(On Hold)The burning candles in our hearts

27

"Please! Zainab Stop crying for now. Your mother is on her way back. Please be strong" Goggo Malika said hugging zainab

"Oh Allah man min bu'i. Nda redu nda soinde astagfirullah( Oh Allah this is not easy . She was already dealing with the pregnancy and now this!)" Goggo malika said with tears in her eyes.

Aisha who was sitting on the other side of the bed was just looking at her crying sister and aunty.

"Aisha. Where is imam and the twins?" Aunty jamilah  who just got back from the hospital said coming into the room. Your mother is asking for them.

Aisha felt her heart sink when she heard her aunty say their mother was asking for them.

"Un hebi un warti( you guys are finally back? " Goggo malika asked aunty jamilah.

"Hatoi mo?( where is she?)" Goggo malika asked referring to mummy.

"They are in the guest room downstairs with the body." She answered

"The body? The body? Who? My father being referred to as the body? Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun" Aisha said to her self.

"I am not prepared for this. Nobody told me to get ready for this? My father? No please. I know he will return maybe tomorrow. He is just going to spend the night in kaduna. Yes definitely he will be back. Tomorrow in shaa Allah" she thought to herself again.

She stood up to leave the room when she heard aunty jamilah "where are you going to?"

"You said mummy was asking for the twins and imam. They were in amira's room the last time I checked. Let me check again" with that she left the room

She opened the door gently and the first figure her eyes met with was the baby of the house on the bed with his tab playing subway surfers. So innocent and care free about the things  going on around him . She wished she was him at that very moment.

She turned her head to the other side and she saw the twins both crying silently like their lives depended on it. They both were unaware of her presence in the room

"Amir? Amira?" She Called them both softly before they knew of her presence in the room. She motioned for them to come sit near her after she sat on the bed and they both obeyed.

"I want you both to stop crying. Just keep praying. Everything will be fine. We will be fine okay? Crying is not good for your health. Okay?"
She said with emotions evident in her voice.

"Adda Aisha is daddy really gone forever? He is dead and he will never come back?" Amira finally said between sniffs.

"Amira he is in a better place. Please stop crying." Aisha answered her

"Does this mean we are now going to live in this house without him? We are never going to see him?But I saw him this morning. He even pinched my cheek before he left" ameer added

"He is in a better place. You two should stop crying" she said again

Imam who kept his tab aside after seeing his two siblings crying was looking at them carefully.  The little boy was looking confused. He called aisha's name before he finally came and sat on her lap holding her tightly. 

"Adda Aisha you are so strong. I wish i can be like you" ameer said moments later.

Only if you knew! Only if i Could bring myself to cry. Aish said in her head

"Come on you both stop crying. Go and wash your faces. Mummy is downstairs she is looking for you guys . Please nobody should cry when you are with her. Hold it in okay? You can all cry in my room when we are done downstairs. Okay?" She said in a loving tone