Summayah’s P.O.V
Fear gripped us so tightly that we couldn’t think straight. We called one of our male neighbours to help break the door. After several hard attempts, the door finally gave way.
We rushed in.
My heart was pounding so loudly I could barely hear anything else.
Suliyah was lying on the bed… still… too still.
We ran to her, calling her name, shaking her gently at first… then harder.
No response.
My mum let out a scream that echoed through the entire compound.
I couldn’t move.
I just leaned against the wall, my body frozen, my mind refusing to accept what my eyes were seeing.
My sister… lifeless.
Tears rolled down my face without control as my mum’s cries filled the room.
Adewunmi: fire! (she screamed, clutching her chest) fire is burning me!
The women rushed to hold her, trying to calm her, but she broke free and stumbled toward the bed.
Adewunmi: ahhh! Who did I offend? Ya Allah, please forgive me! Suliyah!
She hit Suliyah’s body desperately, as if pain could wake her up.
Adewunmi: come back to me! Please come back!
She collapsed into tears.
Summayah: (crying quietly in the corner, staring at her sister’s body)
Neighbor: someone call an ambulance, please!
Adewunmi: (her voice breaking, struggling to breathe) the fire of my child is burning me… why me, ya Allah? Have mercy on me! Forgive her! Give her another chance!
Her cries grew louder, more desperate, drawing even more people into the house.
Then her elder brother walked in.
Uncle: what is going on here?
Adewunmi: (seeing him, she breaks again) Suliyah… Suliyah is dead!
Uncle: Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. What happened? Where is Summayah?
Summayah: (walking toward him slowly, tears blurring her vision)
Uncle: where is she?
Summayah: (points to the room)
He ran inside.
He bent over Suliyah, placing his ear to her chest, checking for any sign… any breath… any pulse.
Nothing.
Uncle: Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un… she’s gone—
(he pauses suddenly)
Uncle: wait! Suliyah! She moved her finger!
Everyone rushed back into the room.
Adewunmi: (shaking her) my daughter, please wake up!
Summayah: Suliyah… please…
Uncle: I swear she moved!
Then, in the distance… the sound of an ambulance.
(Curtain)
At the hospital
Doctor: who is her guardian?
Adewunmi: we are.
Summayah: yes, sir.
Uncle: we are with her.
Doctor: I’m sorry to say this… your daughter is in a coma. It appears she went into shock, and there is internal bleeding near her ears. It has affected her brain. We’ve done what we can… now we can only hope she wakes up.
Adewunmi: (collapsing to her knees) subhanallah… ya Allah!
Summayah: (confused, panicking) what did he say? I don’t understand…
Uncle: (voice heavy) it means… she is alive… but not truly here with us. Only Allah can bring her back. We need to pray.
Summayah: (shaking) but how… how is that even possible?
Uncle: with Allah, everything is possible.
(he sits beside Adewunmi)
Uncle: please… stop crying. She needs your prayers, not your tears.
Summayah: yes, my mum… she needs your prayers more now. Please… think about your health too… don’t leave me alone in all this.
Uncle: you are not alone, my dear. Be grateful, even in this. Let’s go to the mosque nearby and pray.
(he helps Adewunmi up)
(Curtain)
Later that night
Adewunmi: Summayah… (taps her)
Summayah: my mum?
Adewunmi: you need to go home. Bring Suliyah’s clothes… and prepare something we can eat.
Summayah: okay… (pauses, looking closely at her) why are your eyes so red? Have you been crying again?
Adewunmi: no… (tears fall again) I don’t know why they won’t stop.
Summayah: (hugging her) everything will be fine… give me the key.
Adewunmi: (hands it over) pray before you go… and don’t stay long.
Summayah: okay, my mum.
(She leaves)
Adewunmi: (staring at Suliyah) please come back… I promise I’ll do better… I never prayed to bury my child…
(Curtain)
Summayah’s P.O.V
As I got down from the bike and walked toward the house, I greeted someone sitting on the balcony.
He called my name.
I ignored it at first, thinking it was a neighbour.
Then he called again.
Abdulhakeem: Summayah! I’m calling you.
Summayah: (turning) who is that?
Abdulhakeem: it’s me… Abdulhakeem. I’ve been waiting for over twenty minutes. Your neighbour told me what happened to your sister. I was about to go to the hospital myself.
Summayah: (surprised) it’s really you? What are you doing here at this hour? Couldn’t it wait till tomorrow?
Abdulhakeem: I called you so many times, but you didn’t pick. I was worried. I told your mum I would come tonight.
Summayah: (quickly goes inside) my phone…
She finds it.
Fifty missed calls.
Her heart sinks.
Most of them… from him and Jamiu.
Summayah: what do these two want from me?
(She steps back outside)
Summayah: I’m sorry I missed your calls… you can go now.
Abdulhakeem: how is your sister?
Summayah: she’s fine… please go.
Abdulhakeem: why are you pushing me away like this? I’m only here because I care.
Summayah: please… don’t add to my pain… I’m begging you. (wipes her tears)
Abdulhakeem: (softly) I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to make you cry. I mean no harm… believe me.
Summayah: (she squats and bursts into tears, her voice breaking uncontrollably)
Abdulhakeem: (he squats beside her immediately) Whatever you are going through, I promise from now on I will be here for you. I can feel your pain.
Summayah: You don’t know. (in tears) Because if you did, you wouldn’t be adding to it. Please stay away from me. Leave my life alone.
