Chapter 62: Chapter 62

Her heart was beating erratically she was afraid he could see how her chest was heaving. She clenched her eyes more and rolled her fist into a ball-as he turned her completely-she was now facing him. All she could feel was the proximity, but there was something in her that urges her to open her eyes and see the person that has the nerves of marrying her without her knowing.

She felt as the space beside her dipped, and his warm hand that made her shuddered took her hot hands in his-he squeezed them softly and heaved a breath-she would like to imagine what he muttered under his breath was an Alhamdulillah-because he must surely have to thank Allah that she hasn't punched him hard with her fist.

She could feel his intense stare on her face, a shaky breath escaped her lips when he used his thumb and cleared away a strand of hair that fell on her face. All hell broke loose, when she heard his voice-the melodious voice she ever heard-as he uttered the words that jerked her awake and she abruptly sat down; darting her eyes wide open.

"Mrs. Adyan Ardo, you look like a queen in this dark blue fulani attire-you got me swooning." His voice was laced with emotions, tears found their ways out of his eyes, and he looked as she sat upright with her eyes darted open!

"Adyan...," she whimpered with a voice that broke his heart.

Hayfah wasn't convinced, she thought this was also a part of her hallucination, she brought her hands to his face and cupped it-that's when she broke into tears, and laughter escaped her lips. She threw herself on him-laughing and crying at the same time.

Adyan let his tears fall, he knew she was contemplating that it wasn't him, he knew she still couldn't believe she was finally Mrs. Adyan Ardo. He wrapped his arms around her and they broke into tears at the same time. She was crying out of relieve, guilt, and his love that was threatening to erupt out of her heart in the best way it can. Adyan was crying because he had finally has her cocooned in his hands, safely and secured. She was now Mrs. Adyan Ardo.

She reluctantly broke their hug and looked at him, she entwined their hands but her eyes were still unbelievably looking at his face. She laughed, cried, and finally have her voice "Tell me please, I hugged you and it isn't a sin. Tell me I can hug you, Adyan!" She didn't wait for his answer, the wide grin on his face was an answer itself-she wrapped her hands around him and broke into tears again-not minding how her tears were soaking up his shirt. She fondled his heard surface-her head was resting on his chest-and smiled. The most gratuitous and genuine smile she've ever had in her life.

"I can't believe this, Adyan. Please tell me it isn't a dream." There was an amalgamation of happiness and sadness on her face. She was happy that she's now Mrs. Adyan Ardo, and afraid that this is all a dream, someone would wake her and point at someone saying he's her husband.

He slowly peeled her off from his chest, he took a hold of her shoulders and stared deeply into her eyes. He cupped her face and a heart melting smile broke his lips. "This isn't a dream, Hayfah. It's real, you're my wife. Yes, as unreal as it will seem-but you're Mrs. Adyan Ardo." He leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on her forehead, which made her closed her eyes at the electrifying feeling she felt. "And I love you to the square of infinity."

Adyan pulled her back into his chest and she listened, without breathing heavily-as his heart rhythm slowly and erratically. Her hand was on the surface enclosing his heart as she kept fondling it softly, tears of happiness slowly rolling on her cheeks. She couldn't believe this, all of this felt so unreal. It felt like a dream-a dream she would wish not to wake up forever.

"Adyan?" She called softly, her voice sounding so strained and tired. She was exhausted.

"Yes, Hayfah?" He answered with a tone of tender and care-as he looked over her head and peeped to her silently sobbing face.

"How did all this happen? I mean, do you know about this all?" She asked and broke their comfortable proximity. But their hands were entwined, and she squeezed them whenever she feels as if it was a dream.

"Yes, but not after I had an attack. So many attacks I wouldn't want to discuss now, someone's secret!" And they laughed at the same time, throwing their heads back and they stared at each other with sheer adulation.

"Okay. I have alot of questions, Adyan. Alot of them. But I'm so exhausted from all the cryings, I thought I lost you wallah. I need to rest a bit, no! I can't close my eyes and have them open to find out it was a dream! Ever heard the word suicide? I'll kill myself!" The real talkative Hayfah that never shows up was dominant, she couldn't hide her felicity. She kept talking endlessly as he just stared at her with affectionate eyes. He only nod when she ask "You know that too?" Or "You understand? That feeling," different questions, or she would just break into tears and laugh at the same time then hug him for she still couldn't let the realization sink in her.

"Tesoro, you're sick and tired. You have to rest okay? A long day awaits us tomorrow. I want you sound and healthy tomorrow." She didn't bulge as he helped her on the bed, she layed and pulled him also, he had no choice but to lay down beside her and they shared the same pillow.

