February 28

|6|

March 2020, Kano, Nigeria.

Jaiyana paused outside the door of her boss's office, steeling herself before entering. She greeted the secretary with a brief nod—he was always kind and polite, though she could feel his eyes linger on her for a moment longer than they should. Ignoring the weight of his crush, she turned the knob and stepped into the office.

"Salamu Alaikum."

"Wa Alaikissalam, Miss Jay," came the response, accompanied by a warm smile.

"Good morning, Sir," she added, only to immediately catch the frown forming on Anwar's face.

He sighed. "I'm not answering that."

It took a second for her to realize her mistake—she had called him "Sir" again.

"Oh! I'm sorry. Good morning, Anwar."

"Morning, Jay. How are you doing?" he asked, his smile returning.

"I'm good," she replied softly, her voice betraying the lie. Her usual cheerfulness was gone, her head slightly bowed. Anwar's eyes followed her, scrutinizing every detail. Something was wrong. She didn't have her usual brightness, the playful spark in her eyes. Instead, her long lashes were damp, her dark skin carrying the slightest red under her nose. Even her normally poised lips were chapped. When she looked up, the redness in her hazel eyes startled him.

"Subhanallah, Jaiyana! What happened?" Concern lined his voice.

Jaiyana forced a weak smile. "Nothing, Anwar. I just need to talk to you about something."

He moved from behind his desk to the chair opposite her, abandoning the executive pretense for a more personal touch.

"Jay, something's clearly wrong. You can talk to me. I promise I'll listen."

She let out a soft chuckle, one without humor. Share? How could she? The trauma she lived with, the constant pressure from home—it was suffocating. Her mother had built walls around her so high that Jaiyana couldn't trust anyone. Even her siblings, the closest people in her life, felt distant. She hated attachment, craved none—except perhaps her mother's, but she had long given up on that hope. The carefree, joyful Jaiyana was a ghost of the past. Now, she was only a shell of self-doubt, haunted by the thought that if her own mother could despise her, why would anyone else care?

"I swear it's nothing, Anwar. I just haven't been sleeping well—insomnia." It wasn't a complete lie, at least.

Anwar nodded, though his eyes remained skeptical. "If you say so..."

Jaiyana took a deep breath. "I know this isn't the best way to do this, but... I'm really sorry, Anwar. I need to hand in my resignation." She slid an envelope across the table.

"What?" His voice cracked with disbelief. "Resignation, Jaiyana? Why? Is the pay not enough? I can triple it if that's the issue."

She couldn't help but smile. He thought it was about the money. If only he knew. The truth was far deeper, a spiral of personal demons she wasn't ready to unpack.

"No, Anwar. It's not about the money. You've been more than generous. My family is leaving Kano. My mother's been transferred to Abuja."

Anwar exhaled heavily, running a hand over his face. "Yassalam. I see." The words came out pained, his emotions harder to mask. "Well, if that's the case... I wish you all the best, Jaiyana. It's been a real pleasure working with you."

"The pleasure's all mine, Anwar," she said, her smile soft but distant.

"Jay, before you go... there's something I'd like to offer." He reached into a drawer, pulling out a small, sleek card. "I know you're brilliant at what you do. I can help secure you a position at one of the top architecture firms in Abuja if you're interested."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "You'd do that for me?"

"Of course. Anything for you, Jay." His smile was genuine, but there was something more behind it.

"Thank you, Anwar. I really appreciate this, more than you know. May Allah reward you."

"Shh," he murmured, handing her the card. "We'll talk more once you've settled in Abuja, In Sha Allah."

Just as she thought the conversation had ended, Anwar scribbled something onto a check and held it out to her.

She blinked. "A check? Anwar, that's not necessary—"

"You deserve it. For all your hard work and dedication." His tone was final, leaving no room for debate.

She took it reluctantly, feeling the weight of his gratitude and something more unsaid.

"Jay?"

"Hmm?"

"There's something I want to tell you... but not right now. When we meet again, In Sha Allah."

Her brows furrowed in curiosity but she nodded. "Thank you, Anwar. Take care."

"Have a good day, Jay," he whispered, watching her closely as she left his office, leaving his heart heavy with unspoken words.

***

Jaiyana returned home to the sound of laughter filling the air, her siblings and mother engrossed in a comic movie. The noise felt foreign to her.

"Where are you coming from?" her mother's sharp voice interrupted her thoughts.

"I went to submit my resignation," she answered quietly, not bothering to face her.

"Good," was all her mother said before turning back to the TV. Jaiyana wasted no time in heading to her room. Her siblings exchanged glances, noticing the dark cloud of gloom hanging over her.

In the quiet sanctuary of her room, she pulled out the one place she felt free to express herself—her diary. With a sigh, she began to write:

Dear Diary,

Today, with a heavy heart, I resigned from the job I loved—the job that distracted me from the harshness of my life. I feel lost, adrift, like a soul worn down by life's burdens. I miss Baba more than words can express. I wish he were still here, but Allah had other plans. May his soul rest in Jannah. I pray that Allah heals the pain in my heart.

March 5, 2020.

Closing the diary, she set it aside and made her way to the bathroom to perform ablution. After praying, she sat on her prayer mat, her thoughts drifting. Memories of her father flashed through her mind, tugging at old wounds. Shaking her head, she tried to rid herself of the ache... only to have her mind wander to him.

Her Mr. Unknown...

***

The chapters will grow longer as we move forward, In Sha Allah. What do you think about Anwar? Should he have confessed his feelings? And meanwhile, Jaiyana is still lost in thoughts of her Mr. Unknown. Let's see where this all goes! 🌚

15.12.23