Destiny

Chapter twenty

Genuine happiness lies not in what we plan to achieve in the future, but in the appreciation of the little we have in our present.

The lives of the four love birds have taken a definite pattern, which involved spending literally all Saturdays together, learning more about each other, exploring each others capabilities and shortcomings,  except for when Ahmad goes to Lagos for the weekend. Sometimes the meet at home, other times they go out. They were at that point in life where everything was a total bliss.

This weekend, the girls met them at downtown. They ordered their food as usual. When Arif took a bite of his Mexican shawarma, he scrunched his nose.

"I can make a better Mexican filling in my sleep."

"You can cook?" Ameena asked

"Uhm..." He nodded

"Awwwn." She cooed.

"Is that surprising?" Arif asked

"Well...in a society where chauvinism rules, I think its refreshing  to have someone who can cook, kind of sweet actually." Ameena said

"Eh..em, so you think the ability to cook is ah...vital in a relationship?" Ahmad asked

"Not really, but then when a man knows how to, then its like an added bonus." She answered

This made Arif to almost choke on his food. Ahmad gave him the 'don't even go there' eye.

"Personally, if you ask me, I think cooking for one's partner is the most romantic thing to do...well, except if I am the one doing the cooking." Nadia giggled

"So how about you, do you do any cooking?" Ameena asked Ahmad.

Arif started coughing while Nadia handed him her glass of cold water.

"I ah...its kind of complicated." He answered.

"Does 'complicated' has anything to do with setting a whole building on fire?" Arif teased.

"No way! You are worse than me." Nadia laughed at Ahmad.

They all burst out laughing, except for Ahmad who sat with a smug look on his face.

"it's not an actual fire, really... Just some little smoke that set off the fire alarms and the Newark fire department decides to show up...besides, I was making one of those gourmet dishes, so they are bound to come with complications. " he defended himself.

"You call Mac and cheese, gourmet?" Arif teased

"Ah...yes, gourmet Mac and cheese...sincerely speaking, I can't cook to save my life." He admitted

Laughter erupted around the table, making heads turn from the neighbouring tables. They ate, talked, laughed and had fun before they walked the girls to their car.

Ameena won't allow Nadia to drive whenever they go out, for fear of her life and of her mom if she sees a dent or a scratch on the car. She slides into the drivers seat and buckled her seatbelt.

Ahmad leans in with a smile and said "anjima"

"Anjima what?" She asked a little confused

He cast a confused glance at Arif who was standing at the opposite end where Nadia with an equally confused look too. Arif was doing all he could to refrain from laughing.

"You told me anjima means goodbye in Hausa." Ahmad accused him.

When the realization dawned on the girls, they also joined Arif in his laughter.

"What's funny? He told me to say anjima and now you are all laughing."

"Bro, the 'say' in the anjima is also Hausa...its 'se anjima', I didn't mean you should say 'anjima', got it?"