saw Najma's eyes on her.

"It's because you love your brother so much and it's call jealousy which is normal between siblings but I warn you, it's not good." She explained hoping it had answered Najma's question. Apart from that, nothing graced her mind. She just knew the duo were so attached to each other.

"It hurts mummy. I want to stop being jealous." Najma sat up and faced her mother.

Hajiya Aisha took Najma's hands in hers. She knew how a jealous hearts is. It disturbs the peace of it's beholder, it build a lot of wanted feelings inside it.

"Recite some prayer."She repeated after Hajiya Aisha until she was sure she had memorized it.

"How many fasts do you have left?" Najma grinned. She didn't like hunger one bit. She started paying off her fasts last year and it came as a shocker to her. She didn't know anything though she was thirteen. All her friends and teachers said, flew through the other hole of her ears. And then it happened to her in reality and she realised it's all true.

Her mother warned her not to let anyone know. Not even Khamis. It was then she lectured her on how to be careful and not mingle with boys. She didn't tell her that she would become pregnant if a boy touched her hand as her friends said their mothers' told them that.

Hajiya Aisha just warned her not to tell anyone and not to mingle with guys. She taught her how to do ritual bath. That's all. In her Islamiyya, the teacher lectured them properly when they reached the topic. He told them not to hasten in taking their baths until they see a white discharge resembling whitewash or they found out they're dry.

He taught them that, if the time of prayer comes and their period comes before they're able to pray, then the strongest opinion is that they don't have to make up that prayer because the delay on observing the prayer was for a legitimate reason, therefore a woman is not guilty of negligence. He also said, they had to pray Zuhr and asr prayer of that day if become pure before the setting of the sun and if they become pure before Fajr then they should pray Maghreb and Isha of that night.

"Two mummy." She answered.

"That's great. If you will like to eat something out, bring my purse." Najma sprinted out with gleam. As she vanished away, Khamis made his salam into the parlor and met Hajiya Aisha alone. He smiled at her and greeted her before he sat away from her.

"Come here," she extended her hand and patted the spot next to her. Khamis smiled and sat beside her.

He loved Hajiya Aisha a lot because they're so close. She treated him the same way she treated Najma and he was very grateful for that.

"What's up, young man?" She raised her eyebrow. Khamis laughed at her expression.

"I want to go out to visit Mama."

Hajiya Aisha shook her head and handed him the key beside her.

"Wait for Najma to come. You will drop her at Mr Biggs." He scowled but quickly hide it from her. He didn't want to be under one roof with her for a while. He needed to clear up his head and get over the fight they had yesterday.

"Mummy I took five thousand naira only." She pleaded in a statement. Hajiya Aisha didn't ask her what she wanted to do with all that. She was just sure that if Najma went out with Khamis, they would bring back change.

"Yalla get dressed and follow your brother out." She did as mummy said without an argument.

"Drive slowly and safe." Mummy imploded.

"Sure." Soon, they were out of the house and under the wheel. Najma took the back seat and Khamis said he won't drive the car because he wasn't her chauffeur. And because she was cautious of time and famished, she took the front seat. The drive began in silence before Khamis cleared his voice.

"What are you fasting for?" He curiously inquired hoping to get an answer not silence from her.

Najma fluttered her lashes in debate. Why shouldn't she tell him? He's her brother after all. And the closest person to her. She didnt even have a friend other than him.

"Just wanted to gain reward." She answered. Khamis stole a glance at her. The Najma he knew would tell him every detail but this one was just something else. For a moment, he wanted the childish side of her.

"You're still mad at me that's why you're not telling me the truth huh?" Najma didn't answer him. She kept playing with her fingers.

"Behave like you. The you I have always known. The space we created between us from yesternight and today is just too large and unaccommodating. I apologize first because I am the bigger person here." Najma returned a smile to him. He held the steering wheel with one hand and gave her his other hand.

Najma shook it with a squeeze.

"No more fight?" He asked.

Najma smiled such that her dimple dipped.

"Not a promise." She answered with a smile. Truth was she couldn't give an assurance that they won't fight again. She knew they would, they had gotten used to it. No matter how they dried to dodge it, it must happen.

******

Kano, Nigeria.

February, 2017.

"Amish allow me to drive us back!" Najma threatened with a finger as they stood in front of Sahad stores. She stood by the door of the car, hindering him from entering the car. People had begin to stare at them at the parking space of the store.

Khamis stroke his full beard. At almost eighteen, his face was a complete mess of curly hair which he trimmed every week. His beard was that black, that adorned his brown skin, and made his skin sheen. He was tall, more than an average Hausa Fulani man. His voice was broken and deep as though he was twenty five. The remarkable change he did wasn't much of a surprise to his parent because he had been big in their eyes.

Najma on the other side was short, standing just below his shoulder. She's not fat but all those feminine parts on her body were loaded and endowed perfectly.

She heaved a sigh, showing how she won't give up even if they would spend the whole day in the space unless he gave her the car key. She had learnt how to drive too, just last month. And he was her tutor yet he didn't trust her with car. He had never allowed her to drive them.

Khamis smiled. Najma twisted her plump small lips and sent him a deadly glare.

"Don't even start thinking of any mischief because I won't back off. This your smile?" She shook her head emanating, it wasn't going to work.

He gave her his charming look and one beautiful wink that always made her heart skipped a bit.

"Not even your charm will work." She said, with her hand still on her bosom. The abaya she wore was loose thence she moved freely as she wished.

Khamis clapped. "Okay here's an option. Four years ago you were fasting and you didn't tell me the reason." He rang the key in the air, spying at her.

"You tell me, I give you." He declared. Najma swallowed a lump. By Allah, Khamis knew the reason he just wanted to embarrass her and she refused to be dissed by him. She turned her head away, pouting.

Over the years nothing changed with regards to her character. She was still the same.

"Don't open that pool I beg you. At least not here Naaj." He pleaded with both hands joined. Najma almost punched in the air due to her joy. She knew she had succeeded. By pool, he meant were tears which always flow like they're meant to.

"The key." She screeched. Khamis relented and handed her the keys. She tuck her tongue out at him and took the driver's seat while Khamis went to the other side and sat on the passenger's seat. She started drving, fast slowly and they stopped in a hold up. The route two Sahad stores which was Zoo road was most of the times crowdy, people swarming all the time. There were a lot of places to eat food too.

"How's our Visa? What's taking so long?" She asked. Last year they applied their various courses but they didn't get admission. They graduated when they were both sixteen. Khamis wanted to go to Nile university Abuja but Najma didn't want to, and because of that he wasted one year in vain. Now daddy sought admission for the both of them at the States. At ... University.

"Always asking me question. Ask daddy when we reach home." He replied. The traffic light went green and she started driving. Khamis had been scared she would hit some car. When a lorry came, he quickly placed his hands on top of Najma's to swerve away from it's direction. They both had their fear level escalated, when they went out of the lorry's way, they sighed of relief.

"You see what I am telling you?" He asked.

"I heard you." She waved it off. Silence prevailed until when Khamis's phone rang. He looked at the screen and answered the call.

"Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un..." She heard him say. Najma drove in suspense as she waited for him to finish the call and tell her what happened.

When he dropped the phone, his eyes were red, void of any fluid in them. She swallowed and felt a lump in her stomach. Whatever the news was, she wasnt ready to hear it.

"Amish..." She called but he didn't give her an answer. Her phone rang and it was daddy calling. Instead of picking, she found a spot and parked the car.

"We lost an uncle. Kawu Habibu..." He informed her.

Najma put her head to rest on the headboard. She didn't want to believe it happened. That was the first serious death they were ever witnessed as adults.