“Where’s dee?” Layla asked Fahad who shrugged.

“Farhan said he took her home, an emergency.”

“Oh, I hope everything is alright.” He nodded taking a sip of his cocktail and looked around the still full hall, it was already eleven and they didn’t seem ready to go home. He was over with that.

“Are you okay?” he nodded not sparing Shaheed a glance, he had been hearing that question a lot lately and he didn’t like it.

“Yes, what’s wrong?”

“You seem off.” He nodded at that.

“It’s nothing, I’m just tired.” Shaheed glared at him.

“At least you didn’t become a mother made driver and drove brats around for the better part of your day.”

Fahad smiled at that beside himself. “I’ll make it up to you.” The former only grumbled under his breath.

After thirty more minutes of pointlessly staring at people, he got up when he noticed his mother grateful she hadn’t tried to push cousins his way, it wouldn’t last. A small voice at the back of mind reminded.

“I’m making my escape right now before I’m forced to do the driver duties now.” He stood up and headed to his mother’s table, Huda who had been dancing to her heart’s content stopped when she caught a glimpse of her brother, she jogged to him with a big smile.

“Hamma, take a picture with me.” She said giddily.

“Noor, I’m in a rush right now maybe later.” He tried to pry her hands off his arm but she held on tighter tugging him with pleading eyes.

“Just one please, look the photographer is right there.” She pointed at one of the multiple photographers, with a resigned sigh he stopped for one picture which turned into three, then five and he stopped counting when some his cousins joined.

At some point he wondered if he was the groom because they were suddenly all wrapped up near him trying to get in the shot, he looked around and caught Shaheed’s smug smile, he raised his glass at him then took a sip looking like he has made it in life.

“I’ll kill him.” He muttered eyeing him.

“Okay, that’s enough now.” He heard a familiar voice say and turned in the direction. A dark woman, middle aged with a friendly smile on her face, she looked like dr. Sakinah but was not quite her, he didn’t know how to explain it.

“How about one with the bride’s mother then you can leave?” He smiled remembering why she looked familiar, Dr. Sakinah’s twin sister he chastised himself for being dumb, she was almost an exact replica of dr. Sakinah and he saw her when she visited his mother in Abuja.

“How are you?” she asked him as they posed for the picture. They took another with the bride and groom before she walked straight to where he was headed.

He greeted his aunts that were seated and two other women, dr. Sakinah’s sisters, though they didn’t share a keen resemblance with the one that was beside him, he shook his head again, they were twins for Allah’s sake.

“Ammie, goodnight.” He pecked her forehead oblivious to the stares he was receiving, she shook her head at his antics.

“No one is going to make you talk to girls so you don’t even have to fake sickness.”

“I wasn’t, I’m just tired and I’m driving myself home. Goodnight.” He didn’t wait for them to reply before he sauntered off. He set the course for the Aliero manor but stopped and changed to l’arte dei sapori they probably ween’t closed and he hoped Dahlia was there, he should’ve called her.

He pulled up in the parking lot and walked inside, they weren’t closed and it didn’t really surprise him that much, the Abuja branch opened until like two in the morning on weekends and overnight on weekdays.

“Good evening sir,” he looked up at the waiter and nodded.

“Is Dahlia in?” he asked, the man’s eyes widened a fraction before he nodded.

“Who should I say?”

“Barkindo,” He showed him to a private part of the restaurant before walking off.

Fahad took off his cap with a relived sigh/groan he’d removed the babban riga in the car.

“What are my eyes seeing oh dear, I might just swoon.” He smiled at the tall woman’s words before standing up.

“Hello beautiful lady, I’m honored to be in your presence.” She chuckled lightly.

“I’m the one who’s honored, I should advice you against eating this late but I can try to make dent in your account.” They sat, her on the opposite end while he returned to his position.

“You can try but I guarantee you’ll fail.” She laughed again.

“We both know I hate losing so I’ll just forfeit this one, being the bigger person and all.” He nodded agreeing with her joke. “What brought you by? I know there’s an Aliero wedding happening.”

