It
was two days after the unfortunate incident, and Rasheedah was still nowhere to
be found. We had spent hours at the police station and searched the nook and
crannies of Lagos. But Rasheedah was still missing.
And
I had to show up at work, struggling to concentrate while my heart raced faster
with the fear of Rasheedah being in danger.
It
was one of those lunch periods when Asmau, Munir, and I visited our usual
restaurant and ordered plates of jollof rice while we caught up with the latest
news and events.
But
there I was, staring at my untouched plate of jollof rice and struggling to
control the tears from streaming down my face.
“Rafiah,
you have to eat. I know this is hard for you…but you must eat and work. Asmau
and I have you in our prayers. We are very hopeful that Rasheedah will return
home,” Munir said as he stared at me with pitiful eyes.
Asmau
touched my hand. “Munir is right. Rasheedah will be home soon. We just have to
do all it takes to bring her back. But, yes, you must eat!” she stated as she
grabbed a spoonful of rice and tried to force it down my throat.
I
winced as I got hold of the spoon and returned it to the plate. “Gosh! Let me
be, Asmau. I will eat. You don’t have to feed me!” I rolled my eyes as I
started to eat.
Tears
stung my eyes as I tried to swallow a spoonful of the smoky rice that had no
taste. How could a meal- I looked forward to eating every lunchtime- suddenly
become tasteless?
“Farouk
and I have plans we’re currently working on,” I said as Asmau grinned
sheepishly.
“I
know I shouldn’t be smiling…not a good time. But this is awesome! Awesome couple
goals, innit Munir?”
“Ah,
yeah,” he said, looking distracted as he kept staring at his phone.
“Any
problem?” I asked with a look of concern.
Munir
gulped down his cup of water and forced a smile. “Nothing really. I’m just
expecting someone- a lady, actually. Bushrah,” he explained as he lowered his
eyes.
Asmau
chuckled. “Why didn’t you tell us about this? So she’s coming here?”
Munir
gave a thin smile. “No. We’re meeting somewhere else. I can’t risk having you
guys mocking me at a corner while I talk to a lady.”
I
laughed at that one. “Woah. I thought you were not interested in starting a relationship
with someone?”
Munir
shook his head. “Not this one. She’s actually the reason I haven’t had an interest
in anyone. I have been on this case for two years. It’s a long story, sha,” Munir said as he rose from his
seat. “I’ll see you, ladies, later. And be fine, Rafiah.”
With
that, Munir dashed out of the restaurant, leaving Asmau and me to complete our
tasteless food.
“Rafiah,
I’m resigning. I need time to take care of the baby. The doctor revealed that I
have to avoid any form of stress…” Asmau was saying, but I could hardly hear a
word.
“You’re
resigning? Like, you’re leaving me here all alone?” I glared at her.
“It’s
for the best. I know you will miss me…and I’ll miss you too. And we will surely
keep in touch. You’re my best friend, Rafiah. I cannot do without you,” Asmau
said, and I couldn’t help but burst into tears.
Why
was everything happening so suddenly? Couldn’t these unfortunate events happen
one at a time?
“We
will talk every single day. You would forget I’m not here physically. And we
will find Rasheedah. I can’t wait to grace her wedding…and yours,” Asmau smiled
at me as she pulled me into a tight hug.
***
At
exactly 05:00 pm, Farouk was already seated in the car, waiting eagerly for my
arrival. My face lit up as I caught sight of him waving at me.
I
ran towards where his car was parked and fought the urge to pull him into an
embrace. “Asalamu ‘alaykum, Farouk,” I
greeted with a cheerful face.
Farouk
was putting on a blue t-shirt and black pair of chinos, and he wore a black
face cap with the Spider-Man logo.
“Wa’alaykumu
salam, Rafiah. How was work?” he asked as I sat beside him.
“Work
went well. Mrs. Bola kept assigning me new tasks. Finally, I forced a plate of
tasteless jollof rice down my throat. Munir went on a date with a mystery lady,
and Asmau announced her plans to resign.”
“Oops.
Such an eventful day,” he said thoughtfully as he turned backwards and brought
out a large food flask.
I
chuckled. “Are you going to do this every day? Cook for me?”
“Well,
it seems that’s the only meal you enjoy. It’s the least I can do,” Farouk
shrugged as he handed me the flask.
“Thank
you so much. This means a lot to me,” I thanked him as I opened the flask to
the sight of steaming afang soup
garnished with fish and goat meat.
“But
how can you cook all of these despite your busy schedule?” I asked.
Farouk
ignored me as he gave me three wraps of fufu.
“You have to finish all of these. It’s an order!” he said with a chuckle.
“Aye,
sir!” I responded as I grabbed a bottle of water from the pigeonhole and
started to eat.
Farouk
glanced at me and stared out of the window. “I just…I really hope we spend the
rest of our lives doing this. I look forward to the short period I spend with
you every day, Rafiah.”
“Me
too. But I hope you understand why we can’t start a relationship. Rasheedah is
still missing, and I can’t wrap my head around giving love to someone else. I can’t
even introduce you to my parents now,” I said.
“I
totally understand. I’m patiently waiting. No matter how long it takes, I would
be here waiting,” Farouk smiled at me.
“Gosh!
I don’t deserve you. You are too amazing. Too perfect. This is too good to be
true.”
“No,
I don’t think I deserve you, Rafiah. You’re beautiful and smart and
intelligent. I haven’t found anyone like you in my twenty-eight years of living
on earth. Do you think I don’t feel the same way?”
I
giggled as I stared at the road. “I guess we both deserve each other.”
“Yes,
we do…” Farouk was saying when someone tapped the glass.
I
widened my eyes to get a clearer view. It was Khalid, staring down at me with
puffy eyes.
“Can we talk?” he asked.
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