Chapter 43: Chapter 43

Amna felt tears pooling the brink of her eyes, with glassy eyes and a thudding heart-she stare as he walked over their car and stopped at Hayfah's side. She doesn't want this to happen, she could feel the flames of love lashing her brittle heart-it hurts___so much that she couldn't look his way.

Hayfah slowly looked at his face, she was trying so hard to breathe, as all her world was slowly crashing down- she looked at his worried and tired eyes-before yawing her gaze to the other side.

"Hayfah; what have I done that you aren't answering my calls nor replying my texts?" His worried and tired voice slurred, as he rested his hands on the swung glass.

"Meet my sister; she's Amna. Addah, here's is Adyan-my bos...," before Hayfah could finish the introduction Adyan cut her off, for he couldn't risk hearing the 'B' word that was about to erupt out of her lips.

"Good evening, Addah Amna; I welcome you here-wish you'll have a nice stay," and he flashed her a smile-albiet it was factitious; but it swept her off her feet, it made her heart fluttered, as the flames touched the soft spot of her heart.

"Thank you, Adyan. I'll surely enjoy," she spoke with an unfathomable tone laced on her voice, she couldn't even look at him through his eyes-for the tone he used upon her was heart wrenching; he had already zoned her in the 'Sister inlaw' category.

Adyan looked at Hayfah-whom was ruminative and kept fiddling with her long sculptured fingers. "Hayfah, I see you're knackered-I'll call you after Isha prayer," and he flashed her a weak smile before greeting Baba-off he walked off.

Like a died graveyard, there was an eerily silence as Baba drove the car inside the house. They opted out and took Amna's clothes before walking inside the house. Alot were happening in their hearts, regret washed through Amna's heart for ever coming to Abuja-she wished she hasn't seen him today, for a glimpse of him brought back the flames of love.

With a salaam, Hayfah entered the humongous living room with Amna tailing behind. They met Maami sitted comfortably on a sofa, her eyes fixed on the working television.

"Good evening, Maami," Hayfah greeted, as she walked over to her and sat beside her, before placing her head on her shoulder____heaving a sigh as she felt her gripped heart loosening upon feeling the warmth of her Maami.

The gesture left Amna mouth agape, when did Hayfah ever get the chance to be loved this much? This was supposed to be the woman that will just exchange greeting with Hayfah throughout her stay there, nothing more. Life really is giving Hayfah it's best. From the house she lives in, the love she's recieving, and having Adyan to herself.

"Here is my Addah, she's Amna-Maami," Hayfah informed, taking Maami's hand as she lifted her up.

A wide grin broke Maami's lips, that's when she saw Amna's rooted figure. "Welcome my dear, feel free please. Hayfah, take her luggage to your room, she should bathe and come take her food with you," Maami spoke lovingly and hugged Amna slightly before breaking the hug.

"Thank you, Maami," Amna muttered softly, calling her with the name she heard Hayfah called her earlier.

Hayfah collected the luggage and walked towards the staircases, with Amna tailing behind her. "Maami, I haven't seen Rayhan, isn't she supposed to be back from Islamiyya?" Hayfah yelled from the aisle, as they where halfway through the staircases.

"She is back, but feeling a bit dizzy-so she's sleeping in my room." With that, she sat back before ordering Abida to take food to Hayfah and Amna upstairs.

They both bathe,prayed and ate their food silently, everyone had different thoughts rummaging in his brain. There was an eerily silence in the room, Amna was dreading to break the news of her marriage to her; while a part of her heart was dancing with joy-she could finally have Adyan to herself, since Hayfah is getting married.

"Addah, you've been quite for a while, what happened?" Came Hayfah's husky voice, as she inquired-fixing her gaze on Amna's glumy face.

Amna flickered back her tears and sat upright from her resting position, she shifted to were Hayfah was seated and take her hands in hers. "Listen, Hayfah-what ever is destined to happen in one's life would never be change. So I want you to take this as part of your Qadr (destiny), don't let it bother you please-all shall be well In sha Allah," she was finding it so hard to utter the words, though she was happy about the marriage now-a part of her still loves her sister dearly.

"Addah, you're confusing me please. Stop beating around the bush and tell me exactly what happened," came Hayfah's terrified voice, as she tightened her grisp on Amna's hands. All her thoughts revolves around Umma being sick or something happened to Tahir; or worst-her Abba.

"Calm down; Hayfah. Please don't take it to heart. Abba sent me here to inform you about your wedding preparations. Malik's people had came, and he accepted the union already; just waiting for the engagement day." Her heart constricted at the flash of pain she saw embedding itself in Hayfah's eyes, with each loose of their entwined hands-her heart break as well.

"All this...All this without my consent?" Hayfah whimpered, the tears she had been fighting with found their ways out of her eyes.

