Chapter 3 – Manal

Last week was tragic, I had a very piercing headache which landed me into the hospital. Actually, it was said to be stress according to the doctor for I had undergone so many tests and even x-ray but nothing bad was detected.

"Hajiya, when are we going back home?" I asked so eager to see myself out of the ward.

"The doctor said you need enough rest" She said with a smile that couldn't be quenched by a dictator. "But I heard Salim's friend, Idris saying it's tomorrow or next tomorrow" She added and that reminded me of the tall dark guy in white lab coat that had always been around us. I heard Ya Salim met him here.

"Is he a doctor too?" I asked absentmindedly.

"No, he's a pharmacist" She said as she handed a sugarless cup of tea to me. "Take it, please..."

"Thank you, Hajiya" I said collecting the cup from her. "I want us to go back home because I am tired of seeing us in here, plus Ya Hauwa needs to rest. Seeing her coming over everyday makes me feel somehow. She needs to rest..."

"Yes Manal, and we all would!" Ya Salim said with a smile as he walked towards us. "The doctor has discharged us already, here is the discharge summary" He handed the paper to Hajiya and, she was happy too because she was also tired of the hospital but just pretending.

"Ma Shaa Allah" She said.

We waited for my last drip to finish dripping before we went home. I was expecting the pharmacist guy to show up but he didn't. I heard he was only seen in the night, well I just wanted to thank him for his care. He had bought lot of things to us. Suya every night!

"Oyoyo, Manal" Ya Hauwa ran to me and gave me a lit hug with her bump. "Welcome back!"

"Thank you, Ya Hauwa" I smiled at her.

"Come, let me escort you to your room. You need to rest before lunch" She winked at me.

"But I'm fine already" I tried to protest.

"Says someone who appeared healthy a week ago only to faint in her room later on" She said walking me to the guest room. She was no fun!

Thinking if my parents knew about what had happened to me? Well, I didn't want them to know and same as everyone else lest they ask me to return home. My father was a firebrand.

"Should I on the fan?" Ya Hauwa asked.

"Yes, low pace please" I said laying on the bed.

"Alright" She turned on the fan and just as she was about leaving the room I called her name. "Yes, do you need anything more?" She said.

"Not really" I gulped and continued. "I... I just want to ask about that pharmacist guy, Idris"

"Oh, him?" She heaved a sigh with one of her arms akimbo. "What do you want to know?"

"I want to know about..." I was saying halfway when something told me to just forget about it. "We... we will talk some other time, I'm sleepy"

"I think I told you, you need to rest" She said.

"Yeah!" I crooked a smile and shut my eyes off. 

"Better" She said and left. 

Hence, I opened my eyes and heaved a sigh. Idris was his name and he was a pharmacist in the hospital, one thing I wanted to ask was about his relationship status. Was he married? 

He looked lonely...