The Precious Figure

Chapter 9

Every morning, I wake up with a deep smile on my face. I smiled, knowing that I was in love with Najib as much as he was with me. I smiled, knowing that I'd have received a message from him, confessing how incomplete his life is without me and how I am the air that he breathes. I smiled knowing that every single morning I wake up is a day gone by, reducing the days left for Najib to return.

It was two weeks; two weeks after Najib and I officially started a relationship and when he travelled to Abuja for a summit. When I pulled the cover off my body this morning, I stretched my arms wide and smiled extraordinarily because Najib would finally return to Kwara.

When I had walked to the living room to pray with my mom and start making breakfast, I had noticed how she tried to pretend like she wasn't staring at me but I knew she was. I could see her through my side view, knowing that she would be wondering why I had a plastered smile on my face.

It was a Friday and a lecture-free day (for the first time, Mrs. Lanre had missed her lecture because she had to travel to her hometown for her daughter's wedding). It meant that I had the whole day to relax and fantasize about Najib, imagining what his surprise would be. I had decided to make a great breakfast (fried rice and chicken) since there was no hurry to get to school on time.

The aroma of the boiling chicken on the fire wafted the kitchen as I shredded onion and diced the green peas on the chopping board. I was waiting with bated breath to see Najib again...after two weeks (what's that? 7x2 =14 days).

"Fareedah, are you with a hijab? Come and check who is knocking at the door." My mom called from the living room.I turned towards the entrance kitchen to notice my long khimar hanging by the door; the one I had used to pray in the morning. I hurriedly wore the khimar and left the kitchen, wondering who would visit that early.

My heart juddered in my chest at the thought of Najib but I doubted that. I knew that he wouldn't show up at the door without pre-informing him. I trusted him that much!My mom was sitting on a couch, reading the news headline from her iPad. She wore rimless eyeglasses that rested them on her nasal bridge.

I jostled to the door and opened with wet hands, smelling of onion and cabbage. "Hi. Good morning." The sharp voice of young, tall man light-years older than me greeted me as I opened the door.

He was putting on a blue shirt and trousers and was carrying a bouquet of red flowers. It was at that instant that I guessed what would be ensuing.

"Mr. Najib Fawad sent these to you." He smiled at me, holding the packet of flowers.I was speechless. I didn't expect it...it was one of those gestures that would make your heart throb in excitement.

"Thank you." I smiled at him, signing in a register and returning to the living room a minute later.My mom's eyes were raised and she gaped at me as I entered the house, then she started to peer at the flowers that I was holding.

"Who sent those?" she adjusted her glasses and scrunched up her face.

"It's Najib."

"He knows where you live?"