YOURS, JANNAH

#SEVENTY FOUR

Jannah anxiously bit on her lower lip while watching the road. She stared through the window at the multi-lane traffic, stoplights, sidewalks packed with pedestrians -business professionals heading to meetings, sounds of sirens, horns honking, people talking on their cell phones, the ping of crosswalk lights, delivery trucks beeping as they back up, brakes squealing, people swearing or yelling, heels clacking on the sidewalk, construction noise.

She's trying to do everything that'll take her mind off the fact that she is going to see her parents after many years. Since she got married, she only went to see them once which was few months after she was married to Adnan. They didn't come to see her in the city so they don't know Imara, she is dead now and she hadn't met anyone of her parents or family. It never bothered her, they never wanted her in the first place.

Adnan advised her to go see them though. Because no matter what, they are still her parents and family. They are going to regret what they did to her but for now, she should be the bigger person and go meet them which is exactly what she is doing. She wants to see her brothers and their wives. She's heard that the three of them all got married at the same time to some of their family members that branch out.

Her parents on the other hand, they are another story she is not ready to uncover. They know about Imara's death, Hajiya Maimuna told them about it but they didn't call neither did they pass their condolence. Why does that hurt more than them abandoning her? This is not the time...

A smile broke over her lips when she remembered what happened just few days ago before Adnan went to Tokyo. For some bizarre reasons, she didn't want to follow him this time around though he's tried persuading her to come with him. She told him she was going to meet her parents before her belly protrudes any larger. Just five months pregnant and she is almost the size of a whale -exaggerated- the tummy closed with large maternity Ankara gowns she's sewn. Oh, the discomfort.

Sleep was elusive that night for Jannah because Adnan was working the whole evening. She listened in vain for the sound of Adnan coming out from his study room a few doors away. Gradually she drifted in and out of a fragmented slumber that gave her no peace. She's missed having him around but she understands that he is currently going through some tough times with work. His harbor in Maldives is about to be inaugurated.

Waking from a vivid dream, she discovered that her legs were tight and knotted, and she flexed her calves to ease them. Immediately she was seized with a knifelike pain in her right leg, the muscle cramping and burning. She wasn't aware of making a sound, but she must have, for Adnan's voice suddenly broke through the darkness, and she felt his weight as he climbed onto the mattress to reach her.

"Mama..." he trailed off urgently, his hands sliding over her as she gathered herself in a ball of pain.

"Mama, what is wrong? What happened? Tell me-" He enquired again trying his best to sound composed but he is doing a dreadful job at that. He sounded like he was about to tear down any source of discomfort she's got.

"My leg hurts!" She gasped. It hurts so bad. It paralyzed her so that no movement was possible. "Don't touch me-"

"Let me." Adnan pushed her hands away and felt for her leg. "Try to relax."

"I can't." But she leaned back against him and jerked as his hand closed around her calve. He found the cramped muscle and kneaded gently until the agony began to ebb. Jannah let out a loud moan filled with gratitude and pain at the same time.

He stayed with her the entire night, watchful and vigilant. She found out the next morning that he couldn't sleep, he was guarding her throughout the night. Her heart soared but she made him sleep, forced him to do so for about five hours before he rushed to work. That was the last time they were together, he left the country the following evening. Now she miss him so terribly!