Chapter 28: Chapter 28

“Asslamu alaikum.” Khadijah announced her presence in a small voice, you could hear the weariness from miles away.

Her mother replied from inside the house, she was probably in her room and with tired limbs she trudged to the door and knocked before pushing it open, her mother sat with about five jewelry boxes, not questioning what they were for she slumped on the cushioned bench with a groan.

“How was it? I wanted to call you after I prayed sef, why didn't you come to take the cake?” that made Khadijah look at the wall clock, 9:15pm, she didn’t realize how late she stayed out.

“We didn't even go, she is in the hospital.”

“Subhanallah! What happened to her?” she exclaimed with her hands on her chest, hajiya Ladidi is definitely one for dramatics.

“She's fine now Alhamdulillah, she's just been stressed and she hasn't been eating.”

A sound of affirmation and knowing left hajiya Ladidi's mouth, Khadijah turned abruptly to see if something was wrong, “I knew she doesn't like eating, I've said it, ah you Children want to kill yourselves.” she muttered the last part with disdain.

They sat and talked for a bit before Khadijah stood up, ready to retire to her room, she needed to pray and her brain couldn't comprehend anything except for bed. She wondered why she was always tired whenever she didn't go to work.

“Ehhn, which one do you like among these?” that was when her graze drifted to the open box, she moved closer and nodded in appreciation. “I like this new designs, I got them when I went to the market, when I go to see Sadiya insha Allah, I'll take hers you can help me take Baraka's own right, you should pick yours though.” she stretched the boxes to Khadijah who stretched her hands.

She studied the golden jewelry and picked the simplest design, she wasn't a fan of golden jewelry, silver is more her thing.

“I knew you would pick that one, it is real Dubai gold and at a good price too.” she thanked and prayed for her mother before leaving not wanting to get into gold discussion. She didn't know the difference between real gold and fake one for the life of her but her mother who was a big fan will probably tell you the mine it came from, but the thing she did know though was that gold prices have risen, the zeroes was something she didn't want to know, ignorance is bliss anyways.

First things first, she removed the headscarf then accessories, she packed her unruly hair, she had to go and plait, she reminded herself again. She entered the bathroom and undressed then took a bath, thankful that her heater was on, it was always on if she was being honest, another bad habit.

Since she missed a day of work and knowing she had multiple things to go over, she had Victoria send her an email with everything that could she could sort from home, after she prayed she sat by her desk and got to work on her laptop, a bowl of candies beside her, she has a sweet tooth which should be controversial seeing she loved black coffee, but she's always been weird so that's just one of the weird things about herself that she learned to embrace.

She was viewing a dress a customer wants, she preferred her own designs but what choice does she have, what you want is what you get, at least when you come to her, she was reading the note attached to it when her phone rang, not taking her eyes off it she reached out and picked the phone that was beside the laptop.

“Hello?” her voice was calm, her eyes still on the laptop.

“And here I was expecting you to flood my gallery with pictures.” Fahad said jestingly slumping on the bed of his temporary room until he felt it was safe to leave Jawad alone. They had just returned from the mosque, they took a walk before going back to the house though Jawad had been quiet and lost in his thoughts, the closure relaxed him, it was very obvious.

Khadijah shook her head and told him they didn't go.

“Oh, what happened?” he sounded genuinely curious.

“Erm…well she's sort of in the hospital.” she heard a sharp intake of breath, then someone in the distance asking who was in the hospital, she stayed quiet waiting for a reply.

“Is she okay?” his voice was clipped, she heard someone ask who in the background again, she could swear she heard panic in the person's tone.

“Yes Alhamdulillah, we talked.” she closed her eyes remembering Layla's slightly less pale face, she'd mustered up the strength to smile because she could see the struggle in her.

She'd walked deeper and sat on the edge of the bed and had taken Layla's hands in hers, it felt cold and frail, tears rimmed her eyes but she didn't let them fall, she hated crying.

