Conflate

Chapter 23

(Unedited)

Yahaya masked off his pain, looked at Sadiya one last time and stormed out. He walked away, and with each step he took, Yahaya wished Sadiya would call out to him, but she didn't and with a very heavy heart he left to the airport.

Five days later, when Yahaya didn't call nor text Sadiya, she felt sad. She picked up her phone from the bedside drawer trying to dial his number but when Ummi came into the room, she returned it back on the bedside drawer and smiled. A forced smile.

      Ummi sat beside her and pulled Sadiya into an abrupt hug.

   "Cry it out, I don't know what he did but whatever it is, talk it out. Communication is the key"

         He did nothing, infact am the one at fault. He's always trying to make everything work.

   "Wipe away those tears, put a smile on that gorgeous face and meet me downstairs. Breakfast is ready" with that statement, she ambled downstairs.

Sadiya sighed and slipped out from her pajamas. She had a quick shower and changed into an A-shaped gown, spritzed herself with the eternity CK perfume and moved downstairs.

   She met Ummi eating alone and she joined her. Few minutes later, Abdullah came into the parlour wearing a grey sweatpants with a black T-shirt. He looked Handsome yet disturbed.

"Good morning Ummi" he muttered, Ummi nodded observing him keenly. He grabbed the avocado that was on the table and fetched the scrambled egg before moving to the corridor.

Who eats in the corridor?

Ummi exhaled sharply. "I wonder why an extrovert person could turn into an introvert person, all of a sudden."

Sadiya not knowing what to say kept looking at her food. Ummi quickly answered her phone that was vibrating.

    "Sadiya's love, how're you? How's work?" Ummi asked with a glint of happiness.

When it clicked to Sadiya that it was Yahaya that called, she rushed to her old room thinking maybe he might call her after the phone call with his mother.

    She settled on the bed anticipating his call, but he never called. She gave up after an hour.

A week later, exactly 14 days after Yahaya's departure, Sadiya woke up with the feeling of settling things. She decided to give him a call. He picked up immediately "how's my wife doing?" He asked as if he hasn't been avoiding her for weeks.

"Fine" she responded.

"I miss you, do you miss me?" He asked from the other end.

She laughed. "Unfortunately, I don't miss people."

"Too bad, mi alma"

Some seconds later, she blurted "I'm sorry"

"Sorry for?"

"For not following you" she replied combing down her hair with her right hand whilst her phone was placed on her left ear.

"I never said i was angry at you" from the way he replied, she dictated his pain.

"Okay forget about that, should i come and pick you up?" He added, quickly.

Sadiya got confused not knowing what to say. He understood and said bye immediately. She packed her hair into a bun and put on a turban.

She briskly walked to Ummi's room. "Thank God you're here, can you please call Abdullah" Ummi said. Sadiya turned around and moved to the BQ.

She knocked thrice and he opened the wooden door, looking upset.