Chapter 35

It felt as though she were floating or in better words, she was drowning into the stomach of an ocean and the fishes were ever ready to feast on her. Even though slowly and painfully, Nadia was able to feel as their plane slowed down on earth. She heaved a sigh and tried all she could to muster her inner strength. She knew by now, her siblings were waiting at the arrival for them, she wouldn't give them any sign of sadness.
She was about to open her eyes when she sensed that he was about to wake her up. Quickly, Nadia jerked her body away from him. "I'm awake," she said grimly as she opened her eyes. She knew acting this way would only break apart the flimsy relationship they had. But she wasn't going to stop her body from being a little bit rebellious, his words were still afresh, still echoing through her mind.
She saw the pained expression on his body and cradled Baby H carefully on her arms. They got down, not a word shared between them and she was careful not to bounce on him. She held the baby bag and Baby H in her arms and after they had claimed their bags, she watched him moved towards her and quickly took a step back.
"Nadia..." he whispered softly and felt as sheer anguish surged through his entire being. That simple acts of her body weren't going unnoticed to his eyes and by Allah, his heart ached so much. "I'm just going to help. Give me the child."
She stared at him then at Baby H that was still innocently sleeping, he was aware of that protective instinct that had immediately clouded her eyes. As though she was afraid that as much as he had hurt her, he was going to hurt Baby H that way, too.
But she eased up a bit, and Hussain didn't know when he heaved a sigh as she handed him the child. She walked ahead away from him as he walked behind her, feeling as the baby stirred in his sleep.
Nadia burst into tears almost immediately after she felt the warm and loving arms of her sister, Zarah, as she held her as lovingly as she hadn't been held since when her heart was torn apart hours ago.
"Oh Zarah," she mumbled as they broke apart, "I've missed you so much. When did you come back?" She hadn't seen her for over a year now, Nadia thought. She went to school and before she left, she came to Katsina and spent a week with her. She wasn't there when Hassan died, wasn't there when she gave birth to Baby H, and Nadia didn't even know she was back for holidays.
Zarah chuckled as she wiped at her tears, "I wanted to surprise you, Ya Nadia. I came back two days ago and no matter how I begged Mama to let me come, she couldn't, saying that you will be coming over. So, I just had to wait patiently while trying to make it a secret." They chuckled at the same time and when Hussain walked up to them and he shook hands with Aslam.
"Good afternoon, Ya Hassan-" Aslam said, and it felt as though he had cut through the atmosphere with a sword. They all kept mute, their hearts hammering before Hussain, despite the pain he felt, smiled at him.
"It's Hussain, Aslam." He slightly tightened his hold on his hand, "But I could kill to have him here by my side."
Aslam smiled sadly at him, "I'm so sorry for your loss, Ya Hussain, it's just that I'm just to calling him that and it's not like you look any different from him. My brain instantly thinks it's him."
"Don't worry about it, Aslam." He smiled and patted his shoulder while Zarah collected Baby H from his hands, all trying to make sure the awkwardness had passed away and Hussain did a great job until that was achieved.
Their drive home was filled with chatter, as both Aslam and Zarah tried as much as they could to make sure they had filled Nadia in what had been going on recently in their lives. Hussain was silent, but the sound of Nadia's laughter was a soothing tone to his ears.
Mama was waiting for them at the foyer and the moment she saw them walking into the house, she broke into a grin. Nadia ran towards her and engulfed her into a hug, taking in a bunch of the soothing scent of her home as different thoughts roamed through her mind. This was home, where she loved and was loved back in return.
She had to stifle her tears back at the pain she felt. She wanted to be given the room to cry as much as she wanted, but she didn't want her mother to worry.
She heard as they exchanged pleasantries with Hussain and lunch was offered. But as much as Nadia wanted to run away from the scene and go to her room, she knew she couldn't. She stayed on the dining table, with Zarah taking care of Baby H that reminded her of Sohila.
"Good afternoon, Hajia," Hussain greeted softly, which forced Nadia to look at him and their eyes instantly melt. She saw the apology in his eyes, but she wasn't ready to accept that yet. She didn't even want to hear the words he had to say. That what? She knew he didn't love her and she shouldn't be angry over him saying that? Or that his only mistakr was telling that to Mufeeda? She hissed inwardly and took her eyes off him, hearing as he gave Mama the phone and they spoke a bit with Hajia before the phone was given to her.
"Hajjaju na," she smiled lovingly. "Oh, I forgot to turn on my phone after we landed. How's Sohila? Tell her that we're missing her so bad." Hussain watched her earnestly as she spoke with Hajia over the phone as different thoughts rummaged through his brain.
