Nabeel couldn't help but reciprocate Ayyah's wide smile as he greeted her with the salaam. It warmed his heart to see her out of her bedroom and in the sitting room since she hardly ever left the confines of her room. Seeing her up and about was more than he could have hoped for.
"Someone is feeling better," he started to say as he approached her.
"Yayah Nabeel" a voice from behind interrupted him. It was Zahra. Nabeel's smile quickly faded, replaced with a forced one as he turned around, masking his frown.
"Zahra!" he exclaimed, feigning surprise. "When did you come? I had no idea you were coming." He hurriedly took a seat next to Ayyah, her contagious smile providing some solace.
If Nabeel had known about their arrival, he would have whisked Ayyah away to a secluded place, anywhere to keep her hidden. It wasn't that he had anything against Zahra, but whenever his mother's sister (Zahra's mother) visited, things never ended well. And Nabeel knew that Zahra hardly ever came alone, so he assumed her mother would be somewhere in the house.
"Where is Auntie?" Nabeel asked, seeking to confirm his assumption. Zahra replied, pointing towards the stairs, "She's napping."
To what do we owe this pleasure?" He asked Deep down, hoping that Zahra would spill some information about her mother's intentions.
Zahra's gaze shifted towards Ayyah before returning to Nabeel. Lowering her voice, she whispered, "Uncle Mo is planning on sending Ayyah back to that house." She paused, carefully observing Nabeel's reaction. "Your dad has been frequenting Abuja to see Uncle Mo. They are planning on forcing her back," she informed, widening her eyes to convey the seriousness of the matter.
"And what exactly is Auntie here to do?" Nabeel asked, his expression unchanged by the information.
"To take Ayyah home with her, of course," Zahra replied, rolling her eyes. "She said they have to go through her first before Ayyah goes back to that house," she added, reclining in the chair she was sitting on.
Nabeel couldn't help but feel a surge of anger towards his aunt. How could she have the audacity to forget that she was the reason for all their troubles? Now, after all this time, she suddenly remembered she had a sister? He couldn't even bear to think about it. His eyes turned red with rage he had bottled up a lot and he had silently endured so much because of Ayyah's wishes. But one thing was for certain - nobody was taking Ayyah anywhere, not his father, and certainly not his aunt.
~°~
If Salame thought she was going crazy before, she was even more unhinged now. Mr. Kunle had finally made good on his promise and suspended her indefinitely. Now she was stranded at home, broke and depressed, anxiously awaiting her father's return.
Deep down, she knew that all she had to do was apologize and reclaim her job. However, she wasn't about to give Mr. Kunle the satisfaction. After all, her friend's mother owned the place, so technically it was their establishment.That's the story she tells herself, conveniently ignoring the fact that none of her so-called "rich" friends had bothered to contact her, except for Ruma. It was frustrating to see that, despite being absent from social media for several days, which was unlike her only Ruma reached out.
She desperately needed to get out of the house and go anywhere, even if she had to walk there. She felt a need for fresh air, to escape the suffocating atmosphere that surrounded her. The walls felt like they were closing in, and she longed to breathe freely again.
She hurriedly took a quick shower and dressed in a brown abaya. She rolled her veil and secured it with a pin, making sure it was in place. With determination in her eyes, she made her way to Iya's room to ask for permission.
"Can I please go to Ruma's?" Salame asked, half-expecting Iya to decline. To her surprise, Iya's response was different this time.
"Don't stay long," came Iya's voice.
It surprised Iya that she bothered to ask for permission when she knew there was a fifty percent chance she might say no. Usually, she just disappeared without a word.
"Thank you," Salame smiled, a genuine expression of gratitude appearing on her face for the first time in days.
She almost reached the door when Iya called her, and she couldn't help but feel a surge of anxiety. Maybe Iya had changed her mind.
"Do you have transport?" Iya asked with a soft voice. Salame replied with a nod of her head, indicating that she had none. to her surprise, Iya handed her a one thousand naira note.
"Make sure you are home before four," she warned. "And I will call Ruma's mother to make sure you are there."
Salame felt a mix of gratitude and confusion. It was unusual for Iya to show concern or provide any form of support. With a sense of cautious optimism, she thanked Iya once again and left the room.
She wanted to borrow Iya's phone and dial Ruma to let her know she was coming. However, she decided against it and instead sent Ruma a beep and waited outside for her to call back . A few minutes later, Salame's phone began to ring, and she quickly picked it up.
"Hey, are you home? I'm coming over," she went straight to the point.
"Am home, but we're going out with Mama now. Is everything alright? Your voice sounds dull," Ruma asked, concerned. Ruma was the type of friend who would be there for you without questions.
"I'm alright," Salame lied, trying to sound convincing. "Are you going to be long? I've already got permission and I'm already out."
"I don't think so. Come and wait for me at home then," Ruma replied, showing her concern.
"No, I'll just go to a cafe and wait there," Ayyah declined. "Okay, I'll meet you there when I'm done".
"Iya might call Mama," she informed.
"Don't worry, will cover for you. Bye," Ruma said before hanging up.
Salame sighed and hailed a keke. She quickly gave the driver the directions to a cafe she knew near her workplace. As the taxi raced through the busy streets, Salame anxiously tapped her fingers on her leg, feeling excited. It felt good to be out of the house . The taxi came to a halt in front of the cafe, and Salame paid the driver before stepping out onto the bustling sidewalk. She took a deep breath, pushed open the door of the cafe, and walked in, ready to wait and see what the day had in store for her.
He needed to stay away from the house to avoid confronting his aunt. Allah knows that woman always gets to his very last nerve by simply just being there. She had destroyed everything he ever had, so he wasn't about to let her take the one person that kept him going. He decided to take a walk to clear his head, and that's when he spotted her in a cafe alone, looking bleak. Pushing the door, he decided to join her.
"We meet again, Miss Salma," he said, standing over her with that familiar smile across his face. She looked up at him, holding his gaze, unable to look away. For some reason, she felt butterflies in her stomach.
"Can I sit?" he asked, sensing that she wasn't going to say anything. She dignified his request with a nod of her head.