A Promise From My Heart

Chapter Twenty

NOORIE'S POV

Mrs Khan's house was a little bungalow located in Maryland Lagos. It was small and cute. It had a small compound with a parking space enough for two cars. Along the high painted fences that were barred with electric wires, flowers were planted along the walls. The soil underneath them was still wet as if they had just been wet and water ran across the compound. In front of my Honda Pilot, her ford was parked.

I walked to the small veranda holding my clutch purse to my side as I opened the burglary. The burglary hinged when I closed it. I raised a hand to knock the metal door when the door opened and a smiling Mrs Khan popped out from behind the door.

Mrs Khan wore a sleeveless yellow flowing gown. Her hair, chocolate brown tumbled down her back. It stopped a little bit down the middle of her back and swayed at her movements. The length of her hair amazed me. I have seen long hairs on televisions but hers, it made me wonder if it was real.

"Noorie" she beamed pulling me into a hug. For a moment, I felt awkward but relaxed in her arms. "Wow you came just in time" she said in her thick British accent as we pulled away.

"Really?" I smiled at her.

"Come inside. Don't stand there like a stranger" she motioned me inside pulling my hands to follow her.

Her living room was cosy and homey with bright colours. It was vibrant and welcoming just like her. I settled down on the sofa placing my clutch purse on the arm rest. The living room smelt nice.

"Don't mind me. Don't mind me" Mrs Khan rushed into the living room holding a tray. I got up to collect it from her. "I was just pouring the apple juice inside the jug" I placed the tray on the glass occasional stool beside the sofa.

I stared at what was in the tray. There was a jug filled with juice, a white china bowl with samosas and the other china bowl had an orange curly thing I don't know. I gave it a distasteful look which I thought Mrs Khan noticed.

"Those are jalebis" she said laughing. "A Pakistani sweet treat" she sat down. "Sit down beti" I sat down. "They are sweets. Try them" she held one to my lips. I glanced at her then the jalebis before collecting it to chew. It was sweet. It tasted like fried sugar. Diabetes in disguise.

"Nice" I moaned.

"I knew you would like it" she clapped her hands together.

After a minute of silence, Mrs Khan gently took my hand into hers. Her gesture made my heart swell. I can't remember the last time someone held my hand like that, soft and compassionate.

"Noor thank you" she said, her voice soft.

"For what?" I asked clueless, my taste bud still sweetened from the jalebis. She chuckled softly.

"He spoke to someone willingly Noor. My nephew spoke after two years. You don't know how much that makes me elated. It is not that he does not speak but he has refused to have a very good conversation with anyone. And you came just for one day" her eyes bore into mine shimmering with tears. "He spoke to you" my heart began to beat as I gulped. "That is one good thing for me. Thank you" a tear slipped.

"Mrs Khan" I called my voice small.

"Don't call me Mrs Khan" she laughed wiping away her stray tear.

"What about aunt Sabr?"

"That is just perfect" she smiled a sad smile that reflected the melancholy in her honey wheat eyes. "Amir had watched his family die and it had shocked him to the bone and made him traumatized. I came down from London to be here with him. I tried to bring him out of it but I failed. My only option was the psychiatric hospital. I did not want to take him to a psychiatric hospital but I had to" she sighed. "Amir became distant. Sharon said it was because he does not feel secure about his surroundings, Noor" she squeezed my hand and looked at me. "I think you are the key to his recovery. Please help him"

I was speechless. I should help him? I should help this man I know nothing about. I just looked at her. Oh my God Amir! I met him twice and he began to revolve around me. What is going on? I gulped then nodded my head.

"Thank you. Thank you very much" she hugged me very tight. "I am so happy Noor" She held me tighter.

I don't know how it happened and when it happened. I knew right after aunt Sabr and I pulled away, we hit it off immediately. We chatted and laughed as if we had known each other for years. While we chatted, we drank juice and ate snacks. We watched a movie, criticized and praised it. She showed me her family's album. Her husband was a handsome man and she kept praising him and telling me how great and loving he was. Her eyes glinted as she spoke about him. Love, I thought. Aunt Sabr had three beautiful daughters, Mahira, Hooriyah and Zafreen.

Mahira, the eldest of the three, studied interior design at university of California, Los Angeles. Hooriyah studies psychological and behavioural science at University of Cambridge and Zafreen the youngest was a freshman at University of Cambridge studying law. I told her about my family and my mother being late.

"I am sorry" she looked at me sympathetically. I smiled.

"It is okay"

"May Allah grant her Jannah" she ran a soothing hand on my arm.

"Ameen"

After a while, I decided to leave. I had to meet Amir. My heart skipped at the thought of him. What the hell? That had been happening for the past few days. I placed a hand on my racing heart. After a goodbye and promising to meet again, I left.

