Eight.

I woke up the next day to the sweet aroma of pancakes. I walked sluggishly downstairs to check who was cooking. I was having a very bad headache cause I've been crying throughout last night.

I walked in and met Aasim making Blueberry Muffin Waffles with Cinnamon. "Hey cutie, you're up." he smiled at me. I was stunned that moment.  "I thought you were mad at me." I said in a low voice. "Yes, I was but..." He paused and sighed. "Look I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday. Please forgive me." He held my hands. "Why will you think that I'll ever cheat on you. You know how much I love you."

"Yes babe I know. I was just scared and furious at the same time." He sighed. I smiled and pecked his lips. "Scared of what?" I asked.

     "Losing you." He murmured. I smiled sheepishly "In Shaa Allah (If Allah wills)  you'll never lose me."

      "So am I forgiven?" He asked. "Hmm!" I scratched my chin looking at the ceiling. "Yes." I grinned. I can't stay mad at my husband. "Thank you, I love you." he kissed my cheek. "Do you remember when I told you I'll make it up to you?" He asked. My stomach made a backflip when he said that.

"Yes." I nodded. "Well get ready, we are going on a honeymoon and we'll be leaving tomorrow evening, Insha Allah." He announced. "Really? Omg! Where?" I squealed. "It's a surprise!" he winked. "For how long are we going to be staying there? And what about my school?"

"Three weeks. And don't worry about school, I've already talked to them." He assured. Oh ya Allah, I'm so lucky to have him as my husband. "Oh!Okay then. Lemme go take a shower and start packing." I said getting off the stool. "No go take a shower, eat and get ready because we're going out to my house and yours." He informed. "Yay! Lemme go get ready!" I squealed and ran upstairs.

I took a quick shower and got dressed in a blue blouse and skirt Ankara and headed downstairs. We finished eating and went out of the house and headed to Alhaji Mukhtar's house. It was a short drive to the house. We walked into the house hand in hand. "Salamu alaikum." We both said. "Waalaikumus Salam" they all answered.

I exchanged pleasantries with ammi and baba before I sat close to ruqayyah and nafeesah. "Yaushe ne tafiyan naku? (When are you guys leaving)" Baba asked. "Gobe Insha Allah (tomorrow by god grace)" Aasim answered. "Which country are you going to?" Baba asked again. Aasim looked at me and smirked. I gave him an evil smile. "Or haven't you told her yet?" Baba asked "Yes" aasim answered. Darn it! I was so close to knowing where we are going.

"But you're using your private jet, right?" Ammi spoke this time. "Yes ammi everything is ready." Aasim answered. 

Hold it!

What?

Private Jet?

Oh my god!!! I can't believe My husband owns a private jet. I'm really impressed. Alhamdulillah.

•••

It was a bit after Asr when we stood to leave. We said our goodbyes and left for my house. "You own a private jet and you never told." I started a conversation immediately we got into the car. He chuckled "Okay, I own a private jet. Happy?"

I ignored him and picked his jet black iPhone 7 Plus. "What's the password?" I asked. "Your name" he answered. I typed in 'Hafsa' and it unlocked. I checked his photos and all I could see is my pictures and some of his pictures. I glared at him and looked at the picture again. "Why do you have shatu's picture?"

He looked at me before fixing his eyes on the road again. "Just delete it." He murmured. I just kept the phone and kept mute.  "Hafsa." he called out. I decided to give him the silent treatment; he hates it.

"Cutie pie... Honeybun..... Sweetheart.... Babe.... Baby love.... C'mon baby please don't give me the silent treatment, it kills me. Please just punish me."

I am punishing you....

He finally stopped talking when we arrived at my parents house. He tried holding my hand but I snatched it away. He went to baba's living room while I went upstairs to mama's room. "Mummy!!!" I hugged her tight.

"Hafsa. My dear how are you?"

"I'm fine mama. Where's Layla?"

