Two

Its echoes happiness as Zarah roams around their small house, jumping up and down jubilating about her up coming birthday party tomorrow.

She went to sleep early as she didn't want to be late for her big day, Zarah had told her mom that today she is going to be a real big girl and sleep in her room, which she is doing right now. Lawisa just smiled at her daughter wanting to be brave and independent for herself, she left Zarah in her room after putting her to sleep and reciting suratul lkhlaas, falaq, naas, ayutul kursi and the first five verse from suratul Baqara, she knew that not only her child but the whole house is protected from all evil throughout the night.

She later retire to the bedroom and threw her tired body on the comfort of her bed. And she fell into a deep slumber after a long day at the office and preparing for her daughter's birthday. That wasn't an easy job to handle alone not that she was complaining. It was almost an hour later, when Zarah woke up to the sound of her alarm, she set that alarm after asking bunch of question to her teacher and their pregnant neighbor.

"Wow, It's my birthday!" Zarah exclaimed happily while throwing her light comforter away and finding her way to her mother's room, in her baby pink plain pyjamas. She jump on her mother's bed hard enough to wake up the tired Lawisa, who though it was some natural disaster shaking off the building. She opened her eyes half asleep, to see that it was her beautiful bundle of joy who cannot possibly hurts anyone. And Zarah give her a cheeky smile.

"Oh no, don't tell me, it's already morning." Lawisa inquired which sound more like a question in her sleepy voice.

"Yes momma, its already morning." Zarah told her mother who is now fully awake, she sat on the bed resting her on the headboard and also switch on the bed lamp.

"Really, i just lay down not more than an hour ago, Zarah. How comes its morning?"

"Oh mommy, its 12:00am and because it's my birthday," she said excitedly.

"Alhamdulillah!" Lawisa gasps out of relief.

"Naughty girl, is that why you're not letting mommy to sleep," Zarah nods yes with a dimpled smile.

"Happy birthday, my love. May Allah continue to bless in his mercy." Said Lawisa while hugging her child.

"Amin momma, Zarah love mommy soooo much."

"Mommy loves Zarah even more."

"My mommy is the best momma in the whole wide world." She says giggling completely enjoy the moment.

"That's because your mommy has the most beautiful and lovely angel in the whole wide world." Lawisa added as she start tickling the little girl, they get lost in their laughter and now throw pillow at each other.

"Mommy, i am going to sleep here." Zarah said while looking into her mom's beautiful big brown eyes, which are the same as hers only that her own are black.

"And who said am gonna let you go, you are sleeping right here in Mommy's arms." Lawisa hold Zarah very close to her heart as they lay down.

"Mommy."

"Uhmmm."

"Why are your eyes so light brown not like everyone else here?" Lawisa only smiled at her daughter's question caressing her cheeks.

"Allah created them that way so i cannot look exactly the same with someone." She murmured but Zarah heard exactly what she said.

"Uhmm mommy, who is that."

"Love, let just sleep, it's getting late, now close your eyes and recite your du'a." She concluded switching off the bed lamp and kissing Zarah's forehead. While Zarah mutters love you momma.

Lawisa wake up around 4:55am and pray her fajr prayer. She sat there on the prayer mat saying her du'as.

"Ya Arrahaman, ya Allah forgive my sins those i committed knowingly and unknowingly, forgive me for leaving my parent behind. You are the light that guide my life, without you my life will be a complete darkness. Ya gafurul rahim don't let me go astray from for you. Ya Allah keep my child safe even after my life in your mercy and guidance. Because from You i came and to You i shall return," Shortly after that she open the qur'an to her front and begin to recite it until 6am and she went to bed again.

At 8am Lawisa woke up and continue preparing for the birthday party from where she stopped last night. The living room is well decorated with balloons and artificial flowers and big banner reading 'happy birthday zarah'. The small living room is big enough to contains Zarah's friends. She prepare her daughter's favorite breakfast which is banana pancakes, custard and fresh fruits, she made herself kunun gyada(peanut pudding) to go with the pancakes. She later on woke Zarah up and help her take her bath.

"Mommy, are my friends here already?"

"Silly girl, none of them are here, because some of them are still sleeping."

"Then, is my cake here?"

