Slowly, he ate the fruit salad placed before him, his head bent as he wore that beautiful smile of his, one that revealed his dimples. He shook his head lightly, then raised it to look at the young woman sitting on the chair opposite him. Her face was stern, eyes fixed on him. He smiled again, this time with a little sound, just as he was about to speak, but she quickly cut in angrily:
“Ohh, so I’m the crazy one you are laughing at, Khaleel? So now I’ve become your object of mockery, right?”
He frowned slightly, set down the fork in his hand, and replied softly:
“No, it’s not like that, Mum. Please forgive me.”
He rubbed his head with worry and added,
“You know, Mum, everything is about timing. But Ummi and Abba just don’t understand it. They can’t grasp what I mean. I’m just bored of all this…”
He rubbed his head again, his face still clouded with concern as he gazed at his ‘Small Mum.’ Suddenly, a greeting of Salaam was heard at the door. Both turned towards it and responded. Mum quickly stood up to welcome the guests, smiling warmly as they entered the living room. After the exchange of pleasantries, Khaleel rose too, looked at his Small Mum and said:
“Mum, I’ll come back later, maybe tomorrow.”
She quickly replied:
“No, don’t leave it till tomorrow. Come back later tonight. We’re not done talking.”
He smiled faintly and said,
“Insha’Allah, Mum.”
He picked up the fruit salad bowl intending to take it to the kitchen, but she stopped him:
“No, just leave it. Someone will clear it.”
He insisted:
“No, let me take it, Mum.”
He carried it into the kitchen, set it down, then returned. After greeting the visitors once more, he left the living room, checking his wristwatch as he headed to his car. On the way, his eyes stole a glance at a tree in the compound with white plastic chairs and a table beneath it. He wondered if those he had seen there earlier were still around. Indeed, they were still seated, though this time not chatting. One was busy on her phone, while the other was making a call.
His eyes met the one scrolling on her phone — she too had been sneaking glances at him. Embarrassed, he quickly looked away. But she smiled mischievously at her friend and whispered:
“Look at him… he’s just pretending, waiting for my greeting.”
Then, feigning surprise, she said aloud:
“Oh! Ya Khaleel, when did you come?”
He turned to face her, knowing well she had seen him earlier when he entered, but without much expression, he replied:
“You ignored me.”
She frowned slightly and answered:
“No, I was just surprised to see you in our house today, because you don’t usually come. Anyway, good afternoon.”
Khaleel shot her a sharp look, opened his car, got in, honked so that the gatekeeper would open, and drove out.
She burst into laughter, turning to her friend, who was too distracted by curiosity to continue her phone call, following Khaleel’s car with her gaze until it disappeared. The gatekeeper closed the gate behind him.
Then she sighed and confessed to her friend:
“Honestly, that guy is fine, Meenah. I just find him really attractive.”
But Meenah gave her a strange look and said:
“That Khaleel attracts you? If only you knew his true nature, you wouldn’t even say that! That arrogant, insolent guy! Honestly, since I grew up, he has never treated me kindly. You know he’s my cousin. Let me tell you, Salma, haven’t you noticed that whenever any of my cousins come to this house, I always greet them warmly? And you know I love friendship, Salma. But if Khaleel enters here and I don’t greet him, then you should know I’m silent for a reason.”
Salma shook her head in surprise:
“Wow, that’s shocking! Well, may God make things right. Anyway, let’s go inside, so I can greet Mum and then head home before my Mama starts calling me.”
Meenah protested:
“Ah, don’t rush! Wait till the guests leave. I’m sure they won’t stay long.”
Salma frowned at her:
“Of course you can say that — this is your house. That’s why you want me to wait for guests whose departure time I don’t know.”
With that, Salma stood up and headed inside. Meenah followed her, laughing, and together they entered the living room.
“Eid Mubarak, sisters,” they greeted cheerfully.
Arrival at His Father’s House
Dr. Khaleel — By Khaleesat Haiydar (Part 2)
At 9:30 PM, Khaleel parked his car in the family residence at G.R.A Kaduna. As he stepped out, he noticed his father’s car, confirming he was already home. Heading to the balcony that led into the main living room, he entered after giving Salaam.
