I See Fire

46 | House of emergency

The whole living room was overtaken by a strange collapse as soon as Farouk came in. His father didn't wait for a welcome from his wife or kids. Where his mind went, his legs took him and up the stairs he went.

"Yaya Farouk!" Usama ran off the couch to hug his brother who suddenly felt like a stranger to everyone in the house.

Farouk hugged his younger brother back and his mother pretended the best she could for him to feel comfortable. She was deeply troubled but it made her feel lighter to know one child was back home.

Usama went back to his chair while Farouk remained in his spot. He turned back to see his father climb the stairs to his room as his sisters slowly went towards him because of their mothers pressure to hug him like Usama did.

He put his arms around them and close his eyes as he felt happy in their arms. It was for only a short second and it disappeared. He was back to his void self as he knelt to greet his mother and he went upstairs too.

Hajiya Waleeda took his well prepared yam porridge with so much beef she was sure he couldn't finish to his room where she sat down and waited for him to open it but he didn't touch anything.

She served it in a plate for him and kept a fork on the plate. He only sipped from the glass of cold water and tried his best to savor the feeling of having good drinking water after spending two days in jail.

"Please eat Farouk." Hajiya Waleeda begged with tears in her eyes.

She wasn't sure he heard her when he didn't move but the next second he picked up the fork and began to take light digs on the yam to break it into smaller pieces he can consume.

Farouk dropped the plate on the bed and moved to the floor to sit with folded legs before taking the plate to his lap to continue eating. With each chew and swallow, Hajiya Waleeda felt better, stronger.

Not until he'd finished eating, did she stop pouring him intermittent cups of chilled ice water to go with the hot food. She felt he'd enjoyed himself because he'd gone to take more portions but what she didn't understand was that he was trying to satisfy a three day old hunger.

"Za ka kara?" Do you want to add more? She asked him, hoping he would agree so she could pour it all for him.

He shook his head "No, this is ok?"

She came close to him and rubbed her hand from his forehead to the back and took it back to her lap "What happened in there Farouk?"

If it was the beginning, Hajiya Waleeda already knew. But where had he been and most importantly where is his betrothed? Yes, they knew about her when her family called them.

Farouk swallowed the last piece of yam and beans then downed it with water. He looked at the fangs bottle that laid flat on the tray but he wasn't interested.

He looked up at his mother who sat behind him on his bed and gave her a small, encouraging smile. It was forced and painful for both him and her to feel the same thing but not understand the other.

"Mummy," He cleared his throat "I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?"

"Everything," he paused and began to ramble once he felt and realized this was his safest place—with his mother "The money, the hiding..." he looked at his feet, pinching the side of his foot, not wanting to speak so his mother would hear the crack in his voice but he closed his eyes and breathed "... most importantly, Aisha."