He wondered how Mufeeda came to that conclusion and why? Had he given too much away for her to see or she was just jealous too much that she was hell bent on disrupting the little peace be was able to attain since after the demise of First H.
Nadia handed him the phone when she was done, and knowing so well that she flinched at any body contact she'd have with him, he held her hand along with the phone. She shot him a glare, and he knew she wanted to yell his ears off but couldn't do that at the presence of her family.
"How is your hand doing now? Does it still hurt?" He looked for an excuse to hold her hand, to touch and maybe, it would calm his raging soul. She shot him another dagger, knowing fully well he had just cooked up the story about her hand. She couldn't remember complaining of any pain in her body. Well, apart from her heart, obviously.
"Yes, it's fine now." Slowly, Nadia pulled her hand away from his hold. And the rest of the day went in a blur until Mama asked her to take him to the hotel he had lodged so he could rest for the day, since he had told them he didn't have to come for dinner, he had things to take care of in town.
"Can't Zarah or Aslam take him? I'm tired too myself, Mama," She pouted her lips as she leaned on the sofa they all were seated on, not lifting her face up because she could clearly feel his unmoving gaze on her.
But Mama had sensed something between them. This wasn't the update Hajia had been giving her about them so far, something must've definitely gone wrong and she'd do all she could to make sure things were right. She had been noticing how Hussain had been staring at her and it was obvious he wanted to speak to her alone, so she was going to give him that.
"No, Zarah is already in the kitchen, she's slacking in the cooking aspect so I'm hell bent on teaching her before she leaves back to school. And Aslam, have you seen him around?" Mama turned around in a searching manner, "He has left since after 4, something about a football match that I have no interest in."
They chuckled at that before Mama tossed the car key to her, "Yalla, you can leave the car with him if he wants to use it. Take a bolt back home, okay?"
Grumbling internally, Nadia watched the retreating back of Mama, with Baby H cradled safely on her back. She looked up at him, and he was just staring at her. "Let's go, or you could just drive yourself to the hotel." She outstretched her hand with the key, and Nadia could swear her heart dropped to the floor when he stretched his hand to collect the key.
But instead of him to collect the key like she had thought, he pulled her to him and she banged roughly on his chest. He wrapped his hands delicately on her waist as he steadied her on his chest.
"I don't know how to drive, Singleton." She bore her eyes deeply into his as the words he had said echoed deeply into her that she had to clench her eyes shot.
"Let's leave then." Wordlessly, Nadia peeled her body away from him as she got into her shoes. She knew this wasn't the reaction he wanted from her. He was aware of how she got affected by his physical touches and though he could use that to lure her? Funny.
The drive was silent that Nadia didn't know when she got delved into her painful thoughts. 'I don't love her!' The words echoed as much as the pain and when she parked in the parking space of the hotel, she turned to him with eyes that emoted the coldness she felt within.
"I can leave the car with you and use the bolt, so that you can come over yourself tomorrow in the morning." She said, staring at everywhere but his eyes.
"Won't you get inside?" She chuckled humourlessly.
"Hussain, acting this way wouldn't erase what has happened. So, please, stop trying to change it with your charming smiles and words. I won't budge."
"I'm sorry, Nadia-" She lifted her hand to stop him, cutting slits with her eyes.
"What are you trying to apologise for, Hussain? It's nothing, I'm even glad that it happened just when I needed it, so we both wouldn't be swayed by our emotions or whatever it is." She chuckled painfully, "I should even be the one to apologise to you, Baby H and I must've inconvenienced your life a bit."
"You can't say that, he's my child." Anger echoed through his words and she chuckled. It would be easier when he was angry than playing his prince charming part.
"That leaves only me in the game then. But you know what? I'm seriously not in the mood for all this talks, and I'd appreciate it if you keep away from speaking about this as you did nothing wrong and your words wouldn't have been truer. Also, I'd appreciate it so much if you learn how to keep your hands off me, will make things a whole lot easier for me."
She looked away from him, away of the heated look he flashed her, which was unmoving. "I'm waiting for you to get off the car..." she began, but when she turned and met his bloodshot eyes that she couldn't say were that of anger because he didn't look angry, she opened her door. "I guess I'd leave the car for you, then." She walked out and kept walking until she was out of the hotel gate and she was about to curse herself for letting her temper take the better part of her, because what was she going to do now? How would she go back home? An uber or bolt will take forever, dammit!
Hussain watched, as a car parked beside her and after a fleeting second of confusion that spread through her face, she looked excited before she rushed to the passengers door and got in, a grin vividly painted on her lips. What the hell! Who was that?!