ACCEPTANCE (A Nigerian Love story)

22. HOSPITAL DATE.

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Chapter 22: Hospital Date

Hafsat's POV 

We went to one of the convenient stores in the hospital. There were alot of benches placed around the store so we sat on one. 

He bought snacks and drinks. I only took the drink. He ate the rest as we chat about few things. 

"You looked so happy in the morning. Any good news?" I asked after a while. 

"Nothing really. I was just in a good mood." He sipped his drink before he continued.

"You looked happy too even though you were kind of lost" he smiled and raised his eyebrows. 

This guy. 

"I don't know. I was probably just happy, seeing you happy" I replied and he choked on his snack. 

"Are you okay?" I asked and gave him a bottle of water which he gulped down. 

Did I surprise him? 

You see I never hide how I feel about things. I say what I feel, how I feel and when I feel. Does that makes sense? 

I don't do complicated. 

I prefer things simple. I'm blunt and out going. 

He finished the rest of his lunch in silence. 

We stood up to throw the bottles and other things in the garbage can. I saw Anisa passing by the on the opposite lane. She was looking at Ammar totally unaware of my presence beside him. 

"Thanks for having lunch with me." Ammar said after throwing the things in the garbage can. He was now backing Anisa. 

She finally noticed me. I knew she couldn't hear what we were saying but she was shooting daggers at me.

"You don't need to thank me" I replied. 

Knowing that Anisa was still looking at us, I took his hand and placed my hand in his. 

Ohh. She most be dying right now. 

I thought 

"Call me anytime you want to have lunch together" I said with extra affection and smile just for our dear audience. The girl that's obsessed with my husband.

Ammar looked around uncomfortably then removed his hand from mine and moved back. 

"Not allowed. Especially not in public. Hospital rules" he said. 

I knew hospital romance wasn't allowed but I only held his hand. 

Even holding hands is now a crime? 

I was disappointed even more when I turned and found Anisa laughing. She smirked at me and left. 

I was hurt. Not by Anisa but by Ammar. 

He acted like he was disgusted. 

Dr. Naseer showed up before we said anything more. 

"Hey Ammar. Did you have lunch without me?" He narrowed his eyes at Ammar. 

Ammar gave him a wide grin. 

"Oh. Was this a date?" He asked pointing from me to Ammar. 

I smiled. 

Was it a date? 

"I feel betrayed, I thought I was your hospital wife. You are cheating on me. I think I just got dumped." Dr. Naseer said dramatically clutching his chest and making a sad face. I chuckled at his little drama. 

I think we would get along. 

"You're a fool Naseer" Ammar commented laughing at his friend's little drama. 

"I'm going home." I said when they stopped laughing. 

"Okay. Bye. Ammar walk her to her car" Dr. Naseer suggested. 

"No. I'm fine. Bye" I waved at them and left. 

" You should see her off" I heard Dr. Naseer say as I walked away. 

I wasn't sad that he didn't see me off. But I wish he did. 

I saw a figure leaning by my car when I approached it. I almost swore it was Ammar but I left him behind. 

When I reached the car he stood up straight and I noticed that it was was Ammar. 

"What took you so long?" He grunted. 

I looked at the path I followed then looked at him. 

"How did you get here? I left you behind" I asked confused as I used my thumb to point behind me over my shoulder. 

"Because I have longer legs. And why did you follow the long path when there is a short cut?" He said as he opened the door for me. 

"Oh" I said in understanding 

I got into the drive's seat then he closed the door carefully. 

He moved back a little and looked through the window, placing his hands there. 

"Goodbye. Take care." He smiled and my heart skipped a beat as his cute dimples appeared. 

I could count the number of times I've seen his dimples. He looks so cute with them. 

"Alright. You too. See you tomorrow insha Allah" I managed to reply with a smile. I started the engine.

He stepped away from the car and waved.

"Insha Allah. Drive safe" 

I waved back then drove away. I watched him through the side view mirror till I took a turn and he disappeared. 

Ammar has been changing. His behaviour towards me is improving drastically compared to our first two months. 

He is still quite slow but he's moving at his own speed. I'm just happy and glad that we are having positive changes. 

I reached home and carefully parked my car behind Abba's BMW. I remember I didn't speak to Abba since he returned to Lagos on Monday. I decided to w******p him and I know he will reply instantly if he's not too busy. 

