A Promise From My Heart

Chapter Six

Hours passed, she was still asleep. She needed it. I just rounded up my work, said my prayers and headed down for dinner. Nobody was present at the dining room when I arrived. The maids were still setting the table. I decided to join my family in the living room. I said my Salam which they all replied to. I kissed my grandma on her forehead. Raihan and dad were not present. I was sure Raihan was busy with video game in his room and dad should probably be in his room. Raihana was seated opposite Grandma reading a novel while Noor was fiddling with her phone pretending not to acknowledge my presence. I really do not know what to do with the girl? I slumped beside Raihana collecting the novel she was reading

"Kai brother Yusuf, you can't just do that" she tried collecting the novel from my hand but I raised it higher above my head. "Stop it now. Abeg give me my book joor" she whined. She tried collecting it. I pinned her down with a hand. "You are so powerful. What have you being eating?" she struggled letting out a fake cry. I laughed.

"The other daughter" I read out the title of the novel. How many times will she read this novel?

"Abeg, make una leave me alone o and give me back my novel" she begged.

"How many times will you read this novel?" I handed over the book to her which she collected excitedly.

"I can read it a million times" she began to search for where she stopped.

"Where is dad?" I asked.

"He should be in his room" she answered absent minded.

I went to meet dad in his room. He was seated on his rocking chair rocking back and forth staring at the moonless sky through the French door of his room. His long finger like mine drummed the arm of the seat. After mom's death, he had been silence. He hardly talks. He talks when he needs to and not when he wants to.

"Dad" I called him.

He stopped rocking the chair and finger halted. I headed into the room closing the door behind me. He got up. He turned his tall to me, his shoulders slumped. I could see the lines of tiredness on his face and the lines of old age beside his eyes.

"Adeniyi" he called my Yoruba name, his voice was weary and coarse. I walked up to him and greeted him by prostrating. He gestured me to the cushion in his room. "I want to tell you something" he said which made me move on my seat.

"It's about Noor" He began and my heart skipped a bit for no reason. "After your mother's death, I know I have not been the active father you used to have. I have tried my best to be normal and be the father you all knew me to be but I can't. It just gets harder the more I try. You have tried so well since your mother's death. Taking care of Amatullah, tolerating Noor's foul behaviour and taking care of this family, son you have really done well" his voice was rough.

To say I was surprise was an understatement. I never knew that for the past eight months, father has been observant just that he was weakened by mom's death. I was also curious about what he wanted to say about Noor. I glanced at him. His eyes were red with emotions. "Did you notice any change in Noor?"

"What change?" my eyebrows furrowed together.

"You did not notice the way she does these days?"

"Not at all"

"I think Noor......" there was a loud bang on the door before he could complete his sentence.

"Brother Yusuf, please come out now! Sister Noor just fainted" Raihana's scared and anxious voice came through the door. She pounded the door.

Fainted? I looked at father. Alarmed, I got up and ran to the door. I followed her to the living room where Noor laid unconscious on the floor. My grandmother and siblings crowded her. I found my way through them.

"Noor, what's wrong with her?" I held her up close to my chest. "Noor" I called her name as I tapped her cheeks gently trying to wake her up. My heart hammered.

"Ahhhh, Doyinsola mi. E bami gbe. Yeeeee, ki lo se" My grandmother wailed.

My grandma ordered a maid to bring water. I sprinkled the water on her face tapping her gently but there was no movement. I tapped her again calling her name and shaking her but her response was still the same.

"Noor!!!" I shouted shaking her, my eyes almost brimming with tears.

"Noor" I heard dad as he crouched beside us. "Noorie" together we shook her. I tapped her cheeks. "Lift her up we should carry her to the hospital" As I lifted her up, she gave off a faint cough. I looked at her worried, her eyes fluttered open gently as she let out another cough. That was when I noticed how tired she looked. She looked frail like she would break so easily. Her eyed bore into mine and I felt relieved looking at her. Quietly, I carried her to her room, grandma, dad and the twins followed me. I helped her into bed.

"You need to see the doctor. I will call the family doctor" I said. Grandma sat beside her with worry on her face. She kept stroking her head gently.

"I am perfectly fine" She said coldly before turning to the other side of the bed.

"You just fainted making everybody worried and you are saying you are okay"

"Doyinsola dear, please meet the doctor" my grandmother pleaded in her usual gentle voice.

"I am fine grandma"

"You are not fine Noor" Dad spoke.

"Noor, it best if I call the doctor" I pestered.

"Just leave me alone. I am okay" she shouted. Her response actually angered me a bit but I tried to still be calm.

"You will not like to go to bed with an empty stomach. I will send a maid with your food"

"I am not hungry"

"Noor, please eat something" Dad begged.

"I am perfectly okay" she turned around to face the wall.

"Doyinsola oko mi. Jo, eat something" Grandma begged.

"I will still send your food" I walked out of the room.

I let out a shaking breathe after I closed the door. It was not easy trying to act calm with her foul behaviour. Loosing appetite for dinner, I walked to my room. I noticed Amatullah was not in bed when I entered neither was she in the room. I heard the sound of the shower coming from the bathroom. I wondered how long she has woken up. The shower stopped then there was silence for a while and she stepped out of the bathroom in a white bath robe and a white towel wrapped around her head, water dripping from the strands of hair hanging loose underneath her towel. She smiled at me, a radiant smile.

"You are back" she said walking up to me.

"Yeah" I answered sitting on the bed.

"I thought I heard some commotion down" she sat beside me. She smelt of jasmine and rose.

"Noorie fainted" I ran a hand through my face. She gasped.

"How is she feeling?" She asked curiously placing a hand on my back.

"She said she is okay and I should not bother calling the doctor but I will" I heard her get up beside me.

"Take" I turned towards her to see her giving me my phone.

"You look upset. Any problem?" She moved closer to me placing a hand on my shoulder. I relaxed at her touch, some tension escaped from me.

"Father wanted to tell me something but he could not" I unlocked my phone and began to scroll through my contacts. I did not bother to continue because I was not in the mood to talk.

What father wanted to tell me had really left me curious and worried. Noor's little show had worsened my curiosity. Amatullah studied my mood. As if she understood I was not ready to talk, she got up and went to get dressed. I called the doctor and she promised to be here as soon as she can.