•Bilal
So...
I was absent for Yusra's wedding. I had to leave that blessed day to sort some things back at Maiduguri.
The trip was supposed to last for a week so I had no choice but to leave because it concerned my mother.
So much has happened but it's too sacred to be said.
We've missed promised dates with Ruqayyah's family but here we are today finally discussing how and when the wedding will take place.
A year ago, we actually had a meeting but it was more like an introduction. It was a way for her parents to get to know me, my mother and baba Imran. We asked for the wedding to be pushed to a year from that time so that I'll be able to stabilize financially. Now that I'm ready...
Let's hope this meeting goes well.
In Somalia,when one comes to formally ask for the girl's hand in marriage, he's expected to bring gifts that will be exchanged with that of the bride's family. I'd like to define that as the proposal but such doesn't exist in her country.
We're all gathered in her parents house with my mother, Step-Father, Bilan and her parents. We handed several baskets of things which I wasn't sure of their contents since it was my mother who selected what was to be put inside.
"So when would you like the wedding to be held Mr Guuleed?" Baba Imran asked.
Don't mind me, that's actually my Step-Father but I couldn't bring myself to call him that to his face. Even after eight years of my father's demise, I couldn't call another man 'father'. It feels like a crime though I know it isn't.
After he kicked the bucket, my mother decided to leave the country to join me in London but her family pressured her into agreeing to marry his younger brother as customary to the Shari'a law.
"The 4th of October is fine with us. But there's a condition." Mr Guuleed confirmed.
"What's the condition?" My Step-Father questioned.
"Well, we'd like to have some events here and the rest in Somalia."
"That won't be a problem. Allah will see us through." Baba Imran concurred.
"Ameen Ya Rabb." Mrs Bint said.
"Bilal won't you talk to your bride to be?" My mother teased and Bilan blushed for the nth time today.
"I will." I muttered, still shy as both our parents were watching us.
"You may go outside since both of you are too shy." Mrs Bint said with a toothy grin on her face.
We both rose up from the carpeted floor and walked out of the living room. Instead of going outside, we decided to stay in the next parlour since it had started raining heavily outside.
"How is Aaliyah faring?" She asked, which surprised me a lot seeing that she wasn't very fond of Aaliyah.
"She's fine. She even asked me to pass her greetings on to you "
"Tell her thank you."
"I will."
"Do you know that the 4th is Aaliyah's birthday."
"Oh wow." She said in a dry undertone as she rolls her eyes dramatically.
"What happened?"
"You can't seem to stop talking about Aaliyah for just a second. Why is that?"
"Somebody is jealous!" I laughed while wiggling my eyebrows.
"Shut up!" She pouted.
"When are you going to understand that she's like a sister to me Bilan? You're worrying too much and it's not good for you health. I came here just to see you!We have each other and that's all that matters."
YOU ARE READING
Aaliyah to the World
Romance"Sarauniya!" I said almost loudly but not enough for my friend Bilal to hear, "who is she?" "Aaliyah. She's the late Alhaji Mujib's daughter. " Bilal said seeming uninterested with the topic. "Ina gidan su?" I asked, sounding a bit like a crazy sta...
