She stood leaning against the trunk of a tree in a large garden filled with various colorful plants that beautified the place. Birds fluttered happily, chirping melodiously as the sun slowly set, painting the sky with soft hues. The view was breathtakingly beautiful, yet her mind was far away. Though her eyes were fixed on the sunset, she was lost in deep thought.
Beside her stood a middle-aged female doctor, likely in her 40s. The doctor gently touched her shoulder and said softly, “Maghrib is near, let’s go and perform ablution.” She only looked at the doctor blankly, without even blinking, as if she didn’t understand what was said. Tears gathered in her eyes as she breathed heavily. The doctor held her hand, pulling her close and whispering, “C’mon sweetheart, are you breaking your promise already?”
She rested her head on the doctor’s shoulder, tears streaming down her cheeks. The doctor closed her eyes, patting her back gently, feeling her pain deeply. Suddenly, they both turned at the sound of approaching footsteps. A man stood not too far away, watching them. The doctor greeted him respectfully, but the woman quickly pulled away, turning her back to him, her tears flowing freely. Her breathing quickened as she clutched the tree trunk, crying uncontrollably.
The man said nothing and walked away. The doctor quickly caught her as she nearly fell, helping her to sit on the soft carpet spread in the garden. “Haba, my dear sister, why won’t you keep the promise you made to me?” the doctor pleaded. In a trembling voice, she replied, “I’m sorry, I can’t do it… wallahi, I can’t.”
The doctor hugged her tightly, patting her back with compassion. In all her years as a medical doctor, she had attended to many cases, but none had touched her heart like this young woman’s pain. She wished she could take away her sorrow, make her happy again, and help her forget the past.
Softly, the doctor called, “Halysaah…” Khaleesat lifted her tearful eyes. “I’m sorry, Halysaah… I’m so sorry,” the doctor whispered. Khaleesat lowered her gaze silently. The doctor took her hand, helping her up, and together they walked out of the garden toward the main compound.
Flashback – A Few Years Earlier
“Talk to Abdul about it. I know he’ll never agree to this, and he’ll definitely find a solution for you right away,” Safiyyah said earnestly.
Khaleesat looked up at her friend, her large eyes glistening. After a pause, she sighed. “That would only make things worse, Safiyyah. You know how expensive rent is in this state, and I already said I won’t ask him for anything again.”
Safiyyah frowned. “Then who else will you ask for help? You know how he is—if you keep quiet, he’ll twist the whole situation against you. Just tell him. It’s better for your peace of mind.”
Khaleesat stayed silent, thinking, before shaking her head gently. “It’s fine, Safiyyah. I’ll manage, in sha Allah. After all, there’s only a year and a half left.”
Safiyyah held her hand. “Then at least come stay with me. I’ll tell my family you’ll be staying for a while.”
Khaleesat smiled faintly. “No, I don’t want to inconvenience them. Don’t worry, I’ll sort myself out.”
Safiyyah sighed. “I’ll still talk to Ya Musty about it. He won’t refuse. It’s just his wife that’s impossible—but who cares? She doesn’t even cook with me anymore, so I just eat junk food when he’s on night shift. You know me.”
Khaleesat laughed lightly. “And you want me to move in with you like that? You’re so funny.”
Later that night, Khaleesat finished cooking noodles for dinner when she heard the living room door open. She quietly poured her food onto a plate and prepared to head to her room when a male voice called, “Hi, good evening. We didn’t get to meet this morning—I’m Jay, your new housemate.”
She turned to look at him briefly. “I see,” she said coldly, trying to walk away.
“Wait, please,” he said. “Are you Hausa?”
She frowned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He chuckled. “I’m just asking if I can borrow some water and beverages until I get mine tomorrow.”
Without looking at him, she replied shortly, “Okay.” Then she entered her room and locked the door.
Later, she noticed two missed calls from Abdul. She sighed and called him back on WhatsApp. His voice was sharp. “So now you saw my calls?”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I was studying.”
He sounded irritated. “You always have excuses. Where were you after class?”
“In the parlor, reading,” she said softly.
He pressed on, questioning her about her roommate and her schedule until her eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry,” she said again.
“Good,” he replied coldly. “Go to bed.” Then he hung up.
Khaleesat wiped her tears, whispered a prayer, and lay on her bed, heart heavy.
The next day, while talking with Safiyyah again after class, Safiyyah noticed her silence. “What’s wrong, Khaleesat?” she asked.
“I just miss my mother and siblings,” Khaleesat said faintly.
Safiyyah sighed. “No, something else is bothering you. Anyway, tomorrow is the weekend—come with me to Virginia. George is throwing a birthday party at the beach. Please say yes, we need a break.”
Khaleesat stared at her. “You want us to travel all the way to Virginia?”
Safiyyah shrugged. “It’s just a four-hour drive! Live a little, Khaly. You can’t stay locked up forever.”