“Are you there?” Fahad's voice brought her back to reality and she sighed and hummed a yes.

“What happened to her?” his voice had an edge to it.

“She passed out in her room.” she'd stopped there but he told her to elaborate so she told him everything that happened from the time they found Layla.

Fahad sighed when she finished and pinched the bridge between his eyes, he glanced at Jawad and turned again, he must've head, not must've, he heard so that explained why he looked ashen.

“May Allah grant her shifa, you've had a long day let me not take up most of your time, good night.” she replied and pulled the phone from her ear, a few seconds later, a message entered and she glanced at it then picked the phone up.

It said, ‘May Allah bless you for being this strong for Layla, love this pure can never know lost, May Allah be with you at all times.’

There was no closing remark, she shook her head at her thought, it wasn't a formal letter. She felt a sense of relief washed over her, she likes when people pray for her, it didn't matter if you knew her or not, when an old lady she doesn't know prays that Allah blesses her, it made her day because a sincere prayer from the heart never goes wrong, and when you pray for someone in the heat of the moment, it's pure.

She kept the phone aside and went back to work, she was not getting any sleep that night she might as well use it productively.

Khadijah felt a vibration and turned, her head hit a hard surface and she weakly opened her eyes, her body felt sore and that was a mild way of putting it, she could literally hear the sound of her bones, she made out where she was and let out a breath through her mouth when she realized she slept on her work table. She picked the phone she had thankfully put on silent, it was her alarm, she kept it not and stood up, her bones creaked again making her instantly regret sleeping the way she did, but in all honesty she didn’t know when she’d drifted off. She stretched while supplicating.

She freshened up and went back to bed since she wasn't praying, thankful she got some sleep she hoped she could go back. It was after she laid down she now remembered she had to plug her phone, she begrudgingly stood back up and plugged it, that was when she noticed a missed call notification, she swiped and saw who it was, she hissed annoyed and went back to bed.

**** **** ****

Abuja, Nigeria

As much as Fahad would love to say he woke up refreshed, it wasn't like that, he wasn't a pessimist but there was nothing optimistic about his throbbing head, enough to make for a bad day.

Gathering up strength and will to get off the bed, he managed to sit up and almost regretted the force he used, he murmured supplications under his breath with his hand massaging his temple.

The adhaan being called made him forget his predicament as he stumbled to get to the ensuite and perform ablution else he'll be late.

“Ina kwana alaji.” (Good morning alhaji) the security guard greeted Fahad who nodded, not even trying to smile, he didn't have the energy to.

Not sure whether Jawad had woken up or not, he walked up to his room, or the room he slept in last night after he'd they talked, Fahad tried to calm him down but his words were still fresh on Fahad's mind, the soft whisper forever engraved in his memory.

“I need closure,” he’d said brokenly, “and it gives me closure even if it's that of pain, I'd take anything right now.” he'd turned and left after saying that, the sound of the door closing the only sound heard in the magnificent house.

He knocked once, twice, no answer, he didn't panic and as quietly as he can turned the knob and pushed it open, it all came back again, like last night. The room was dim enhancing the bright colors making it seem like it was glowing.

He walked deeper into the room but the unmistakable silence and lack of a lump in the bed or crease affirmed him on what he’d suspected and he finally accepted that Jawad didn't sleep there, or in the house at all.

He rushed down stairs, a key he hadn't seen earlier sat on the table where a flower vase was, he picked it up with a sigh.

“Ya Allah, not again.” he scratched the back of his head exhaling. This time he was sure, Jawad didn't want to be found.

“Hamma, jam bandu na” (Good morning) Huda's voice startled Fahad who was closing the door of the fridge, he sent her a small glare which she returned it with a wide smile.

Fahad who was looking for milk and frustrated to have found none closed his eyes in anger, he didn't know what to do, where to start from and his sister wasn't helping matters by standing there smiling like she didn't have any problem in the world  and considering the things on his mind, it might as well be that.