"No Zarah, even the shops are not yet open by now." Zarah exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding and wear a gloomy expression.

"Then my birthday is not going to be celebrated, momma."

"No lala, your birthday will be celebrated in the evening, beside it's just morning and weekend, my love."

"And my dress."

"That's going be a surprise."

"Is it like that of princess Elena." Lawisa smiled.

"Yours is prettier, princess."

She pout and said I love you, mommy.

"I love you more, sunshine." She dressed Zarah in an ankara gown which is matching to her own and they head out.

"Now let go enjoy our breakfast."

"Mommy, what did you cook?"

"Well let go and see."

At 4pm, a lots of Zarah's friend had arrived to the party including her lovely teacher Elsa. Zarah is dressed in her beautiful baby pink gown which is imprinted with floral design, and black bandana around her head and black shoe. Complimenting her caramel skin color.

"Mommy, i look like you, right?" Zarah said looking at herself into the full length view mirror. Lawisa thought she looks like him not her.

"Yes Zarah, a lot like me."

"My hair looks cool but not as long as yours."

"Masha Allah, you look so beautiful, your hair will also grow long as you're growing up." They burst into a fit laughter looking at themselves in the mirror, with Lawisa's purple abaya and black hijab making her to look like an Arab princess. The smile on their faces was priceless, it only define the adoration they have for each other.

They come to their guest in the living who were occupied with cold drinks and snacks. The children admire Zarah's dress and keep saying she look like a disney princess. Her friend Zainab who lives at the same compound as her, said she look like princess Elena who is their favorite cartoon character. Which add more excitement to them.

The children play for a little while before Zarah was called to cut the cake. And her mother told her to make a wish, which she wishes to meet her father soon. Later the party was move to the compound of their apartment, where two clowns come wearing mickey mouse costume and the children were thrilled. While a photographer cover everything, their teacher miss Elsa thank God that the next was going to be Sunday, else she would have to put off with the talk about the wonderful party.

On monday morning, Lawisa wasn't feeling as energetic as she should. Coming to work early has become habitual to her and working hard to maintain her position as the supervisor of the construction company which goes by the name Design the future. As well as being good to her coworkers even though she associate less.

"Good morning, sir!" Lawisa greeted standing in front of her boss's deck.

"Good morning, miss Aliyu. Mr Raji answered in his thick native accent which Lawisa always find annoying.

"Sir, these are the files you asked for." She said putting them on the table. He start going through the files while sipping his coffee and adjusting his spectacle on his pointed nose each second to look at Lawisa, and that proves that the files were just an excuse to bring her to his office. Not to mention how utterly uncomfortable Lawisa is by his action, though she should be use to that by now.

"I hope you are doing great after the party you threw at home and forgot about us." She smiles sarcastically imagining how Mr Raji will fit in the middle of the children with his huge belly as if he is ready to born a baby, just the thought of that made her want to throw up.

"Yes sir, it wasn't actually a party that you can be invited, it was a birthday party for my little girl."

"You should have invited my boy then, when you used to bring her to work as a baby, he was also a baby then." Hearing that Lawisa got reminded of those moment when she felt completely alone and doesn't know if she could actually move on and cater for her new baby, but she believed that was all in the past now.

"Well, i don't know about that." She added somewhat dryly after composing herself from her thought.

"Zarah, i believe that's her name, she is lucky to have you as her mother. You are a wonderful mother." Mr Raji praise wanting to say more than that, but the look on Lawisa's face only shout 'mind your damn business' especially with a earlier encounter.

Earlier this morning after dropping Zarah at school, Lawisa bumped into Mrs Raji. Lawisa didn't pay attention to her as she heard much about her from her colleagues and she is not please with her attitude.

"Look who we have here, the golden woman, the beautiful miss Aliyu." Said Mrs Raji sarcastically. Lawisa though didn't say anything and start walking to where she parked her car, as she thought why would this woman talk to her in such a manner and trying to create a scene.

"And now she is behaving as if she is the queen of England. " Mrs Raji added while she threw her hands in the air as if she is preferring for a fist fight. That make Lawisa to examine the area and see if there is really anyone close beside her and the crazed woman, to her amusement it was only the two of them and some car around.

"Excuse me!" Lawisa said in disbelief.

"Yes, you heard me just right."