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I ran a hand through my dishevelled thick hair, my bare feet grazing the cold tiled floor. Birds tweeted on the tree behind my balcony, singing into the beautiful morning. I walked into the cool morning breeze, the air calming. The sun was beginning to rise slowly from the soft clouds casting it warm rays into my room. I inhaled the morning air which gave me peace in my mind. A small smiled danced on my lips. Pulling my full hair to the back into a very messy bun which was loose, I settled down on the low stool in the balcony. It was a very peaceful morning. Smiling, I dipped the paint brush resting by the easel into the green paint beside me. I graced the white surface of the canvas with the brush, painting whatever had popped into my mind.

Painting was not just my hobby. It was also my peace, my joy and comfort. Painting was what I had taken from my mother. I was not just my mother's replica physically, I was her replica in almost every way. She loved painting, I loved painting. She loved gardening I loved gardening. Gardening was one of the things we did together when she was alive. Every time she wanted to paint, I would sit beside her and watch her graze the white surface of the canvas with her brush. The brush would fit her hand perfectly as if it had been made for her. She loved nature so she painted nature. It was either a valley or the sun setting or a flower or forest but each painting tells a story. It was her peace of mind. Every time she drew, she had always had a smile on her face.

I dropped the last paint brush and gazed at my work. I had drawn the woods. It was dark and scary. The moon was full but the branches of the large trees were canopy for the woods. I smelt fear in it. The floor of the woods was rough with rocks and pits. The trees had thorns on them including the climbing weeds. A blanket of fallen dried leaves carpeted the floor of the woods. I loved it.

"Sister Noor" I heard Raihana's voice.

"Raihana Assalamu alaikum" I greeted with a smile getting up to walk to her.

"Walaikum salam" she chirped walking towards me, a big smile on her face.

"Why are you here?" I asked stopping in front of her. She held my hands, her smile getting wider. She exhaled, her eyes twinkled with joy, her grip tighter on my hands.

"Today is Saturday Alhamdulillah. I thought it has been long since we had an outing together. You know sisters' day. I thought why don't we go out?" she said jumping and clapping.

I smiled. Raihana was the type who was hyper active. She had always been excited over any little thing. After mom's death, that part of her had disappeared and knowing that part of her was back, I felt a part of me come alive.

"Anything you want Tee, I am ready"

We call her Raihana or Taiwo or Tee, anyone was just okay by her while her twin was Kehinde, Kenny or Raihan.

"Really?" she shouted very excited. "I am so very happy" she gave me a bone crushing hug. "We shall visit Ikeja shopping mall and watch a movie at the cinema" she ranted. "I remember. I remember, the beach, elegushi or eleko. Yes, we will have this big popcorn and a nice chilling drink. What about KFC? I am so going to make a list today" she ranted drown in her excitement releasing my hand. I watched her walk to the balcony feeling so giddy.

"Yes, we should visit Zainab and Jamila. It's been long we visited them. Let's surprise them" she swirled around, her eyes wide with excitement and her breath hitched. "Subhanallah, this will be fun" she screamed jumping.

I smiled at how agitated she was. My family was happy again but they had forgotten something. They had forgotten the only witness to my mother's death was still in a psychiatric hospital and she can't remember anything. Anger crawled through my vein.

"You painted again this morning?" Raihana spoke. I turned towards her trying to control the anger beginning to grow in me.

"Yes, I did" I answered with a fake sweet smile. My real smile evaporated when I thought about my brother's wife.

She sat in front of the painting and studied it, her eyebrows knitted together in seriousness.

"Dark scary woods. I can smell fear and insecurity in it. The moon is full but it reflection had been obstructed by the branches of the trees forming a canopy over the woods" I walked up to her. "You are just like mom" she turned to look at me then back at the painting.

Her eyes that had sparkled with joy few minutes ago became clouded with sadness. The little smile on her face had lost its glow.

"You are her replica. You took almost everything from her, her smile, her laughter, her likes and dislikes. You took almost everything. There were times I would stare at you and see her in you" her voice was low and laced with sadness "She loved nature, painting and gardening. You also love nature, painting and gardening" she gazed up from the painting to look at me, her eyes glinted with unshed tears.

I stood frozen where I was. I did not know what to say or do.

"Mom would show her emotions through her paintings" she wiped the tears that wanted to fall and sniffled.

"Raihana" I moved towards her when a tear fell.

"I am fine" she held a hand up to stop me. "I don't know why the tears are falling" she wiped away more tears with a nervous laugh. "I should not spoil our mood this morning. We are planning to have a good day" she sniffled and wiped away her last tears as she walked to the door. My eyes followed her.

"Where is Kenny?"

"He left for school. He had to do some research for his project. It is not easy to be in your final year. We are final year students" she smiled, her hand on the door knob.

"Don't you have any research to do?"

"I have until Monday. I am an accounting student and he is a computer engineering student. We are offering different courses. When should we leave?"

"10:00am"

"Okay then, we shall meet at breakfast" she said and walked out.

I glanced at the painting one more time before retiring to the bathroom.

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"What are we doing here?" Raihana asked looking at our surroundings as I pulled the car into halt in the parking lot of the psychiatric hospital.