She looked at him with sleepy, drained and tired eyes before she slurred, "I have alot of things to tell you, but I guess we'll have to wait for tomorrow. Just let me watch you while you sleep, please?"

He held her hand and blinked his eyelashes before he looked at her again. "I'm all yours, Hayfah. No stolen glances, I'm your halal. But you have to sleep, Hayfah." He wished she wouldn't start tearing up now, for she seemed to be a lachrymose today.

"No, I want to have every feature on your face memorized in my brain. So just stop talking as I do the brain capturing."

"They're no more?"

"What?"

"The goosebumps? No heart flutterings or shudders?"

"Oh my god! Good night! I'll do the capturing tomorrow!"

"I love you." And he pecked her forehead once again.

She closed her eyes and relish the warmth of his lips on her forehead. "Have I ever told you I love you more? Well I did now."

"Aren't you a fulani girl? You supposed to be shy on your first day of marriage!"

"I'm sooo going to kill you and kill myself afterwards, Adyan. Keep shut, let me just stare!"

"As you said, my oxygen."

***

The morning breeze seeped through the room and splashed on her face, Hayfah squirmed and slowly squinted her eyes, they fell on an empty space beside her-which made her jerked wide awake and she broke into tears before she could even sit upright.

"I told him it was a dream, but he said it isn't. And now I'm stucked here, without My Adyan!" She was crying and shaking her head, trying to get out of the bed so she could look around the compound to see if he was there or not.

"Easy there, Boddo am (My pretty). A wali jam?" How the fulani accent rolled off his tongue which laced with his usual accent made it sound as the most melliflouos voice she've ever heard in her life.

She heaved a sigh of relief and looked down from the bed, that's when she saw him sitted on a prayer mat with legs crossed-emanating he prayed, or he has been praying all night, for he looked a bit exhausted.

"You slept there?" She asked, dilating her eyes widely. No wonder she felt herself as if she was thrown into an alien world on that bed.

"Yes? No? I actually slept on the bed for two hours and started praying. So I slept on both places." He grinned and stood up, walking over to the bed and he helped her hopped out of the bed.

"How are you feeling now?" He asked, when she was safely on her two feets. He looked at her face; eventhough it was fuffy, red and she looked sleepy, she made him swooned internally.

"I'm feeling much better; knowing yesterday night wasn't a dream. But why would you pray all night? You should've rest, Adyan." She was looking at him straight in the eye, wondering what in the world would make him pray all night, when he's clearly tired.

He placed his hands on her shoulder, he pecked her forehead and uttered "Good Morning to you, Mrs. Ardo. I'm fine as you are. Thanks for asking." And he walked back to his carpet and sat back, almost chuckling at how she let her mouth agape looking at him.

"I need an answer, Adyan. Are we safe here?" He almost laughed at that. So she really thought he prayed all night asking Allah to make them safe? Well it's kind of among what he prayed for.

"Yes, perfectly safe. I have to thank Allah for making you my wife, Hayfah. You're a treasure a common me wouldn't have deserve if Allah wills, so I have to show my gratitude." He smiled warmly at her. She opened her mouth to talk, and he could see the tears forming in her eyes when he cut her off.

"Subh is getting out of time, go and perform your ablution so we could pray-or should I escort you out? There is everything you might need; water, toilet and everything."

"I'm a fulani girl, brave and strong-so I'm not afraid." She was out when she heard his reply that made her grinned widely. All her life, she've never been this happy, not even before she prayed her subh-Adyan is her source of happiness.

She walked back to the room and found him where she left him, with head hung on his knees. She took out a hijab from her trolley that was kept at the far end of the room and tapped him on his shoulder.

"You were sleeping, Adyan." She declared, not making room for any protest.

"I wasn't sleeping, I heard when you entered the room and took out your hijab. Isn't that what you did?" He asked, lifting himself up, ready to start up the congregational prayer-he thought she let it slide, but he was mistaking.

"Adyan, you were sleeping!"

"Hayfah, I wasn't sleeping! Let's pray please, we're running out of time." He said and turned back-so he could face the qibla, but she wasn't ready to let this slide. So she could talk like this? He doesn't have the idea.

"I'm not praying until you agree that you were sleeping. And if you weren't sleeping, why didn't you ask wether I was fine? You should've asked if something happened to me out there. But you we..." she had her eyes closed, lips pursed into a pout as she was talking with a whining tone that made Adyan had his eyes glued on her face, not even blinking an eye.