Abdulhakeem: Summayah!!
Summayah: Please just leave me alone… please… stay away from my life. Find your partner elsewhere.
Abdulhakeem: Summayah, I am not here to add to your pain. I don’t know what you are going through, but I can feel it, and I am sorry. I am not happy seeing you like this, I swear. I care about you so much. I want to see you smile again, that part of you that is always bright.
You need to open your heart a little more so you can see the good in life. Not everyone is bad. And if you keep seeing everything through pain, you may miss what is truly meant for you. I am not saying I am the one for you, but whatever you are facing, don’t just break down and hurt yourself more. Look for solutions.
Remember what you once told me, not to pay evil with evil. You told me not to judge a book by its cover. You told me love is not about appearance but the heart.
You changed something in me, Summayah. I don’t even know how you did it, but I listened to you without knowing why. And now I know my heart chose you. I promise you today, I will be here for you as long as I can. Please… stop crying for Allah’s sake.
Summayah: (stunned, then bursts into tears again)
Abdulhakeem: Women and their tears… it’s okay now. Don’t you believe what I said? I am not here to play with your feelings. I truly care about you, Summayah. I want to take care of you, and I am ready to do whatever it takes to win your trust. (he gently wipes her tears with his handkerchief) Please stop crying… so what do you want to do now?
Summayah: I want to prepare dinner for my mum and I, so I can take it to the hospital.
Abdulhakeem: How about your sister? How is she?
Summayah: She is in come.
Abdulhakeem: In what?
Summayah: Come… or whatever they call it.
Abdulhakeem: (almost laughing but holding it in) It is called coma, not come, okay?
Summayah: Okay. (she stands up) Thank you for your words of encouragement. I really appreciate it.
Abdulhakeem: You just turned me into a motivational speaker tonight. How about we do it this way? Let’s go to a restaurant, get food for all of you, then I will take you to the hospital.
Summayah: (surprised) No, no… don’t worry, I already bought what to cook.
Abdulhakeem: I insist. Please don’t say no. You already look so weak and tired. (he walks toward his car door for her)
Summayah: (gasps) What are you doing? You didn’t even wait for me to say yes.
Abdulhakeem: Please, my lady.
Summayah: I never said I am your lady.
Abdulhakeem: Okay ma’am, I am sorry. Please get in the car.
Summayah: (still surprised) Okay o. (she gets in)
Abdulhakeem: (he closes the door, enters the car, and drives off)
Curtain
As they arrive at the hospital, they walk inside. Abdulhakeem holds the packed food in a takeaway bag.
Summayah: (they find Rukayah asleep. She pauses, staring at her mother pitifully. Abdulhakeem also looks at her with deep sympathy. Tears already well up in Summayah’s eyes)
Abdulhakeem: (whispering) Hey… it’s okay.
Summayah: (quickly wipes her tears and nods) Mama… (she taps her gently)
Rukayah: (she lifts her head in shock) Eh! Okomi, you are back.
Abdulhakeem: (he bows slightly) Good evening ma’am.
Rukayah: Good evening.
Summayah: Maami, here is the food. (she collects the bag from Abdulhakeem and gives it to her) He insisted I shouldn’t cook. He bought it from a restaurant.
Rukayah: Eeyaa… thank you so much my son. Allah will bless you. You will never lack food in your life. Thank you so much.
Abdulhakeem: Amin ma. May Allah grant her complete shifa and restore her health. She will come back strong, insha Allah. (his voice filled with pity)
Rukayah: Amin o. Come, my dear, let’s eat. (she opens the food, smiling weakly at the swallow) Ahh, thank you so much.
Summayah: (sits beside her and begins unwrapping the amala) Come and join us.
Abdulhakeem: No, thank you.
Summayah: My mum and I eat together like this.
Abdulhakeem: (unable to hide his emotions) I will wait at the reception for you. (he gently reaches into his pocket and brings out some naira notes) Here ma… please manage this.
Rukayah: (surprised) Ahhh! Thank you so much… thank you. (she bursts into tears again, still eating)
Abdulhakeem: (tears slip down his face. He quickly wipes them) I will be waiting for you, Summayah.
Summayah: (staring at him) Okay sir. (thinking) How can he love someone like me?
Rukayah: Okomi… your boss is really a good man. Please be nice to him.
Summayah: Mama, eat please. The food will get cold. (she quickly wipes her own tears)
Curtain
The next morning, Summayah returns home briefly to take a bath before heading back to the hospital. As she enters the compound, she sees Jamiu sitting and waiting. Neighbours greet her softly, offering condolences as she walks toward him.
Summayah: Good morning.
Jamiu: Morning… why are you not picking my calls?
Summayah: Oh, sorry… I left my phone at home.
Jamiu: (looking at her hand) And what’s that in your hand?
Summayah: It’s my phone now.
Jamiu: Why are you avoiding me? I have been good to you, but I think I have given you too much freedom. I called you thirty times last night. I came to your house too, but you couldn’t even respond. What is wrong with you, Summayah? Is it because I have been good to you? Who do you think you are to ignore my calls after everything?
Summayah: (gasps) What are you talking about? You didn’t even listen to my reasons. You just jumped to conclusions!
Jamiu: You quit your job yesterday, hoping I would run after you and beg you to stay. Now I can see your true colour. You think you have grown wings, abi? No problem. Have a nice day. (he walks away)
Summayah: (mouth slightly open, shocked, frozen in place)