Sixteen
1075 Words
Murtala headed for the door and stopped in his tracks to look at his sister who was still spinning on his chair "Let's go before I change my mind"
I should've just stayed in the masjid, all this wouldn't have happened. He thought.
"Why so grumpy yaya?" She mentally rolled her eyes and reluctantly got up from the chair, snatching her purse from the table on her way out. The door opened before they got to it, Nadine's head popped in "Assalamu'alaikum" she greeted before fully entering the office.
"Ms.Nadine" Zahra called in awe.
"Oh my God! Zahra" they engulfed each other in a short hug, Nadine retracted with both hands still resting on Zahras arms. She looked at her, amazed at how grown up she was looking "Last time I saw you was..." She trailed off.
"Okay, what is going on here?" Murtala asked whilst looking at the duo in confusion.
"She's Fadil and Fadilas cousin" Zahra beamed at him. Murtala mouthed an 'O' "We were just going for lunch do you want to join us?" she added.
"Of course, let me just get my wallet"
"Oh don't worry about that, yaya's paying" The two girls laughed in unison as they headed out leaving Murtala feeling oppressed and defeated.
"This is so not fair" he muttered to himself.
"Zahra, you go with your beloved Andrew and I'll meet you there" Murtala said holding open the door of his car. Zahra gave him a knowing look, the last time he said that she found herself paying for all the shoes she bought.
"Yaya" she cooed.
"What? I'll be driving right behind you jor"
"I'll make sure of that" Nadine chirped in. Zahra looked at Nadine then back at her brother, she knew how cunning he could be.
"Fine" she turned to Andrew "let's go"
"Why are you so quiet?" Murtala asked Nadine, they'd been in the car for almost five minutes and she hadn't said a word which was unlike her.
"You're not by any chance Murtala Sahabi Kamba are you?"
"Well yeah, he's my stepfather"
"Wow. Okay"
"Why?"
"Its nothing important" she turned to the window. The rest of the drive was silent except for the low classical music coming from the radio.
***
"Are you ready to order?" The waitress returned a few minutes after handing them their menus, her welcoming smile still clinging onto her lips. Zahra looked at her brother with a big grin plastered to her face.
"Why are you looking at me?" He tried to maintain a poker face but failed at the sight of Zahra wiggling her eyebrows "Just place your order" he finished.
"I'll have the chocolate waffle with blueberry and banana toppings please" she smiled at the waitress who was jotting down her order on a memo "Would you like a drink to go with that?" Zahra quickly scanned through the listed drinks on the menu "A medium cup of lemonade"
"How about you ma'am" The waitress turned to Nadine who was staring blankly at nothing in particular as she swung the menu in her hand.
"Nadine" Murtala waved his hand in her face getting her out of her trance "Huh?"
"What would you like to eat?"
"Umm I'll have the red velvet waffle with strawberry topping and chocolate syrup and the strawberry smoothie" Nadine ordered quickly and zoned back out.
"For you sir?
"Just the regular waffle and some maple syrup with a small cup of lemonade" the waitress finished noting down their orders and left smiling. They ate with Murtala and Zahra chatting most of the time, Zahra annoying the life of her brother by taking pictures of him and Nadine keeping mute, smiling and talking only when necessary.
"You're the best" Zahra crashed into her brother giving him a rib cracking hug.
"I know" a smug smirk appeared on his face as he returned the favour making her wince a little. He raised his arm to eye level to check the time on his wristwatch "we should get back to work now" he retracted from the hug with his arm draped on her shoulder "I'll see you at home" he kissed her forehead and lead her to the car where he opened the door for her, waited for her to get in and closed the door before walking back to his car where he found Nadine already seated in the passengers seat.
✊✊✊
Maryam sat cross legged in her living room dialling her husbands phone again, they had not spoken since the day before and it was already three p.m. She sighed and turned on the TV to pass time.
"This just in, there has been a failed attempt to assassinate the former vice president Sahabi Kamba in Imo state during his campaign speech" Maryam got on her feet with her wide eyes glued to the TV screen "Our sources say there are no casualties and there was a narrow escape as the bullet hit the podium instead of the suspected target"
"Innalillahi was inna ilayhir raju'un!" She exclaimed and picked up her phone with shaky hands continuously dialling her husbands line which kept going directly to voicemail. She tossed her phone on the couch and began pacing to and fro in front of the television, biting on her nails like her life depended on it. She swallowed hard at the repeat of the news on the TV.
"Keh (You)" she called out to a maid passing, her head too clogged to remember the maids name "Get me Jibrin" she stuttered, the maid nodded in affirmation and jogged outside to find him.
"Salam Ma, you sent for me"
"Wa'alaikumus salam. Who are the bodyguards with your Oga?"
"He's with Demola, Umar, Femi and Power"
"Contact one of them for me" he nodded Maryam sat back down with her head rested against the chair massaging her temples with her right hand as she waited for a reply from Jibrin.
"Madam I got Umar" Jibrin passed the phone to Maryam "Wa'alaikumus salam Umar let me speak with your boss please"
"He has asked everyone to stay out, he wants no disturbance Ma"
"Are you insane?" She yelled with a shaky voice "I want to speak with my husband immediately or by Allah I'll have you fired" she heaved in annoyance, her airways chocked with tears.
"I'm very sorry ma, I'll hand the phone to him right away
" Hello? Baban Ummi?"
xoxo hairanumar
- Writer
