Chapter Eight

12th August 2015

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Weeks had gone by since their wedding and now it was two months, some days Muhammad felt he had gotten through to Amirah and other days, he wondered what was wrong with her.

His main problem with her was her refusal to perform the fajr salat with him, he had no idea if she performed the rest of the prayers but he was certain that she never woke up during the time of fajr prayers to perform it, even in her room.

Her actions baffled him, prayer shouldn't be a problem for her, she'd been raised in the north and in a Hausa home for that matter so why was she acting strange?

Tomorrow would be marking their two months wedding anniversary, he'd unfortunately forgotten the first month but he wanted to make up on their second, maybe he should take her out, somewhere fancy, buy her a gift, maybe he should call Khadijah and ask what she might like, it was unfortunate that he didn't know what his own wife would like. Abubakar usually teased him about him and Amirah living like housemates.

He was still contemplating on what to do with Amirah when he heard a commotion going on downstairs, an indication that there's been arrival of new patients who needed urgent attention, just immediately his pager rang out;

Doctor Muhammad, you are needed at the emergency ward, surgery unit 5.

He stood up immediately and ran downstairs, nurses were wheeling patients in and calling for the attention of several other doctors, there'd been an accident. Muhammad headed to unit 5 and saw a bloodied patient lying on the bed, three nurses were in the room.

"Heart beat is faint."

"Clogged lungs."

"Head injury is fatal."

He took three strides and reached the patient, he stumbled backwards as he identified her, it was Mrs Jane, the cleaning lady.

Before he could even give out any instruction, one of the nurses pronounced her dead. His eyes widened and his breath hitched in his throat, he wasn't new to death cases but this was Mrs Jane, his wife's only friend in this city, her confidante and the one Amirah always looked forward to her coming. What was he going to tell her?

"Are you alright sir?" One of the nurses asked, the others simply stared at him worriedly, they must be baffled by his reaction.

"I'm fine. Do you have any way to contact her family?"

"No sir, the bus she was in was involved in a fatal accident along..."

He didn't wait to listen to the rest of her words as her exited the unit, the hallways was still in commotion and more patients were been brought in, since his was dead, he proceeded to the next trying to focus on his job and not what Amirah would think if she found out Mrs Jane was dead.

It took several hours before serenity enveloped the hospital's environment. Some patients had lost their lives and others have been stabilized, the nurses were trying to get in touch with the family members of the victims and the media had been outside trying to get any news they could about the situation.

Muhammad was currently on the way to the masjid situated in.the hospital premises, he'd missed asr, maghrib and Isha'a prayers as it was few minutes almost 10pm now.

Beside him, Abubakar spoke, "either ways you have to tell her, just make sure you are there to help her grieve."

Muhammad nodded his hear wordlessly and headed to the ablution section, when he was done with prayers, he headed back to his office while Abubakar simply patted his back before heading off to his car ready to go home.

His phone was lying on his table but he didn't bother giving it a second look, his thoughts were solely on how Amirah would take the news, ya Allah! He really didn't want to be the bearer of bad news.

He remembered years ago his fiance lying on the hospital bed, sick and dying yet he couldn't do anything, he'd tried his best but it hadn't been enough for the night her parents had finally convinced him to go home and rest, Jamila had died, he hadn't even been there as she took her last breath. He hated anyone having to feel that same agony he'd felt, much less Amirah.

When he finally got his ass up ready to go home, his eyes widened not only at the fact that it was almost 11pm, but that he'd missed Amirah's calls three hours ago.

What if something had happened to her abd he wasn't there? He could almost feel the urgency in the four times she'd called him, he could even taste it, the terribly bitter taste of not being there for the one he loved... again.

His car sped along the tarred road of the highway and his heart rammared against his ribcage as the anguish he was feeling caused him to begin sweating despite the cold breeze that rushed out of his car's AC.

He got down from his car and unlocked the gate, he went back into his car and drove into the compound, after getting down from his car and locking it, he ran into the house and knocked furiously on Amirah's bedroom door all the while praying to Allah that she was fine, he wouldn't forgive himself if something had happened to her.

When the door open to reveal Amirah looking hale and heart, he breathed out in relief but panic soon rose in him at the glare she was sending him.

"What is it? What do you want from me Muhammad? Just because I'm married to you I should then be deprived of my sleep?"

He sighed, Amirah was at it again.

"I'm sorry, I missed your calls and I got scared thinking something bad had happened to you for you called me five times." She was smelling really good, even though she was in her night dress, he felt she was looking very prettier. What had she been up to?

"Where we you?" She blurted out, he watched her eyes bulge slightly, probably surprised by her own question.

He was shocked at it, "What?"

Gaining her confidence, she raised her chin, "Where have you been and why were you not picking my calls?"

"I was at the hospital of course, where else would I have been?"

"Then why weren't you picking my calls? You always send me a message if you are going to be late. If you were at the hospit as you so claim, then you should have picked my calls."

He shook his head at her, "I'm too tired for this."

"There's someine else right? Another woman? Tell me, I won't judge you or tell mummy." She taunted knowing how much Muhammad respected and obeyed his mother.

He flared, "there's no other woman. I love you and only you and even if you don't find my deserving of your love, I'd appreciate it if you at least trust me because I've done nothing but be honest towards you and if you are really inclined to know, there was an accident. Mrs Jane was among the victims and I'm sorry to say but she's dead."

The shock on her face mirrored his and he almost slapped himself for his stupidity, that wasn't how he had planned on breaking the news to her.

Amirah's face had gone ashen as she asked, "Mrs Jane is what?"