Mr captain

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Growing Closer

The days continued to blend into one another as Faisal and Sumayah found themselves growing closer. Faisal had returned to Abuja for work, but the bond between them remained, despite the distance. Their nightly texts, filled with jokes, personal stories, and the occasional deep conversation, became the highlight of their days. Faisal had always been careful with his heart, but with Sumayah, he felt a connection unlike anything he had ever experienced.

One evening, Faisal sat in his small apartment in Abuja, a cup of tea resting on the table beside him. He'd just finished a long day at the naval base and had barely caught up with his texts when a message from Sumayah pinged his phone.

"I miss you," she had written, and immediately, his heart warmed. He could feel the sincerity in her words, the quiet yearning that echoed his own.

He smiled and replied: "I miss you too. But I'm just a phone call away."

He could already hear her laugh in his mind. Sumayah's laughter was like music, light and unburdened by the world's complexities. It was one of the things that had drawn him to her from the very beginning. They had shared so much in such a short time, but in those moments of shared quiet, he could sense a deeper connection growing between them.

Sumayah, too, found herself thinking about Faisal more and more. Her life had always been about helping others, the steady rhythm of hospital shifts and the needs of her family, but Faisal had changed all that. His presence, even from afar, was a constant comfort, and the way he cared for her—really cared for her—made her heart ache in a way she wasn't prepared for.

The night after receiving his text, she found herself alone in her room, the soft hum of the ceiling fan the only sound in the stillness of the house. Her mother had gone to bed early, and her father was away for work, leaving Sumayah with time to reflect.

It wasn't long before her phone buzzed again.

Faisal: "What are you thinking about right now?"

She couldn't help but smile. It was the kind of question that would seem trivial to anyone else, but with Faisal, it felt like an invitation to share a part of herself she didn't often reveal.

Sumayah: "I was just thinking about how much things have changed since I met you. About how I don't even remember what it felt like to be uncertain about anything."

Faisal's response was immediate, his words thoughtful and full of sincerity.

Faisal: "I think you've always known what you wanted. You just needed to find someone who wouldn't make you question that."

Sumayah's heart skipped a beat. She could feel the weight of his words settle into her chest. She had never thought of it that way before.

The truth was, Faisal made her feel certain. Certain that what they had wasn't just a fleeting connection but something that had the potential to grow into something real.

But as the days passed, Sumayah couldn't ignore the small voice of doubt that still lingered at the back of her mind. There were pieces of herself that she hadn't yet shared with Faisal—parts of her past, her family dynamics, things she wasn't sure how to explain.

She couldn't tell him everything, not yet. Not until she was sure that what they had was more than just a passing summer romance.

And then there was her family.

Her mother had been gentle with her since she returned from the wedding, but Sumayah could see the hints of concern in her eyes. There was always an underlying pressure to settle down with someone from their community, someone they knew, someone who could be trusted with their future. Faisal, despite the undeniable pull between them, didn't fit that mold.

She didn't know how to explain to her mother that she was falling in love with a man she hadn't known for long, a man who was far away, living a life entirely separate from hers.

Meanwhile, Faisal, despite his calm demeanor, couldn't stop thinking about Sumayah. He'd learned a lot about her in the weeks since they first met—her kindness, her intelligence, her dedication to her work—but he still felt like there was more to uncover. Every time they spoke, he discovered something new that made him admire her even more.

One afternoon, he found himself scrolling through his phone, looking at old pictures of Sumayah she had sent. One in particular caught his eye—a picture of her in scrubs, standing outside the FMC. She looked so focused, so determined, and yet there was a soft vulnerability in her eyes that drew him in.

He couldn't help but wonder about the things she kept hidden, the parts of herself she hadn't yet shared. It was a thought that lingered in his mind as he looked at the picture, trying to imagine the full story behind those eyes.

Later that evening, Faisal called Sumayah. The sound of her voice was like a balm to his soul, soothing the doubts and worries that had plagued him throughout the day.

"Hey," he said softly, leaning back against the couch. "I was thinking... maybe when I come back to Bida, we could spend some time together. Just the two of us, away from everything."

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Sumayah replied, her voice quieter than usual.

"I'd like that," she said. "But Faisal... I need you to understand that I'm not the easiest person to get to know. There are things about me, about my family, that I don't talk about easily."

Faisal could hear the hesitation in her voice, and he felt a pang of concern. "You don't have to tell me everything, Sumayah. But I need you to trust me."

Her words lingered in the air between them, a gentle promise that she was opening up, little by little.

"I trust you," she said, her voice steady now. "I really do."

The conversation ended with both of them feeling a little lighter, as though they had just crossed an unspoken barrier. They had not yet dealt with the complicated issues that would eventually arise, but for now, there was peace. The kind that comes from being understood, even in the quiet moments of vulnerability.

Sumayah closed her eyes that night, a soft smile on her lips, and for the first time in a long while, she felt like everything was falling into place.

But deep down, she knew their love story wasn't as simple as it seemed. There were challenges ahead, both external and internal, that they would have to face together.

And neither of them was prepared for what would come next.