ORNAMENTS✅

Chapter Twenty Seven

Dasuki State, Nigeria.

2022.

Umaimah sat there, hugging her knees to her chest, unsure of what to feel. Why did it have to happen a day after she had just arrived? Just as Sauban was becoming a brother to her – a nice one, just when they were beginning to get to know each other. Why did she have to know him just so he would die now? Why?

The only child of Nini and Alhaji Shamaki. Their only son, and now he was gone, just like that. How would Yazid feel? His TV game-playing partner? What about Surrayah? He had been planning to marry her. And what about his plans to go abroad? Everything shattered into pieces.

Alhaji Shamaki and Yazid hadn’t returned yet. Who would inform them, when Nabeel and Nini were here crying their hearts out, and she couldn’t even comfort them? What would she say to them? ‘Stop crying, it will be okay?’ Would it really? When she couldn’t even control her own tears, what could she possibly say?

Nabeel. Since she met him, had been playing the role of Mr. Tough, but here he was in front of his younger brother, crying loudly with his mother in his arms.

She didn’t move an inch, and neither did Nini and Nabeel. She kept reciting every prayer that came to her mind, just like when she was in Marari, unable to take her eyes off Sauban. Her eyes were fixated on him. "Ya Allah, grant Sauban one of the highest ranks in Jannah." She murmured.

Yazid quickly ran into the house. From the way he ran in, it was clear he had heard what happened.

"Sauban," he said, his breath hitching as he entered. Tears were already streaming down his face. They had been a beautiful family when she arrived. They loved each other, ate together, helped each other, and now look at them—grieving together in their time of pain and loss.

Yazid was the only one who used his hands to close Sauban’s eyes. Both Nabeel and Nini were too overwhelmed to do so.

He hugged both Nini and Nabeel as his own tears flowed. "Ya Subhanallah," Umaimah thought. It was so hard to witness. She wished she could walk up to Sauban, hold his hand, and cry beside him, touching him for the last time, her one-day-old brother.

She lost track of time, but she knew they had been sitting there for more than an hour when people started coming in. Of course, Sauban had been taken to another room, his wounds cleaned. His last bath had been performed, and they were asked—his family members—to come in and see him for the last time. It felt like an honor. His family, and she was one of them.

Her legs felt as if they would collapse any moment as she walked inside the room. Nini was in Abba’s arms, her gaze fixed on Sauban’s body. He was now wrapped in a white cloth, even his nostrils filled with cotton wool.

Umaimah looked at him. He looked so innocent. None of them—none of them—could even be strong enough to recite a prayer. She was sure that if anyone opened their mouth, they would burst into tears. Abba, the oldest and head of the house, decided to say the prayer, and they all raised their hands in du'a form.

He recited prayers for him, and they murmured, "Ameen."

"We’ll have to take him now," Abba said, his voice cracking, though he tried to keep it together. His eyes were as red as hell, but he was trying to compose himself because if he broke down, what would happen to Nini, to Nabeel, and Yazid?

Since Sauban’s body had arrived, this was the second or third time Nini had spoken.

"No, please don’t take him away from me. I beg you," she pleaded with Abba, and this reminded Umaimah of when she had begged Nabeel not to take her baby away. She understood what Nini was feeling—she truly did. "Let him stay with me, even for another hour. Please, don’t take Sauban away. He’s my baby. It was just like yesterday that I gave birth to him. Please, don’t take him away from me." Nini’s voice cracked with desperation.