A LOVE LIKE PHOENIX

CHAPTER SIX

THE SETTING IS MURTALA MUHAMMAD HOSPITAL, KANO STATE

Maira has been having this foreboding feeling ever since she woke up this morning, whether it was because of the last night’s event, and by event, she meant what Zayyad said and did to her, or it was because of her poor state of health she could never tell. Speaking about Zayyad she would muster all of her courage to confront him, she does not understand what is going on, why does he keep treating her like this of recent? She deserves an explanation as to what was going on.

Her doctor’s appointment was for 10:00am, and she was dressed and was waiting for her mother in the car with the driver, she thought about her other engagements especially the one with Hajiya Rayhana the CEO of turarenwutabyray to get her wonderful traditional incense, also she has a delivery to pick up at the bus terminal later in the day, and she also have an appointment with Hajia Balgaya in her Kano Office to pick up her suhuma (aphrodisiac) products which are essential especially for ladies in the North who are about to get married. In all, she is not feeling too enthusiastic about the wedding particularly ever since Zayyad sprouted his new behaivour, could it be the influence of a new friend or was he overworked? Ya salaam, she thought and subconsciously let out a sigh.

“What is it my dear?” Hajia Mardiya asked concernedly

“Nothing Ummah, I was just thinking about my schedule for the day” she said

“Maira, you are losing weight, see dark circles all around your eyes, are you okay?” her mother was concerned, her daughter has been absentminded in the house, of recent, she noticed, she has withdrawn from the members of the house, when asked she says nothing or just gives a short answer that does not even tally with the questions asked at all. Hajia Mardiya was concerned about the physical and mental health of child, she was in the know of what was happening regarding her physical health, but her mental health she is not aware, what can she do?

“It’s nothing really Ummah, I am just thinking about the life that lies ahead of me” she said

“Are you sure? Are you sure that this is not because of Zayyad?” her mother asked

“I knew you waited for him yesterday, and he did not come, is all well between you two?”She asked

“Nothing Ummah, maybe he was overworked” Maira responded, she tried so hard to conceal the worries in her voice. It will come to an end today, by the special grace of God, she too was tired afterall.

“I will not be following you down to the hospital, I need to see Hamza, the tailor so that he will not disappoint, I trust that you will be in good hands as Dr. Mukaddas is around so also is Zayyad, in addition my dear, whatever the issue is I know that it is something that can be sorted with communication, talk to him okay. I will see you when I get home in shaa Allah” she said as he got off the vehicle

Maira sighed, she abhorred meeting Zayyad this morning, but she knew that it had to be done.

“Let us go Mal. Iliyasu, Dr. Mukaddas does not like to be kept waiting” she said

When Maira got to the hospital she was informed that Dr. Zayyad (her fiance) was transferred from the Cardiology department to Physiotherapy department, she was not expecting that, so she resolved to visit him in his new department which he had transferred to without informing her, that was strange she thought to herself.

During the medical check-up, Dr. Mukaddas noticed that her Blood Pressure was slightly higher than the recommended amount and prescribed some medication after enquiring from her if she has been doing anything lately that affects her health, which as to be expected, she answered in the negative.

“Your Husband has changed his department, Amariya” he said to her “the decision was so abrupt, and no one was expecting it, did he talk to you about it?” he asked her

“Yes, he mentioned something about changing his department” she answered half-heartedly, oh god! She cried inside, for how long will she keep up with this?

“I am still surprised though, because he knows that I am going on my annual leave next month, and no other doctor qualifies to treat my patient or is familiar with their medical record like him and he went on with his decision…..” he went on, the rest of his words were just drifting in her ears. So Zayyad knew that his boss was going on leave yet he left the department “… I hope he knows what he is doing” Dr. Mukaddas ended

“I hope he does too” she said

Immediately after she left the ward, a heavy down-pour ensued and chill ran down her spine, crazy stuffs always happens to her whenever she goes out and it rains, “Ya Allah I am begging you please help me, I do not think that I can endure anything right now as it is” she silently prayed as she headed to the Physiotherapy department, the rain had stopped now, but she needed to hurry otherwise she will be dripping wet by the time she gets to the department.

