Ace of Spades ✅

28; My plea to you.

Four Years Ago.

Kari Residence, Bauchi State.

It came as a great shock to Inaya when Aadil informed her that he will be taking her to meet his mother the next day. Of course, when she heard that, she had to look at him yet again and be certain he really is the same man she knows or whether it's someone else taking his identity.

They've gotten along well. However, even with that, Inaya didn't think a day that soon would come where he would offer to take her to meet his mother—the same woman he dragged her away from the last time she went to his house just two days back.

Nonetheless, she obviously took up the invitation not wanting to miss such a rare opportunity. It proved to be even more so that when Aadil dropped the fact that he will be leaving them alone for a while as he and Aahil had something to do. They didn't say why, and the two women didn't ask as well.

They were too excited to bond with each other that they practically sent the men away before they could leave on their own. They basically spent the entire day doing things that ranged from girls talk and even Inaya's worst enemy, cooking.

Maa was quick to leave her out of it when it seemed the younger woman would burn down her kitchen. She was tasked with chopping the veggies instead and watching from a distance. Inaya didn't mind. She loved spending quality time with the woman like that.

It wasn't until after they were done that they decided to head to the balcony and rest while waiting for the men to return. On doing just that, Maa attempted to settle down on a wicker chair only for her to suddenly nearly lose her balance—her gaze blurring for a second.

"Are you okay, Maa?" Inaya inquired, as she helped the woman settle down on the nearest chair slowly. Her brows were drawn in, lips slanted into a deep frown. "Do you want me to call Aadil? Wait, of course I should call him. Stay here for a while, I'll go and call him--"

As Inaya made a move to walk away, Maa stretched her hand out to hold hers weakly, putting a halt to her actions. Inaya halted, turning around to look at the woman with worry filled eyes.

Crouching low in front of her, she covered the woman's hand with her other free hand. "Just give me a minute, okay Maa? I'll just call Aadil and we'd take you to a hospital. You don't look too good. It's better--"

"Don't bother." Maa cut her off before she could ramble any further, her tone light. Her lips were stretched into a small, warm smile that seemingly took a lot of effort from her. Still, she gave Inaya's hand a small squeeze with every strength she could muster. "You don't have to tell him. He'd only be worried."

"But--"

"I'm dying, Inaya."

Inaya could swear she felt her heart drop to the bottom of her stomach then the minute those words left past Maa's lips. It felt as though the world stilled, and all she could see was the face of that woman who still held a smile—as if she didn't announce a life shattering news.

Inaya's hand on hers slackened, mouth agape. "W—what...what do you mean dying?" Her words sounded so foreign to her ears, she couldn't even recognize her voice again. It sounded as if it wasn't hers.

She couldn't remember when last she heard herself speak in such a manner. When last she felt such dread, such fear.

She hadn't known Maa for long. Heck, this is the second time she's meeting the woman and the first they are having a decent conversation but suddenly being hit with death news felt like a train crashing into her.

She felt the breath being knocked out of her, and then her heart being painfully squeezed as if the life in her would be taken along as well.

Maa looked down at their intertwined hands, relieved she had finally said the words out loud. "I'm sorry for dropping it on you like that, I just...I needed to share it with someone." She looked up to meet Inaya's gaze, her expression soft. The pain behind her orbs were hard to miss though, as if this is something she had been holding in for the longest time.