Thirteen
Not even for a second had Aisha sat down, Mama had been calling her to greet one woman or the other. Sometimes when their eyes met Nasir, he smiled brightly at her and that soothed even though not all her tiredness, half of it. She hadn't enjoyed her stay in the hall until it was not less than an hour to leave. Nasir had gone out of make a call, who knew may be he was even tired of the place? Aisha wished she had as much freedom as he had. Even though Mama couldn't let him leave and have the driver take them back home.
She sat down and was sipping a cocktail from her cup when a girl of her age smiled at her and sat down beside her. Aisha smiled back and awkwardly, the girl spoke. “My mom is over that table. She asked to me to speak to you that Hajia Maryama told her you have gained admission into Alqalam, right?”
Aisha's face immediately lit up, she was glad Mama sent the girl to ease her off. “Yes, I'll be leaving in two weeks, Insha Allah.”
“Okay, that's good. My name is Fatima Bello Jibia, I'm a student there as well. Level one.” Fatima extended her hand and Aisha took it with utmost pleasure.
“My name is Aisha Umar Faruk, I'm glad I met you. Which course?”
“Bsc Chemistry. That's what you're going to study too, right?” Fatima asked, she was such a chatterbox as Aisha noticed. She smiled and nodded her head at Fatima, and they sat there as Fatima ranted off her ears with unending stories about the school.
Nasir came back to the table and sat down before he looked at Aisha. “A new friend?” he asked, smiling at Fatima that just greeted him.
“Yes, Dr.” Aisha beamed and began talking that it amazed Fatima. She just acted like the most silent girl even when she told her her father was from Katsina, Jibia local government that they once resided there, but due to work, they had to relocate back to Bauchi.
“She's a daughter to one of Mama's friends, can you imagine? She's studying in Alqalam and Bsc. Chemistry as well. Isn't that a relief, Dr?” From the way her eyes shone brightly, Nasir knew she was truly glad she had met someone since at home.
“I'm glad she met you, Fatima. Please take a very good care of her, I promise she won't cause you any trouble. Right, Aisha?” Aisha nodded her head as she turned to look at Fatima with a goofy smile, whom was smiling widely at them. They looked like those couple on Instagram that had her awwwing for days and nights.
“I heard she called you Dr, are you one? Medical doctor or Phd owner?” Curiosity got the best of Fatima, because the moment she spent with them, she had seen the chemistry that they failed to make obvious. And she wanted to know, everything that got her curious between them.
Nasir laughed and in his mind, he was amused at her straightforwardness. He assumed Aisha had gotten herself a friend that is exactly the opposite of her, and he would love to see how this friendship would unfold.
“I'm a medical doctor, Fatima. And yes, she calls me Dr. But truly I want her to be calling my name, you know? Doctor sounds to formal to me.” He made a face that made Aisha chuckled and Fatima shook her head at them.
She was one hell of a hopeless romantic person. While reading romance books, she had her heart fully devoted to the main characters that they felt real to her. And seeing Nasir and Fatima stirred the emotions she felt while reading about the two lovers she fell in love with, in a book.
“Aisha, why Doctor? It's just every other person calls him. May be his name feels heavy to your lips, right?” She winked at Aisha and the next thing Fatima felt was a smack on her shoulders. It baffled Aisha had she had gotten free with her in what was less than an hour.
“No it doesn't. I just feel like I love regarding to him as a doctor. He's a doctor to me, in any way possible. And I write it as Dr. Not Doctor in full. Atleast I've changed.” Aisha argued and looked at Nasir with her full oceanic eyes, and he felt attacked.
“Dr, that's quite a name. My mom just called, I'll have to leave, Aisha. Can you give me your phone number so when I get to Katsina I'll call you?” Fatima asked as she stood up.
“Dr, can I have your phone please?” He nodded and handed it to her, and she gave Fatima his number. Telling her that whenever she needed her, she should call him. Even if he's in Bauchi, he can travel down to Katsina to give her the phone, and that made Nasir laughed.
