CHAPTER XLIII

The room was quiet.

The only noise that could be heard was sadiq constant tapping on the wood table. Rahama had her head down. She isn't  sure of how  to start the conversation since the guy in front of her is not ready to say anything. She heaved a small sigh and then raise her head . She cleared her throat to get his attention and he glanced at her with a brow raised

" what is it? " he asked when he saw that she was looking.

She internally rolled her eyes. She knew he would be unbearable .

" How have you been? " she asked. Really!  is that the right way to start up a conversation?, she thought and mentally groaned embarrassed.

He chuckled with a slight shake of head " are you seriously asking me that now? "

She took a deep breath to refrain herself from retorting back to him.

" look sadiq, I know what you might be thinking " she started

He snorts" and what is that thing I might be thinking? "

She rolled her eyes " that I'm trying to be civil with you because you're now rich, I know that's how you see it. I only want to apologize for all that I have done in the past. I've always wanted to apologize even before you left but I guess I was too late. "

" look here rahama, I don't give a damn about all that. Just tell me the main reason why I'm still sitting here. I know this was planned by aunty yasira, that woman has forgotten that I know how she does her things"

Rahama was caught by surprise with what he said. This guy sure knows how to guess things or does he read minds?

" OK fine. Yes you're right. This whole sitting alone of a thing was planned but still yet I had always want to apologize"

He squint his eyes " just apologize? "

" yes" she grumbled out as she pick on her nails.

He laughed wholeheartedly " I'm not a fool. I know their is something else. " his voice turned soft " tell me rahama. What is it you're trying to hide? "

She scoffed " Nothing. I hope I'm forgiven? "

Sadiq smirked " actually, you've got nothing to apologize for. I hold zero grudges against you!"

She was confused " then why were you so cold to me at the party? "

" I wasn't cold to you"

" of course you were. Your eyes says it all that I had done something terrible which you don't like and I am very sure it because of how I once treated you. "

" then believe whatever you want. I have said what I want to say" he stood up from the chair and was about to walk away. Rahama quickly held his hand

" wait! " she softly let out

Sadiq was caught by surprise with her action . He looked at her hand which was still by the way holding his. She realized her mistake and quickly withdraw her hand back with a bit of blush on her cheeks.

He smirk " what is it again, rahama ?"

Rahama? He said her name for the first time since he got back,she thought to herself. And here she was already getting used to him calling her spoilt brat.

" You can't just leave like that. Please just tell me whatever it is that I had done to you which made you behave that way at the party? .Since you said it wasn't how I once treated you,  please tell me what other offense have I made"

Offence she say, she broke my heart by choosing that good for nothing Mansir, sadiq thought to himself. He knew she isn't to blame because he has never told her how he felt.

" are you listening to me, Mr mec .... I mean sadiq? " she asked when she saw that his mind was elsewhere

" erm yeah  "

" okey" she said not quite believing him

Sadiq internally shook off those thoughts that kept shouting at him to just say what he had kept bottled in

" erm ....rahama I think... I think

She furrowed her brow confused " you think what? Why are you stuttering? " she asked

He met her eyes once again. Those eyes which he had long to see for three years.

" it's nothing. just forget it" he said with a forced smile

She doesn't want to prod so she let it be. But her mind wants to prod. It wants to know what he was finding hard to say.

" I will just get going"

" oh okay. Won't you at least say a good bye to aunty yasira? " she asked instead.

" she must be sleeping right now, Just let her be. We will talk tomorrow " he said with a small smile and then turn away to leave.

Her face fell at this. She thought he was at least going to wait some more so they could have a word.

" OK then. See you tomorrow then"

He nodded " goodnight"

***

She hit her pillow for what felt like the tenth time the moment she entered her room. With all the plan , it still didn't end well. She had wanted him to say it out. She wanted him to say those three words. Those words which would change everything. Those words which would have made her the happiest woman on earth. But  he didn't say it.

It hurts that he didn't want to say it. She had wanted him to say those three words first.she  groaned loudly.

Or could it be that he is indeed in a relationship with the other rahama? Could that be the reason why he was refraining himself, she thought to herself.

She annoyingly picked up her constant ringing phone which was beside her

" hello" she tersely answered without looking at the name on the screen

" I hope I'm talking to the same rahama? " the person at the other side of the phone asked  confused

Rahama lightly hit her forehead " erm sakeena is that you? "

"yeah. I hope I'm safe here"

Rahama let out of small smile " yeah you are. I'm so sorry for shouting like that. I thought it was this particular person " she said instead

" oh OK. Anyways, I just called to tell you the good news"

" What might that be? "

" AM GETTING MARRIED!! " the shrill sound of her voice vibrate through the phone. Rahama had to take the phone away from her ear quickly, If not her eardrum would been damaged by now. She was happy for her,though.

" Really!!. How did it all happened? "

" could you believe that Jafar is back here in Nigeria and he came to my house today to see my parents!. And the best part is that he is bringing his parents over next week. I'm so happy wallahi"

" wow! This is a good news bebes. I'm so happy for you and don't forget, I'm going to be the chief bride Maid "

" you people won't kill me o. Badiyya is also demanding that she would be the chief maid. I think the best idea is for you two to share me into two"

" Abeg stop saying rubbish. I stand my ground, I'm your chief bride maid. Badiyya needs to back off " she joked

Sakeena laughed vibrate through the phone " I think you should repeat this same statement to her. "

The two burst out laughing

" so you want her to chop off my head. I love myself oo" said rahama as she got hold of herself from the laughing

" so now you know ?. Anyways, you two can argue about that later coz right now I'm over the moon. I'm finally getting married to the love of my life"

"  Yeah you should " and here I'm not even sure if the person I deeply love  also feels the same way about me, Rahama thought sadly to herself. It's not as if she wasn't happy for sakeena, of course she was.

