Chapter 65

Amina stared at her daughter, her mouth pursed but slightly open and loose. Her eyes were fixed as if she was getting answers to her confusion. She was unhappy too when dalia's uncle approached her with the talk but later on she understood and left things to Allah. "Dalia, yes I know it sounds like you have betrayed her but don't you think..." "No mama, please you have to back me up on this. I am not going to marry him, I just can't..." ** The heart break felt so cold. It felt like concrete in his chest. The heartbreak was unexpected, as always. Amira was right in front of him blabbering about something he was too worried about dalia to even listen to what amira was spitting about. She got tired afterwards and left him there in his room. He had a sleepless night thinking of a way to convince dalia to marry him. He knew no one would force her to marry him if she said no. He rubbed the bridge of his nose with a sigh. He was sleepy and tired but how could he sleep knowing the one he really loves doesn't love him back? Dalia was the one thing he wouldn't want to give up on. His phone vibrated bringing him back from the ocean of thought. "Salamu alaikum, daddy. Good morning." He sat upright on the bed. "Waalaikums Salam, good morning, muhsin. How are things over there? Where's Dalia?" He asked him. Muhsin hesitated before he answered. How would he even start telling him she left to where he has no idea about? "Daddy she left, I don't know where she went to." Daddy chuckled a little. "I know she must be at home so don't worry." Muhsin heaved a sigh of relief. Why haven't he thought of that at the first place? "Daddy what should I do now?" Muhsin asked helplessly. "Why don't you go and convince her first before we go further into the matter. You know I can't force her to do something she intends not to do. If you are able to convince her, you have my full support and about amira, don't worry about her. I know she's my daughter and I know of her flaws and her behaviour which we pray she changes, that is why I will never stop you from getting married to that girl and Dalia is a very good girl. Just go to their house and try convincing her, I will talk with your father about it afterwards, in sha Allah." That afternoon, he found himself gaping up in front of the house, waiting for the boy he had sent in to announce his arrival. Dalia was sweeping the compound when their neighbour's son came in. "Sulaiman? How are you doing?" She asked as she rise up to look at the boy. "I'm fine. One alhaji asked me to call you, he's outside waiting. Aunty Dalia, who's he? He came with a big, flashy car and I know he's from abuja right?" The boy spoke nonstop which made dalia to laugh a little, that was the first time she smiled that day. "Go home now, Sulaiman before I tell your mother about what you said." Knowing what his mother could do to him, he apologised and ran off. She dropped the broom and headed into her mother's room. "Mama, daddy is outside, I am going to usher him in now." She wore her hijab and stepped out of the room before she walked out of the house. She stopped in her tracks when her eyes caught sight of him. Their eyes met and he offered a smile but she turned to leave. "Dalia please just wait and listen to me. For the sake of Allah, just give me few minutes of your time not because I'm worth it, please." She paused as she listened to what he had said. She turned and looked at him. Arms folded on her chest while she waited to hear what he had to say. She looked down at her feet as the tears blurred her vision. How she felt was something she couldn't describe at that moment. She covered her face with her warm palms as she sobbed into it unceasingly. The pain she felt within her was unbearable. It wasn't like she hated him, she liked him also. She admitted that she had feelings for him when he finally confessed. But she was afraid, afraid of his wife. She was afraid because it sounded like cheating and she couldn't betray amira and her parents, not after the good things they've done for her and her mother. "Listen, Dalia, what I intend to do, it's not like Allah has forbid it. This isn't something bad and..." "Please if you don't have anything reasonable to tell me then I have to go back inside." She never let their eyes meet. She couldn't handle the pressure of his hot gaze on her. It worsened her situation. "You may not know this but, I am always smiling behind my phone whenever we speak on phone. I smile inside every time I see you. When I message you, I look five to five seconds to see if you have answered me. I tried to hide my feelings, I really did, but I couldn't. I can't resist not making you mine. I don't want to lose you, Dalia. You are the one I love, you are my first love. Please don't say no to me because I'll be a complete mess without you."