She handed him back his phone and he collected it reluctantly. “You haven't snapped a single picture, Aisha. Unless the ones Mama forced you to have with the couple, then the bridesmaids, and the ones I've seen the photographer been stealing away from you.”
She looked startled as she began looking around the hall, in search of that photographer. She saw none. “A photographer stole pics of me? Why?”
“Because you look irresistibly beautiful. I'd love to have a picture of you as well, even though I have every look of yourself today engraved in my soul, a small memory won't hurt. I'm a Dr, I would've have steal one or two pictures as well.”
This time, she laughed, and it eased off the knots in her heart. “You can have only five shots for free, apart from five, you'll pay.”
“I'd love to pay with my soul, now...give me that Billion Dollar smile!” She did, and Nasir had never felt all mushy inside like today. He was sure if his chest was to be cracked open, there would be flowers found.
He snapped her the pictures alone, then they snapped together. All this while, Aisha was smiling and laughing all in way that she would enjoy these two weeks to her fullest that she will have only the sweetest memories of herself and Nasir as she went to Katsina. Something sweet to relish on.
They didn't leave until the event was over for almost an hour, and Aisha had never felt this tired. It got to the point that she sat down in the car and had her heels removed. Nasir took almost thirty minutes trying to bring Mama out of that hall. That's why he hated it when Mama met with her friends, it was always difficult to depart.
“I'm sure Aisha is tired like never before. But you really looked beautiful, Aishatah. You need to see how my friends were suggesting their sons for you, I had to stop them because some of them came along with their sons and wanted the guys to speak to you.” Mama said as soon as she entered the car and Nasir had started moving.
“Mama...” Aisha whined, and Mama laughed.
“But really these your friends, Mama. How can they think of pairing their sons with Aisha, she's too young for that. I'm not going to give my consort to this even if you agreed on it.” Nasir said as he tightened his hold on the steering wheel, and Aisha looked at him from the back.
“Because you're who? Her father? And which Aisha is young? Definitely not my Aisha, the girl that can be married today and have a child in nine months? Today's bride too is 19 years old.”
“Mamaaaaaa....”This time, Aisha whined loudly that even Nasir had to laugh despite his sulking face. He looked at her through the rear mirror and smiled, and she turned away.
“Sorry Aishatah, it's Nasir that's trying to provoke me saying you're young. Please if you have the one you love, bring him home. I want to plan one hell of a wedding in the whole of Bauchi. Because I have a very beautiful daughter to flaunt as a bride.” Nasir had never felt annoyed by Mama's love for wedding expect today that she was talking about Aisha's wedding. And the worst thing is that, to other man not him.
“Okay Mama, I will.” Aisha said with a laugh.
The drive back home became a hushed one as they all gave Mama brisk answers while she complained about the things she did that were stressful. They arrived home and all got out of the car.
Aisha had already washed her face, had her bathe but still her body screamed of beauty and lushness. Her face looked fresh and radiant, as she loosened the designs that were made on her hair. She wanted her hair to stay like that forver, but with each minute passing, it became so unbearable.
She was about to lay down on her bed when she heard a soft knock on her window, before she even got to the window; she heard his retreating steps as he walked back to their chamber. Eventhough he didn't stayed to tell what he brought to her, Aisha knew it was her letter. And she became excited to see it.
She opened the window and peeked her head through, she could still see him, and that gave her the chance to speak. “Dr, thank you!” She half yelled in the silence and he turned to look at her, surprised. As if he wasn't expecting her to speak with such volume at night.
He turned completely and stood there looking at her, and for a split second, Nasir looked up to the sky and his eyes fell on the moon and even the sky. Momentarily, he looked at Aisha again, and by Allah he felt the glow on her face fiercing directly into his heart much more than the striking beauty and glow of the moon and its stars.
“I need to write something again, I just forgot an important fact.” He hushed silently. The distance was kept a few inches between them, but through the bright light of the full moon, she read the way his lips sync as the wind faintly brought his voice to her.
