Our Fates: Book III of the Fate Trilogy

Twenty-Eight: We'll Be Okay

Assalamu alaikum, been a couple of weeks. I know. But I'm here today.

Enjoy!

***

Meena Lawal

There’s something about this Monday that doesn’t sit well with me, even though I woke up early, did my usual tasks and all. Still, I’m feeling weird, like there’s bad news hiding somewhere. I’ve never been superstitious, but I’m also not one to ignore her instincts.

Badr and I finish breakfast at the same time. So he offers to drive aunty Iftar’s car, which she agrees to, and it gives me some alone time to sort through my thoughts. At the end, I come to a conclusion. I need to speak to my best friend, Kauthar.

Once it’s time for break, I step outside our building and dial her number. She doesn’t pick until the second ring.

I sit on the bench near the entrance. “Na wa o, na so you busy reach?” I say.

“See who’s talking. No be you I call last week wey phone ring ring you no pick?” She replies.

I sigh, “I’m sha missing you o.”

“Then come and visit na.”

“Kai, who’s supposed to visit? Am I not the Amarya?”

She laughs, “Na true o. Omo, with school and work, it’ll be hard to go anywhere at this time.”

“No worry, I understand your condition.”

“Unless,” she clears her throat. I know she wants to look for trouble. “Little Meedr arrives early.”

“Mee wetin?” I shout, then laugh. “Which kind of name combo be that?” I shake my head.

“It’s cute na. Meena plus Badr equals Meedr. It sounds like Arab name.”

“Ah ah, Amina and Badr na Yoruba names before ni?”

“No now. Kai, you’re spoiling my vibe.” Someone says something to her and she replies. “Won't you go and see her first?” The person replies and she says, “Okay.”

“Is that Barakah?” I ask.

“No, it’s Aliyah.”

I frown, trying to remember, “Aliyah...”

“Rose, my neighbor’s daughter.”

“Oh, oh, how are they na?”

Kauthar sighs, “Omo, not too good o. They were involved in an accident o. So Rose is still in the hospital while Aliyah is here. We’re going to see her before she gets discharged.”

“Chai, it sounds serious. Hope they didn’t get too many injuries?”

“Toh, based on what I can see. But I think the injuries will be more emotional than physical.”

“Eyya, may Allah grant them quick recovery.”

“Ameen o. So how you na? Any gist?”

I clear my throat. “Yes o.” I wonder if I should tell her about Badr and his mother. But then that’s a family matter, and it’s not that I even understand what’s going on.

The only one left now is about me, and my heart. “Omo, I have gist o.”

“Oya na.”

I tell everything: meeting Nur, meeting Uyoon, and my heart. “I still don’t understand why I feel this way. With everything that happened, since I’ve accepted my fate. Is my heart not supposed to do the same?”