“I left for my sanity.” She laughed again.

“You’ll never change, I’ve seen clips and to my surprise it isn’t JD and Layla.” She shook her head, “I’m tempted to hit them both in the head with pans, they would’ve had five kids by now.” He threw his head back in laughter.

“Five? Wouldn’t you be scared if that happened?”

“Not really, I know someone who gives birth every ten months, I don’t know her aim but she alone can increase the world population.” She rolled her eyes making him look at her in amusement.

“Okay captain green, how is work?” he asked taking a sip of the water, just realizing he’d wanted water all along, not that he was thirsty or anything, just the feel of water down his throat felt divine.

“I want to quit.” She said with a straight face. They talked and mostly joked, it was always like that with her, laugh about your problems instead of dwelling on them and maybe that was why he liked talking to her when he was feeling down, she had a way of lifting a person’s mood with just one sentence.

He didn’t know the demons she was fighting, she’d once told him, you had to acknowledge them for them to bother you, so she doesn’t acknowledge them. He knew that was one of the reasons though, he knew all about shutting your demons, not fighting them and not letting them win, just pretending they don’t exist.

Somehow one conversation led to another and he found himself telling her about Khadijah, she’s heard her name once or twice from the Aliero’s, she’s seen her page, in fact she was a big fan, beauty, brains and talent, she was one of a kind, a full package really.

“I can see where you’re headed with this Barkindo, I don’t want to be a killjoy, though I’d say go for it but,” she looked at him in the eye, unblinking, “But you can’t save everybody Fahad,” he wanted to talk but she beat him to it, “I know what you’re going to say and frankly I understand where you’re coming from but, you’re human,” she pointed between them, “You and I, were humans and we just have to leave some battles because they are beyond us.” He nodded with a resigned sigh.

He used the serviette and cleaned his lips even though there was nothing there, “If not for the fact that you aren’t in the market, I would’ve married you for your food.” He joked after a few moments of silence to lighten up the mood.

“Who said I’m not, test the waters first.” She smiled and stood up. “Night Barkindo, and think about what I said.” He nodded and repeated her words under his breath.

“Some battles aren’t meant to be fought.” He lingered in the restaurant for about thirty minutes, he was getting ready to leave when he received a call from Layla, her voice was shaky.

“Hamma where are you?” he told her, the fact that she didn’t tease him about not eating at weddings even though it was a family wedding made him realize all was not well, that wasn’t Layla.

“Is everything alright lee, I can come get you,”

“Please.” Was all she said before hanging up.

**** **** ****

Khadijah walked quietly into Sadiya’s bedroom with Aifa in tow, she held her aunt’s hands like she would disappear if she so much as loosened her grip.

Sadiya lay motionless on the bed, one of Abdulrahman’s older sister’s beside her, Baraka was on the other side and their mother somewhere around the room, Kamla was nowhere to be seen.

Khadijah tried to keep her voice even as she greeted them, she walked farther and sat on the bed then took her sister’s arms in hers, Aifa was now sitting with her grandmother slowly drifting off.

“Ya Sadiya?” Khadijah called softly, there was no reply at first then she turned with red rimmed eyes, she sat up immediately she saw her sister and pulled her in for a hug.

“K..Khadijah you’re here, I know you’ll listen to me please tell them to leave me, I want to go and wake my daughter up.” She pleaded her whole body shaking, she wasn’t crying but she might as well be doing that with the way her body and voice were all shaken up.

“Ya Sadiya...” she started but Sadiya interrupted her, trying to get off the bed.

“No don’t join them, she is just sleeping, I know Wallahi, she told me she wanted to sleep and when she wakes up she’ll eat more muffins, I have to give her, she’s sick.” This time she burst into tears still trying to stand up.

With tear filled eyes Khadijah tried to get her to calm down, they’ve all tried but she was insistent on giving her cake, that she’ll wake up once she sees the cake, that she was only pretending because they didn’t give her the cake she wanted. She kept on rambling and crying at the same time. She fell asleep almost an hour later when she tired herself out. The other occupants of the room had tears in their eyes.

