Chapter 9 – Manal

"Drive carefully" Idris said to me and all I could do was to nod my head. I was so shy.

We drove back home safely and as soon as I pulled over in the compound, I spotted a card in the back seat through the rearview mirror. It was so weird, the place was empty before. Maybe I should ask Hilwah, it might just be hers. I mulled over and just as I was about asking her whose it was, she had already alighted from the car. So, I picked the card and found out it belonged to Idris, the pharmacist guy.

How on earth did it got into the car? I thought as I alighted from the car. "Hilwah, come o!" I said not knowing she had already stormed into the flat. I hastily followed her and showed her the card. "I found Idris' card in the back seat..."

"So?" She rose a brow.

"Were you the one that put it there?" I asked.

"No, it was him and I saw him" She responded.

"But, why would he do that?" I was curious.

"Because he wants you to have his contact" She said as she opened her laptop and switched it on. "Just save the number and call him, okey?"

"Call him?" I pretended as if I didn't like the idea. "How on earth do you expect me to do that, Hilwah? Kindly take back your ill idea"

"Hmm, pretender!" She teased me.

"Oh please, you're no fun!" I uttered as I flung the card away in the floor and left the room.

Ya Salim and Ya Hauwa were in their room so I went there to disturb them. I so much loved interrupting their romantic moments, always!

"Hello!" I said as I bounced into the room.

"What is wrong with you?" Ya Hauwa said as she quickly withdrew from Ya Salim's lap.

"I am sorry, but it's not night yet" I teased.

"And what if it is not?" She snapped at me.

"Sorry o!" I said leaning by the door.

"And what even brought you here?" Ya Salim chimed in already annoyed. "Tell me, Manal!"

"Nothing, just..."

"Get out!" He squealed.

"Wayyo Allah..." I ran out of the room.

••••••

After praying Asr, I joined Hilwah in watching Five Feet Apart. It was so heart touching and before I knew it, my eyes were already teary. The film made sense but watching Stella and Will departs pained me. They had no choice, their ailment was Cystic Fibrosis and patients with such were not supposed to fall inlove or even stay below five feet from each other...

As soon as we were done watching the film, I found myself searching for Idris' card but I couldn't find it. I searched the entire room but to no avail. Who could have taken it? Hilwah?

"Hey, what are you looking for?" She asked.

"Idris' card, have you seen it?" I said.

"Absolutely not" She sounded serious. "Why?"

"Nothing" I said feeling ashamed of myself. "But Hilwah I threw it right over there fa!"

"Then why isn't it there?" She rose a brow.

"I don't know" I lamented.

"Really?" She scoffed.

"What was that supposed to mean?" I glared at her. She was the only one in the room after all.

"Angry?" She giggled. "Wait, I thought you were the one that threw it away, why then are you looking for it again? Change of mind?"

"If you took it, just give it to me!" I squealed.

"I wish I took it, but wallahi I didn't" She said.

"Okey, fine!" I said about leaving the room when she called me wearing a broad smile.

"I have his digits in case you need it" She said.

Well, ofcourse I needed his contact but I was shy to admit it. Shy? Or proud? I didn't even know. "I don't want it!" I said and, thus, left.

Just as I walked past Hajiya Siyyamah's room, I overheard her sobbing quietly. It was odd, what could be wrong with her? I wondered as I gently walked to her door and eavesdropped.

"Ever since you left, things hadn't been easy for me. How I wish you had listened to me when I told you to forget about politics but you didn't. I love you, Alhaji and I wish you were still alive. I wish you're here with me, I wish Abidah is here too. I just don't know how miserable my life would have ended up being if you hadn't given me Salim, your replica..."

Her words really touched me, now I believed in the adage that says if you love something you must learn how to let it go. Not because of anything but because one way or the other, you would one day lose it against all odds