Description
Scene in the Garden
She stood leaning against the trunk of a tree in a large garden filled with various colorful plants that beautified the place. Birds fluttered happily, chirping melodiously as the sun slowly set, painting the sky with soft hues. The view was breathtakingly beautiful, yet her mind was far away. Though her eyes were fixed on the sunset, she was lost in deep thought.
Beside her stood a middle-aged female doctor, likely in her 40s. The doctor gently touched her shoulder and said softly, “Maghrib is near, let’s go and perform ablution.” She only looked at the doctor blankly, without even blinking, as if she didn’t understand what was said. Tears gathered in her eyes as she breathed heavily. The doctor held her hand, pulling her close and whispering, “C’mon sweetheart, are you breaking your promise already?”
She rested her head on the doctor’s shoulder, tears streaming down her cheeks. The doctor closed her eyes, patting her back gently, feeling her pain deeply. Suddenly, they both turned at the sound of approaching footsteps. A man stood not too far away, watching them. The doctor greeted him respectfully, but the woman quickly pulled away, turning her back to him, her tears flowing freely. Her breathing quickened as she clutched the tree trunk, crying uncontrollably.
The man said nothing and walked away. The doctor quickly caught her as she nearly fell, helping her to sit on the soft carpet spread in the garden. “Haba, my dear sister, why won’t you keep the promise you made to me?” the doctor pleaded. In a trembling voice, she replied, “I’m sorry, I can’t do it… wallahi, I can’t.”
The doctor hugged her tightly, patting her back with compassion. In all her years as a medical doctor, she had attended to many cases, but none had touched her heart like this young woman’s pain. She wished she could take away her sorrow, make her happy again, and help her forget the past.
Softly, the doctor called, “Halysaah…” Khaleesat lifted her tearful eyes. “I’m sorry, Halysaah… I’m so sorry,” the doctor whispered. Khaleesat lowered her gaze silently. The doctor took her hand, helping her up, and together they walked out of the garden toward the main compound.
Flashback – A Few Years Earlier
“Talk to Abdul about it. I know he’ll never agree to this, and he’ll definitely find a solution for you right away,” Safiyyah said earnestly.
Khaleesat looked up at her friend, her large eyes glistening. After a pause, she sighed. “That would only make things worse, Safiyyah. You know how expensive rent is in this state, and I already said I won’t ask him for anything again.”
Safiyyah frowned. “Then who else will you ask for help? You know how he is—if you keep quiet, he’ll twist the whole situation against you. Just tell him. It’s better for your peace of mind.”
Khaleesat stayed silent, thinking, before shaking her head gently. “It’s fine, Safiyyah. I’ll manage, in sha Allah. After all, there’s only a year and a half left.”
Safiyyah held her hand. “Then at least come stay with me. I’ll tell my family you’ll be staying for a while.”
Khaleesat smiled faintly. “No, I don’t want to inconvenience them. Don’t worry, I’ll sort myself out.”
Safiyyah sighed. “I’ll still talk to Ya Musty about it. He won’t refuse. It’s just his wife that’s impossible—but who cares? She doesn’t even cook with me anymore, so I just eat junk food when he’s on night shift. You know me.”
Khaleesat laughed lightly. “And you want me to move in with you like that? You’re so funny.”
Later that night, Khaleesat finished cooking noodles for dinner when she heard the living room door open. She quietly poured her food onto a plate and prepared to head to her room when a male voice called, “Hi, good evening. We didn’t get to meet this morning—I’m Jay, your new housemate.”
She turned to look at him briefly. “I see,” she said coldly, trying to walk away.
“Wait, please,” he said. “Are you Hausa?”
She frowned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He chuckled. “I’m just asking if I can borrow some water and beverages until I get mine tomorrow.”
Without looking at him, she replied shortly, “Okay.” Then she entered her room and locked the door.
Later, she noticed two missed calls from Abdul. She sighed and called him back on WhatsApp. His voice was sharp. “So now you saw my calls?”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I was studying.”
He sounded irritated. “You always have excuses. Where were you after class?”
“In the parlor, reading,” she said softly.
He pressed on, questioning her about her roommate and her schedule until her eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry,” she said again.
“Good,” he replied coldly. “Go to bed.” Then he hung up.
Khaleesat wiped her tears, whispered a prayer, and lay on her bed, heart heavy.
The next day, while talking with Safiyyah again after class, Safiyyah noticed her silence. “What’s wrong, Khaleesat?” she asked.
“I just miss my mother and siblings,” Khaleesat said faintly.
Safiyyah sighed. “No, something else is bothering you. Anyway, tomorrow is the weekend—come with me to Virginia. George is throwing a birthday party at the beach. Please say yes, we need a break.”
Khaleesat stared at her. “You want us to travel all the way to Virginia?”
Safiyyah shrugged. “It’s just a four-hour drive! Live a little, Khaly. You can’t stay locked up forever.”
Khaleesat shook her head slowly. “Honestly…”