THE TOWER OF LIFE

CHAPTER 19: FAMILY DRAMA

"I just feel like the universe is mocking me. I really miss her so much and I can not stop thinking about how much I owe her." Junior's voice was laced with extreme pain.  Amina couldn't see him but she could feel how sad he was.

"Have faith, Junior. Have faith in Allah! And believe that everyone will surely die and return to the Creator. The best you can do now is to keep praying for your Mum to be at peace." Amina tried to calm him.

He sniffled "I will keep doing just that In Shaa Allah! Thank you for being there for us. I know this sounds selfish but can you come over tomorrow. Aina'u is not feeling well and I know she will listen to you so that we can take her to the hospital."

He didn't want her to come over only for that, he wanted her around knowing that seeing her will give him a little peace. She had a soothing effect on him, an effect only his Mum could provide.

"Of course it's fine. I will be there In Shaa Allah!"

"Thank you for everything!"

"You don't have to thank me. You both have been there for me when I needed someone the most and I will forever be grateful for that."

Junior smiled "Goodnight Amina!"

"Goodnight! Try to catch some sleep, you need it."

.................

A week later, school had resumed and Amina had to be there alone. Aina'u and Junior had both fallen sick and were recovering when school resumed. Amina told their homeroom teacher about what had happened to theri family and he informed the whole class.

He told them he would talk to the authorities first and establish a day when they would go visit them at their house.

"Amina, see me at my office during the break hour." He announced before he left.

The first half period was boring for Amina, she remembered how Aina'u would always make her laugh during class and she enjoyed it.

Time passed by too slow for her liking, she felt like skipping school. She actually had that thought in the morning when she first stopped by Aina'u's place.

When it was time for break, she exited the class and headed to the staff room. She greeted the few teachers inside and headed to their homeroom teacher's desk.

He was going through some scripts, he slightly pushed them aside when he saw Amina.

"You can have a seat!" He motioned towards the chair in front of her.

She took a seat "You asked to see me?"

He nodded "I wanted to ask you to be our guide to Aina'u and Junior's house. I have talked to the Principal and we have decided that our class will be going there tomorrow."

"Okay Sir! That would not be a problem."

"And another thing, I have finished compiling the results for your first term report. Well I have to say, you really improved faster than I could have imagined."

Amina could not believe her ears, she knew that she had studied well unlike before but she did not think she would improve that well. If not for Junior, she might have done poorly this term too. She was really grateful to Allah that she met him and Aina'u.

"It seems that studying together helps you alot more than you had think, right?"

She nodded "Yes Sir! It really does help. And I am very grateful for your help and advices."

He shook his head "I am just doing my duty as your teacher. I will communicate the time to you Tomorrow before we leave."

"Okay Sir!"

"You may take your leave now."

She stood up "Thank you Sir!"

She left the office with a wide smile on her face, she hoped to continue like this so as to get admitted into a good University.

When she got back to the class, she called Aina'u and told her all about the good news.

Aina'u shrieked from the other end of the call "That's a great news! I will sure to inform Junior about it."

"You sound much better now."

"Yeah! I feel much better actually, thinking of resuming school tomorrow. The house is too cold and it sickens me, Junior hardly leaves his room too."

"He needs more time, just let him be for now. The whole class is visiting tomorrow, I told our homeroom teacher about it and they have decided with Principal to visit tomorrow."

"That is not necessary but it's okay. Perhaps having guests could cheer Junior up a bit. I am still very worried about him."

They all were. Amina wish she could do more for him though he did talk to her and she tried her best to listen to him and input her opinion whenever necessary.

"In Shaa Allah he will be fine. Don't worry much and focus on getting better. School is boring without you, I feel like a lost puppy here."

Aina'u laughed "Whatever! I will see if I can resume on Wednesday. Don't miss me too much anyway. Are you coming over after school?"

Aina'u was used to having Amina at their house that it had become a normal thing for her. She loved and enjoyed her company especially at her home and since Amina always made excuse whenever she want to spend time at her house, she figured spending time at theirs is fine to her.

"I'm not sure! But will let you know if I can make it."

"Sure! Have a nice day in school. I'm going back to sleep."

Amina scoffed "I will definitely get you back for this."

Aina'u laughed before hanging up.

Amina kept her phone aside and brought out her supplements of vitamin b12 and C to take. She was prescribed more additional supplements when she went back to the hospital the previous week after she fell sick.

She had been taking supplements for a few years since she couldn't get them from food. It was really exhausting how she had to keep on depending on drugs to live a pain free life. IBS was the worst thing to happen to a person, it frustrates and wears you out until you get depressed.

She was really happy that she had fought her depression and won against it, she hardly got depressed since three months ago. Doc Elizabeth was impressed as to how fast she was recovering and getting better. As was she but she knew it was only possible by Allah, He sent her people that made managing her sickness a bit easier to bear.

Thinking about her Dad still made her sad all the time, she wished he could give her as little as a pin of his attention. She worried for him too because she deeply believed that he was yet to move on from her Mum.

Amina didn't know much of the details but she had a feeling that her Mum broke his heart and he was having a hard time moving on. Although she pretended not to notice, she knew he does not love nor care for her StepMum.

Her StepMum would throw her frustrations on her saying that she was not only there to take care of her. And that was why she was also hardly home. Her family drama was frustrating that she wished she could do something to help.