I See Fire

28 | Amna

Amna hisses as she looks at her phone and sees its 16:45 and Yusuf hasn't replied her. She just wanted to know how his flight was from their trip to New York but he's ghosting and could only blame herself.

"Aaaaaaah!" She bends over, holding her table as she threw the phone to her couch. "What is wrong with this man?"

Her assistant, Caroline knocks and pushes the door a bit without coming in " Ma, your grandmother is here."

"Let her in."

"Yes ma."

The door opens and he walks in.

"Baba Ina wuni." Grandma good afternoon. She squats.

"Mama!" She drags her granddaughter up and hugs her. The elderly woman smiled, revealing the cleanest set of teeth a person her age could have and held Amna's face.

"Have a sit please." She holds Baba's hands for a little bit before turning to the fridge to get her a drink "Let me bring some refreshments."

"I'm not here to drink but chat a little."

"You don't like to chat." She raises an eyebrow, dropping it slowly "Am I in trouble?"

"Not yet." she adjusts herself on the couch and drops her bag on the table beside it.

"Ok." She goes and sits beside her.

"Where's he?"

"Who?"

"Stop playing Amna." She holds the sides of her head ties and pushes it down her head "So he still refuses to come back even when I ordered it?"

"He doesn't listen anymore."

"Even to his parents?"

"Yes."

"I want this to end. Set up a meeting between me, him and your father."

"Baba I'm not even interested anymore, there's someone else in my life."

"Ke! Baki da hankali ne? Da aurenki kike da saurayi?!" You! Don't you have sense? Is it with your marriage that you have a boyfriend?

"Baba please listen."

"The next thing that comes out of your mouth better be good." She shifts away from Amna.

Amna comes closer and hugs her and doesn't let go even as she tries to get out of her hold "Baba, so much has happened. Everyone just doesn't understand what I'm going through."

"Make me understand." She huffs, licking her dry lips.

"I just feel for him, he is everything he isn't."

"That isn't an explanation Amna."

"I'm in love for once Baba and this time the person didn't even try to make me."

"You weren't forced to like him too."

"I know," she covers her face and faces her front "I know Baba, the man I fell for is inside Yusuf."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"Please help me."

"I can't," She opens her bag, shaking her head and takes out a tube of lip balm and rubs it against her lips then takes it back to her bag.

"You gave birth to my mother, talk to her." Amna lays her head on her grandmothers lap, her body shaking as the tears poured onto her grandmothers laps "What I mean is... she's frustrating me, especially daddy."

Amna was born with a silver spoon, attended a private school and attended one of the best universities in the country even if her father could afford sending her abroad—her grades just weren't good enough.