LIFE OF ARWA(ON HOLD)

. 32

ADNAN

"Hello beautiful." I opened the door to the pretty damsel dressed in a white abaya looking breathtaking as always.

"Hi adnan." She shyly smiled back. I could see her struggling to hold onto the fruit basket. "Do i need to sign you a membership to the gym?" I teased helping her with the basket and her bag.

"Very funny adnan."

"Well if you guys are done, you could move for her to come inside, im sure she's barely standing." She shot a playful glare to ya hauwa as she walked into the house.

My brother and his wife invited I and arwa for iftar, so here we are, 30 minutes to the time and ive been in the kitchen slicing fruits and grilling chicken because my sweet brother decided to relieve his wife off the stress of cooking.

What love does to a person

"You guys actually did good. Sannu da aiki adnan." I nodded respectfully at ya hauwa while her husband hugged her. I wonder if arwa thinks i tried.

She spoke as if she was reading my mind "Good job."

"Does it look good?" I don't know why i felt nervous of her response, its just food. "It looks more than good, its perfect. Better than I would actually."

"Ramadan akeyi, lets not lie love." Despite her laugh, i could still how flustered she was. Cute.

We spent the rest of the time reading and making duas, prayed and moved to eat. The food was actually good, surprisingly.

We finished praying taraweeh, yaya and his wife had to rush out to get some package, leaving arwa beside me with safar sleeping on her chest. One conversation led to another and i found us talking about almajirai.

"Its not that easy arwa. People.. People go through, infact are going through alot. Its just that when you're lucky enough, you get it easy." Her face softened as she stared at me with a look i could clearly understand.

I cleared my throat and swallowed the huge lump in my throat, focusing my eyes on my toes.

"I grew up with my parents and my younger sister. Life was hard for us but we were able to manage. But then my dad died when i was about 13 years of age. That was the real struggle. We had to drop out from school, not enough food, no medications for my sickle cell sister, no house rent. Our mother started working for some family, and they were kind enough to take us in. But the woman had some problem with her in-laws and they wanted her husband to marry my mom. The woman got upset and sent us away, but her friend again, took us in. I was around 17 years then. It was going well, i was back in school because my sister wasn't strong enough, i even started learning some handwork, tailoring, our mom was getting paid well, until... " I closed my eyes feeling the bitter taste in my throat and the tears that rolled down my eye.

I might've been young but i remember every single thing like it was yesterday.   "Until i woke up one day and my mom was gone. She left. She ran. We couldn't find her. We looked every possible place in the small town in lafia, but she was no where. Just when i accepted the reality that she was gone, my sister was being molested by the son of the house. When i spoke up, no one believed me. Why would they? He's their son. But i couldn't just allow it to continue so i took my sister and left. I didnt know what i was thinking but that was the best decision to me at the time. There was this guy i met in the tailoring shop, he introduced me to selling drugs, i was desperate and i gave in. I used the money for us to leave Nassarawa and go to abuja, gwagwalada. I got a small house, just me and my sister. I did everything for her... I.. I dont.. I dont know what happened, her condition got so bad,.. Before we could get... to the hospital, she died. That.... That was the worst day of my life arwa. I hated every single thing on this earth. The world just became pointless that i was ready to die, i was willing to kill myself so I wouldn't have to feel the pain. I just couldn't understand how she was gone. I didnt want to believe it. Unfortunately, yaya had an accident on his way to school, so he was rushed to the same hospital, mama and baba met me there. Even though i refused, they helped me with preparing her and she was buried. Baba asked about our parents, and i told him they were both dead, and he wanted to take me with him. I refused. I went back home and wallowed alone, they did try to visit me frequently and didn't take back their offer, but i was gone. I started getting involved with bad company more, i started drugs, i started sleeping with different girls all in hopes of trying to escape reality, when it got to a point, baba forcefully took me to rehab, where i spent about 2 years. From there, they took me in, provided me with everything up till date."

I wiped my tears and turned to arwa "This is why i always say that i owe them my life arwa. No matter what i do, ill never be able to pay them back." 

"Adnan..." It was clear she had nothing to say. I took safar in one hand and hugged her with the other hand letting her cry into my chest.

"Shh, shh, its fine. Im fine." She looked up and held my face in her hands.

"Its not fine. You're not fine adnan. You are strong, you are the strongest person i know, and you deserve every good thing in this world and the hereafter."

"But im not proud of my past.."

"It doesn't define you. Circumstances made you, and its all in the past. Everyone is here with you now, everyone loves you."

"I want you."

"Im yours."

"Always?"

"Always. And forever."

"In shaa Allah." I kissed her hijab clad head.

"I love you adnan, i want you to know that."

I wasn't able to reply when voices cut me off. 

"Please please please, not in the presence of my baby." We laughed before ya hauwa picked safar and they went upstairs. I told arwa to get ready so ill drop her at home.

I was waiting for her by the door when an unknown number called me. I picked but no one spoke.

"Who the hell is this?"

"Still the same attitude."

My heartbeat stilled. The only part i left out to tell arwa.

"Farha." My voice was only above a whisper.

"Hello love."

"Where.. How..?" I didn't even know what to ask.

"Ill save you the stress and tell you why i called. Arwa. The girl you're seeing. Leave her. Or i will make her life a living hell. And you know better than not to believe my words sweetheart." And the call ended.

"Trouble in paradise?" I turned to see yaya with the same expression on my face. The phone was on speaker.

"Yep."