ENSHROUDED

14

"I was there only three weeks ago, I can't go back now. Aisha, you won't cry there, right? I'm sure Nana will take very good care of you." Mama patted her shoulder lovingly, and Aisha felt the sudden urge to cry. There was no lie in it, she was going to miss Mama so much.

Nasir chuckled at their sentimental moment, "C'mon, Mama. She's a big girl now, if you want, she can have a child next year by marrying her off in a month. What's there to cry for?"

Mama knew his words were sarcastic, and she chased him out of the kitchen with her spoon. His laughter lingered long in the kitchen that it made Aisha laughed. "That boy is never serious," Mama said as she entered back the kitchen and continued her work.

They were having dinner that night when Baba looked at Mama remorseful, "Hajia, I forgot to buy Aisha the trolley you said. Nasir, would you mind to go buy it for her after dinner?"

Nasir shook his head, "I have a trolley she can use unless she wants something new." They all looked at her, waiting for her response.

Aisha smiled and nodded her head at them, "I'd use his own, Baba. Thank you."

They had their dinner silently and after they were done, Nasir went to his room and came back, Mama was already doing her finishing touches to the living room before she got to bed. Baba was nowhere to be found, Nasir knew he had already slept.

"I'll this the trolley to Aisha, Mama." He informed, and Mama nodded her head at him.

"I'm going to bed now, she should lock the door when you're out."

"Okay, Mama. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Auta. You should sleep early, a long journey awaits you tomorrow."

He whined, and she laughed. He hated it when she called him Auta, but deep down Mama knew he loved the name. He knocked on Aisha's door and she took some seconds before she unlocked it, wrapping her veil tightly around her hair.

"Dr!" She looked startled as if she wasn't expecting him to knock on her door.

He chuckled, "What? You thought the knock will come on your window? Remember what you wrote?" he said as she moved aside and he walked into the room.

The room was clean and smelt of jasmine. He looked around and found all her clothes on her bed, waiting for the trolley. "You're excited to leave, Aisha."

He pulled out the vanity stool under her mirror and sat down opposite to where she occupied on the bed, smiling at him while she fondled the creases on her bed. She shook her head, "I'm not excited about leaving, I'm just excited because...what I wrote, you know? Has been fulfilled."

He nodded and placed the trolley open before them. "Pack first then talk, or talk then pack? Or pack while we talk?"

Aisha chuckled, "If I say pack first, aren't we going to talk?"

"We can't sit together and not talk, you know. So, let's pack and talk."

"Okay, let's pack, Dr." Slowly, she began handing him a few set of her clothes while he had them placed carefully inside the box.

"So, when are we leaving? I need to sleep early, right?" She asked, and he looked up at her from the box.

"You can sleep as much as you like, then we leave when you wake up." That was sarcastic, and she didn't know when she burst out laughing.

"You shouldn't have to be sarcastic, Dr I think it's better we leave early so we can arrive there on time. You have places you promised to take me, remember? Besides, are you coming back to Bauchi on Saturday?"