“What is there to write? You can't voice it out you know? Things written in letters stays in letters. There's always tomorrow. But if it's itching you, you can write again and bring it to me. Not a word from your mouth.” She had her index finger brought up to her lips.
He laughed softly and shook his head. “I'm sorry, Aisha, but I have to voice it out. You are beautiful, much more than the moon gazing at us and the stars guarding our every step. Your natural and flawless look is gold, I forgot to mention its my favourite shade of you.”
She watched as him, with a beautiful smile as she hide away her face using her hands. “Thank you, Dr!” He hushed through the lips of the night, and the wind never failed him, he brought him her words, the tone, and even the way she breathed as she uttered the words.
Aisha got down from the window, the paper still in her hold as she smiled brightly at herself. If she was to be asked what was the best thing that had ever happened to her in her life, it would be Nasir right after Mommy. Mommy had disappointed her wholly, she had only Nasir now.
She made sure she was tucked into her blanket before she unfolded the paper and started reading it. She wished he was there to see the Billion Dollar smile, his words painted it.
Hello, Beautiful!
Does the word even do justice to what you looked like today? By Allah, Aisha, when I set my eyes on you for a second I thought you're one of the hurul ayns that escaped from heaven. You really looked irresistible that I wished I can hold your hands and feel how your fingers are. That henna, it was heart striking. I know I won't stop swooning over it unless it fades away.
I've complimented you enough to talk about your dress and how it fitted you, Aisha. Everything about you is beautiful, you're beautiful. Stay beautiful. But most importantly, you have a pure and innocent heart, that's what makes you even more beautiful.
I'm glad you finally have a friend whom you can talk to there in Katsina. She seems like a good girl, but take care of yourself nonetheless. And your request, I wish we can hide away from this world too. Don't frown, things written in the letter stays in the letter. You should have a sound sleep today, like the angel that you are. Dr is going to miss you when you're gone.
Smile: The Billion Dollar smile.
Dr. Nasir.
And she did, even before the instruction came. She was afraid at the same time overwhelmed. She didn't know what was going to happen in the future, but she saw both on a line, judging by the way they interact with each other. She prayed this wouldn't lead to any more pain, even if she deserved pain, Nasir didn't. He had a good heart and deserved all the good things in life.
She folded the paper back and placed it inside her bed side drawer, that's where she kept the first one. And she smiled, wondering how much of his letter she would collect before something happened to stop the supply of their letters. Or would they have their wish fulfilled? She smiled at the thought and caught a glimpse of her hands.
He said he loved the way her hand looked and wished he could be able to hold them in his hands, and that made her all mushy. She smiled brightly and said her sleeping supplications before she laid silently on her bed. She wished she had a peaceful dream, just like Dr. Said.
That's how life went on for them, every day she wrote a letter to him and he wrote to her as well. And when they met in person, their own written words seemed to be itching them but they had the rule laid, and no one dared break Aisha's rule, herself included. He got attached to her written words that he seemed to smile and reread every letter he went to office with. And her, his letter became the only thing that lured her to sleep without any waste of time or her cloud of thoughts blocking her away.
Nasir smiled, even though Aisha was leaving tomorrow, he felt relieved at her written words. What baffled him was how she so much put on a face when they met in person, which was everytime. He no more hang out with his friends now, he'd rather the company of Aisha. When they both felt bored at home, they took a drive down town.
Dr!!!
I promise I'm not crying, but I'm going to miss you, I'm already missing you. Can't you get a transfer to Katsina? I feel like I can't really go there and leave you behind. Is this education really needful? Can't we just run away and hide?
Wait, I can't do this to Mama. Pretend you've never read that. But one thing, even if I want your letter today, I want to chat with you in person. A simple request please, will you help me pack my clothes today? Mommy always packed my clothes, but I asked Mama not to bother about it because I want to pack them with you. I promise I'd give you thousand of my Billion Dollar smile, an expensive offer right?
I can't wait to see you, the hours seemed to be prolonged to days nowadays.
Drive safely,
Aisha.