Inside, he found his younger sister Rukayya lying down watching TV. She sat up immediately and said,
“Welcome back, Ya Khaleel.”
Without looking at her, he replied curtly:
“Thanks,” and proceeded upstairs.
On the staircase, he almost collided with his father. Khaleel stepped back quickly, bowed his head slightly in greeting, but his father simply responded coldly and said:
“I want to see you in my sitting room.”
Khaleel felt sweat break out on his forehead. Wiping it nervously, he continued upstairs, but instead of going directly, he stopped by his mother’s room. She was seated on her bed, busy on the phone while her maid sliced fruits into a plate. When she was done, she turned to him and said,
“Finally, my son.”
With a worried look, Khaleel pleaded:
“Ummi, please come with me to Abba. He’s calling me.”
She looked at him strangely and replied:
“So I should accompany you? Does that mean you wouldn’t go otherwise?”
He said nothing, just wiped his face with a handkerchief, then rose quietly and left for his father’s sitting room.
There, Abba sat sipping coffee. Khaleel sat humbly on the carpet without raising his eyes and muttered:
“Abba, I’m here.”
His father set down his cup and said sternly:
“Have you finished playing hide and seek with me, Khaleel?”
Khaleel smiled weakly, unprepared, and said:
“No, Abba, it’s just that I’ve been very busy at the clinic.”
At that moment, Ummi entered and sat beside her husband.
The Marriage Ultimatum
Dr. Khaleel — By Khaleesat Haiydar (Part 3 & 4)
Khaleel lifted his head slightly, only to see Abba’s piercing gaze. His heart sank, and he lowered his head again. With a heavy sigh, Abba asked:
“What exactly do you mean by this, Khaleel?”
Khaleel remained silent. Abba shook his head, turned his attention to the television, and said coldly:
“Alright then. That clearly shows you don’t care about us. Therefore, I have decided to marry you off — either to Meenah or Maryam. Go and choose one. And believe me, this won’t take long. Now, get up and leave.”
Khaleel froze where he knelt, his whole body stiff. With great difficulty, he wiped the sweat dripping down his face and lifted his gaze towards his mother. But she showed no concern whatsoever. The names “Meenah” and “Maryam” echoed in his mind. The thought of marrying either of them felt unbearable, as if his parents were forcing him into sorrow.
Abba’s voice thundered again:
“I said get out, young man!”
Tears welled in Khaleel’s eyes. In a broken voice, he pleaded:
“Please, Abba, I swear I don’t love either of them. Just give me one month, and I promise to bring you the woman I want to marry. Please, Abba, have mercy. I know I’ve wronged you.”
But Abba glared at him and barked:
“You’re insulting yourself, not us. Get out of my sight!”
Khaleel turned desperately to his mother:
“Ummi, please, talk to him…”
But she shot him a hard look and snapped:
“Not now.”
Holding his head, Khaleel’s heart burned. Better death than marrying one of Abba’s chosen cousins, he thought. He never wanted cousin-marriages. He could not even relax around his extended family. Quietly, he wiped his face with his handkerchief and begged again:
“Abba, I know I’ve wronged you, but please forgive me. Give me just one month and I’ll—”
“Enough, young man!” Abba thundered. “Leave now!”
Crushed, Khaleel rose slowly and left the room.
Later, at 11:30 PM, Ummi entered his room. He lay there staring blankly at the AC. She sat beside him. He sat up and said bitterly:
“Ummi, you see what Abba is planning for me?”
She replied calmly:
“Khaleel, you brought this upon yourself. We’ve been chasing you for a long time, but you kept avoiding us like we were children.”
He fell silent and lay down again. She studied him, knowing her son’s temperament and the dangers of leaving him in such distress overnight. Finally, she said:
“Calm down, son. I spoke with Abba. He reluctantly agreed to give you the one month you requested. So make sure within that time you bring us a wife. Don’t disgrace me, son, you know I can’t stand anything that hurts you.”
Overwhelmed with relief, Khaleel hugged her tightly, showering her with gratitude. She stroked his head, blessed him, and left.
That night, though he could not sleep, his mind was troubled only by one question: Where would he even begin searching for a wife?