"But why are you so insulting early in the morning, madam?"

"Oh don't act innocent with me, beside what could a single mother like you do beside luring other women's husbands, i pity your child."

"Don't you dare mention anything related to my child in any of your nonsense, and what husbands are you taking about?" Lawisa warned her in one breath. What mrs Raji doesn't know was that messing with Lawisa might not be a good idea, as she is like a tigress when to comes her daughter, one can criticise her but not her daughter.

"I am your boss's wife, you have to listen to me and do as do as i say, you should stay away from my husband and stop whoring around him." Mrs Raji chided pointing a finger at Lawisa, which Lawisa squeeze as hard as she can. She stopped being the Lawisa that everyone think can cross.

"This should be the last time you called me by that name, woman. And you listen to me very well in case of next time, not even your husband boss me around, so i think you should start respecting yourself maybe then, your stupid husband would. And the next time you include my child in any of your stupidity, you will surely regret. Excuse me, i gave you too much of my time already." Lawisa reassured meaning everything word as she let go of the woman's finger, whose eyes were all red as if she was ready to cry due to the intensity and the pressure on the finger.

The woman knew deep down that Lawisa is nothing close to a whore, much less someone who will have interest in her husband. But she is so tired of her husband always talking about how good and independent miss Aliyu is. He even go further to tell their daughter to be as good as Miss Aliyu when she the mother is there. What she can't understand is that, what goodness does the lady has beside her beautiful face, that she herself doesn't have. While Lawisa feels she rather be in the traffic jam than be with this woman as annoying as her stupid husband. And now standing in front of Mr Raji which all thanks to him, his wife called her a whore, but all that's nothing compare to what her father said to her.

"Here you have the files, Miss Aliyu."

He pushes the files to Lawisa who have been standing there eversince she came in like a statue. Mr Raji never offered her a seat on purpose. He prefer the beautiful Lawisa standing so he can appreciate her tall figure even more. Though he don't understand, why an intelligent woman like her always carry that serious look around all the time, you hardly see her smile, 'who is this woman?' he always wonders.

Back in her cabin Lawisa find the only person who is closest to a friend to her. He wear his usual breath taking smile which has no effect on her. But she smiled back at him which didn't last a minute.

"Surprise!"

"I hate surprises, Bilal. What are you doing here?" She asked sitting on her chair.

"For starters, i really wanted to surprise you but it's ruined now, I am sorry," he paused then added, "am i forgiven?"

"Yes why not."

"Then you are not excited, you haven't seen me in a month." Bilal says trying to find the excitement anywhere in her eyes but nothing.

"Bilallllllllll!" She complaint stressing the name.

"Easy, don't tie my name." He told her acting offended.

"How have you been and your trip?" She asked being a little friendly and that sooth Bilal's aching heart.

"It was fantastic being in the north, i will tell you about later it. How is lala, did she enjoy her birthday?" He asked refering to Zarah as she used to pronounced her name that way before.

"Of course she did and loves the gift you sent you her, but Bilal, that tablet is too expensive. I told you to stop gifting her with expensive gifts.

"But you said she loves it, and that means it's worth the money. And before i forget Mama send her regard to you and lala."

"My regards to her as well."

"Let have lunch together, then." Bilal suggested hoping she will agreed, but deep down he just knew the answer.

"No, Bilal. I think you should go back to your office before that annoying man come here and start lecturing us."

"Okay, then some other time, it's good that Mr Raji always got you to react like this." He smile and left before she said anything.

Back at his office, Bilal sat rocking back and forth on his exclusive chair thinking of which other method to use in other pursue Lawisa, as he has tried all the decent one. She only care about her daughter and nothing else. She is just so damn cold. To everyone that he always wondered what had made her so cold and very distance from other people.

Bilal just like the rest of their colleagues is obsessed with Lawisa's life and why she is so buckled up, but they couldn't find anything till today, because Lawisa barely talk to them. Even him that he believed he is more close to her than anybody beside Zarah. She always mind her business and believes that her life is her problem. The last time Mr Raji asked her about her family she told him that, she is not there to construct her autobiography. She too knows that she has change over the years, but she is not ready to change anything as long as Zarah is with her and is happy with their life, that is the good definition of perfect in her dictionary.