Amidst Our Hearts

Fifty four.

Federal Capital Territory,
Nigeria.

Crash!

A small pieces of glass splatter on the tiled floor in different directions. The antique flower vase with floral designs that Sameera so much adores now broken into smithereens, just like Khalifa's heart.

Every single step Sakeena took out of the house took a small piece of his heart. Bit by bit, she left with his entire heart in her palms. He now feels empty like the piece of flesh isn't in his chest anymore. He has set his own heart on fire and now it's blazing with flames of regret, the flames ignited by the remembrance of the harsh words he uttered to her.

His face is bruised like never before and aching but it will never match up to the blazing pain in his chest. He sat on the floor his back against the wall, a small piece of glass stuck in his right foot with blood dripping on the floor but he didn't give a damn, no physical pain can match up to the amount of pain he's feeling right there.

After a long while of sitting there motionless, he heard footsteps approaching where he's sitting with his head hung low like the coward he is. "What the hell happened here?" His brother's voice registered in his mind but he didn't move or make the slightest attempt to reply.

"Khalifa." Sameera called as her eyes scanned the mess he made in her living room. They still didn't get any reply.

Abdullah squatted down to face his brother, so many questions filling his mind about the bruises on his brother's face and the mess they met. He tapped his brother "Khalifa what happened here?" He asked.

Khalifa finally raised his head and acknowledge their presence. Abdullah stared at his brother's bloodshed eyes, filled with rage and pain. Abdullah stood up and straighten his posture then stretched out a hand for Khalifa which he ignored. "I don't deserve her, I don't deserve any of this." Khalifa mumbled under his breath.

"Where's Naisa?" Sameera spoke up. "I think she's upstairs let me check on her." Sameera turned to head up the stairs but Khalifa's next words halted her movement.

"She's gone." It came out as a low whisper but they heard him clear.

Sameera blinked. "What do you mean she's gone? Did she step out?" Sameera asked confused.

"She's gone." A sob broke through him as realization dawned upon him. "She's gone." He repeated, almost like convincing himself that he did send her away.

His sobs turn into cries. Abdullah and Sameera shared a look before looking back at him cluelessly. Right on cue, Fadeel walked in saying the Salam with Ammar tailing behind in his school uniform. They were having a conversation they didn't notice what was happening. Fadeel stopped making Ammar bump into him. "What happened here?" He asked throwing looks at his brothers.

"Ammar go to your room." Abdullah instructed his youngest brother who obeyed without objecting.

"I'm going to put Zahra down for her nap as well." Sameera walked passed them following Ammar with her daughter who has dozed off on her shoulder.

Fadeel walked to where Abdullah stood and repeated his question. "What happened here?"

"Exactly what I'm trying to find out." Abdullah replied. "But he won't say anything." He added.

Fadeel moved towards Khalid who's balling his eyes out like a baby, his shoulders shaking. He kneeled down and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Listen man, I don't know what happened here but I need you to calm down and tell us what happen." Khalifa didn't say a word instead kept crying.

Fadeel has never seen his brother this broken and vulnerable.

Fadeel got up and stretched a hand out for his brother. "Get up." Khalifa ignored him and raised his red face to look at his brother.