She drove, paying attention to the music playing on the radio trying hard to think of nothing.
She honked at the gate and the gateman came running, opening the gate for the unfamiliar car to roll inside the vicinity. How careless.
He greeted her and she answered with a warm smile, she noticed Muslim's car parked beside hers making her heartbeat to accelerate, but it didn't show a bit on her face. She made her way towards the entrance, taking enigmatic strides and that ever confident aura around her. But who was she kidding? She might seem a tigress on the outside but she's a fragile stray cat on the inside.
She knocked slightly at the door and waited patiently, trying calm her palpitating heartbeat as she smiled at the door, waiting for whosoever to open and meet the obviously fake smile, she was literally just putting her thirty-two teeth on display for the whole world to see.
The door creaked open and her eyes came in contact with the last person she wanted to see at the moment. They stood there awkwardly staring at each other, losing track of time and their surrounding.
"Good morning," she mumbled and looked away. He nodded and moved to the side, giving her way to enter as she did, after which he closed the door behind them.
Jasmine paced faster so as to avoid having to exchange words with Muslim not to talk of engaging in a conversation. She walked considerably faster until she arrived at Fatima's room.
"Surprise!" She struggled to pull off the enthusiasm, walking up to her mother-in-law, she hugged her and sat beside her on the floor.
"Good morning Hajiya ta."
"Morning Jasmine. Indeed a surprise, I'm so happy so see you" Fatima smiled warmly and twinged her cheeks.
"I was missing you so terribly so I decided to give you a surprise visit, it's been a long time." Jasmine beamed.
"That's so nice of you," Fatima said, her smile intact.
"Where's Aisha?"
"In school but she'll be back soon."
Jasmine was smiling because at that point, she forgot every negative thing for just few seconds before an uncomfortable silence took over.
"I hope everyone is keeping well at home." Fatima voiced after closing the book she was reading. She placed it aside.
"Yeah alhamdulillah, they are all fine."
"But you look pale Jasmine. Come here." Fatima patted her lap for Jasmine to lay on, as usual.
"Tell me, is anything disturbing your mind?" Fatima asked as she drew imaginary lines on Jasmine's edges.
"No. Just that I've been sick and I didn't even get time to go to hospital." Jasmine chose to act ignorant about the situation at hand like the woman had, maybe she did that because she didn't want to make her sad and she liked it.
"What do you mean you didn't get time? Health is wealth Jasmine." Fatima sounded worried as she slowed down with the doodling she was doing.
"I planned on going later, before going back home."
"No I'm not tolerating this, let Muslim come and take you now." That is it. This was where the old woman was heading.
"Hajiyaaa," Jasmine dragged. "Don't worry about me, as you can see I'm active. I promise you I'll go before going home." She whined like a baby as she got off Fatima's thighs.
Keeping a stern face, Fatima said, "get ready I'll call Muslim now."
"I've not eaten," Jasmine lied and pouted. She knew it's her escape route for a little time but she needed it to battle with her pounding heart.
Chapter 20
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