Chapter 38: Chapter 38

Mom gasped, as her hands naturally went to her chest. She felt tears clouding her view; as they made their way down her cheeks. "Adyan, what do you mean? Did they?..." she let the words trail off, she couldn't imagine how broken hearted the sight would make her son.

Adyan laughed humorlessly, holding her hands in his; as he squeezed them lightly. "She alone have the answer to that; Mom. I don't know where to find her, I don't have the slight idea of what brought her to Abuja," He spoke softly, dumping his shoulders in defeat. He didn't want Mom to see his vulnerable side today; he knew it wouldn't be easy on her.

She wiped away her tears, as some made their way to her cheeks. Clutching her eyes shut, she darted them open and whimpered. "What should we do? We have to see her, Adyan. By Allah I love her immensely. Where do we start looking for her? We have to marry her, Adyan."

Adyan hugged her tightly, as he broke into the tears he had been trying so hard to suppress. He clutched her tightly, his tears soaking her veil. "I love her, Sorella, I really do. It's scorching to know I don't have any access with her. Where will I start looking for her?" His words choked as they came out in hiccups, he was crying like a five year old lost in a beach without having the glimpse of his parents. His heart hurts, his eyes pains him at the sight of her being grazed by those thugs. He felt scorched.

Mom kept patting his back, unable to utter a single word. She slowly broke their hug and wiped away his tears; her tears rolling in oceans. "It's okay, Adyan, Allah is with you. You shall find her, she'll become yours Insha Allah," she conjectured, wiping his tears.

He took off her hands from his face and began wiping her tears away. "You have to stop crying, Mom. You see...I'm okay now. It's just a matter of time, everything shall come to pass," he smiled factitiously at her, wiping her tears away.

"You're making me more emotional, I don't want to cry myself to sleep. Oya...you need to rest, we will talk about how to find her tomorrow. Sleep dear," she spoke lovingly and guided him to the bed, as she made him lay down, tucking up the duvet to his neck.

She hushed the night supplications to him and kissed his forehead, "Sleep, or else-the demons will catch you if you dare open your eyes. Goodnight Amore."

He let out a chuckle, his eyes puffy, face red, and heart heavy. "I'm not a boy, Sorella," he whined.

"Yes, a man crying for love," she said sarcastically and walked out of the room.

***

He was shifting and panting, tears soaking his pillow; as his chest kept heaving. The sight was horrifying to him, the dream wasn't his usual dream, it was scary and painful. A vigorous shake jolted him out of his dream. He squinted his wet eyes slowly, his gaze falling on a clueless Kassim-as his gaze was intense on his crying face.

Realizing what happened, he stood up abruptly-wiping the tears away, trying to stand up. "What are you doing here? I have to see Mom," he uttered, moving directly to the door-without waiting for Kassim to answer his question. He needs to see his Sorella, he needs to voice it out.

Kassim halted him by grisping his wrist, "Come here. How can you be late for Fajr-that too is so questionable. Then I came to find you crying asleep like an infant, and all of a sudden-you need to see Mom? Is there something I need to know, Adyan?" He asked worriedly, for this isn't the first time, he knew there is something definitely worrying his one and only brother.

Adyan shook his head sideways, wiping the strand of tear- "No Kassim, I just have to see her-I had a dream," he shrugged off Kassim's hand and left him bamboozled. Yes, he knew when they were kids, Adyan was the dreaming type, and he would always go to Mom first.

Shrugging off the thought, he sighed and entered Adyan's bathroom, he performed his ablution and started praying in the room-adamant that whatever is it today, Adyan must open up to him. For he didn't miss the hush talks and eye conversations they are having with Mom's worried eyes.

Adyan entered Mom's room and found her sitted with legs cross, she was facing the Qibla, with an Azkhar book and a rosary in her hand. Snapping up her head, she saw a distraughted Adyan walking towards her-his eyes filled with tears.

"She doesn't love me anymore," he whimpered, slumping beside her on the praying mat.

"Who?" Mom asked, wrapping her arm on his shoulder.

"Hayfah. She left a letter to me in my dream-the usual place we used to meet and converse. She wasn't there today, but I only saw a paper placed on the place she used to sit," he gulped down a lump and swallowed the tears that formed in the brink of his eyes.

Mom placed down the rosary, hushing some supplications in her mouth. She didn't understand what Adyan said, they usually meet in dreams and converse? Is Adyan really safe and Okay?

"I don't get you, Adyan," she managed to speak, afraid Adyan isn't infected by some jinns.

"Like I said earlier-we use to meet in our dreams and converse. I don't know of hers-let me say in my dream; I usually see her. So today when I was dreaming-she wasn't there, but only a well written letter with what I'm sure is her handwriting-don't ask me how."

Mom just nodded and motioned for him to continue, she needs to hear the end of this confusing tale of theirs.