Description
A Tense Conversation with Mum
Slowly, he ate the fruit salad placed before him, his head bent as he wore that beautiful smile of his, one that revealed his dimples. He shook his head lightly, then raised it to look at the young woman sitting on the chair opposite him. Her face was stern, eyes fixed on him. He smiled again, this time with a little sound, just as he was about to speak, but she quickly cut in angrily:
“Ohh, so I’m the crazy one you are laughing at, Khaleel? So now I’ve become your object of mockery, right?”
He frowned slightly, set down the fork in his hand, and replied softly:
“No, it’s not like that, Mum. Please forgive me.”
He rubbed his head with worry and added,
“You know, Mum, everything is about timing. But Ummi and Abba just don’t understand it. They can’t grasp what I mean. I’m just bored of all this…”
He rubbed his head again, his face still clouded with concern as he gazed at his ‘Small Mum.’ Suddenly, a greeting of Salaam was heard at the door. Both turned towards it and responded. Mum quickly stood up to welcome the guests, smiling warmly as they entered the living room. After the exchange of pleasantries, Khaleel rose too, looked at his Small Mum and said:
“Mum, I’ll come back later, maybe tomorrow.”
She quickly replied:
“No, don’t leave it till tomorrow. Come back later tonight. We’re not done talking.”
He smiled faintly and said,
“Insha’Allah, Mum.”
He picked up the fruit salad bowl intending to take it to the kitchen, but she stopped him:
“No, just leave it. Someone will clear it.”
He insisted:
“No, let me take it, Mum.”
He carried it into the kitchen, set it down, then returned. After greeting the visitors once more, he left the living room, checking his wristwatch as he headed to his car. On the way, his eyes stole a glance at a tree in the compound with white plastic chairs and a table beneath it. He wondered if those he had seen there earlier were still around. Indeed, they were still seated, though this time not chatting. One was busy on her phone, while the other was making a call.
His eyes met the one scrolling on her phone — she too had been sneaking glances at him. Embarrassed, he quickly looked away. But she smiled mischievously at her friend and whispered:
“Look at him… he’s just pretending, waiting for my greeting.”
Then, feigning surprise, she said aloud:
“Oh! Ya Khaleel, when did you come?”
He turned to face her, knowing well she had seen him earlier when he entered, but without much expression, he replied:
“You ignored me.”
She frowned slightly and answered:
“No, I was just surprised to see you in our house today, because you don’t usually come. Anyway, good afternoon.”
Khaleel shot her a sharp look, opened his car, got in, honked so that the gatekeeper would open, and drove out.
She burst into laughter, turning to her friend, who was too distracted by curiosity to continue her phone call, following Khaleel’s car with her gaze until it disappeared. The gatekeeper closed the gate behind him.
Then she sighed and confessed to her friend:
“Honestly, that guy is fine, Meenah. I just find him really attractive.”
But Meenah gave her a strange look and said:
“That Khaleel attracts you? If only you knew his true nature, you wouldn’t even say that! That arrogant, insolent guy! Honestly, since I grew up, he has never treated me kindly. You know he’s my cousin. Let me tell you, Salma, haven’t you noticed that whenever any of my cousins come to this house, I always greet them warmly? And you know I love friendship, Salma. But if Khaleel enters here and I don’t greet him, then you should know I’m silent for a reason.”
Salma shook her head in surprise:
“Wow, that’s shocking! Well, may God make things right. Anyway, let’s go inside, so I can greet Mum and then head home before my Mama starts calling me.”
Meenah protested:
“Ah, don’t rush! Wait till the guests leave. I’m sure they won’t stay long.”
Salma frowned at her:
“Of course you can say that — this is your house. That’s why you want me to wait for guests whose departure time I don’t know.”
With that, Salma stood up and headed inside. Meenah followed her, laughing, and together they entered the living room.
“Eid Mubarak, sisters,” they greeted cheerfully.
Arrival at His Father’s House
Dr. Khaleel — By Khaleesat Haiydar (Part 2)
At 9:30 PM, Khaleel parked his car in the family residence at G.R.A Kaduna. As he stepped out, he noticed his father’s car, confirming he was already home. Heading to the balcony that led into the main living room, he entered after giving Salaam.
