MANAL

6. Manal

Unedited.

•

"Abii." I ran into his open arms and instantly, he wrapped them around me. "I missed you so much, abii." I wrapped my arms tighter around him. It was only for a few days, but I had missed him terribly. I felt extremely happy to have him back.

He disentangled his arms around me and planted a lingering kiss on my forehead. "I missed you more, princess."

"When did you get back?" I inquired, then turned to Ummi. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I also got surprised." She shrugged.

"Abii." I feigned anger. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming home today? I'm mad."

"Like habibty said, I wanted to surprise you all, so don't get mad at me, abi's only princess." He pinched me lightly on the cheek.

I wanted to keep feigning anger, but I couldn't suppress the smile that suddenly crept up my face. I tremendously loved his endearment for me, since childhood.

"Where's Imran? Isn't he back from school yet?"

"He isn't." Ummi replied. "But he should be back any minute from now."

"What did you get for me, abii?" I asked, excitement laced in my voice.

Abii opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Ummi beat him to it. "He just arrived, quit bothering him with unnecessary talks. You're not a kid anymore." She rolled her eyes.

"No matter how big she gets, she will always be my little princess, so yes, she is still a kid and will remain a kid in my eyes forever. You're just being jealous." He playfully bumped his shoulder against hers and whispered something I couldn't quite decipher - something incoherent to her ear.

She chuckled in reply and pushed him away.

My lips curved into a duchenne smile - the way their bond got stronger by the years, was admirable. I wanted the type of relationship they shared. "That's right, abii." I interlocked my arm in his. "Ummi is just being jealous, because you love me more than you love her." I added the last part, jocularly, just to get a reaction out of Ummi.

She scoffed.

•

"Have you done the registrations for your external examinations?" Abii asked, after we had dinner.

"No." I responded, but I will register for JAMB tomorrow."

"You should. I'm actually surprised you haven't." He stated.

"I also asked her about it earlier, but she told me most of her friends haven't registered and she was going to do it together with them." Ummi intervened.

"Make sure you do that tomorrow."

"In shaa Allah." I responded.

"Good." He averted his gaze to Imran. "How is studies? Hope you're doing well?"

"Yes, abii." He responded.

"Liar!" I accused, rolling my eyes at him. At his age, he was such a smooth liar. It irked me. "That's a blatant lie, abii. Don't believe anything he says. Imran had done nothing, but play video games all day while you were away. Not once have I seen him read his books and they are currently in examination period. He should be grounded." I instigated.

"Manal!" Ummi called, warningly.

"Is that true, Imran?" Abii asked in the stern voice he rarely used. He was the type of person who didn't want his children to play with their education.