Today was his birthday, and only a day left for him to leave Bauchi. It had only been three weeks away from Aisha and Abba's wedding, and Nasir had never felt this nauseous all his life. He was at the office as early as 6 am, he didn't sleep there because he knew Mama will have his birthday present at his door the moment it said midnight, and she did.

He had applied for a transfer in Kano and it got accepted, Nasir couldn't be more elated. He had parked all that he had in the office and was seated on his chair, lost in his thoughts. He did that often. Dr Aliyu walked into the office and stared at him sadly before he sat down on the chair opposite his.

"Are you sure this is what you want? I can assure you there is regret all over your face now. It's still not too late to change that." Aliyu was the closest friend he ever had. They went to medical school together in Ukraine and were lucky to have found a job in the same hospital.

Nasir heaved a sigh and smiled lopsidedly at him, "I can assure you this is the only way I can keep my sanity. There is no way I will be in Bauchi and hide away from the wedding. What if I'm out? I'll have the office of not coming over. Besides, I need a change of environment. A lot has happened in my life."

Aliyu nodded in affirmation, "A lot has happened, that I believe. But can you leave the girl just like that? Speaking of which, she stopped over an hour ago and gave me this package to give you." In a swift, Aliyu was out of the room and he came back holding a medium-sized box.

He handed him the box and Nasir collected it with tentative hands.  "Are you sure this was for me? Besides, who was the girl that came? It can't be Aisha."

Still standing, Aliyu nodded his head at him. "Even though the picture you showed me of her, she had makeup on, but she was still the same. Beautiful, as you said. And that thing about a Billion Dollar smile? She did it too."

Even. though sadness had long blanketed Nasir's soul, he smiled. "It's her, Thank you, Aliyu." Aliyu had gone back to his office when Nasir opened the package.

First, there was a phone case, and beneath it, inscribed 'With Love, Aisha' in beautiful calligraphy. Nasir pulled out his phone from his pocket and put on the phone case right away. This would be like a remembrance to him, Aisha loved him.

He smiled weakly and pulled out the second, there were two key holders, both with inscriptions. The first one had, "Drive safely, Dr.' and the second one had 'Eat a lot and sleep too, home is a place to be happy. Smile always, Dr.' He pulled out what looked like a mug, and behold when he unwrapped it there was a mug with a design on it. The design was nothing but a lab coat and a stethoscope on the neck, and 'Dr. Nasir' was inscribed in bold on the right side and also the other side of the mug.

How can she be so creative like this? That's the first thing that crossed his mind before he pulled out a memo. Medium in size and beautiful in a light blue shade. The design there too was the same as the one on the mug. There was a sticky not placed there, it read 'Write about all the things you wish to tell me here. I can't read them, but I'll have it in mind that we converse anytime.'

He was holding his tears to himself, this was too much. Aisha herself was too much. He didn't know how an 18 years old lady can sway the heart of a man like him with such a gift. He saw a neatly folded paper and right below it was a bedside frame. She had her words written in italics and into a frame. He got the frame out, having it in mind to read the paper last. He was sure what she had written in there would make him cry.

I always talk to Allah about you

Some days I cry bitterly and

Beg Him to erase you from my heart

But on days the stars smile at ours

I speak to Allah in a cheerful tone

And shamelessly as Him to make us one

He knows of our good and bad days

The days I feel like plucking out my

Heart to wash you away

And days even this bridge between us

Seems nothing but a mere line to me

He knows the amount of love

I have for you that even you don't

I love you so much-Dr, Allah hears that a lot

Aisha U. Faruk.

Nasir placed down the frame and this time, his tears successfully rushed down to his cheeks. Aisha had been the most amazing person he had ever seen or met in his life. She spoke volumes in his life that no one ever did. And all this was going down the drainage. To admire her from afar would be a sin. He would be a married woman, prohibited to every man in the world, himself inclusive.

He unfolded the letter and watched in awe at the drawing she did, above whatever it is she had written. 'Happy Birthday, Dr Aisha loves you.' She wrote the words in such beautiful calligraphy that Nasir seemed to be amazed. This wasn't the same as that on his phone case, that was done by a calligrapher. But this, she put her little heart to it.

He felt warm within.

Happy Birthday once again, Dr As much as I hate to say this, I'm crying while writing this to you. I can't believe you're leaving tomorrow, and asking you to stay would be so selfish of me, Dr But what do I have to do other than cry it all out? We will be fine like you've said.

I shouldn't wallow too much in pain, right? This is a happy day, we should at least fake it even if it can't be real. Have you seen the poem on the frame? I'm improving, right? I want to be a very good poet, Dr Being a poet is a priceless feeling. You get to write out whatever it is that is eating you up in just a few stanzas, and you'll feel happy all over again. It's safe to say it's a therapy.

I have two poems for you now, I wrote to them the night before. You're the only fan I have. No one had ever seen one of my poems, not even Fatima. Before I write to them, know that I love you and will forever do, Dr No matter what happens to you, count me in. Cheers to 25 years of life! I pray to Allah to give you the strength to pull through this. You're a strong man, it's just a phase and trial from the almightly. Let's embrace it. Like you said, the sad ones first, so you'll smile at last.

Hopeless, that I am

With no words to describe how I felt

How I felt when the glass I took care of

Landed on the floor before my eyes

How I felt when my last drop of water

Got sucked up by the sand

And here I stand, crestfallen

Watching things I thought would be there;

Shattered and slowly failing

I had hope for us

For the man between us to take a step back

The smile on his face to vanish

The echo of his laughter to get bored to our ears

I had hoped from your eyes

The looks you and I could only relate to

You told me 'There is hope' without mentioning

And I believed you

But today...tonight...there is no star to cry with me

The moon glows dimly to sympathise with me

And I watch the hands of time dancing slowing, not to remind

Of the little time, we had left

Tonight...I heard the echo of my silence

And the silence of my echo

I cried with no tears and screamed with no voice

Tonight...I'm heartbroken

Because of you, and the man between us.