Inside, he found his younger sister Rukayya lying down watching TV. She sat up immediately and said,
“Welcome back, Ya Khaleel.”
Without looking at her, he replied curtly:
“Thanks,” and proceeded upstairs.
On the staircase, he almost collided with his father. Khaleel stepped back quickly, bowed his head slightly in greeting, but his father simply responded coldly and said:
“I want to see you in my sitting room.”
Khaleel felt sweat break out on his forehead. Wiping it nervously, he continued upstairs, but instead of going directly, he stopped by his mother’s room. She was seated on her bed, busy on the phone while her maid sliced fruits into a plate. When she was done, she turned to him and said,
“Finally, my son.”
With a worried look, Khaleel pleaded:
“Ummi, please come with me to Abba. He’s calling me.”
She looked at him strangely and replied:
“So I should accompany you? Does that mean you wouldn’t go otherwise?”
He said nothing, just wiped his face with a handkerchief, then rose quietly and left for his father’s sitting room.
There, Abba sat sipping coffee. Khaleel sat humbly on the carpet without raising his eyes and muttered:
“Abba, I’m here.”
His father set down his cup and said sternly:
“Have you finished playing hide and seek with me, Khaleel?”
Khaleel smiled weakly, unprepared, and said:
“No, Abba, it’s just that I’ve been very busy at the clinic.”
At that moment, Ummi entered and sat beside her husband.
The Marriage Ultimatum
Dr. Khaleel — By Khaleesat Haiydar (Part 3 & 4)
Khaleel lifted his head slightly, only to see Abba’s piercing gaze. His heart sank, and he lowered his head again. With a heavy sigh, Abba asked:
“What exactly do you mean by this, Khaleel?”
Khaleel remained silent. Abba shook his head, turned his attention to the television, and said coldly:
“Alright then. That clearly shows you don’t care about us. Therefore, I have decided to marry you off — either to Meenah or Maryam. Go and choose one. And believe me, this won’t take long. Now, get up and leave.”
Khaleel froze where he knelt, his whole body stiff. With great difficulty, he wiped the sweat dripping down his face and lifted his gaze towards his mother. But she showed no concern whatsoever. The names “Meenah” and “Maryam” echoed in his mind. The thought of marrying either of them felt unbearable, as if his parents were forcing him into sorrow.
Abba’s voice thundered again:
“I said get out, young man!”
Tears welled in Khaleel’s eyes. In a broken voice, he pleaded:
“Please, Abba, I swear I don’t love either of them. Just give me one month, and I promise to bring you the woman I want to marry. Please, Abba, have mercy. I know I’ve wronged you.”
But Abba glared at him and barked:
“You’re insulting yourself, not us. Get out of my sight!”
Khaleel turned desperately to his mother:
“Ummi, please, talk to him…”
But she shot him a hard look and snapped:
“Not now.”
Holding his head, Khaleel’s heart burned. Better death than marrying one of Abba’s chosen cousins, he thought. He never wanted cousin-marriages. He could not even relax around his extended family. Quietly, he wiped his face with his handkerchief and begged again:
“Abba, I know I’ve wronged you, but please forgive me. Give me just one month and I’ll—”
“Enough, young man!” Abba thundered. “Leave now!”
Crushed, Khaleel rose slowly and left the room.
Later, at 11:30 PM, Ummi entered his room. He lay there staring blankly at the AC. She sat beside him. He sat up and said bitterly:
“Ummi, you see what Abba is planning for me?”
She replied calmly:
“Khaleel, you brought this upon yourself. We’ve been chasing you for a long time, but you kept avoiding us like we were children.”
He fell silent and lay down again. She studied him, knowing her son’s temperament and the dangers of leaving him in such distress overnight. Finally, she said:
“Calm down, son. I spoke with Abba. He reluctantly agreed to give you the one month you requested. So make sure within that time you bring us a wife. Don’t disgrace me, son, you know I can’t stand anything that hurts you.”
Overwhelmed with relief, Khaleel hugged her tightly, showering her with gratitude. She stroked his head, blessed him, and left.
That night, though he could not sleep, his mind was troubled only by one question: Where would he even begin searching for a wife?