ENSHROUDED

26

"Good morning, Mama." He greeted as he sat down on his vanity stool, brushing his full hair and beard.

Mama smiled tiredly and answered him, "Good morning, Abba. I hope Aisha is fine?" She asked, and he smiled at himself through the mirror.

"She's fine, Mama. What about our breakfast? Can I come and get it?" He asked and Mama heaved a sigh out of relief.

"I've been thinking of this. Both the drivers are busy taking my relatives. to the car park, you should come and get it, please. I need to see them off, bye." She ended the call before he could reply to her.

Aisha got ready and dialled Nasir's number for the umpteenth time since yesterday. He was never the one to care if other's make an appearance of not, but Nasir's absence to his wedding Fatiha was all over the place, and he wished he was there. Fortunately, it rang this time. Because Nasir had his face switched off throughout yesterday.

It rang and Nasir didn't pick the call until Abba called the second time. His voice was gruff and it seemed as if he had been crying all night, judging by the way he had been heaving sighs. "Nasir, that's so good of you. What was that for?" He wasn't only angry at Nasir, but he was disappointed at him.

Even though it pained, Nasir smiled at his brother through the phone. "What did I do, Abba? I had surgery all day, I didn't get back home until after midnight. I know the bride, I would have come back in a week to see who she is." He laughed a burst of humourless laughter that sliced his throat before it came outs. He felt a squeeze in his chest, knowing Abba might've already kissed Aisha or even...Don't go there, Nasir. He warned himself and fought his tears back.

Abba heaved a sigh and stood up, he walked to the living room and sat down in one of the sofas, he knew it was too early for him to go home now. He turned the tv on as he conversed with Nasir. "I missed you, you idiot. When are you coming back home? We haven't had time for each other since forever. We should go to Katsina and snatch Nana away from that husband of hers."

Nasir smiled widely at him, this time the smile was real, it wasn't a pretence. "I would've loved that. But this hospital is stressing me out, Abba. Surgery almost every day. I have to make time to come home."

Abba groaned and chuckled. "My baby brother is all grown up, yeah? He's even too busy to come over to his brother's wedding. I'll hold a grudge on you like you do when I don't wish you on your birthday, so you know..." Abba let his words trailed off as he exclaimed. "Nasir!!! Don't tell me you use this way to get back at me because I didn't wish you on your 25th birthday! Oh my god, you're so unbelievable."

He put the phone on speaker as he walked towards the tv and took a remote from there. "No! Come on, Abba, I'm all grown up now. I'm hooked up with surgeries that's why." Nasir answered and laughed. When Abba wanted to be the brother he was to them, he was the loveliest. The irony was that he was the major source of Nasir's grief, but talking with him had eased him off.

Aisha had already had her bath and she walked out of her room to take a look around the house and also eat something in her stomach. The hours she spent without eating were haunting her now. As soon as she set her legs out of her room, she heard the sound of his laugher and nearly lost her balance. It didn't sound real, but she wished it was.

She heard as they conversed lovely with Nasir and wished she was the one talking to him, not Abba. She walked to the living room and stared at Abba from behind. The sound of Nasir's laughter was teasing her ears and she wished she can speak to him. She didn't know when she rushed to where he sat and looked at him, "Can I please talk with him?" She asked, and Nasir instantly heard her voice.

Not now, please. Aisha, not now, please. He had to find a way out, and in a matter of second, he excused himself. "I'm sorry, Abba, I have to go." He ended the call before any of them would get the chance to talk him out of it.