"She's in her room." She answered and I ran to Layla's room. She gasped and jumped on me making us to fall. "Ya Hafsa!" I have the craziest sister ever. "Oh my god don't kill me. Get off me." I pushed her off my body. "I missed my big sister so much." she gave me a tight hug before letting go.

"I know. I mean c'mon, who wouldn't miss me?" I flipped my invisible hair. "Stop bragging." She rolled her eyes.

"Yauwa kin san menene? (Do you know what?)" I asked excitedly. "What?" She was eager to hear what I want to say. "Aasim and I are going on a hooneymoon in his private jet"

"WHAT?!! Oh my god! Oh my god!! Are you serious?" She inhaled and exhaled.

"Yes I am. I'm so excited." I squealed. "Where are you guys going to?" She asked. "I don't know. He said it's a surprise." I shrugged off my shoulders. "Oh my god, he's so romantic. sister you're so lucky" she kept shaking my shoulders back and forth.

"Hey stop it!" I said laughing. "When are you guys leaving?"

"Tomorrow" I grinned. "I wish I was the one" she said with a dreamy sigh. "Just me and my husband in a private jet. Flying to maybe London, or Rome or aaahh even better, PARIS!!!"

I kept looking at her going on and on. "Do you know that tomorrow is 9th September?" Layla asked. "Yes I know, what?"

"Tomorrow's your birthday, Airhead!" She reminded me. Oh my god, I totally forgot tomorrow is my birthday. "You're going to be twenty." She wiggled her brows. "Have you told ya Aasim?" She asked.

"No I didn't and I don't want to and I hope your blabber mouth won't tell him." I warned her from telling Aasim tomorrow is my birthday but I know I'm just wasting my energy.

She shrugged "C'mon let's go meet them downstairs." she pulled me towards the door. "Noo let's chat a little more" I whined. "Don't be a baby and let's go."

"Fine!!" I shrugged. We went downstairs to baba's living room. I sat close to my daddy and hugged him. "I missed you daddy"

"I missed you too my little angel." He grinned. "I'm not dead yet" Layla furrowed her brows. "Someone is jealous." I stuck my tongue out.

"Am not"

"Am, too"

"Am not"

"Am, too"

"Am not"

"Am, too"

"Hey! Enough with the argument." ya Yusuf broke the argument. "I won!" I gave her an evil smile. "Whatever." she laid her head on mama's shoulder.

We chatted a little before Aasim announced that he was leaving. "Kije Ki raka shi mana." mama said. I didn't want to but I had to.

I went outside to where he parked. "I'm sorry please." he held my right hand in his. I tried to free my hand but he was holding it firmly. "What time are you coming to pick me up?" I asked. "After isha" he answered smiling. "I want to start packing so come before isha."

"Okay whatever you say beautiful," he kissed my hand. I tried so hard not to smile but I couldn't hold it. "Forgive me please baby love."

"I'll think about it" I said and freed my hand from his hold. I went back inside and met mama and Layla cooking. I joined them and we finished cooking in no time.

We went to pray maghrib before eating. We finished praying and went to the dining area.

"Ya hafsa next week za'a kai kayan gasuwa fa, na ya Yusuf" Layla announced. "Are you serious? Ya Yusuf why didn't you tell?" I squealed. "I was going to but this blabber mouth has already done the job." he glared at Layla.

"Sorry" she apologized grinning. "Who is she? Why didn't you bring her to my house? Why don't I know her?" I bombarded him with questions. "Relax, you'll meet her when you come back from your hooneymoon Insha Allah." he reassured. 

"Promise?"

"I promise" he pinched my cheek.

"What's her name?" I asked. "Zaynab."

"Wow I love her name."

"I just hope she'll take care of my son like I do" mama said worried. "Insha Allah mama she will" ya Yusuf said giving her a reassuring smile.

"Salamu alaikum."

"Wa alaikumus Salam" we all answered. Oh goodie, it's my good looking husband. He smiled at me but I gave him a look saying 'I'm-still-mad-at-you!'