“Good Morning Miss” she said with a smile on her face as she spoke to the first Nurse she met, “please I am looking for a certain Dr. Zayyad who was just transferred to this department from Cardiology Department”.

“Oh Dr. Zayyad’s office is the 2nd to the last office on the left side of this corridor” the Nurse whose name tag read, Khadijah Zubair described the office to her, just as she started walking in the direction of the office her phone rang, and she saw that it was the driver her consignment was sent with from Kaduna, that was calling to inform her that her stuffs have arrived and is available for her to pick up in the garage, as the goods will not be delivered to anyone else other than recipient whose name is written on the package. She had no other choice than to go and pick up the package, as it was sent in her name and phone number.

“Err, Miss Zainab, please what time do you close in this department?”

“Regular staffs close by 4:00pm, but newly recruited staffs or newly transferred staffs close by 9:00pm” Zainab answered her.

She checked her phone to see the time and it was 11:48am, Naibawa Park is a bit far from the hospital, and Kano traffic can be so unpredictable, but she needed to pick up this package, she resolved to pick it up and return to the hospital, she was certain that she would be done before 9:00pm, this unfinished business cannot be dispensed with neither can it be postponed. I’ll be back Dr. Zayyadshe said internally.

The rain showed no signs of slowing down as they navigated through Kano traffic, the hold-up was bad enough and she advised Mal. Iliyasu to park least they get involved in a motor accident due to the poor weather and the impatience of auto cycle and tri-cycle drivers, after he found a safe spot to park, she brought out her phone to call her mother, to update her about the recent development, as soon as she assure her mother that she was safe and fine, she hung up, she tried calling Zayyad again, it rang and he didn’t pick the call, whatever the case is today is the day it will end, so he wasn’t even bothered to enquire about her checkup and he even changed his department before their wedding, “what could this mean?” she thought to herself.

It was 2:48pm now and the rain had eased, they slowly joined the traffic and moved at a snail’s pace, the driver kept on calling and threatening to go back to Kaduna with the parcel, she kept on pleading with him to give her more time, at a certain point in time she had to give her Mum the driver’s number to plead with him, before he finally relented, she finally got to the park around 4:30pm, after negotiating and vehemently pleading with the driver, because he kept on insisting that she pays #15,000.00 for wasting his precious time, despite Mal. Iliyasu’s plea the man finally agreed to accept #10,000.00 from her, before giving her the package. As soon as, Mal. Iliyasu secured the package in the boot of the car, he drove off, while muttering Allah ya isa, the hold-up was just as bad as when they were going to the park, the both traffic were held in a gridlock and they moved at a snail pace.

Mairah had given up on seeing Zayyad today, because he was exhausted from sitting in the car all day long and she felt that even if she saw him she was sure that nothing productive would be said between them, but her gut kept convincing her that she needed to see him today

“Mal. Illyasu don’t forget I am not done at the hospital, I need to see Zayyad” she said to him

“Okay Hajiya” he answered

“But before then, when you get to Land&kitchen restaurant, we should get some food, we haven’t had anything all day” she added

“Okay Hajiya” he said with a smile

After their late lunch, they were enroute to the hospital, she brought out her phone from her bag to check if she missed any call, but the phone was dead and she did not bring her charger with her, once again she felt like going home but that was when Mal. Illyasu brought her attention to the fact that they have arrived at the hospital. It had started raining again.

As she rounded the corner to his office, she hastened her steps to quickly get into his office as the rain was getting heavier and the corridor was void of roofing, and the surrounding was void of people, it was getting darker

“Assalamu alaik….” She said as she stopped abruptly, a chill ran down her spine not because of the cold she is feeling from the rain or the cold air blasting from the A.C. in the office but the because of the image splayed before her eyes.