Heir Apparent: A Nigerian Story.

XLV

"I could say the same"
She looks at me suspiciously "What was all that about?"

I stay quiet.
"Both my sisters are here and I agreed on Iman being here because I thought she would be safe but—"

I cut him off "—but she's still safe"

He scoffs "Who did you cross this time?"
I smirk "This time?"

"Your reputation precedes you. You don't cause trouble but somehow you're always in the middle of it"

I smile "What can I do? I'm a man of justice"
He frowns "I can't let my sister stay in a place where her life is at risk"

What?
He wants to take Huda with him?

"Then you can take Iman with you"
He huffs annoyed "You know I'm not talking about Iman".

I smile "What? You want to take Huda with you?"
"I know my sisters, they're both immensely stubborn and they won't but if anything happens to them, not even your father can save you"

I couldn't help but laugh "So you come into my house and threaten me? How honorable" I make my way out.

::

I sat by the kitchen counter staring at the cup in my hands, absentmindedly.

"You okay?"
I turn around and see Iman standing by the door.

I nod "Splendid"
She walks over and stands across me.

"I don't know what's going on but you two need to be careful"
I smile "I should. I put your life at risk too"
"Nah, I can handle myself"

"You weren't in the house when it happened? How did it happen?"
She takes a deep breath "They knocked saying they're plumbers, just two of them. I knew there wasn't a plumbing issue so I told them there was no need. They said they had some papers for you and even showed it to me through the peephole. So I opened the door slightly and the next thing I knew I was waking up on the couch".

I nod "They probably used a gas. I'm sorry, I hope you're okay though. But if they used gas we need to go to a hospital".

She looks at me confused "Why?"
"Because we're not sure what kind of gas it is"

She nods.
"So what are you doing here by 3am?"
She smiles "I always wake up at night. I'm not used to being away from home. It's actually my first time thanks to Huda"

"If it's thanks to her then why do you hate her? Why are you two always on each other's throats?"

She smiles sadly "I know everyone thinks I'm the terrible one and I've accepted it"
"No one is terrible, not you. Something must have triggered it"

"You know, she and I were inseparable when we were kids. Yes she was the Genus Rosa and our parents treated her like a Queen and often forgot about me but it didn't matter to me. We have highly toxic parents" she laughs "You can't sit around them for more than 2minutes and they'll be on each other's throats, always arguing, fighting and threatening one another. Hell, we knew how much our mother despised our father, we knew she married him for his throne. It was always hard. Thankfully for Ya Nazir he escaped that the moment he showed interest in being in the army so our Uncle took him under his wing as he was a retired Palace Guard. So it was just she and I. I felt since we had each other everything was going to be perfectly okay but then the news about the training came. She was so excited about it she didn't think about me. I cried every night thinking I was going to be left alone until a maid, she practically raised us, she told me if Huda asked that they'd let me come along and my parents wouldn't be able to do anything about it. I told her about it and she said she would talk to them but that was it. She never did, instead she left me with them. I honestly felt betrayed and heartbroken but I thought even when she's far away we still had each other but it was like she forgot me and when she called all she talked about was her friends and her life there, each time I brought up home she would say she wasn't interested. I came to realize that I always felt worse after talking to her, I felt even more unloved and trapped and so I stopped. I didn't realize how bad our relationship had gotten until I saw her, seeing her riled me up".
She huffs "And it makes no sense that I'm complaining to her husband".

"It does, talking about it is better than keeping it to yourself, don't you agree?"

She smiles "I can't deny it"
"But I understand, you were really young and you felt alone but you're not anymore. Okay? Now I'm family too and I know things now are messy but I can introduce you to some people in the palace. Maybe after the hospital tomorrow?"

She looks at me confused "Some people?"
"I know how exhausting it is always being home and the only people you talk to are Huda and I. And I'm aware how boring I can be"

She laughs "You're not"
"Iman, no need trying to make me feel better I know I'm boring".

She giggles "You really aren't"
I nod "Then thank you, I feel a lot better".

She smiles "And thanks for listening to me, I'll go back to bed now"
"Goodnight and we're leaving for the hospital by 9am"

"I'll be ready" she smiles and walks out.

I know she and her sister are in a tacky relationship but ignoring Iman isn't the answer to it. Maybe through me those two will fix their relationship and I guess after a terrible day making her feel like she matters too seems like the only victory I had.
That's the thing with people, sometimes just a word would make someone happy.

I sip my tea "Ugh! It's cold"

::