Nilefa: The Union

CHAPTER 24

It was windy and the clouding was thick, one would expect it to rain soon. Hauwa almost fell out of her car, then stumbled to balance herself against it. On cue, Dala, her driver ran to her and took the car keys from her. She moved towards the front door clumsily, the lightheadedness rendering her incapacitated to unlock the door. She could hear Dala's voice calling out to her. She could catch some words from what he was saying. He was asking if she was okay, to which she only nodded. On attempt to knock on the door, it drew open. She completely lost her balance then, falling into two strong arms. The last thing she knew before her senses shut down was the scent of his cologne.

She woke up to two male voices coming from her right. She opened her eyes slowly to the blinding light, then closed them back quickly. She reopened them to read her environment. This was his room. There was the unmistakable scent of him filling her nose. When she turned to her right, she saw Abdulkarim talking with the doctor, who appeared set to leave. When the door shut behind him, he moved towards her, laying her back down on the bed as she attempted to sit.

" Don't sit up yet. Lie a little longer." He used both hands to support her as she rested against the pillows. " You've been gone a while."

" How long?" She asked, shutting her eyes.

" The doctor instructed that you do not sit or stand abruptly as you wake." His hand was still on her shoulder.

" I have to pray. I have been awake a while."She moved with discomfort.

" Here" he peeled the pills the doctor had prescribed and held her right hand and placed the pills on her palm. He then poured a glass of water." Drink."

He watched as she swallowed the pills in one go. She made a face and it looked like she was going to puke it all out, before she downed it back with the rest of the glass.

Abdulkarim almost laughed at the sight. She looked so small in his big bed. She was stripped of the zeal that clad her and the pride that filled the atmosphere around her. It was just her, laying there. His heart was always filled with questions as to why this woman had chosen to stay with him. At first, he believed that she wanted to be close to power, or that it was because her father commanded so. Things scared him as all began to unravel. Hauwa wasn't forced to be with him, he had learned that a long time ago when ASG declared himself an audience to the political duel. His thoughts drifted back to the first weeks of their marriage, when she pledged him service until her last breath. He had never put it to good thought,but he remembered clearly.

" Can I go and pray now?" There was no need to plead, but it seemed like it. Abdulkarim nodded and stood up and away to give her room. He sighed when she disappeared into the bathroom. He mumbled a few astagfirullah before leaving the room. Her blood pressure had dropped, so the doctor said.

Over the time they'd been married, him and Hauwa had not shared a bond greater than friendship. They never acted on the marriage part, which certainly did not prevent them from looking like a happily married couple. They did maintain a fair distance from each other at first,until recently, when the need for casual touches crossed them. He wanted to share her bed. Any man would. He could see how other men's eyes feasted on her with longing, sure if he were to let her go now many would step forward and bare their intentions. That would never happen . He would pluck their eyes if anyone tried to cross their limits. He decided things would change starting that moment. He would do right by Hauwa, show her the love she deserved.

After Hauwa had prayed both Maghrib and Isha, she sat longer on the prayer mat, her mind drifting slightly to the conversation she had earlier with her father.

"I will not have you slaving yourself away for nothing"

That part resonated in her head from the moment he had said it. She began to wonder if her her father was right. She had been married to Abdulkarim for over two years but he had never made an attempt to share her bed. She had always convinced herself that things were improving, but the literally were not.

What puzzled her the most was how her father knew. He had threatened to end her marriage if things didn't change. She had never shared this with anyone. Worse even, she didn't know whom to suspect. Herself? She did groom herself quite well, but even she couldn't overlook the fact that she had grown skinnier. 

The door opened, drawing her out of her trance. Abdulkarim appeared freshly dressed and ready to leave. She took one glance at him, then turned back to the counter ringed on her finger.

" I have called a nurse to look after you for the night. I-"

" I can take care of myself." She said, cutting him." I always have."

" Certainly not ,because just a few hours ago you were suffering the consequences of the amount of care you have given to yourself."

" I am not a child. It's not the first time it's happened. I can handle it myself."

" Letting it happen again means you are still being careless. Just this night Hauwa, I want to sleep knowing you are in good hands."

" I don't want a nurse." She stood up from the mat and moved towards him, standing at arm's length from him." You don't know what I want Abdulkarim."

Her eyes teared up, glistening in the dimly lit room. She could see his his features change, growing colder. Before she knew it, he was a hairsbreadth from her. She couldn't tell how fast he crossed the distance between them, she only felt his arms around her, and her lips covered by his. Her heart filled instantly, threatening to break out of her chest from rapid beating. She balled his kuluw in both fists, struggling to draw air into her lungs.

Her eyes were closed when he ended the kiss. The tears she'd been holding back rolled freely down her face. She felt him gently wipe the tears off, making her heart flutter.

" Look at me." He commanded, to which she gladly obliged." I want what you want."

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