The most she had to worry about was what color she wanted a dress.

“Where are you coming from?” Huda sat at the counter, resting her cheeks in her hands that she had on the counter top.

“Nowhere, why are you up so early?” the only way to stop the inevitable multiple questions she would hurl his way was to ask one first, and then escape as soon as possible.

“I haven't gone to bed, I was binge watching the originals.” she squeaked happily.

Now, Fahad loves his siblings, especially Huda because they click more but at that moment he wondered why his parents had more children.

“Are you okay hamma? Your eyes are kind of red” the worry in her voice made him regret his thoughts but she still wasn't quiet.

“Hamma?” he turned to her and gently removed the hold she had on his arm.

“I'm fine, just get me a cup of milk please,” he turned and was about to walk out of the kitchen door to his apartment, he turned to her, she held a tumbler in her hands but looked like she had a lot of questions to ask. “And, Please keep it down.” with that he walked out, knowing she would be quiet.

“Huda, I thought we talked about you not sleeping at night.” if there was one thing Noorulhuda was scared of, apart from cats that is, and Fahad's anger then it was her mother's scolding voice and stern face.

“Ammie, you see I Erm......lost track of time and I was shocked when I heard the adhaan, believe me.” she made puppy dog eyes her hands holding her throat in a gesture that made her mother seriously consider sending her to see an imam.

“I don't have your time, I heard the door, is Fahad back?” she hummed a yes, “What's that for?” she asked pointing to the still empty cup Huda held in her grasp like her life depended on it.

“Drinking things.” She brought the cup to her lips to imitate he act, the glare she received made her rephrase “Hamma asked me to get him milk but there's none in the fridge and he looked upset and I'm scared to tell him hamma Jay and I were the last to take and we forgot to inform aunty Raliya about it.” she finished in one breath.

“Be breathing in between sentences, you're a drama queen Huda,” she shook her head as of emphasizing her point “check your father's fridge there is some there and don't forget to warm it, he hates cold milk.” she pointed at the cup before turning to get breakfast started, she had to check on Fahad before her mind would be at peace but she'll let him have space, for now at least.

**** **** ****

Kaduna, Nigeria

“Are you okay?” Layla nodded in the dim lit hospital room, the bed wasn't all that big and with the huge body beside her, it wasn't the least bit enough but she was comfortable, very comfortable.

She didn't have to check what time it was, it was well past five if the bustle outside her doors had anything to do with it, but it was a hospital, maybe she was wrong.

She managed to sit up and turned to her companion, his eyes were closed, lips set in a straight line, seemingly relaxed on the cramped bed with her, ‘peaceful’, is the only word she could use to describe it.

Her memory was foggy but if she wasn't alone on the bed, then last night wasn't a dream, was it even last night or the early hours of the morning. She closed her eyes reliving the memory, it was all real and that made her all the more happy.

She'd opened her eyes to an empty dim lit room, she knew the hospital didn't let families stay overnight so she didn't bother with checking if anyone was with her.

That was the third, probably fourth time she was waking up after everyone has left, she didn't get to talk because she was tired but she knew when each of them entered. In her half conscious state, she'd noticed when Dr Sakinah entered the room, she was the one who dimmed the light and switched off the air conditioner, two nurses later entered, different times and checked her pulse and the IV drip.

She was half laying and half sitting, not having enough energy to sit up completely and utterly tired of laying down, she'd been laying for more than fourteen hours, she needed a break, how someone could be tired from resting will forever be beyond her.

The door creaked open ever so silently and she turned instinctively, she saw a silhouette, tall and muscular, definitely a man unless it was a broad shouldered woman, she doubted that, she couldn't make out the features in the dark but the aura and her response to the presence was unmistaken.

In a small whisper she voiced the first thing that came to her mind, “Beldum,” and she knew she was right if the sharp intake of breath meant anything.