Abba and I became really close through w******p. He is one of the reasons why I didn't die of frustration because of Ammar. He is my back bone in this house. Sometimes I would be laughing while chatting with Abba and Ammar would be eyeing me suspiciously. I never told him it was Abba. I will patiently wait for the day his curiosity ends and his jealousy flares up. 

Then I will laugh at him and tell him it was his father all along. 

Abba replied my massage instantly and we chatted for a bit before he said goodbye and I stepped out of the car.

I looked at the building carefully. Abba once told me that the actual designer of his house was my father. My father, Baba and Ammar's father, Abba went to the same university but had different courses. Baba was an architecture student while Abba was a business Administration student and ahead of Baba with a year. 

Nonetheless, they were still friends. Abba told me the story of how he got it from Baba. 

Baba was making a rough sketch of a house when Abba came in looking for him. They had a little chat and Abba told him he liked his drawing. So Baba offered to sell it to him. 

It was a joke but Abba thought it was beautiful and he likes it so he asked Baba how much. Baba playfully said a plate of rice and stew with plantain for lunch, soft drink and 5 Naira because he had somewhere he wants to go. Abba didn't hesitate to give him the 5 naira and he took him out for lunch. 

He explained that the building would look like its three floors from the inside but if you look carefully from the outside you would see that its actually only two floors.

There is no second floor above the main parlour, that's where the third floor is. It's a kind of maths I still don't understand though. 

Anyways, Abba said when he finally had the money to build his own house he looked for Baba but couldn't find him. He used his design anyways. He said he really liked my father. That gave me so much joy.

I finally walked into the house.

I heard voices coming from the kitchen so I walked straight there. I said my salam and they all answered simultaneously. 

"Hafsat, which snack can you make best?" Ahmad asked as he fried his egg. 

Why is he home early? 

I looked around the kitchen and noticed the crates of eggs, bags of flour and sugar and a bucket of butter all sitting on the working surface. 

"Hmmm. I can make doughnuts, cakes, meatpie ....uhmmm shawarma, pizza and other weird named snacks." I answered his question. 

"What are all these for?" I asked Ammi that was standing beside me.

"We are making snacks tomorrow insha Allah" she answered 

"Ahmad wallahi if you don't leave this kitchen this instant I'm going to..." Mummy started warning Ahmad but he hugged her before she could finish.

"Mummy na (my mummy)" he pouted. 

"Move away" she pushed him off her and hit his shoulder. She tried to put on a poker face but failed after Ahmad batted his eyes at her and grinned widely. 

"Hafsat please help me find a wife for this boy. He's becoming a pest." We all laughed at Mummy's request. While Ahmad groaned. 

Ahmad is carefree. I've never seen Ammar act like this with his mum. I've never seen him acting cute or pouting. Seeing that would be priceless. 

Ahmad served his now fried egg on a plate, he grabbed a bread loaf and sat on the island stool to eat. 

"Why is he home early today?" Zainab asked no one in particular. 

"That's what I'm saying" Ammi sighed. 

"But Hafsat do you know you look very familiar like I've seen you before" He asked me ignoring all of them. 

"I don't know, have we?"

"Hafsat has not been a Nigeria in like forever so I doubt you've ever met her." Zainab answered . 

"Ahmad dear, please we are working here. Can you go to the parlor and eat?" Ammi asked him sweetly. He gladly took his tray of food and reached for for the door but decided to comment before he stepped out. 

"The women in this house are totally against me." He said and finally left. 

Zainab and I laughed while mummy shook her head in disapproval. 

"I will go up and shower. I smell like a weird antibiotic today" I said and left for my room. 

Later in the evening Zainab and I cleaned Safiya and Sakina's room as they would be coming back tomorrow. 

Aisha and Auwal came back from the relatives they went to visit and we skyped with Amrah. Her UmmulKalthum had gown bigger and was smiling all through our Skype session while she tried to hit the computer screen. 

After Isha prayer Ahmad took all of us out for ice-cream. 

I had to ask Ammar permission to go out. I didn't really have to because he said I could go out anytime except at night unless it's with family. 

But why should I skip a chance to call and talk to him. So I called and he picked after just two rings  almsot like he was waiting for my call.