"Aasim Sannu da dawowa (welcome back). Come and eat please" mama said. "No mama naci abinci wallahi (I've eaten)"

"Haba aasim ko kadan kaci Dan Allah (just eat small please). Hafsa put some for him" mama ordered. "Take him to my living room" baba said and I nodded. We went to baba's living room and sat. I sat as far as I can from him.

"Hafsa" he kept the plate on the table. I ignored him and continued watching the TV. "Hafsa please talk to me" he walked to where I was sitting down and plumped down beside me.

"C'mon baby I'm sorry please. I deleted the picture." his hand was in my blouse. "Stop it." I tried to remove his hand. He started kissing my neck. "Aasim stop, someone can come in." I tried to push him away.

Just then my brother came. He caught us red handed. "Hmmm. Children of nowadays." he shook his head. I was really embarrassed. I stood up from where I was sitting. "Let me go get my things."

The look that Aasim gave me clear means 'please-don't-leave-me-here-alone'. I just gave him an evil smile and left. I came back downstairs and met aasim still with ya Yusuf. He looked really panicked. "What did you do to him?" I furrowed my brows. "Nothing!" Ya Yusuf gave me an evil smile.  I sighed "Aasim let's go."

We said our goodbyes to my family and left. "Sorry about what happened" he apologized. "It's Okay." I murmured. "Am I forgiven?" He asked. I just can't stay mad at him. But seeing that picture really hurt my feelings. "Why did you keep her picture?" I dared to ask.

He kept shut for a while "I don't have any solid reason but I'm sorry please. That picture has been in my phone since, I forgot to delete it" He explained. "Do you still have feelings for her?"

"Hafsa I don't,  Believe me I really don't. I used to but when you came into my life, I forgot about any other girl. I stopped talking to Shatu just to avoid any problem. Hafsa you're the only one I have feelings for. You are my only baby girl, I love you."

I bit my lip. "Are you sure?"

"Baby I'm sure. Am I forgiven please?"

"Yes you are."

We finally arrived home and I started packing. I finished packing my things and Aasim's own and prayed isha.

I finished praying and took a long shower. I dressed in my silky purple night gown and walked downstairs. I looked for Aasim almost everywhere but couldn't find him. I hate this house, it's so large.

"There you are! I've been looking for you". He was in the screening room playing Fifa. "Hey baby girl" he said not even looking at me his eyes were on the large screen tv.

"Come to bed please" I sat beside him and hugged his torso. "I will. Give me.....few minutes please." His total focus was on the game.

"Noooo let's go please" I whined. I started kissing his neck just to turn him on but it wasn't working. "Leave me alone please." He pushed me off his body. Huh! I stood up angrily and left the screening room and went straight to my bed.

  "Baby" he hugged me from behind. "Leave me alone! The game you're playing is much more important than your wife!"

"Nooo baby love I'm sorry, please." he kissed my neck. Oh god I can't stay mad at him. I turned and started kissing him. His lips tasted like strawberries. So sweet and soft.

•••••

It was already getting dark when we arrived at the airport. "Oh my god " I squealed when I saw the white private jet.

"Baby Calm down" Aasim laughed at me. We walked hand in hand into the jet and settled down. "Aasim please tell me where we are going to.... Pleasee." I pleaded.

"No, it's a surprise."

"But.."

"No buts!" He cuts me off.

"Okay fine" I shrugged.

As soon as we took off,  I fell asleep on Aasim's arms.

••••

I woke up the next morning wondering where i am, I slept throughout the flight. I looked around the beautiful, well decorated black and silver room.

The room was really well arranged with all the chandeliers, black and silver curtains, huge bed. A mini parlour at the end of the room and a balcony.

"Happy birthday!" Aasim came from nowhere holding a large cake and on top of the cake were candles. "Oh my god" I squealed. "Happy 20th birthday baby. Blow out your candles."

"How did you know it was my birthday?" I asked taking the cake away from him. "Layla told me." He said as I blew out the candles.

"Urgh that blabber mouth.... Where are we?"

"Welcome to Cuba baby."

"We are in Havana!"

"Go get ready because today is your day and we are going to have some fun."