Everything I Could Ever Ask For

Ikram's POV "Ikram!"I heard mama shout my name. I was in the sitting room watching the rerun of Icarly with my two sisters. I quickly stood up and went to her room. "You called for me Mama?’’ I asked as I stood by the door of her room. "Come and sit next to me." She said softly. She was seated on the soft rug positioned near her bed. I walked in and sat next to her. I studied my mother's face. She had the kind of beauty that still turned heads. With her big honey brown eyes, one of the features I was fortunate to inherit from her and a face that always looked so serene and calm. People never failed to mention how I was the exact copy of Mama. Yes! I looked like her, there was no denying but I could not even come close to the miracle that she was. I snapped out of my momentarily trance when I noticed her looking at me intently. Her brows were scrunched in an odd manner and her lips set in a firm line. She never looked at me that way unless she had some bad news to share or say something that I most definitely wouldn’t like. So now that Mama was watching me with that same expression on her face, I couldn't help but start getting the jitters. My mind started going to the worst of places. Was it my Baba? Did something happen to him? Baba travelled to his hometown Bauchi to visit my ill grandmother. As though she could read mind, she spoke. "Stop over thinking, it's nothing serious." She said. I exhaled a breath I didn’t know I was holding. "Mama then what's the problem?" "Ikram, you know you aren't getting any younger..." As she said that, my heart began hammering. This wasn't about marriage was it? Being born into an Islamic home, specifically the northern part of Nigeria, the moment you reach a certain age, your parents and the society begin to bug you about marriage. It truly is a dilemma because you start to get pressured and this could result in you choosing the wrong spouse and this is a whole different story. "And you know Uncle Abdul's son Kabir has shown an interest in you. Why don't you give him a chance and see how it goes." She said confirming my suspicions. I looked at her in shock. She said Kabir. It was one thing that she brought marriage up and another bringing Kabir up. Kabir was the literal representation of a spoilt brat. He was the son of Baba’s close friend. Whenever he came over to our house, he had no important or meaningful thing to say other than bragging about the materialistic things he had or rather his father had. He and my older brother Ahmad never got along and this was the person Mama was suggesting I spent the rest of my life with. No offense but hell no! "Mama, you know how Kabir behaves." I whined. Displeasure was written all over my face. "Enlighten me please. How does Kabir behave? He's such a good boy." Kabir. Good boy? Parents were rather very clueless when it came to matters like this. Mama was seeing only what she wanted to see and what Kabir was choosing to show her and that is the ‘good boy’ act. Something I’d never fall for. "Mama you know how childishly he behaves.’’ I said trying to paint my own perception of him to her. ‘’And how he's obsessed with material things. I don't like his character. And let me not add how he clings to his mum for everything. How do you think someone like that is ready for marriage when he can't even take care of himself." She looked at me and shook her head. "I never really noticed those things about him. But what do you want me to do? You're not bringing any suitors. And he comes from a nice family." "Mama, you know everything has its time. Just keep praying for me, the right person will come in sha Allah"(If God wills.) "You’re right." She said looking thoughtful. I lowered my head, silently praying she doesn't talk about the issue anymore. “Well if you think Kabir isn’t a good match for you then so be it. You deserve the best my darling daughter. May Allah grant you the best of spouses.” She prayed. "Amin. Thank you so much Mama." She always had a way of making me feel emotional. She gave me a warm smile. “Now please go and boil some tea for me.” "Okay mama." I stood up and left the room heading to the kitchen. Mama was diabetic and she regularly took this herbal tea that my grandfather recommended to her because he was also diabetic. The tea consisted of some cinnamon, ginger and mint leaves. "Khadija, what are you doing?!" I shouted at my little sister who was using her bare hands to pick a piece of chicken from the pot. She flinched looking scared when she realized she was caught. She also knew how I got when I lost my temper. That's right shiver in fear. "Ya Ikram, I'm so-sorry." She said stuttering. "Why can't you use a spoon? If this soup goes bad, I'll make sure you are the one to finish all of it. Leave this kitchen now!" I watched as she ran into the bathroom banging the door knowing too well she wasn't coming out anytime soon. That girl was thirteen and she still doesn't want to grow up. I took a kettle and washed it then added the ingredients for the tea. While waiting for the tea, I decided to go through my text messages. Most of the messages were from groups. I didn't really have much friends and I preferred it that way. That's when I saw a message from Kabir. Talk about the devil. He was asking me to meet up with him. He already knew my answer why bother asking. I just rolled my eyes and left him on read. I noticed the kettle boiling and quickly turned it off. I poured the tea in a flask and called Khadija to take it to Mama. "Aren't you the one mama assigned?" She said stubbornly. The girl was really getting on my nerves this fine evening. "Do I look like I'm joking with you?" I hated being mean to her but she seldom leaves me with a choice. She was still giving me a frown and it was really starting to piss me off. "If you don't collect this flask now I'll tell Mama what you did few minutes ago." She continued frowning at me. I knew she didn't like me using things against her but she was so stubborn. She collected the flask and with that stupid frown on her face, took the flask to Mama's room grumbling. I face palmed. "Urgghh siblings!"