A Promise From My Heart

6.

YUSUF'S POV

Time seem to stretch. Noor took forever in the doctor's office. It was a day with Amatullah's doctor so I had decided to take Noor along to register her for ante natal and redo the pregnancy test. We had to wait for the test result which was out. The doctor requested I leave the office since Noor was old enough for the doctor's appointment.

I could not sleep the night before. I had little to no sleep with a lot running through my mind. There were questions I wanted to ask Noor. Why? How? What happened? Why did she do this to us? What was she thinking? Did she think about the consequence for once? About what people would say and think of us? They will whisper behind our backs and some will congratulates us but laugh at our problems. They will say it was because she does not have a mother. Can't you see the other sister? She's so loose. Other matters about my family will rise from that.

I can send Noor away before anyone knows about her pregnancy. Mummy Joseph had promised to keep it a secret. Maybe she should go to Abuja, where she knows no one and stay with our mother's cousin, Aunty Joju. Aunty Joju will gladly accept her.

The guy who is responsible should come over with his family so we can know what to do next. A little Nikkah will be okay. It is best to marry her off before people get to know. Is that even the best thing to do? Marry her off? Is that what she want? What if he does not want to marry her? I cannot force my sister to a man who does not want her. Oh Allah, what should I do?

Now, it's been ten minutes since she sat in there with the doctor and she was yet to come out. I adjusted in my chair, taking a look at my wrist watch. That appointment was taking forever. Few more minutes, Noor stepped out. I jolted from my seat to meet her.

"What did he say?" I asked. She tried not to look into my eyes. Her eyes wavered everywhere. I noticed the sheen of sweat on her forehead. I hope it's not what I am thinking. "I am asking you a question Noor. What does the test result say?"

At my hard tone, her eyes met mine. The uncertainty in her eyes became a cold stare. "What were you expecting it to be? It's positive." She stormed away.

God! I tried not to reel back at the words. Maybe I have been living in denial for days but I had hoped that result will come out negative. So, Noorie is actually pregnant. Air jammed in my throat. Dread filled me. My younger sister is going to be a mother. How will she take care of that child? She has no means of earning money. This will become a responsibility I will have to take, an extra unplanned duty. But why? Why me?

There's just so much going through my head. Did she go back to dating that guy she broke up with almost a year back? She had not been in a relationship since that guy. I was sure of it. Or did she start another relationship with some bastard? The need to roar consumed me. There was a hurricane of thoughts rolling inside me threatening to wipe me out.

First mom died then the whole family crumbled. I have a collapsing world around me. TY has not been home for weeks. My attempt to find her or talk to her had been futile. On her instagram page, it's from one party to the other wearing clothes that do not conceal anything. Had I followed her with my real account, she would have blocked me. So I had to follow her with an anonymous account. There was this picture of her smoking weed, a joint with some shabby guy next to her. That's the life my other sister was living. One was pregnant and the other was rebellious. Great! Just great!

Amatullah was getting worse. It was always about babies and it was nearly driving me mad. I met her doctor who referred me to a specialist. He said the doctor was a psychologist and can help. What does he mean? That my wife is mad? I got into the car. Noor sat in the passenger's seat at the back, her head thrown to the other side.