Saturday came in a blur and Mufida was ecstatic about it. Finally, she will be able to have some rest from all the hospital stress and Hisham's wahala. He'll be nice outside the office and rude inside the office. Well, it's kinda good that he's respecting his work that much.
Since it was a free day for her, Mufida decided to go shopping. She was down on some things and needed to buy them so she woke up as early as possible.
Erm - she woke up by 11 am and got herself ready in a black abaya and matched it up with a black veil that was draped over her forehead leaving a few strands of hair out.
"Good morning, umma."Mufida greeted him when she saw her mother laying on her bed. Umma smiled and tapped the side of the bed for her Mufida to sit down there, and she did.
"You look so drained Mufida, this job is stressing you right?"
Mufida smiled at her mother and shook her head. "It's not stressing me out, umma. I'll get used to it very soon."
"I want to discuss something very important with you, and please don't argue with me. I want you to listen."Mufida nodded and managed to mask the confusion on her face and went with the flow.
"It's about marriage Mufida, I want to know if you've anyone in mind."
"No, umma I don't. Why?"Mufida questioned wondering why her mother was asking her if she has someone in mind to marry. She hopes her mother isn't planning on arranging her marriage with anyone.
geez!
"Haidar came over yesterday while you were at work to greet me and I was...."
Mufida was quick to cut in. "What!"She half yelled in shock. "Umma, did he say anything to you?"
"No, he didn't, he's a good man to even think of coming to see me Mufida," Umma stated excitedly.
Mufida had to roll her eyes.
As in Haidar and good; the two don't even go with each other.
"Uhmmm."Mufida hummed not even interested in the topic again. "Umma, I'll get going I want to come back soon."
"You're running away Koh. Ae zaki dawo ki same ni."Umma said to her and she only shook her head and laughed it off.
"There's something behind Haidar's visit. Like, I don't trust that guy at all."Mufida mumbled under her breath entering her mother's car. Long story short her mechanic still hasn't picked up her phone yet yesterday. The way the mechanic was acting was as if she isn't going to pay him for his job and the guy still hasn't brought back her car yet.
Some people and their wahala o.
For now, she's using her mother's BMW. She loved the car so much and she can't believe she was driving it.
Mufida was stuck in traffic. It wasn't even moving so all the cars are in freeze mode. She was starting to get bored and tired. It's like the shopping spirit was going away.
"Finally."She sighed as the traffic was finally moving. In no time her car was in front of the mall.
Mufida was done shopping within an hour. On normal occasions, when she feels like spending money anyhow she can spend 3 hours shopping and only end up buying a few things.
Yeah, it happens.
"Mufida?"A voice called out her name and she froze. Mufida turned only to see the face she haven't seen for years. It was Halima. Haidar's sister. "I can't believe it's you. Oh my Allah how are you?"Halima beamed like the nice lady she is.
"I'm fine Halima. How have you been? Long time no see."Mufida replied with the same humor.
"You just abandoned me ehn? But I know it's not your fault you must've been busy."
Awwnnnn such a sweet girl. It's like Haidar was adopted. He is so different from her.
"I didn't abandon you. I lost my phone and my contact too."Mufida lied just to cover up herself.
"It's okay. I understand, so you're here alone?"Halima asked. She didn't want to be rude but to Mufida the question seemed rude.
No, I'm here with your brother she wanted to reply to but instead flashed her a smile and said.
"Yes, I'm here to buy some few stuff."
Halima nodded. "I'm here with Ya Haidar but I can't seem to find him anywhere."
"You should check the perfume area, Haidar is a sucker for perfumes."Mufida blabbered unknowingly. When what she did hit her head she bit her lower lip so hard it was about to bleed.
Darn it!
"I know right? Let me go and check."Halima smiled and turned to leave but stopped herself and turned back to Mufida.
"So, friends?"Halima asked extending her hands forward for a handshake.
Mufida accepted the hands she was offered warmly with a wide smile. "Friends."
They both exchanged numbers promising to call each other later.
