Our Fates: Book III of the Fate Trilogy

Twenty-Two: Not Alone

Meena Lawal

For some reason that I can’t explain, I don’t pick Uyoon’s call. After boarding a taxi, it rings again, I want to ignore it but I know I’m not that heartless. Besides, she has done nothing wrong. She tried to help me get a job, a job I ended up not pursuing and I didn’t even inform her.

Maybe I believed that she must have forgotten about me. We were only strangers after all. But the fact that she didn’t and is now reaching out should mean something. So right after I reached my workplace, I call her.

“Assalamu alaykum.” I greet. Hope she won’t call me out for been ungrateful.

“Wa alaykum salam. Heyy, Mee mee.”

Mee mee? But I still smile, opening the door to our office, “Hi, I’m so sorry I didn’t call back since that day.”

“Pff, I should be the one apologising. I totally forgot to ask you how the registration went. It wasn’t until my fiancé and I visited my dude that I remembered you.”

“Oh,” I say, not sure if it was because of her reason or her inclusion of the word ‘fiance’. I was right after all. I quickly clear my throat, “I didn’t even register. My in-law already offered me a job.” I set my bag on the gleaming table and sat down.

“Oh, that’s amazing. Congrats. But that doesn’t mean we’d still be strangers, right?”

I picture her smiling, “Of course not. We should hang out.”

Where did that come from?

“Yasss! I would so love that. There’s this really cool eatery I’ve been dying to visit. We can go this weekend, what say you?”

I swallow. I’m not prepared at all. “Sure, no problem.”

“This is so exciting and just what I needed. Most of my friends have gone back to school. I’m the only one stuck here in Nigeria. So I could really use the company.”

I nod. “I can totally relate. My only friend is back in Kano, and I haven’t made any new ones since I moved here.”

“Aww, so sorry, Mee mee. Now you don’t need to worry about that.” She laughs. “Umm, you don’t mind me calling you Mee mee, right? I’m so sorry I didn’t ask before.”

Do I mind? “No, I don’t.”

“Okay!”

The door opens and sister Mardiyya comes in with a salam. I wave at her.

“Alright, so I’ll call you on the d-date then.”

I smile, recalling Badr’s Fri-date. “Alright. See you, in sha Allah.”

“Ameen. Byee!”

I end the call and place my phone on the table.

“Were you talking to your junior sister?” Mardiyya asks, lounging on one of the guests’ seats across from our table.

I frown. “No. Why?”

“The person’s voice is tiny and loud.” She scrunches her face.

True, but I don’t mind. “She’s just a new friend I made.” I smile.

She eyes me, “she sounds like a talkative.”

I laugh. “I don’t know sha but I like her.” I shrug. And It’s true. I do like Uyoon. She seems like a fun and lively person. I need some of that in my life, especially as Kauthar and I don’t chat like we used to. Even on those when I feel like calling her, I’ll just feel as if I’ll be disturbing, and it’s funny because I never felt like that when I was single. But I just feel like calling her too much as a married person will make me look as I don’t have work or something.

Mardiyya makes a sound at the back of her throat. “Sha be careful. It’s this type of friends that will be calling you or visiting you unannounced.”

I glare at her. “How do you know? You haven’t even met her.”

She pushes her mouth forward in a typical amebo fashion. “I know their type.”

I narrow my eyes at her, “Please I don’t like that kind of thing. Stop judging someone you’ve never met.” I say, pushing my forward to bending under the table to turn on the CPU.

“Ah, sorry o.” She raises her hands in surrender, but I know she’s not sorry.

“Good morning, this morning!” Khalid’s voice bellows as he enters with Cassandra behind him.

I smile and reply, grateful for their presence. Mardiyya hisses and rests against the seat.

“Better stand up. Madam is right behind us.” Cassandra tells her.

Aunty Iftar comes in. Cassandra rushes to collect her bag. Mardiyya and I stand. I notice her slow steps toward her office. She doesn’t even reply Khalid’s excited greeting.

As the door closes, Khalid asks, “What happened to her?”

I shake my head. Ummu Badr, probably.

“She’s tired of been single.” Mardiyya says, heading to her chair beside me.

Before I can reply, Cassandra steps in, “How do you know?” She eyes her.

Mardiyya scoffs, “What will a woman like her be depressed about if not that?”

“Ah,” Khalid exclaims, shaking his head.

I close my eyes to hold in my anger. I know Mardiyya can be a case sometimes, but today, she has gone too far. “See, respect yourself.” I tell her with a calm voice.

She turns to me and claps her hands together. “This one that you’ve been taking offense since morning, hope they didn’t send you to me o. Hian.” She says and faces her computer screen.

“If you know you don’t have anything good to say about others, then don’t say anything.”

She turns to me, slowly, “Or else what? Mrs Avenger. Will you beat me?”

“No na, it hasn’t gotten to that.” Khalid says, leaning over our table.

“Let’s take it easy, please.” Cassandra adds.

Mardiyya and I glare at each other. I don’t like trouble but I also don’t like someone badmouthing others.

A phone rings on the stool where Mardiyya sat before. She stands and goes to get it. I sigh, shaking my head. Today has been a rough day. Maybe that’s why I’m not in a good mood. I take a deep breath to clear my head.

“Don’t let her get to you.” Cassandra says across from me. I nod. She’s even the least of my problems. I need to speak to Badr when I get home. But first… I turn to aunty Iftar’s closed office door. I should make sure she’s okay. She may be single but she’s definitely not alone.