Khadijah stayed with Sadiya for the better part of the night, when she was sure she wouldn’t wake up by the tiniest sound she quietly walked out of the room and headed to the master bedroom where she was told Kamla had been the whole time. She said the taslim quietly expecting her to be sleeping but her eyes were wide open, she nodded to Khadijah who walked up to the bed where her niece lay, a blanket covering her up to her head, her first instinct was to open her head so she wouldn’t suffocate or get scared when she woke up in the night but stopped a few feet close to the bed.

Her chest wasn’t rising and falling and she wasn’t moving at all, Basra didn’t sleep still and Khadijah knew from sleeping on the same bed with her multiple times, she would turn and turn and grasp anything her hands could reach.

The realization came like a blow to her, she knew even before she’d picked the phone, she knew when she’d heard Kamla’s voice and when she saw Abdulrahman, juniors tears, everybody’s solemn look, Sadiya’s panic, but none hit her like seeing her still niece. She hadn’t realized she’d staggered until she felt Kamla’s arms around her.

“Be careful.” She whispered to her. She took a deep calming breath though she didn’t think it would help much and turned to Kamla managing a nod, she moved to the side and sat on the bed then whispered some duas. She didn’t know why but she needed some form of clarity so she lifted the blanket and almost screamed at Kamla to stop covering her face, she was sleeping, she looked like she was sleeping.

She didn’t look sick like she had the last time she’d seen her, in fact she’d gotten fairer in Khadijah’s eyes, she looked at peace with almost a hint of a smile on her lips.

“Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’oon.” (From Allah we are and unto him is our retrun.) She prayed, praising the most high for he’d taken the gift he had given. She repeated the supplication more times than she cared to remember, saying the first prayer that came to her mind, she didn’t know at what point she returned the blanket and let her have her rest, because yes she was resting, all the trips to the hospital and the medication, she was finally at peace in sha Allah.

They sat in silence for many hours, she’d, lost track of reality if she was being honest with herself and that was why she moved robotically when she’d heard the adhaan for subh prayers.

Kamla stood and went to perform ablution, she returned and prayed in the room while Khadijah kept supplicating with the prayer beads that had been with her since she’d gotten the hang of her thoughts.

Abdulrahman walked into the room moments after Kamla had said the salam, she was still sitting on the mat saying some duas.

Khadijah greeted him softly and he replied his eyes on the bed, she saw him take a deep breath before walking close, he whispered something she couldn’t tell, probably a prayer then stood back up and wiped the few stray tears that betrayed him.

“The janazah will be by eight,” he took in a shaky breath the words seemed so foreign to him, “umma said she’ll perform the bath.” He left the room after that, Khadijah followed suit but headed for where her mother was.

“Are you sure?” umma asked softly in her usual hausa laced with sokoto accent that betrayed her roots.

Khadijah nodded sure of herself, she needed the closure. Sadiya had woken up when Khadijah was about to start the ritual bath, she wordlessly sat beside her sister who was working gently her hundred percent attention on what she was doing.

Umma and the rest of the adults in the room thought it a bad idea for Sadiya to be there but she’d wanted to and she did, there couldn’t stop her and they knew it.

She didn’t shed a single tear when she was being wrapped in the likkafani or kafan (shroud), even when they brought the makara (Sort of an open coffin that muslims use) and even when she was put in it, the imam that would lead the prayer asked the family members to stay and pray before she was taken out.

Most of the family members that lived in Kaduna were already present and even those that managed to drive out early were all present, the whole house was packed with people who wanted to give condolence and show support to the parents.

“May Allah make her a precursor and source of reward for her parents.” The Imam finished and they got ready to head out for the salatul janazah.

Khadijah held Sadiya who was still acting robotically, she didn’t know if to be relieved or worried that she still haven’t cried.

