Mrs Mahmud, Mrs Mas'ood

20

Mahmud: This is way, way late but...Hi, Hauwa.

Hauwa, who was working on a number of spreadsheets, stilled. When the phone had beeped, she assumed it was Mas'ood. They had been texting back and forth for weeks. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined Mahmud would text first.

They hadn't spoken since the wedding and she had promised herself to reach out first. He beat her to it and she had no idea how to feel. It had been a while since her feelings jumbled up. All it took to do so was a single text from him.

It was Wednesday November 17th and the bank was busy.

Kaycee walked into the open office. "God, I fit slap person today." She slammed the file she held on her table. "If you see the nonsense they are doing in the manager's office ehn, Hauwa, you will –" She saw the dazed look on her best friend's face and frowned. "Hauwa!"

Hauwa nearly jumped. She raised her head. "Y-yeah?"

Her frown deepening, Kaycee walked over. "What happened? Why are you looking at your phone like that?"

Hauwa turned back to the device that still sat on the top of the desk. "Mahmud texted me."

Kaycee's eyes widened. "Are you serious?!" She went around the desk and leaned in to look at the text. She gasped. "Ah! Shebi you said you wanted to be the one to text him first."

Hauwa nodded. "I did. He beat me to it."

"Oya reply him na."

Hauwa faced her with wide eyes. "What am I going to say? I didn't reach out all this time, Kaycee. I don't even know where I will start from. The last time we spoke was in Abuja and I told you how that went."

"Ehen, but the Hauwa of then is not the Hauwa of now. You've gotten things back on track and your life is moving fine."

"Is that what I'm supposed to say to him?!"

"No na! Hian! Just tell him sorry for not checking in on him since. You've been busy. He's been busy too na so I don't think it'll be a big deal. It's not like you two broke up or anything."

"But what if –"

Her phone buzzed with another message. They turned at the same time. There was a longer text.

Mahmud: Like I said in the first text, this is way late and I'm sorry. I did say we would still keep in touch but I ended doing the opposite. I'm sorry for doing that. I know this might sound like a crazy excuse but I've been really busy. I'm done with my final exams and before you ask, they went well. Alhamdulillah.

We've started Trauma Care and things are still easing out but I have some more time on my hands now so I decided to reach out. You're not mad at me, right? I hope you aren't.

I am going to assume you're at work now so I know you'll see this later. I should let you be. Let's talk later, okay? Have a lovely day.

Kaycee blinked. "Omo. Wow."

Hauwa shared the same thoughts with her best friend. Kaycee stepped away and walked back to her desk. "He has cleared up everything so that makes your work easier, I guess. Will you be able to talk to him?"

"What do you mean?"

Kaycee shot her a knowing look. "You liked him na. Before you and Mas'ood talked things out, you had feelings for Mahmud."

"Exactly. I liked him. I'm over him." For an unfathomable reason, the words did not sit right with Hauwa. She couldn't remember the last time she felt that way – ever since she returned from Abuja, that is. "We're just friends now."