" Well now that you know, we should meet tomorrow at our usual girls spot. I haven't told badiyya about this self but I will, immediately I finish talking to you"  Sakeena's told her

" Okey. So what time do you think we should meet? "

"mhmmm, let's say by 3pm. What do you think? "

" yeah it's fine. I will be there after office "

" Alright,It's settled then. See you tomorrow then"

" yeah goodnight "

" goodnight and dream about him" Sakeena teased

Rahama chuckled " You're not serious. Abeg leave my phone joor"

She end the call with a small smile. That's sakeena for you, she makes sure she ends her phone calls with a little bit of teasing. That girl is something else wallahi

***

Immediately sadiq reached home. The sight before him was something he never expect especially around this time of the night.

There, was American rahama sprawled over the couch. She was asleep. He blinked worriedly,what was she doing her?. He decides to just let her be and went up to Jafar's room to confirm what was the reason why she was here at this time of the night. They have already made a deal that she was going to stay with her aunt so why is she now breaking the rules?

He barged into Jafar's room and was met with Jafar talking on the phone with someone. Sadiq knew he was talking to sakeena because of the smile on his face.

Sadiq cleared his throat impatiently. Jafar finally ends the call.

" What is it again? " jafar asked with a brow raised

Sadiq heaved a sigh " what is she doing down stairs?"

" who? " jafar asked confused

" Abdulbasit sister of course "

" oh I thought she had gone. Well, she came here some hours ago to see you and I told her you aren't coming home soon coz you will be having dinner over at your aunt's place. " jafar explain

" Then why hasn't she left yet? "

" She told me she had a little argument with her aunt so she wanted to stay here a little bit before going back. I got sleepy and I told her to just go home. She begged me to please allow her to spend a little bit of time again. There was nothing I could do but  allow her. Although, before I came upstairs ,I instructed her to please jam the door after she had left and she told me she would. "

" but she still hasn't gone. She is out there sleeping on the couch" sadiq whispered yelled

"She might have fallen asleep while watching  TV " Jafar shrugged

Sadiq groaned annoyingly " I just pray her aunt won't think other wise"

Jafar laughed wholeheartedly " you can't be serious. So you're bothered by that. Man, as far as your hand is clean you've got nothing to be scared about"

Sadiq rolled his eyes and then collapse on Jafar's bed " I think I'm a fool " he said all of a sudden

Jafar was confused with sadiq's utterance  " how do you mean by that? "

" Can you believe that I actually had the chance to tell rahama my feelings but I didn't "

" erm okay. And? "

" and now I'm regretting. I'm tired of hiding it. Wallahi I am. "

" Then what is stopping you from saying it? "

Sadiq sighed loudly " I really don't know.

I guess my inner self isn't just ready yet "

Jafar laughed " and the outerself? "

Sadiq glared "abeg shut up. I don't know why I'm even telling you this"

" calm down, I was only joking. But on a serious note sadiq, I'd advise you to tell her as soon as possible. You know ladies don't like to be kept waiting especially we the arewa people. You'd be surprised that if she takes long to get married because you still haven't man up to her, her dad might just arrange her marriage with one of his friend's son and because she wouldn't want to disobey him, she would accept it. That will be the end, you will loose her forever ." Jafar told him

"Then why didn't  she say it if she knows that I'm taking too long? "

" How are you sure she loves you? You should be the man. You should tell her what you fell for her and if she also feels the same way she would tell you. Girls don't like confessing first.They said it's about some kind of self respect. It's only few of them  that normally confess to a guy first. I will advice you to tell her as soon as possible before it gets late. Already she is a changed person and you've got nothing to be worried about. All you need to be worried about is whether she feels same or not "Jafar said seriously

" I have heard"

" Better"

" so how did your lunch with sakeena's parent went? "

A happy smile was back on Jafar's face " they actually like me. I will be sending some families over there to do it the right way"

" oh, does that mean you'd finally reunite with your father? " sadiq asked

" Since the situation calls for it, I need to do it. I don't want to loose her"

" yeah I agree with you. In fact there is something I have been meaning to ask you for a while now" sadiq said

" What is that?" a confused Jafar asked

"When last did you talk to your sister? "

" It's three and half years now since I last talk to her. Why did you ask? "

" I don't know. I think you should please call to know her whereabouts. I think your dad had disowned her or something. I heard some of my workers talking about the Abdulazeez's family and I'm very sure it's your Abdulazeez. Because the only popular abdulazeez I know is yours"

Jafar was speechless " they said that? "

" yes. Please endeavour to call her. Just forget whatever it is she might have done. That girl needs some parental guidance. She only rely on you and your father and now that you two seems to have abandoned her, only Allah knows what she must be passing through right now. "

" i_i_i can't believe that I never even bothered to find or call her. I'm the worst brother ever.  I was angry at her when I found out  that she was sleeping around with men. I should have drawn her closer to guide her through the right path but I never did. Instead, I drove her out of my life. I'm the worst brother ever" Jafar said with eyes filled with unshed tears

" please don't say that. Maybe you should give her a call tomorrow by then you'd be capable enough to know what to do"

" yeah that's what I would do" jafar agreed with him.

" I also th_

The shrill sound of sadiq's phone cut him off. He retrieved it out of his trouser pocket. An unknown number was calling. Sadiq furrowed his brows confused but still he picked it up.

" Hello? " he said

He waited for the person to talk but that person was taking too much time to say something.

" hello? Is someone there? "

He was still met with silence . He was about to end the call but paused by what the person said next.

" Son"

That voice. He knew that voice damn so well.

***

Dun Dun Dun

How was the chapter guys?

Who just called sadiq ?😉