Mrs Mahmud, Mrs Mas'ood

36

Hauwa lay in the bed and stared at Hanan's side of the room. Her bed was covered with grey fabric and it was to remain covered until Hanan came to visit, no matter how long it took. Hanan's table was bare; it just temporarily housed a few of Hauwa's things that overflowed from her own table.

The room slowly brightened as the sun rose, the rays slipping in through the half opened curtains. Hauwa did not feel like going to work. It had been that way since after the wedding. Kaycee and Afe left in the middle of the following week and no amount of bracing had prepared Hauwa for the pain of pulling away from the last hug she and her best friend shared.

Hauwa took a few more days off before she returned to the office, telling herself that with each passing day, the pain would lessen. It didn't. The office was empty without Kaycee and nothing felt the same without her there. Afe's absence was felt too. The phone calls were not enough as she – Hauwa – thought it would be. She valued them but it did not do much to ease the pain.

Mahmud checked in on her at any given opportunity. Although she did not say it, he played a major role in getting her through each day. Mas'ood, Asiyah, Hanan, Amal, Zayd, Aisha and Muhammad helped too. Once in a while, Umar and Zainab checked in. Linda and Yusuf were her strongest rocks and they never made her feel as though her grief was unwarranted. Hauwa was grateful for that.

A soft knock sounded on the door and Hauwa looked away from her sister's side of the room. Linda only walked in when she saw Hauwa was awake. She smiled at her daughter. "Good morning."

Hauwa did not bother to fake a smile; it would take too much energy. "Good morning. Sorry I haven't come to greet you and Daddy. I don't feel too good."

Linda sat on the bed and reached up to pat Hauwa's head. "We guessed as much...I'm guessing you don't want to go to work today."

"I want to call in sick. I don't think I want to face that empty office today again. They said they've hired someone but she doesn't start until next week. There's a new corper too so they'll bring a smaller table to the office and clear out some stuff."

"Why don't you stay home until next week? It's just today and tomorrow." She smiled warmly. "I can even stay with you."

"You should go to work."

"I no fit abeg. This week has been stressful. My husband said I should not kill myself. I am going to listen to him."

Hauwa cracked a smile. A moment later she was chuckling. "Wahala for who is not married to Yusuf Sufyan."

Linda laughed. "Big wahala..." Her expression softened. "You have a lovely man now though. You have no idea how happy I am when I see both of you talking. Has he called you this morning?"

Hauwa shook her head. "No, not yet. He's probably busy. I'm glad he didn't call because I would have been so quiet." She sighed. "I just wish I can feel better."

"You will." Linda never stopped patting her head. "It gets better. It'll just take time."

"I hope the time comes quickly."

"It will." A minute of silence passed before Linda spoke again. "Have you considered the opportunities Yetunde sent?"

"I'll be honest with you, Mummy. No."

"Why? I think you should consider them."

"I don't know..." Hauwa exhaled slowly. "I guess there's just been so much going on." Her voice dropped. "And I don't think I'm good enough for those positions. Mahmud thinks I'm being absurd."

"That's because you are being absurd. Which one is you're not good enough? A whole you?! Abeg o."

Hauwa smiled at her. "Why are you like this?"