Mufida wiped the imaginary sweat off her forehead and said to herself. "What was that for ?"
Haidar is everywhere.
"Even in your heart?" that was his annoying voice that cut through.
Wait, was I that loud?
"What a coincidence Haidar. You went to my house and didn't see me now you followed me here as well."Mufida glared at him.
"I didn't go to your house alone, I was together with Ridwan. I went there to greet Umma, why I'm even explaining all this to you."Haidar defended.
"Stay away from me and my family Haidar. I don't like it, I don't even like seeing your face."Mufida spat and shook her head a little.
"I said I'm sorry Mufida, for once please listen to me."Haidar pleaded and she shot him a glare.
"You wouldn't have to explain anything if you didn't flee to Cyprus."Mufida retorted placing her hands against his chest.
"You felt disgusted by me and that you didn't want to see my face ever again, right that's the message you sent to me immediately after you reached Cyprus. And now you want me to listen to whatever you want to say? Never Haidar."Mufida shook her head and left to pay for her stuff but he still followed her.
"It wasn't my fault Mufida, I didn't send that message."
Wow, just wow!
"So it's my fault that's what you're trying to say right and that I'm wrong I have mistaken you for something you were never responsible for. The message was loud and clear. And you leaving Nigeria and going to Cyprus was that also my fault? Or someone took you to Cyprus against your will? Is that what you're trying to say."
Mufida was on the verge of crying but still managed to voice out how she felt. She was paining deeply inside.
"You're misunderstanding me, Mufida. I'm not blaming anyone here."
"Then blame yourself."Mufida turned to the cashier, paid her money, picked up her stuff, and left.
"Let's put everything that happened between us in the past and move on?"
Like what the hell?
"Please."He added.
•
Don't even ask how everything went down with Haidar back in the mall. Mufida just ignored him, entered her car, and zoomed off. She was crying throughout the whole ride.
Mufida didn't care to pick up the stuff she had bought in the mall and into the house. She just ran into the house and went straight to her room. She didn't even notice Raheenah together with batoul and Umma sitting down in the living room.
"What's wrong with her?"Raheenah asked, umma schooled her head at her and said.
"I've no idea."
Batoul shoved another piece of Samosa into her mouth before turning to her mother. "Maama."She called.
Raheenah hummed and wiped batoul's mouth. "Aren't you full?"She asked and Batoul shook her head.
"Let my granddaughter eat."Umma chirped and Batoul chuckled.
"Where's Aunt Mufy?"Batoul asked staring at her mother.
"Umma I'll go check up on her."Raheenah stood up but Batoul hold on to her veil tightly, whining that she want to follow her.
"Go and watch cartoon with grandmama, your favorite is going on."Batoul took her attention back to the tv and seeing that Shimmer and Shine were going on she squealed and ran to her grandmother.
Umma picked up Batoul and placed her on her lap. They were both lost in watching shimmer and shine and munching on their samosa.
Raheenah knocked softly before entering Mufida's room. She found her sprawled on the bed crying.
"Mufida what's wrong with you? What happened? Why are you crying?"
Mufida raised her head to look at Raheenah and shook her head. "Nothing is okay, Heenah."
"Please stop crying and tell me what happened?"
Mufida told her everything and she didn't expect Raheenah to act the way she did. She had expected Raheenah to sympathize with her and fight for her but instead;
Raheenah hissed loudly and rolled her eyes. "Why are you giving this guy a hard time Mufida? What you did was wrong, I'm not supporting you in this."
"If I knew that this is what you were going to say, I would've never told you anything."
"I'm telling you the truth Mufida, if his intentions were wrong he would've forgotten about you and moved on since, but he didn't he still wants you to forgive him and listen to him."Raheenah reasoned.
"That won't change the fact that he left me."
Raheenah sighed and stared at Mufida. "I get it, you're upset with him but please look into the matter and listen to what he has to say maybe he isn't at fault at all, and then you can decide what to do, I won't interfere ever again."
Heenah might be right though, maybe he isn't at fault.