Saved by my nightmare (A Nigerian Story)

CHAPTER 58

So i'm going to try to wrap up the flashbacks in this chapter, and i'd just have left it entirely but i think it might be crucial to your understanding of certain things. If I can't wrap it up here, then there will be one more chapter.

On to the story;

Lagos, Nigeria
2012.

Rayyan watched on as Maliya curled into herself on the ground, battling the urge to walk towards her and eventually, managing to conquer it.

He stood watching her for a while until she began to stand, oblivious to his lurking presence just at the corner of the spot she sat. Rayyan waited until she regained her composure, walking away only when she made a move to leave.

He arrived the waiting area only moments before she walked in, a forced, unconvincing smile on her face.

Rayyan said nothing as she took her seat, and the party of them fell into silence, silence that had only been made possible by the absence of the woman who had been wailing.

At the first sight of a white lab coat moments later, they all ran towards the doctor.

The doctor's expression remained neutral, and when he requested to see Captain Jamil, it was in an equally neutral tone.

Mrs Jamil's expression turned dreadful at that, as she turned to look at Hajia Kamardeen.

"If everything was okay, he'll have said so right? Ya Allah, something bad has happened".

Hajia Kamardeen's words were re-assuring as she tried to soothe her friend, but Rayyan could see the dread in the eyes of his mother.

Rumaysa and Maliya on the other hand, looked lost, eyes as wide as does caught in extra-bright headlamps. However, they looked less fearful, more hopeful.

When Mrs Jamil burst into tears, Rayyan walked toward her, kneeling at the ground in front of the two women.

He takes a hand each of the two women in both of his, something softening in him at the sight of their fearful eyes.

"Haba hajias, you're the ones that are always telling us to be strong. And see you two here crying" His tone was soft, unusually soothing as he spoke to them.

"Remember, inna Llaha ma'a sabireen (Verily, God is with the patient), have patience and put your trust in God. Everything happens as he has willed it to. And me dai, i know that that stubborn Zahar boy will come out of it, he's too stubborn not to" Mrs Jamil and Hajia were smiling now.

"Rayyan, are you sure it's stubbornness and not his strength?" Mrs Jamil teased, wiping her eyes with the edge of her scarf. "You know my son is strong". Hajia Kamardeen laughed at this while Rayyan pretended to mule over it.

"Well, he's strong but haba you know i'm stronger" Rayyan said, smiling goofily.

Rumaysa was a bit shocked at Rayyan's attitude. He'd never been a particularly vocal person, and although Maliya's parents had been as dear to him as his mother was growing up, Rumaysa didn't expect him to go to such lengths to see her smile.

A secret smile spread across her face, her brother was such a softie inside.

" I agree" Mrs Jamil conceded, before adding conspiratorially, "don't tell him I said that"

Rayyan only smiled back as he nodded, a rare smile that was borne from seeing these two women who'd held such important positions in his life, smile.

Women who'd fed him, prayed for  him, housed him, taught him.

When his mother was unavailable, Mrs Jamil always took over that role. On many nights, she'd talk with him and Zahar, Maliya and Rumaysa as they would curl up in bed together. And when the age came for them to be separated, she'd talk to him and Zahar after she'd left the girls' room, just wanting to inqire about their lives and tease them.