“Ya Sadiya let’s go,” Khadijah tugged her sister who seemed rooted to the ground, they were getting ready to head to the graveyard, you would think it was an adult that died with the amount of people that were present.

Khadijah whose eyes had been down mustered up to the courage to look at her sister’s face immediately the imam said the salam, she’d been avoiding that afraid of what she would find there.

Sadiya took a step forward but not towards the house, she was heading for the car they were trying to put the small coffin that held her daughter.

“Tell them to stop please,” she cried trying to fight who was holding her. Khadijah who stood flabbergasted couldn’t do anything but watch as their mother’s sisters tried to stop her.

“Somebody take her back inside so she doesn’t hurt herself.” Somebody was saying.

A lot of things were happening and she tried to keep up.

“Please tell them to give me back my daughter, I told you she is just sleeping, she is just sleeping I promise.” She was almost at the car now, it didn’t matter how many people tried to stop her, she somehow shook them off her.

She was almost at the car when she felt arms around her, her husband’s musky cologne made her stop in her step.

“Abdul don’t let them take her please.” She begged fisting his clothes in her hands, full on crying.

“Don’t let her go Abdul, she said she wanted to sleep, you were there, you saw her too, she is just sleeping.” He pulled her aside and hugged her tighter.

He whispered duas in her ear and when her she stopped talking he loosened his hold but not letting go completely.

“Say inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’oon.” He urged, it took three tries before she compelled, she kept repeating it until she calmed down.

“Will you be fine?” he whispered in her ear, she lifted her head that was on his chest and looked up at him with tear filled eyes. “I’ll be back in a few minutes okay, stay calm please, for me?” she didn’t nod or even move at all but she’d stopped crying. He managed to get her to calm down and then walked back to where the cars were ready to go. He squeezed her hands one last time before he entered the car and they started moving.

Khadijah held her as she sobbed repeating the same prayer over and over again, they stood there until the cars left the street.

Baraka who had been standing there but Khadijah hadn’t noticed assisted her in helping Sadiya walk back inside the house, she was still silently crying to herself.

“Mummy?” Hanan tried to get to her mother who looked up with a teary smile.

“Yes Hanan,” she shook her head and jumped into her mother's arms hugging her.

"Okay, don’t cry now, you’ll be fine, we’ll be fine.” She added patting her back.

“Let your mother rest now, come with me,” Baraka took her arms and led her to the room where the rest of the children were. Aifa had fallen asleep with Nanah beside her, junior and Baraka’s son Ashraf had joined their fathers.

People were trooping in and out of the house to give their condolences, Khadijah sat with Sadiya in her room since they returned, they were both quiet lost in their individual thoughts, Kamla entered a few minutes later and tried to give Sadiya food to eat but she shook her head saying she wasn’t hungry, Khadijah gave the same reply.

~~~~~

“Sannu, Allah yaji kanta.” Abdulrahman replied thanking the woman who’d talked though he didn’t look up at her, he opened Sadiya’s room and had to fight the tears when he saw her hugging the pillow Basra always slept with.

Like she could sense his presence, Sadiya turned and met her husband’s eyes, he walked further and sat beside her, hugging her to him with her head on his shoulder. He knew he should be outside talking with people but he’d much rather be here with his family, they needed him most.

She felt the pain but disregarded it at first thinking it was just her imagination but when she felt the wetness she realized what was happening.

“Do you need anything?” Abdulrahman asked seeing how she jumped abruptly, he followed her line of sight and stood up confused seeing the panic on her face.

What happened from there was a flash in Khadijah’s mind but after eight hours of labor, Sadiya welcomed two new additions to her family.

~~~~~

Night walkers how far na?
I can't be the only one awake.

So how was this chapter? Those of you that said Sadiya, abeg o she is one of my faves and she'll be with us till the end, ameen
Hope my fingers don't change their mind, anyways, I may or may not have skipped parts here but I didn't want to put too much things and then not really capture the emotional scene.

So erm, I did not cry while writing this, at all🙃

Please vote comment and share.

Love, Basra

Amyrah