Amna opened her mouth to reply her when Hayfah's phone ringtone cut her off. She cleared her tears and stood up, hushing something probably that she would be back and walked out of the room. Amna's eyes fell on the wall clock carefully perched on the wall, it reads 8:34pm-that proved her instincts. It was Adyan that called her.

The little empathy she felt towards Hayfah vanished into a thin air, as her long hidden tears rolled anguishly on her subtle cheeks. She felt the flames of love and jealousy burning her already scorched heart. This was it, she had lost Adyan, or should she fight for her love?

A call on her phone jolted her out of her trance, she looked at the caller ID and picked the call. "Good Evening, Umma. Sorry I didn't call you, I arrived late in the evening and was so knackered to move a finger," she was trying so hard to sniffle back her tears and to adjust her hoarse voice--but to no avail.

"I don't have enough credit, call me back and tell me the reason you're crying." And dut, she ended the call without waiting to hear from her.

Amna's heart beat erratically, she knew she had no escape route to this, but who could she tell her worries to, if not Umma? Especially this, it would be a disgrace to her, to tell her friends that she loves her sister's boyfriend.

She gulped down a lump in her throat and dailed Umma's number. "What happened? She humiliated you or what? You know how these whores are nowadays," came Umma's tattle, as she picked the call.

"It isn't that, Umma. I saw him," she slurred and broke down completely, the vivid image of his gorgeous figure floating in her noddle, all she wants right now is him, she loves him. She thought she had stopped loving him since, but seeing him today resurfaced the flames of love in her heart.

"Him? Who? Amna am, stop crying and tell me please," Umma got agitated, the most agonizing sound she hates in her life was Amna's crying voice.

"Him. That guy I was hell bent in love with, his name is Adyan-Umma. He was now Hayfah's boss in office and also her boyfriend, I could tell that from the look he's flashing her," she was crying so hard, some words came out in hiccups-all she needs was him-and him alone.

"Oh ni Shafa'atu! Amna you're still into that boy? But how did you know all these?" Umma had to ask, for her brain is in shambles, she could think straight. The evil part in her had already started planning on how to estrange Hayfah and Adyan.

Amna narrated all that happened to Umma, when she came to Hayfah being in another room on phone with him-she couldn't help but feel helpless. She was a looser!

Umma talked some senses into her, she shared some mischievousness with her and soothe her with assurance of her having Adyan as a husband. She knew and trusted her mother, and she knew she will never disappoint her. With her words "Weep not, Amna-Adyan is all yours. Trust me." Amna knew indeed-Adyan is hers. Her's to love and her's to keep.

Back into the four walls confining the room of Rayhan, Hayfah was sitted at the far end of the bed-her phone was placed firmly against her left ear, as her eyes were erupting molten fire in form of tears.

"Why are you crying? Hayfah you're making me tensed. Do you want me to come now? I can if you'll come out," Adyan begged for the umpteenth time he had even lost count of. He was trying so hard to control his tears, her tears were like flames of a volcano; dripping on his already burning heart.

She sniffled back her tears and began clearing them with her right palm____not that the tears would stop anytime soon. "I just need you to hear me out, crying to my fill. I need a shoulder to cry on; please just listen." That was a monotone to his ears, she had been repeating those words since when he called.

He placed his palm on his forehead and breathe out heavily. This was so hard on him, he knew there is something enshrouded-he wants to know all she's hiding, he want her to confide in him___that too completely.

"Hayfah, you know I love you; right? And do you know that love isn't just a normal word huh? It held numerous emotions beneath. You need to understand this. Crying without voicing it out only add to the pain. Tell me, confide in me-Hayfah!" Naturally-he was a lachrymose, and at this instance___he can't control his tears anymore-he let them flow freely; and he was sure she heard his cracking voice.

Her heart stiffened, she hoped what she heard wasn't true-she hoped it was her crying voice reverberating through her ears. Could this be only love? How could he cry just because she's crying? What if he heard what made her cried? What if he knew she would soon be someone's else? Could they live on this earth without being together? Right now; she knew what's between love is much more than the word 'Love' she would perfer calling it the flames of emotions; erupting from a volcano-streaming through their hearts.

"Are you crying, Addy?" She slurred, feeling how her tears stopped without an iota of strain.

"Did you know? Did you know that your tears are burning my heart that it has to bleed through my tears? Tesoro, please....," he couldn't complete the sentence, he knew she loves him-but he was sure that out of 100% his love was 98% while hers was as little as 2%. He knew the burning rage in his heart, he alone knows the flames of love!

"If you want me to tell you; Adyan it will just shatter the remaining pieces you call your heart. Let it slide, I'm okay now-I can even smile; Habibi-" and her lips curved into a factitious smile, he could heard the smile through the phone, and somehow-it soothe his mind.

"Trust me, I have you by my side-it won't." He conjectured, but there was a restless feeling gnawing his brittle heart.

"Abba gave my hands out in marriage; to Malik." She had to close her eyes, the words erupted tearing her throat, they were too excruciating to her.