Mrs Mahmud, Mrs Mas'ood

26

By the time Kaycee returned to the hotel room, Hauwa had prayed Isha, showered and changed into comfortable loose trousers and a sweater. Both women looked at each other, took in the red eyes and flushed faces for a long minute before they crossed the space between them and embraced themselves. It was way too easy for them to start crying again even though no words had been shared. They just needed the support the other person was giving. That was enough for them.

A while later they lay side by side on the bed. They stared at the ceiling, staying quiet until Kaycee decided to talk.

"Afe got the job in Dubai. He said they reached out to him last night and they want him to start work in July."

Hauwa's heart was already broken but that did not stop it from getting further destroyed. Her smile was sad but so beautiful. "That's half a year from now. Plenty of time for you two to get married...He wants you to come with him, huh?"

Kaycee's silence was enough of an answer. When Hauwa turned her head, she found her best friend blinking back fresh tears. Hauwa turned back to the ceiling.

"You better be thinking of accepting that move because your chance to finally japa has come. Dubai is nice. You'll have fun. Most importantly, you'll get to be with him. You guys will definitely be married and I know you'll have the best kids."

Kaycee could not stop herself from crying again. "Why are you like this?"

Hauwa faced her. "What did you tell him when he told you?"

Kaycee sniffled. "I didn't even know what to say. All I could think about was how sudden it was. You know it has been a while since he applied so we all put it at the back of our minds when they did not give him a reply. I thought about my parents, my siblings, my life here and then I thought about you. If I choose to go with him, I'll be leaving all of this behind and –"

Hauwa cut in then. "Kaycee."

Kaycee's eyes met hers. "Yes?"

With a sigh, Hauwa sat up and pulled the other woman to the same position. "Kaycee, this is once in a lifetime opportunity for the both of you. Like we always say, everything happens for a reason. You'll be getting a better life. I know it's scary to think about starting afresh and leaving everything behind but it's for the best. It might take some time but you'll understand why things happened the way they did."

Kaycee could barely see through her tears. "What about you? How am I going to leave you? Who will stay with you and annoy you? Who will make you laugh? Who will stay in the office with you? Who will come and disturb you in your house?" Her sobs wrecked her whole frame. "Who will love me like you do? Who will –" Her voice broke. "Hauwa, I don't know if I can do this."

Blinking back her own tears, Hauwa hugged the woman who had become more than a friend to her since they met in 2017. She patted Kaycee's back, her own problems pushed to the far back of her mind.

"We'll be fine, Kaycee. In Shaa Allah, we'll be fine...We can work the distance. I know it won't be the same but we'll make it work. Afe will work twice as hard to fill up my space when I'm not there."

When a thought struck, she pulled back and smiled. "Besides, I'll finally have a house to stay in when I decide to visit Dubai. Now I know where I'll spend my leave. If it's to sell my kidney so that I can afford it, I will do it."

Kaycee stared at her for a minute before she burst out laughing. "You dey mad sha."

That made Hauwa laugh too. When they sobered, Hauwa's placed a hand on Kaycee's. "It'll be fine. Take all of this in good faith. You can still talk to your siblings and to your parents. You don't have to go with Afe when he's leaving. He can go there first, ensure things are settled and then you can join him. If you decide to go with him so you two can settle in together, then that's fine too." She reached up with both hands and cupped Kaycee's face. "You two will be fine, I promise."