OCEAN EYES

TWENTY SEVEN

He paid for the food and drinks they got with his card and joined them in the nice looking restaurant in the airport.

They were eating when he caught a glimpse of salma and Asiya walking passed the restaurant. Salma was smiling at something Asiya said.

The two entered inside the place beside the restaurant Naseem and the kids were in. Salma ordered a medium sandwich and chips for umma and Chicken Nuggets and chips for saliha.

Chicken wings and chips for Asiya and chips and two eggs for her. As for drinks Asiya said three sprite's, three Fanta and six bottles of water.

It wasn't until after they sat down that she remembered Aseem. She ordered a full crispy chicken for him.

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"Good afternoon" the man in a white shirt and black trousers said to them. Umma looked at his ID card and realized he was an airport staff.

"How can I help you?" Aseem asked as he sized him up.

"Ah Mr Naseem said to print a number of thirty tickets I am here to deliver them."

Aseem took the tickets and said "how much?"

"Oh it's fine he can pay when he is ready"

Aseem typed away on his phone and gave it to the man. "Put in your account number and the amount including your service fee."

Aseem paid for the expenses of the tickets and sat down with the tickets in a small bag in his hands.

Naseem and the kids returned first and after them was Dawood, Sameer and Nabeel with their packaged food.

Salaha sighed and rubbed her stomach while leaning on umma "I am so full umma I feel like my stomach will burst."

"The tickets have been brought" Aseem said to Naseem and gave them to him.

He took the bag and opened it. "If he came why didn't he call? Let me call him"

"No need for that your brother has already paid for it" baba said.

Naseem nodded and took out the tickets just in time for Asiya and Salma to walk back in with takeaway bags in their hands.

She gave umma hers and saw the packaged chicken. She gave it to Aseem who said a short thank you and she gave them their drinks.

Asiya on the other hand kept hers aside and gave saliha her own and gave salma hers. It wasn't till after they finished eating that he gave the tickets to salaha to share.

"If I call your name come and get your boarding pass"

Aisha✅ salsabeela walked to her and took her pass. Ya sameer✅ he walked to her and took it. Ya Naseem✅ she made eye contact with him and cleared her throat before walking to him and giving it to him.

Sameer✅.... Ya Saliha✅ "wow salaha so you only go to those you fear ba? With ya Naseem it only took you one look to go over."

Salaha laughed "sorry big sis" Umma yours salaha said and took it to her mom. Baba yours she said and gave it to him.

Hafsat✅ she made eye contact with Naseem who just looked away. She pouted and took it to her.

Ya Salma, Ya Asiya, Ya Farida, Ya Aseem. She gave it to them at the same time. "Oh ya salma this belongs to junior" she said and gave her the nine months ticket.

Arfat, Arfat, nobody came to collect it so she passed it then called zainab, Zainab still no answer so she called Qasim, Qasimu.

Sumayya, Sumayya she looked at the three tickets and said I think they gave us extra tickets ya Aseem.

"Salaha kinci gidanku" baba scolded

"Aa baba don't start. When everyone's name was called they stood up and went to her and collected it." Ya Aseem defended

"Aseem are you the one standing up for her? If she did it to her step siblings today tomorrow she will do it to you."

"Astagfirullah baba that won't happen. Saliha said"

"You can't expect her to know who they are when she doesn't even know what is her relationship with the strangers baba." Sadiq chirped in.

Before another incident was caused the boarding announcement for their plane was made.

Naseem told them to stay until the final boarding announcement was made. He stood up and took his phones and said let's go.

The thirty three members walked out of the private waiting area in an orderly and stylish manner.

The parents went first then the grandchildren followed by the younger siblings and then the daughters in law and the older children.

Naseem took junior from salma as they were going to take some steps to go down. She dragged her hand luggage which was just juniors stuff.

They walked to the aircraft and each and everyone of them gave their ticket to be checked before it was returned to them.

Naseem was in-front of Aseem who was the last to board. The line was slow as Salaha and Asiya struggled to get the kids seated.

"If you don't sit down I won't take you out for an ice cream date." Salma said to them. They immediately started looking for their seats with the help of the salaha and Asiya.

Baba and his three wives got the only first class seats available while the rest were organized in the back.

He looked at his seat number and saw 6C he had an aisle seat. Seating on 6B was Arfat he looked at salaha who was seating on 6E and looked back at Arfat.

"Stand up and swap seats with Salaha" he demanded.

Salma who was seating on 6A looked at him bewildered before reaching out and taking junior from his arms.

"Will you stand up or do I have to smack you?"

Arfat stood up and changed seats with salaha who was now seating between him and Salma.

As soon as the plane landed the kids started removing their seatbelts trying to stand up.

Aseem who was at the front said to them "grandchildren of Ibrahim Bello Waziri if I see you standing when I didn't say so I will deal with you"