Collision of hearts

Chapter Six

Zaid stopped by his car and called out my name, "Get in the car!" But I kept walking, my feet carrying me away from the scene.

"Get in the car!" he repeated, his voice firm but laced with a hint of concern.

I ignored him, my eyes fixed on the road.

"Get in the goddamn car, Nadia!" he yelled, his anger boiling over as he slammed his hand on the car. I flinched at the loud noise and turned around, my heart racing.

But as I looked at Zaid, I saw his face soften, his eyes pleading. "Please," he said gently.

I hesitated for a moment, then walked towards the car. Zaid opened the passenger door for me, and I got in, feeling a mix of emotions: relief, anxiety, and a hint of fear.

He closed the door behind me and got in on the driver's side. As we drove away, the silence between us was thick with tension.

Zaid drove in silence until he decided to break the silence, asking me "Are you okay?" That was the last string that broke my composure, and I silently started crying, but I still nodded yes, trying to appear stronger than I felt. That was it. No one spoke again after that. The ride was completely silent, with nothing heard except for my silent cries, which grew louder and more intense as we drove.

As we reached home, the gateman opened the gate, and Zaid parked between Baba's cars. Then, he turned to me and said "Are you sure you are okay?" I didn't respond, unable to find the words to express my emotions. "Look at me," he said, but I refused. "Look at me," he said once again, his voice gentle but insistent. Finally, he gently turned my face to his, his fingers soft on my skin.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" he asked, his voice filled with concern and empathy. His question opened the floodgates, and I poured out my heart, tears streaming down my face.

"It hurts so much," I sobbed. "He cheated on me. I know he's not worth it, but it just hurts so much, even though it shouldn't. I feel so stupid. It was right in front of me, but I was blinded. I did nothing but loved him, and now your girlfriend decides to insult me in public, accusing me of trying to steal her man."

I felt a wave of self-loathing wash over me as I spoke, reliving the humiliation and pain. Zaid's expression was a mix of anger and compassion, his eyes filled with a deep understanding. He gently patted my head, his touch soothing, until my cries subsided. I raised my head, and our eyes met for a brief, intense moment – five seconds that felt like an eternity. Then I broke the gaze, looking away.

"God, Zarah, we left her!" I exclaimed, suddenly remembering that she had followed me outside and stopped to tell Zaid what happened.

"It's okay, she's fine," Zaid replied, his voice calm and reassuring. "Al-amin took her home."

"Who's Al-amin?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

"The guy from the restaurant," Zaid explained. "He's a close friend of mine."

I raised an eyebrow, teasing him to lighten the mood. "Oh, wow, you actually have friends! I thought Ya Muhammad was your only friend. I'm shocked; I was scared you'd die of boredom."

Zaid chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. It was new, unexpected, and utterly captivating. Zaid doesn't like smile, let alone chuckle or laugh. "Hey, watch it! I have plenty of friends, okay? And Muhammad is just one of them."

I playfully rolled my eyes. "Sure, sure, Mr. Popular. I'm just surprised you didn't invite your entire crew to the restaurant today."

Zaid's laughter was deep and gently, and my heart skip a beat. Was I dreaming? Zaid, the stoic, serious Zaid, was actually laughing and smiling at me. "Well, I figured that would be a bit too much for you to handle. Besides, I wanted to keep the drama to a minimum."

I snorted, trying to hide my smile. "Yeah, right. That's why your girlfriend was there, causing a scene?"

Zaid's expression turned serious, his eyes clouding over. "I'm sorry about that, Nadia. She can be... intense sometimes."

"It's okay. I should get going," I said, looking at him. "Okay, let's go," he replied, his smile still lingering. "I want to say hi to Mami."

As we entered the house, the living room was empty, so I headed upstairs to wash my face and then made my way to Mami's room. I shouted out to her before I even reached the door, "Mami, Mamiii!"

Mami's response was laced with amusement and a hint of annoyance. "Wai, what's wrong with you, my crazy child?" she said.

I pouted, giving her a side hug as I entered the room. "I wanted to tell you I'm back, and Zaid is here too"

Mami's expression turned concerned as she took in my appearance, her eyes scanning my face for any signs of distress. "What's wrong? Did you cry?" she asked, her voice soft with worry.

I forced a smile, trying to reassure her. "I wasn't feeling well, but I'm feeling better now that I saw my lady," I replied.

Mami nodded, her eyes still filled with concern. "Okay, go and rest while I go to Zaid. We've left him alone in the parlor, and I have a message I want him to give Bilkisu," she said, her voice gentle but firm.

As I lay on my bed, exhausted from the day's events, I was suddenly awoken by Mami's gentle voice, "Nadia, Nadia, wake up and pray, it's Maghrib already." Her words pierced through my drowsiness, and I slowly sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Okay, Mami," I yawned, my voice husky from sleep. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and planted my feet firmly on the ground, trying to shake off the lingering fatigue.

I made my way to the bathroom to perform my ablution. As I prayed, I felt a sense of calm wash over me, my mind quieting.

I sat on my praying mat, lost in thought, when a knock at the door broke the silence. "Come in," I called out, my voice barely above a whisper.

Labiba poked her head into the room, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Nady, Mami is calling you, and you should come down to eat. You haven't eaten since you came back," she said, her voice teasing.

"Okayy, Biba!" I exclaimed, quickly wrapping up my prayer mat and taking off after her. I threw myself at her, and she tripped, falling to the ground. I landed on top of her.

Labiba pretended to be mad, but her acting skills were lacking. "Don't break me!" she said, trying to sound stern, but her giggles gave her away.

I laughed, knowing I had caught her off guard. "Gotcha, Biba!" I exclaimed,
we both stood up, grinning at each other.

"Let's go eat," Labiba said, brushing herself off. "Everyone is waiting."

I nodded, and we headed downstairs together, arm in arm, our laughter and chatter filling the hallway.

As I entered the dining room, I was taken aback to see Zaid sitting there, and the only empty chair was directly across from him. I greeted Mami as I sat down, trying to play it cool despite my racing heart.

Our eyes met for a few seconds, that feels like an eternity. But then Ya Muhammad cleared his throat, shooting Zaid a warning glance, and I quickly looked away, embarrassed. I focused on the plate in front of me, trying to composed myself.

The maids served us, and I ate quietly, aware of Zaid's gaze on me. I ignored him. I finished my meal and waited a few minutes before getting up to leave.

As I stood, Zaid stood too, saying he was leaving. But Mami stopped him, "Wait, Zaid, I need to get something for Ammi." She said and he nodded gently.

As we walked to the living room together, Zaid asked, "Are you okay?" I nodded.

"Thank you so much for today," I added, looking up at him with gratitude. "I really appreciate you."

Zaid nodded in acknowledgment, his expression softening.

Mami returned with two paper bags and handed them to Zaid. "Mami, Good bye," he said.

Ya Muhammad got up to escort Zaid out, and as they left, Mami turned to me and asked, "How was your day?"

I sighed, feeling a mix of emotions. "Eventful," I replied, laying my head on Mami's lap.

Mami stroked my hair, her touch comforting. I closed my eyes, feeling safe and protected in her presence. The stresses of the day began to melt away.