Abuja, Nigeria.
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After Aslam and Amna left, the house settled into a quiet stillness. Nabil had spent the evening in Yasmine's room, lying on her bed with an ice pack pressed against his bruised face. Only Yasmine was there with him, tending to his injuries without judgment, but not saying too much to him.
As the night wore on, Nabil found himself unable to shake the guilt and regret that gnawed at him. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the anger in Aslam's eyes and heard his mother's trembling voice.
Nabil sat up on the bed, the ice pack forgotten on the nightstand. He knew he had messed up, more than he ever had before, his brothers always overlooked his shenanigans, but this time... the realization weighed on him.
He had to talk to Mami, he had to try and make things right. Nabil stood up, his legs feeling shaky beneath him as he made his way out of Yasmine's room and down the hall to Mami's bedroom. His heart pounding in his chest with each step.
When he reached her door, he hesitated for a moment, his hand hovering just above the wood. Finally, gathering his courage, he knocked softly.
"Mami... it's me, Nabil," he called out. "Can I come in? I... I need to talk to you."
After several moments of silence at Mami's door, Nabil finally decided to open it. The door creaked softly as it swung open, and he stepped inside. Mami was sitting on the edge of her bed, her back turned to him. She was still and silent, her posture rigid, and Nabil could sense the tension in the air.
He took a few steps forward, his voice barely above a whisper. "Mami..."
She didn't respond, didn't even turn to look at him. Nabil swallowed hard, his throat dry, as he tried to find the right words, though he knew there were no words that could truly make up for what he had done.
"Mami, I know you're upset. I know I've hurt you, and I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am," he began, his voice trembling. He moved closer to her, his eyes fixed on her, hoping for some sign that she was listening. "I... I regret everything, Mami. I didn't realize how much damage I was causing, how much pain I was putting you through."
Still, she remained silent, her gaze fixed on a spot on the floor. Her hands were clenched tightly in her lap, but she gave no other indication that she had heard him.
Nabil felt his chest tighten. He had never seen her like this towards any of them before.
"Mami, please," he begged, his voice breaking as he sank to his knees beside her. "I know I've failed you, and I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I need you to know that I'm truly sorry. I would give anything to take it all back, to fix everything."
He looked up at her, hoping she would meet his gaze, hoping to see some flicker of emotion, some sign that she still cared, but Hajja Fanne didn't move. She didn't look at him. She kept her eyes forward, her expression unreadable.
Nabil's heart ached as he knelt there. He wanted to reach out, to touch her hand.
"Mami, I know I don't deserve it, but I'm begging you to give me a chance to make things right," he whispered. "I promise I'll return the money, I'll do whatever it takes to fix this... Please, just... Please talk to me." He sobbed.
For a long moment, Nabil just knelt there, staring at the floor, sobbing. Finally, he pushed himself to his feet, his legs feeling shaky. He looked at Mami one last time, hoping for a sign, anything to tell him that she still cared, but she remained as she was, her gaze still averted.
"I'm sorry, Mami," he whispered one last time.
With that, he turned and quietly left the room, closing the door softly behind him. The silence followed him as he made his way back to his room at the chalet he used to share with Aslam, where he sat on the floor, staring blankly at the wall.