That was a huge blow, no matter how Nasir wanted to keep on going and read the next one, he couldn't. His vision got blurred by his tears and he had no choice but let out the roar of his tears. He hugged the letter to his chest and felt as the pain seeped and surged through him full force. He felt the cracks, as loud as the thunder scared the world.

"Oh, Aisha!" He had never felt this kind of pain. Not even with Madina Aminu Musawa.

It took him time before he found it in him and pulled the paper away from his chest and he began reading the other one.

I search for forever

Through the eyes from your eyes

They sometimes resemble the rainbow

Most of the times it's and infant love

But I love the rose garden in them

I search for forever

Through the soft touches of your hands

Your palms are a touch of cushion

The locks of your fingers when they kiss mine

Tracing the veins in my soul

I search for forever

Through our little together

The moments our hearts converse

With the wind as our driver

The way our lips sync, the sweetness

Better than a pricey wine

I search for forever

In you, with you and for you

I love you, Dr

The twelve eggs in my ovaries will be made sacred

For the children of you and I

Our children, Dr.

I know all that didn't happen, but just imagine it did. Imagine we held hands, we hugged and even kissed. Don't! Don't get me wrong, Dr, this is my poetic mind in action. But whatever it is, this is me; Aisha Umar Faruk; truly and completely in love in you. Even though love is painful, it's sweet because I choose to love only you. Happy birthday once again, Dr Be happy always.

This had been the most painful phase of his life. He cried until he felt his chest trying to stop the inhale and exhale job.  A call from his phone brought him out of his reverie, and he pulled his heart out of the dungeon he locked himself.

It was Nana, and he knew she called to wish him a happy birthday. He picked the call and sniffled, to stop more tears from gushing down his cheeks. "Nana, Good afternoon." He greeted, and she knew something surely had happened.

Nasir had never greeted her unless he wanted something or he was so sad to fight off her nagging about how he didn't greet her. "Nasir, what happened?' She knew what happened, but she wanted him to open up to her first.

He blew his nose with a tissue and tried to smile but he knew he couldn't. "I'm fine, Nana. What do you see? How are you? And how's Sudais?"

"Happy birthday, Nasir. I'm glad you've turned 25 today, I'll be 26 next month too. But all that aside, what's wrong? I know you're not fine, Nasir." Her voice was low, and she wanted to cry with him. There was only a one year gap between them, and they were the closest sibling ever. It seemed like Abba was never in the picture, he loved them and showed that care only when he wanted to.

"She's getting married, you know. Don't act like you don't know, Nana." He would always be young to Nana. Whenever he spoke to her, he felt all soft and young within. After Mama, Nana was the second.

"I know, Nasir. That's why I called to ask how you're doing. Do you want me to talk to Mama about it? Will you be fine? Should I come over?" Her voice was breaking, she was at the verge of breaking into tears. She knew it even before he voiced it other that he loved Aisha. Because she knew him so well to know when he's in love.

"You really shouldn't bother doing anything, I'll be leaving to Kano tomorrow. I got my transfer to AKTH kano. And you talking to Mama about this will make her feel guilty and she'll try to talk Baba out of it and that will only make it worse for Abba and it'll all be on Mama. Either way, she'll be in pain. I'll walk through it, it will be hard. But I'll be fine, Nana."

She heard as he broke into tears, and she listened silently as he cried it out. This was Nasir, her younger brother. She had noticed him in a heartbroken state once, and she knew how he acted then. She might have to come to Bauchi or talk him into coming to Katsina.

"Will you please branch in Katsina first? I promise to treat you like my baby brother, Nasir." She was crying too, and Nasir felt he had all the best women that are in the world, as his family.

"I'll come, but you have to promise to buy me everything I want. Suya every night, and all those goodies, Nana." He chuckled softly, and she did too.

"Idiot, it's a promise then. I'll expect you tomorrow. Sudais is back at it again, I need to attend to him before he cries my ears out."

"Seriously, Nana, that boy is three years old, he should be taken to a school. It's time for a sibling to come."

She laughed, and he did too. "You're not serious, Nasir. Get your lazy self to the car park at 5:30, I have a package for you."

"You really shouldn't stress yourself, Nana. I'm not a young boy that will hold a grudge on you just because of a birthday gift."

She threw her head back in laugher, "You said that on your 24th birthday, Nasir. And you drove to Katsina just to complain my ears out for not giving you a birthday gift. I know you better than that."

"Okay, okay thank you, Nana. You're the best sister in the world, and you're my favourite sister."

"It's not like you have any other choice than to make me the best. You have no other sister apart from me, you dummy."

He laughed and Nana excused herself and ended the call. With the stain of his tears on his cheeks, Nasir smiled ruefully. He put back the gifts and took the rest of his things to the car. All in all, this had been the best and worst Birthday he ever had. Aisha made it the best, Nana too. But what awaited him made it the worst of its kinds.

He met his colleagues at the reception and they wished him a good life in Kano and also happy birthday. They bid each other a successful life before Nasir drove away inside his car. He heaved a sigh and dreaded his very last moment with Aisha, which will be tomorrow. He prayed Mama wouldn't get any hint at the way they would react. He decided to have his last words with her through her window, under the illuminating glow of the moon.