"I am here to see someone" I answered removing the seat belt. She did the same thing.

"Sister Amy?"

"No" I answered my voice sharp as I grabbed the KFC bag from the back seat.

"Who then?" she asked more curious.

"A friend and don't ask anything again" I said before she asked another question.

We walked silently to Amir's ward, our footsteps the only sound that was audible.

"You wait here" I said and entered Amir's ward.

"Amir" I called when I entered the empty ward.

My eyes darted around the room searching for him.

"Angel" I heard Amir's voice.

I turned around to see him walking out from the bathroom. My heart jumped at the sight of him walking up to me with a smile I had found very beautiful for the past few days.

"Amir" I called taking a step towards him.

"You have come to see me again" he said, his eyes glimmered with joy.

"Yes and I brought you this" I handed the bag to him.

"What is this?" he asked looking at the nylon then back at me.

"Check it" I said, my smile growing wider.

"Chicken" he beamed looking at the content of the bag.

"Yes, chicken"

He looked at me and my already beating heart drummed faster. He looked neat. When I had visited a week before, I had given him a haircut and shaved his long beard which was nothing more than stubble on his face. I had to give him the hair cut. I had no choice. I watched a YouTube video many times before trying it on a wig I bought. It was a risk that ended well. After giving him a transformation, he had looked different. I could not help myself but stared at him.

He has a well-defined face, bushy tapered eyebrows, the deepest gentle eyes I have ever seen, a well-defined nose and hard jaw. When his honey wheat eyes had bore into mine, my heart had done a lot of somersault. His smile had looked so beautiful with dimples which I noticed after shaving his beard. What I felt for Amir, I never understood. I knew it was different from what I have ever felt for someone else. I knew something was wrong somewhere but I could not just put a finger on it. I cared a lot for him. His happiness was my happiness. The day I had seen him wild, I had not had a peaceful night sleep. I was worried, worried to death. Why? I shuddered at my thoughts. This can't be happening.

The following day, I had come to the hospital to see him. I had spoken to him and convinced him to talk to Sharon. It had taken me hours. He began therapy and it was my joy. I do not know anything about his health progress but I knew he would get better even though it would take time. We grew closer. I visited him almost every day. We talked a lot. We told each other our likes and dislikes but one thing he never spoke of was his family. I would buy food or bring home made food. I got to know he was a linguist. He speaks Arabic, Yoruba, Urdu, and French which he is not yet very good at. He lives in London and that had brought a question to my mind. Why had his family come back to Nigeria? There were times he would stare at me for a while, no words only a smile and his eyes would flicker with emotions and I won't be able to stop my heart from flipping. I knew sooner or later, I would figure what that feeling was.

"Are you still doing your therapy?" I asked him moving away from him in a way he won't notice. Standing close to him gave me a feeling I don't know.

"Yes"

"Please Amir, you should do this for my sake even though it won't be for anyone" I gave him a pleading look.

"I shall do anything for you Hayati. Anything" he said. Hayati? Where did that come from?

When he said that, I do not know if he meant more than what he had said but it sounded like a promise in my ears.

"Okay, that's good. I will leave now"

"So early? You won't stay long"

"I am sorry I can't stay today. I have something to do"

"Alright"

"Bye Amir" I walked towards the door.

"Bye Angel" he answered waving at me.

I felt my heart drop leaving him alone but I pushed that feeling away. Such feeling should not be settling in my heart. I have other feelings like hatred to feel than to allow sadness into my heart.

"We are to see someone else" I said to Raihana who just gazed at me, an unknowing look in her eyes.

I took her to Sharon where I introduced Sharon to her and vice versa. I had told Sharon she is my sister. Sharon had said she knew because a little bit resemblance was there. I asked Sharon about Amir's health and she said he needs time. That time will tell and he is opening up to her not entirely but a bit and she is trying her best to help him. I was grateful. Hearing the little change in him made me want to cry. I am Noorie Abdullah. I don't cry for people easily except they mean a lot to me. Amir should not have that effect on me. He was just someone I just want to help and while away time while doing that. After a little and very brief conversation we took our leave.

"Who is he?" Raihana asked as we settle down inside the car.

I knew who she was talking about and I was not ready to tell any of my family members about him.

"Someone I am not ready to tell anyone about"

"His name his Amir, a nice name" she smiled. "You look different when you were with him" she said.

"You were peeping?" I gave her a stern look.

"No I wasn't. The door was slightly opened so I could see everything" she answered calmly. "You were just different with him" she shrugged. "Anyone would notice the sparkle in your eyes while you were with him. That sparkle was something I had not seen in those eyes since mom's death. You smile was genuine. You were happy around him" she said.

"Taiwo" I let out a heavy sigh looking at her. "It is best we don't talk about Amir. I will talk about him when I am ready but for now" I wore my sun glasses and turned back at the steering. "We should just enjoy our day" I started the ignition.

She said nothing as the car roared to life and I was glad. Whatever she had said, I tried pushing her words out of my mind and brain. I needed to enjoy my day which I did.