So close, yet so far

29

ABUJA, NIGERIA

The following weeks that followed were a whirlwind of emotions, Hauwa and Sa'eed hardly slept at night because of Hauwa's worsening condition. The doctors they had gone to each had their diagnosis, and the treatment didn't seem to work. Hauwa's sanity was slowly starting to slip away, and it hurt Sa'eed so much that he couldn't help her.

As the days went by, Hauwa's hallucinations became more frequent and more intense. She would see Safar everywhere, laughing at her, taunting her, and pushing her down the stairs. She would scream and cry, her eyes wild with fear, and Sa'eed would hold her, trying to calm her down, but it seemed like nothing was working.

Sa'eed was at his wit's end. He didn't know what to do, how to help Hauwa. He felt like he was losing her, like she was slipping away from him, and he couldn't do anything to stop it. He would sit by her bedside, holding her hand, and praying to Allah to heal her, to bring her back to him.

Mami and Adda Bahijja were worried sick about Hauwa. They would come to visit her every day, bringing food and drinks, and trying to cheer her up. But Hauwa was beyond consolation. She was lost in her own world, a world of fear and paranoia, and nothing seemed to be able to bring her back.

As the weeks turned into months, Hauwa's condition continued to deteriorate. She would forget things, forget who Sa'eed was, forget who she was. She would look at Sa'eed with a blank expression, and he would feel like his heart was breaking.

Sa'eed was exhausted. He hadn't slept in weeks, and he was starting to feel like he was losing his mind. He would pace back and forth in their bedroom, trying to think of a way to help Hauwa, but nothing seemed to be working.

One night, as he was pacing, he heard a faint whisper. "Sa'eed." He turned around, and Hauwa was sitting up in bed, looking at him with a glimmer of recognition in her eyes.

"Hauwa," he whispered, rushing to her side. "Mi Reina, I'm here. I'm here for you."

Hauwa looked at him, her eyes searching. "Sa'eed," she whispered again. "I'm scared. I'm so scared."

Sa'eed held her close, feeling a surge of hope. Maybe, just maybe, Hauwa was starting to come back to him. Maybe she was starting to remember who he was, who she was.

"I'm here, Hauwa," he whispered. "I'll always be here for you. You're not alone, Mi Reina. You're not alone."

As he held her close, Sa'eed felt a sense of determination. He was going to do everything in his power to help Hauwa, to bring her back to him. He was going to fight for her, fight for their love, and he was not going to give up.

But as the night wore on, Hauwa's hallucinations started again. She would scream and cry, her eyes wild with fear, and Sa'eed would hold her, trying to calm her down. He felt like he was losing her again, like she was slipping away from him, and he didn't know how to stop it.

As the sun started to rise, Sa'eed felt a sense of despair. He didn't know how much more of this he could take. He didn't know how much more of watching Hauwa slip away from him he could handle.

But he knew he had to keep fighting. He had to keep fighting for Hauwa, for their love, and for their future. He was not going to give up, no matter what.

As the day wore on, Sa'eed made a decision. He was going to take Hauwa to see a specialist, someone who could help her, someone who could bring her back to him. He was not going to give up on Hauwa, no matter what.

And with that determination, Sa'eed felt a sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, he could save Hauwa, save their love, and save their future. Maybe, just maybe, he could bring her back to him, and they could start again.