All Hayfah felt was a slight brush of his lips on hers. She got shocked and darted her eyes open, "What?.." she gasped, unable to utter a word, for there wasn't any space between them now.

"You were not sleeping, let's pray, Adyan." And she faced the qibla without even waiting for him to start the prayer-her heart beating erratically.

He smirked, touched his lips with his palm before he started the prayer. A feeling of love, contentment and happiness glided through their souls. She prayed behind him, following his every step, praising Allah at the same time. Isn't this the best feeling about a halal love? Praying together? Asking for Allah's mercy together? As he would look at them with affectionate eyes. For he was Arrahman.

They finished their prayer, said their azhkars before Adyan turned so he could look at her-"Hayfah?" He called out, seeing how she has her head resting beside her brought up knees, she was staring into space, with tears in her eyes.

It has became her usual, she always think about Abba whenever she prays for him. She swiftly cleared her tears and brought out a genuine smile to her lips. "Yes, Adyan. I have something to tell you, should I?" She asked innocently, for she wants to get it out of her mind.

He moved towards her and held both her hands in his. She looked at their entwined hands and his next words made her chuckled.

"You have my whole time, say whatever you want to say; my fulani bride."

"You remember the day I told you I hate you in Abuja? The day you asked me those questions?" He nodded for her to continue, eventhough he saw a flinch of pain from her eyes. "Since on my graduation day, Adda Amna fell in love with you-so she had been asking me your name but then; I felt it was supposed to be a treasure to me, I atleast have something I could call mine." There were tears started to spill out of her eyes. He shook his head at her and cleared them away before they roll down.

"Listen Hayfah, you're a strong lady, you've gone through the worst of all this alone-so this shouldn't make you cry please. Just tell me as if you were gisting me about a film, or a book? How does that sound?"

"Perfect!" And she continued, plastering a smile on her lips. "There were ups and downs all because of your name, and I hold onto my words of never telling anyone about it-not even Fareeha. She got to know your name the day she visited me in Abuja, and from her eyes that day; I know she was still in love with you. The day she told you I was sick and needed a medicine, I wasn't. She planned it all so she....," and she told him everything about the confession Amna made to her yesterday evening. She wasn't crying, but she could tell from the softness of his face-he was about to break down.

"Oh come on, Adyan. You told me not to cry. Gulp down that sentimental feeling and sleep. You have to sleep before people started trooping in to see the city bride with her CEO of a husband!" They both laughed at the same time and Adyan hopped on the bed but she didn't.

"You need to sleep too, Hayfah. Or are you going to cry?" He asked from where he was laying, and she was sitting beside him on the bed.

She shook her head and brought out her book from her trolley before she sat back in her place. "Why would I cry? When I have the best husband on earth? Just sleep; Addy, the brain capturing I didn't completed yesterday is what I'll do. I'm not going to eat you up."

"You're free to do that. Blow some du'a on me, Mom always do that." And she blew the sleeping supplication on him and kept staring at him. He was smiling before he got stiff and his breath began rhyming slowly and peacefully.

She muttered many Alhamdulillah before she started writing in her book-this was the best day of her life.

As you walk down the aisle,

With hands firmly holding the railings

With a proud smile, I look at you

Satisfied, that you're all mine

The one I can bore my eyes into

Without having to lower my gaze.

The man I can cuddle with

Without having to create a distance.

The man I can kiss and peck

Without having to fear Allah.

You walk towards me without even noticing

I was so engrossed in your thoughts

Thinking of how amazing you are.

The pillow talks were still ringing in my ears

The pecks and kisses still liquefies my face

The cuddle still lingers on my skin

Your thoughts alone set me ablaze.

It was said that Allah's blessings comes in different ways

It was said that souls were created in pairs

It was said that hearts were solid,

But their halves must surely be found in others.

I've never believed this

I've never wanted to hear this

And I've never thought I could sense this.

Having you as my life partner was a blessing

Your amazing soul was my other pair

The heart you reside me in was my other halve.

I always swoon without having to control myself

I almost drool whenever you smile

I always chortle, when your laughter ignites my soul

I'm still not used to your light touches

Touches that scream affection

Touches and grazes that melt my heart

I'm still enthusiastic over the fact that I can hug you!

The society won't snitch about me holding your hand

Even Mama and Abba would just smile seeing me with you

Allah will reward me kissing your lips!

And slowly, she leaned forward and planed a soft lingering kiss on his lips-Adyan squirmed in his sleep-for he felt the spark, the heart flutterings, the butterflies flipped their wings, and they were visible; the Goosebumps.