"The letter reads: It wasn't my fault to leave you, Adyan. I was left with no other choice, the person I hate the most is very close to you. You cherish and love him so much. So-I can't do this anymore, I'll leave-and that's forever. Stay safe and healthy, I love you." His eyes were closed as he read out the contents of the letter; as hot and anguish tears kept streaming down his cheeks.

Mom let out a gasp and drew him to her body, patting his back softly. He leaned in and rested his head on her shoulder-his tears soaking her Hijab. He was crying profusely, his heart constricting, his limbs shaking vigorously. He knew people will think he was just being paranoid, they might say it was just a dream but never a real thing. But what he felt when he saw the letter surpassed what he could've felt-if to say it was in real life. He knew it wasn't a just a dream.

"Sabr, Adyan, sabr. Crying won't help you find Hayfah, you have to man up, pray and strive hard to find her dear. Now-stand up and perform your ablution, I'm waiting for you," Mom patted his shoulder and lifted him up-with an encouraging smile on her lips.

He nodded his head and entered her bathroom, performed his ablution before he walked out. He said the adhaan and started praying, Mom sitted beside him saying her azhkars.

***

To take all the things off her mind, Hayfah walked downstairs after she prayed her her Subh salah. She started sweeping the living room and corridors, moped and arranged everything neatly-before she burnt a bakhoor in the living room.

After thinking of what to cook, she finally went to the kitchen and started making breakfast, a fleeting smile on her lips, as a thought roam through her mind.

She was halfway through the breakfast when the maid entered the kitchen stretching her body, stifling a yawn. "Good morning, Addah Hayfah,"she greeted, with a wide grin plastered on her lips.

Hayfah turned and flashed her a genuine smile, "Morning, Abida. Cut the Addah thing please, you're old enough to be my elder sister," Hayfah replied with a smile on her lips.

Abida nodded and walked towards the balcony, only to come gasping and smiling widely. "I hope you know you're an angel? You cleaned the whole house and you're making breakfast? Thank you so much, Hayfah," she beamed, hugging Hayfah enthusiastically.

Hayfah chuckled, what she saw on her face is worth the work. "Go and bathe, you'll be treated like a queen today, since it's a Saturday."

"Yanzu kuwa! Now!" And she scuttled off to her room, chanting Alhamdulillah, she was tired today.

Hayfah finished the breakfast and arranged the warmers on the dinning table. She made sure everything was cleaned and perfect before ascending to her room. She had a bathe and came down, meeting Maami and Rayhan sitted-with Abida probably telling them she wasn't the one that worked.

"Morning Addah Hayfah," Rayhan greeted, pecking her cheeks.

"Morning Rayhan. You seem Happy today, any thing I need to know?" Hayfah asked, as she sat beside her-greeting Maami.

"Maami said we're going to Dominos pizza for lunch, and cold stone-then to the park!" Rayhan squealed as she informed.

"Yes Hayfah, you need to take your mind off things. Have all today to yourself," Maami smiled lovingly as they dished on their breakfast—Hayfah's heart literally dancing with joy. She had never been to a park all her life.

They finished their breakfast and went to the garden, watered the flowers, and played there-Hayfah's mind wasn't fully on Rayhan, she had been thinking of the excuse she would make not to go to the company on Monday. It was soon 12noon, Rayhan forcefully dragged her inside the house, squealing.

They got ready in a swift. Hayfah wore a navy blue pencil jeans, with a sky blue top and wore a kimono on top. She rolled her medium make up-ed face as they walked down the staircases. They bid Maami adieu as she handed Hayfah her card.

They first went to Dominos, ate their pizza before leaving for the park-as Rayhan requested-it's better to have the ice cream when going back home.

Once in the park, Hayfah couldn't stop grinning, as Rayhan would drag her here and there. She was overwhelmed, the joy in her heart was filled to the brim, she had forgot all the choas in her heart. All her life revolves around the younger sister she never had. She giggled, swinging Rayhan on the swing, or when Rayhan would sprint off-all she could do was to ensue her; shouting her name, making the wind to sparse her veil off her neatly trimmed hair packed in a pony tail.

***

Their usual, whenever they had the free time, they would have a picnic in one of the parks in Abuja. Today wasn't an exception, as Mom even took it to be the best way to take Adyan off his thoughts. Thoughts that always brings tears to his eyes. She wouldn't want to imagine the pain in his heart.

He didn't objected when she suggested about having a picnic, all he did was nodded his head and excused himself to get ready. In a minute, Mom got the food basket ready as they made their way out of the house-Kassim grimacing his face about having a work to do-but Mom couldn't hear a word of it.

They entered the park, all faces holding a smile, as Mom's and Dad's hands were entwined, Kassim bearing the food basket, as Adyan held the carpet. He felt a gush of air wafting his face-a familiar scent filling his nostrils.

He shut his eyes close and darted them open just when a small lady ran towards him and hugged his legs so tight as if her life depends on him. "Uncleee, hide me please, we're playing hide and seek, and I don't want her to take a glimpse of me. She would control over me for a whole week," the girl panted, hugged his chest as he drooped down to her level.