The next day Adeel came home to find his sister's car packed by his building with her leaning against the door.
"What are you doing here" Adeel was so tired, even though it was only three o'clock, he'd already being to four sites, he has been wanting to expand his estates in Abuja before he glides towards other states and that had included him going to work everyday which has been taking a lot of adjusting
"This, what is this?" She thrust out her phone and showed him a picture
"God. Girls, how even?" Adeel knew the answer anyways and he had no idea how to feel about it.
"How what? You tell me."
"How would i know how you have a picture of something i sent to Nana -that isn't any of your business by the way-"
Adeelah glared at him "I was the one playing match making, i am here to collect my credit and tell you, i told you so."
"Credit? For what exactly. That was a kind gesture, we were talking, she was stressed, an inside joke happened and i sent her food. No big deal. Friends that's what we are"
"You are most definitely the only one who thinks of it as such, especially not after a romantic gesture! Nana probably thinks you are in love with her now and so does everyone in the group"
"Group? Because i sent her food?"
"You don't want to know. You fool, Nana doesn't need your..... food.. Anyway the point here is that your intentions where, romantic."
Adeel ignored her and digged into his pocket to find his house key, he passed her glaring at him and started walking up the short stairs, got into his house, sat on the sofa, took of his shoes and rubbed his soles. They where sore due to the excess walking he did, perhaps he really wasn't ready to get back to work full force and he was bound to slow down, since being emotionally vulnerable he took taking care of himself as an important part of healing especially now that he's just trying to expand and it didn't have to be a fast process he would go easy on himself, he had to.
Adeelah went straight for the kitchen and helped herself to a glass of water, gulping it down and refilling it for her brother "I could cook something,you look, well....."
"Yeah i know, today was stressful but i am good, i have leftovers. Now if you may please" Adeel gestured towards the exit door
"Huh? You are sending me out?"
"Don't guilt trip me Adeelah. You got your information. Nana and i are just friends besides, Nana couldn't possibly ever want me, she's just being polite. And truly? I do not want her either"
Adeelah rolled her eyes "Couldn't possibly ever want you? As per chief executive officer of unwanted people? Fine Adeel fine. I will sit back comfortably and then watch you give up entirely on happiness, i will not bother anymore Goodnight"
Adeel was surprisingly okay with the truth, a fact really, his happiness was dead, literally.
~~
Over the next few weeks Adeel slowed down on so much he couldn't count on one finger. His work, his staff where doing majority of the work. He slowed down on going out in general in a healthy way, going on runs in the morning and spending the day doing everything that made him feel alive, whole. From praying to for the first time in a long while, reading a book about self love that Ameenah had gave him ages ago.
Idris had also met with their father, communicating his interest in marrying Adeelah and Mommy who if we recall correctly was the one against the marriage a few weeks ago and had now been apparently swooned by his charms as she was currently acting like Adeelah was getting married the very next month shopping like crazy every single day and using Adeel as the driver of such trips.
"Mommy you really should consider accepting one of the drivers i bring for you" Adeel says while driving her back home
"No." She said dismissively
"Well, okay then" Everytime he tries to get her a driver it's either how much she'd have to feed them or the fact that she likes remaining unresponsible for anymore workers or that she'd like to hog Adeel to herself for the few hours he'd drive her to important outings, as on normal days Adeel's father was always ready to drive his wife but to take her to weddings and markets neither Mommy nor Adeel would let him torture himself like that
She looked out the owner's seat window in silence and Adeel even not being happy to admit understood all too well, Adeelah was getting married, she was leaving and neither him nor his mother were taking it lightly.
~~
He went home that day with a heavy heart, with the overwhelming feeling that comes with seeing his mother on a daily basis to the fact that his twin sister was getting married.
Adeelah made the whole thing suddenly feel real when last week she'd told them her home in Kano was ready and their was nothing holding Idris back anymore and that the day he comes with his parents she'd like no delay as she wasn't interested in a lavish wedding and Daddy had wholeheartedly agreed making the reality set in for Adeel, his twin was getting married and leaving for kano anyday and time Idris decides he was ready, Adeelah had been very clear about the fact that anytime he came with his parents they where tying the knot right then and there. Lavish weddings didn't make sense in their family unless they married a partner that couldn't compromise. Adeel and his sister had always dreamed of low-key wedding, "Hey, i got married yesterday" to the world kind of wedding
Adeel felt like he was in a mourning phase, like he was forcing himself to come to terms with having Adeelah gone, living in a completely different state almost worst than her being in school where he knew he would have to leave the country to see her but her just a few hours drive would make him constantly stopping himself from going to, idris's home every now and then which would be undoubtedly childish and clingy of him, not traits he wanted anyone talkless of her husband to associate him with. So he cleaned up, to the best of his abilities and settled into his blanket with a cup of strong cardamom instant tea and watched a random Architecture series which got cut short by a ring of his phone.
It was an unknown number but Adeel being a business man didn't hesitate answering.
"Assalamu Alaikum"
"Wa alaikumus salam, Adeel?" Asked a voice he recognized immediately by the softness of it even so, the panic that accompanied how rushed she'd said his name was distinctive.
His brow knitted, confused "Leenah, is everything okay?"
"Could you come over to our house? Right now please."
Adeel tried to press further but she ended the call abruptly making him get off the comfort of his bed, in one swift movement. Getting a shirt, his car key getting in his car and driving off took barely a minute unsure of the seriousness of her tone he drove there silencing his thoughts scared of underestimating and overestimating the situation even though at the end, nothing could have ever prepared him for the sight he met as she opened the front door and allowed him in, no doubt a sight that will hunt his dreams for an eternity.
YOU ARE READING
HIS TEMPORARY GIFT
Romance"Of life of love of death. The later brings sorrow not known to the dictionary" Adeel was a fervid lover, he loved blindly and why wouldn't he? He'd afterall found his soulmate, the one ideally made just for him. But life as he'd always reckoned cou...
