A Promise to Aabidah (#1 Natives series) #ProjectNigeria

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

         THE DOOR BANGED SHUT BEHIND Aabidah as she left the house, cutting off whatever nonsensical glib it was her brother was still uttering.

She hurried out of the house, her hands shaking as she wrapped her scarf around her head. Deep breaths. One, two, three... Calm down, Aabidah. Inhale... Exhale.

She huffed as she tried to calm herself but failed. Did I forget to do my morning azkhar today? She pondered because there was absolutely no other explanation as to why she had been attacked by the male gender through the entirety of the day. Even as she pulled open her gate, she could still hear her brothers arguing on her stead.

The rage that had been building up inside her all day couldn't even be let out. She was so irritated and so worn out, and all she wanted to do was get some damn sleep but now that she was so pissed, it seemed like a futile wish.

Splashes of orange and red coloured the evening sky as the sun set. From a distance Aabidah could hear the sound of a mu'addin calling the ummah to prayer. The melodious recitation filled her ears and warmed her heart, yet she couldn't do anything to stop the tears from flowing down her face.

Her breath hitched as she dragged herself further away from her house and foul brother. Aabidah whimpered and wiped her face however she was still unable to stop herself from crying. She pressed her fingers to her trembling lips in order to stop the sounds from coming out, but she couldn't.

Her heart, although warmed by the promise and reassurance of her Lord that He wouldn't burden a soul with more than it could bear still faltered at the pain she had been dealt. It wasn't her fault that she was a widow, so why was everyone pointing fingers at her and calling her a poor mother?

It isn't fair. I'm just human! She wanted to scream.

Lost in the tide of her thoughts, Aabidah wandered about aimlessly. Exhausted as she was, her anger was still too hot and for the sake of herself and her son who was at home, going back with such uncurbed temper was not the best thing to do.

After roaming around for a bit, Aabidah finally looked up and noticed that she had walked straight to Mama's awara joint. She was still a few feet away from it yet she could smell the warm welcome of onion and soya beans calling to her.

She took a step forward then paused when she suddenly recalled that he lived in the area too. As her brain thought about him, her eyes moved around in search for him.

"Stop." She ordered herself quietly then pulled her eyes away from the street that led up to his place.

There was a single street light at the entrance of the street that someone must have paid for out of their own pockets. Aabidah was sure it hadn't been there before. The fluorescent bulb albeit weak and flickering still attracted its fair share of moths.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, a voice whispered in her head. Was that why she was here? Pathed her way towards him in search of warmth and comfort just like those insects?

Aabidah wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the very notion. How could she be drawn to someone who didn't even care for her? Someone who hadn't called her since he'd left her that letter a month ago.

It was hilarious the sort of relationship they had yet even though she was mad at AbdulAzeez and furious at her brother, Aabidah could not bring herself to hate him or erase the last few sentences in his letter from her mind.

She had been reading that letter everyday since he'd left it for her on her desk, waiting patiently for him to come back or at least call her. He hadn't done any. Perhaps their relationship was never meant to be.