THE TOWER OF LIFE

CHAPTER 5: WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?

"I will just take a shower, eat and go see Mum, do you want to come with me?" Aina'u asked Junny as she came down from the motorcycle.

Her brother shook his head "Maybe another time."

She eyed him "You haven't gone to see her for weeks now, what's the matter with you? She misses you, you know."

He shrugged "You are enough for her, so why should I stress myself."

"You are such a dork, Junior. And I hope you realize that sooner than later."

The mystery behind the Idris' family was something new to the people in Kaduna while it was something everyone spoke about in Abuja as it was known to almost all the citizens there.

Hajiya Amina, Ainau and Junny's Mum had been a jovial and nice person to all that knew her. She was a popular business woman in the Capital of Nigeria, she was loved and adored by all.

Ainau and Junior were the apple of her eyes as she made her very best to be the almost perfect version of a mother that she could be.

Her husband, Idris, was also a businessman. He was a family man too as he didn't let his work supersede his love for his family.

They were a simple and loving family until it all changed when Amina got into a fatal accident that year. She ended up in coma for four months until Idris decided to change environment for his and his family's sake.

Aina'u and Junior agreed, they all needed it. They were tired of the gossips around them, tired of being the area of concentration of everyone around them. They needed to get away and try to forget, try to live and be happy again.

Their Mum was moved to another hospital, it was difficult watching but it was worth it since their hope was a little ignited when the Doctors told them that she might wake up. She was in a vegetative state but there was a 50/50 chance that she might wake up.

Aina'u closed the door to her room with a loud thud, she was irritated with Junny's behaviour. He had changed ever since their Mum was in Coma, he changed completely, he was almost like a different person and was getting a little better when they relocated to Kaduna.

Aina'u understood that he was hurting, he was the closest to their Mum.

But she was hurting too, they were all hurting. She loved their Mum as much as he did, she was just good at hiding her emotions. She always tried to cheer them up, just to feel that blank space of their Mum till she got better.

Aina'u took off her clothes and head into shower, she changed into a high waisted skirt, a long sleeved shirt and a hijab wrapped around her face.

She walked downstairs to the kitchen to grab a snack.

"What's for dinner?" She asked Inna, their househelp.

"Rice and chicken sauce!"

"Please have the driver bring mine to the hospital, will be staying a bit with Mum."

Inna smiled sadly "Will do that immediately I am done cooking."

"Thanks!" She quickly munched on the french fries and sipped her smoothie before she left the kitchen.

She grabbed her purse and informed her driver of her whereabout, they left immediately.

She got to the hospital within few minutes and headed straight to her Mum's VIP room. She opened the door and closed it behind her, her mother's pale and lifeless body on the bed.

Her eyes watered but she shook it off, she walked towards the bed, set her purse down and took a seat opposite her.

"Hey Mum! How are you doing today? I missed you so much already, it felt like days since I last saw though we were together the whole of yesterday. Well... we started going to our new school today and it's actually a nice school. And guess what, Mum."

She giggled "We went late. It wasn't my fault actually, that Son of yours didn't seem it necessary to leave home early as he took his gracious time eating breakfast. And I told him I would be riding with him, if I had known, I would have asked the driver to drop me off."

"So, at school, I found myself a friend, her name is Amina. I had told her you will be thrilled to know she's your namesake. She's very pretty and fair skinned though a little pale and skinny."

Amina placed her hand on her Mum's "I think something is wrong with her, Mum. She looks very sick and lost, I... I just wish I could help her out."

She smiled "Does it mean I am being nosy if I try to help her? Should I just mind my business? I already have enough on my plate as it is."

She shook her head "Mum, I miss you very much. We all do, Junior is hurting the most, he needs you more Mum and I just don't know how to help him anymore. It's hard trying to be a second Mum to him when I need you myself."

A lone tear escaped her eye "I am tired and frustrated, Mum. I pray everyday that everything goes back to normal, goes back to how it was before your accident."

No reply!

Not even a twitch of her eye!

Nothing that signifies her alive!

Just the slow heaving of her chest.

"Please come back to us, Mum. Please Allah, save my Mum." She breathed out.

"I should continue reading to you, let's see where we stopped last night." She took the book from the table beside the bed and continued reading her Mum's favourite novel 'Star's Crossing'.

An hour into it and her phone started ringing. It was her Dad, she picked it up.

"Assalamu alaikum Dad!"

"Wa alaikumus salaam my dear! How are you?" His voice was clearly seeping with hidden sadness, only she could sense it.

"Alhamdulillah!"

"Are you with your Mum?"

"Yes, Dad."

"I'm also on my way there, should I get you something to eat?"

"I already told Inna to send the driver with dinner for us."

"Okay then. Will get desert! Do you prefer ice cream or cake?"

"Definitely ice cream, chocolate flavour."

He chuckled "That's my girl. See you later In Shaa Allah!"

"See you soon." He cut the call and she smiled sadly.

Truth be told, their Dad was also hurting. Perhaps he was hurting the most because their Mum was his half and they had been together almost all their lives.

.......

She ended up spending the night there again, her Dad and her were already accustomed to spending their nights in the hospital with her Mum. It wasn't a new thing anymore.

After Fajr Salah, her Dad just came back from the Masjid as she was cleaning her Mum's body. She made sure to do it every morning.

"You should get home soon, you have school, remember?"

She nodded "I have already called the driver to come pick me up, will just get this done and go."

"Okay! I will stay behind for a while then come home to get ready for work."

On her way out of the hospital, her eyes widened slightly when she saw Amina walking in though she didn't see her. She thought of following her in but she decided against it, she might get late to school.

What are you hiding, Amina?