Shirk in Disguise

Chapter 15

The two stared at each other for some moments, marveling at the wonders of the Lord. The person each of them was looking at was the one they each least expected to see. Was it coincidence, fate or destiny?

Well, I daresay it was Allah's decree.

The groaning of the sick man brought them back to reality as they tore their gaze from each other, feeling guilty. Lowering the gaze is a commandment in Islam that closed many an unhealthy door and they'd both been caught in a vulnerable moment as shock and surprise engulfed them. The lady quickly turned back to the patient, talking to him in whispers and enquiring of his wellbeing. She momentarily forgot the young man behind her.

"B-Bintiy F-F-Fannaaa," the old man called while she responded promptly.

Yusuf's ears pricked up. So that was her name! Such a sweet-sounding name for a sweet-hearted lady...

About half an hour later, Fanna sighed in relief as the old man drifted off into a peaceful slumber. She turned round and was momentarily startled by the sight of the young man whose presence she'd almost forgotten about.

"I...I'm sorry," she began in an apologetic tone. "You haven't left?"

"Well, it's obvious I haven't... Isn't it?" he replied with a lopsided grin.

Despite her disposition, Fanna found herself smiling at this good Samaritan who seemed to be a God-sent. He'd constantly been in her thoughts since their fateful meeting at the bank in Maiduguri and when she first saw his face under the hospital lights, she'd been dumbfounded and tempted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

Realising that she hadn't even offered him a seat, she quickly made the right move, apologizing in the process.

"I'd have loved to be gentlemanly and ask you to retain your seat but unfortunately, I'm soooo tired!" he lamented after accepting her offer. Tears came to his eyes as his gaze lingered on the now-sleeping old man on the bed as he asked after his health. 'Salim Raji', his observant eyes picked out the name written on the file clipped to the patient's bed, prompting his brain to quickly make some deductions.

Fanna smiled at his earlier comment and calmly answered his concerned questions about the health of her father even though it broke her heart to see or talk about his condition. She wasn't one to take up to strangers but surprisingly, she had done otherwise with this stranger. She just hoped she wasn't making a huge mistake. Out of courtesy, she gave him a bottle of water and once again thanked him for his help in Maiduguri and for the recent drive to the hospital.

"Oh, that..." he began in a bid to dismiss her profuse thanks after a drink of refreshing water, "is not really necessarily. I'm actually grateful to Allah for giving me an opportunity to be a useful tool in the circle of life..."

His eloquent speech was cut off by the ringtone of his phone. He quickly brought it out, wondering who the caller was. It was his mother.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, she asked him how his return journey went.

"Uhm...about that..." he began, not knowing what to say.

Using her motherly instincts, she sensed that something wasn't quite right. "You're at home...right?"

"No," he simply intoned, hanging his head like a guilty child caught in the act.

"What?!" she exclaimed. "Where are you?"