She was in the kitchen washing dishes when she heard him come in. She turned around, smiling at him, and he smiled back at her. 

"Stop moving your mouth and tell me what's on your mind," he said.

She burst out laughing and continued rinsing the plate she had washed, saying, 

"Oh, nothing! I just thought you said you were going to Bichi to greet Baffa, but I see you've bathed like you're going to visit a widow."

"Oh, I guess I didn't tell you that there's a girl I'm going to see for a little..."

Before he could finish, she interrupted him, laughing, 

"You won't be doing anything. It's just you and me, forever."

"If I come back and tell you to pack your things from our room, then you'll understand."

She burst out laughing. They continued teasing each other before he left for Bichi to visit his paternal grandparents.

This was how they lived, in joy and love, with their two children, Abdallah, four, and Farha, two.

...

Today's afternoon had not been pleasant for her. Abdallah, who would have kept her company, was at their uncle Baba Sani's house. She wasn't feeling disturbed by anything in particular but just didn't feel at ease. Since they said their goodbyes and he left for Bichi, she had been feeling an inexplicable sense of dread. It persisted until the Asr prayer.

She was sitting in the living room, watching TV without really paying attention, when she heard a knock at the gate. She put on her hijab and went to the gate. Peering through the gate, she saw Baba Sani standing there with his car keys. She quickly opened the gate and stepped aside to let him in.

"Welcome, Yaya. Come in," she said, intending to follow him into the house.

But he stopped at the gate, prompting her to turn back and look at him. Before she could say anything, he said,

"I don't need to come in. Umma said I should bring you home now."

Her heart sank. She had been surprised to see Yaya alone, especially since Abdallah was with him.

She looked at him, clutching her chest, whispering "Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun" to herself. She hoped nothing had happened to Abdallah, as that might explain the sense of dread she had felt all day. She couldn't speak, only staring at him, trying to decipher the worry on his face. His voice interrupted her thoughts,

"Just lock up the house and come. We're waiting for you."

He turned and walked back to his car to wait for her.

With difficulty, she walked back into the house, her heart pounding hard and fast. She had to hold her chest.

"Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun," she said aloud.

She grabbed only the house key and her phone, threw them in her bag, and followed Baba Sani. She got into the back of his car, and they drove off in silence. She prayed nothing had happened to her children, as this was the first time they had stayed at Baba Sani's house without her, and now they were staying overnight.

As they turned the corner to Umma's house, she saw people gathered outside. Her heart raced; she was certain Abdallah or Farha had died. She hoped it wasn't both of them.

Tears streamed down her face as she opened the car door and rushed into the house, pushing through the crowd.

No one stopped her until she reached the middle of the yard. Before she reached the front door, she saw Umma sitting on the porch, surrounded by women. Despite her distress, she recognized that they were all crying. She hurried over, almost tripping, and the women made way for her to approach Umma. She collapsed in front of Umma, who wiped her tears and took Aisha's hands, squeezing them tightly.

"We must be patient, Aisha. This is Allah's will," Umma said.

Aisha's tears intensified. She looked at Bushra, who was sitting next to Umma, also wiping away tears. When their eyes met, Bushra burst into tears again, saying,

"Yaya is gone, Anti Aisha! Yaya Mustafa is gone; death has taken our beloved from us."

Aisha froze, her tears drying up as she stared, wide-eyed, from Umma to Bushra. Stammering, she said,

"Mustafa? But he was in Bichi. I thought it was Abdallah or Farha. Their father is at Baffa's house, right?"

No one answered her; their crying only intensified. With trembling hands, she began fumbling with her bag, saying,

"