At night, around 10 PM
Lukman: (heading to Fatimah's room) I hope she will like them.
Fatimah: (lying on the bed, looking exhausted) God, I am so
tired… my whole body is aching. I need a pain reliever.
(massages her leg and hears a knock at her door) Who is it? Mom?
Come in!
Lukman: Umm… it’s me, Lukman.
Fatimah: Oh! I’m coming, please give me a sec. (jumps out of bed,
searching for a khimar to put on) Please, I’m coming!
Lukman: No problem, take your time.
Fatimah: (finally opens the door, wearing a polite smile) Brother
Lukman, good evening, sir. How was your journey today? I hope it
wasn’t stressful.
Lukman: (smiling) Alhamdulilah, thank you, dear. Uhmm, before I
forget, I just want to thank you for everything—for taking care
of the house and even my parents. I really appreciate it.
Fatimah: Ohhh, it’s nothing. I do it out of love for the way they
treated me. They are the best thing that’s ever happened to my
life, and I’ll be grateful to them forever.
Alh Ismail: (heading to the kitchen but hearing Fatimah’s voice,
quickly hides and peeks) What is Lukman doing with Fatimah?
Did they know each other from somewhere? Hmm… he’s even
holding bags. I hope it’s not what I’m thinking. Let me hear the
rest of their conversation.
Lukman: It’s nothing. I should be the one thanking you. Mum
always speaks so highly of you—you’re an angel.
Fatimah: Me? An angel? (chuckles) Hnnmm… have you ever seen
a female angel before?
Lukman: Lol, you’re funny. Well, I never thought of that. I guess
the gender begins with you.
Fatimah: (smiling) Anyway, thank you for the compliment.
Lukman: (smiling, staring at her) Uhmm, also… here is your gift.
Please accept it. I didn’t know we’d have an angel in our house,
but I promise to make it up to you.
Fatimah: (amazed) Masha Allah, thank you so much, but I… I
can’t take this.
Alh Ismail: (enjoying the conversation) Hmmm… interesting.
Hajia Habibah: (peeping next to him) What’s interesting?
Alh Ismail: (startled) You scared me! Shhh! Be quiet.
Hajia Habibah: Why? Who are you peeping at?
Alh Ismail: Shhhh…
Hajia Habibah: Why are you shushing me?
Alh Ismail: (quickly covers her mouth, whispering) Lukman and
Fatimah… I think they like each other.
Hajia Habibah: (joins him in peeking)
Lukman: Please, take it. This is small, but the gift is from me,
not my parents.
Fatimah: I know! But I just can’t… I’m sorry. Good night. (enters
her room and locks the door)
Lukman: Wait!!! (talking to himself) That’s weird… women love
gifts. Why did she reject mine? Does she hate me? I don’t even
know what to say… No problem. (leaves her door sadly while his
parents quickly retreat to their room)
Fatimah: (turning her back to the door, begins to cry) I don’t
know… I don’t feel comfortable around him. He keeps staring at
me. I don’t want to have anything to do with men… men are evil.
Alh Ismail: Baby, Fatimah shocked me today. Why did she reject
his gift?
Hajia Habibah: I’m confused too. But most importantly, we
shouldn’t interfere in their matters. Maybe Lukman did
something that offended her. Let’s mind our own business.
Alh Ismail: Ok, if you say so. (He turns to sleep)
Hajia Habibah: Oh, so that’s how you’re going to sleep, abi?
Alh Ismail: How do you expect me to sleep before…?
Hajia Habibah: (staring at him)
Alh Ismail: What? Oh, sorry, I forgot… oya, come here, my
sweetheart.
Hajia Habibah: Leave me jor… sleep your sleep.
Alh Ismail: I’m sorry now. Oya, come here. (He draws her into his
arms) That’s my baby.
Hajia Habibah: (smiling) Good night, my love.
Alh Ismail: Good night, my baby.
---
(Lukman’s room)
Lukman: (furious, thinking to himself) How could she reject my
gift? For what? Even girls more beautiful than her don’t reject
my gifts, let alone someone ordinary like her! I guess she wants
to see my other side. If she doesn’t want my kindness, then I’ll
show my bad side. (Lays on the bed, still angry, and falls asleep)
---
The next morning
(Fatimah is already preparing breakfast, busy arranging the
dining table as the family begins to arrive.)
Hajia Habibah: Good morning, my dear.
Fatimah: Good morning, sir and ma.
Alh Ismail: Morning, dear. So, what are we having this morning?
Fatimah: Just bread and tea.
Hajia Habibah: That’s great. (She takes a seat and begins to eat)
Uhmm, join us.
Fatimah: Ok, ma. (She also takes a seat and begins to eat)
Hajia Habibah: Uhmm… where is Lukman?
Alh Ismail: I saw him earlier. I guess he went for jogging.
Hajia Habibah: Ok.
(As they are busy eating, Lukman walks in.)
Lukman: Good morning, Mom. Good morning, Dad. (Not smiling)
Alh Ismail: Morning, young man. How was your night?
Lukman: Alhamdulilah, sir.
Hajia Habibah: Come, have a seat. You must be hungry.
Lukman: No, I’m good. Please excuse me. (Trying to leave)
Fatimah: (surprised)
Hajia Habibah: Why? What’s wrong?
Lukman: I’m just not hungry, ok? (He angrily looks at Fatimah
and turns his face away.)
Alh Ismail: If you’re fine, then go ahead. But when you’re done,
come to my office. I want us to talk.
Lukman: Ok, Dad. (He heads to his room.)
Hajia Habibah: That’s weird… he never misses a meal. He doesn’t
joke with food.
Alh Ismail: I guess he’s changed now. He’s a grown man. I’m full;
I have to head to work. Thanks for the food, dear.
Fatimah: (smiling) It’s nothing, sir.
Hajia Habibah: Please take me with you so you can drop me off
at the hospital.
Alh Ismail: Ehn, Madam… do you remember you have your own
car?
Hajia Habibah: Yeah, but it’s faulty.
Alh Ismail: Since when?
Hajia Habibah: Since yesterday
Alh Ismail: (breathing heavily) Anyway, please hurry. I can’t wait
more than five minutes.
Hajia Habibah: (quickly drops the food and heads to her room to
get her bag while Alh Ismail heads outside)
Fatimah: (left alone at the dining table, still eating)
Hajia Habibah: Uhmm, Fatimah, please prepare amala with ewedu
for dinner. Here, take this #5000—get everything you need
from the market.
Fatimah: Ok, ma.
Hajia Habibah: Bye. (She heads out.)
Fatimah: Bye, ma. (She begins packing the plates to the kitchen
and notices Lukman heading to the living room.) Sir, do you need
anything?
Lukman: (ignoring her)
Fatimah: Sir?
Lukman: What is it? What do you want?
Fatimah: No, I just wanted to ask if you need anything.
Lukman: I’m fine, thank you. (He carries what he wants from the
living room and heads to his room.)
Fatimah: Aniraburu…
Grace: (hearing sounds from the kitchen, she quickly gets up
and heads there, shocked to see her son) Abdulrahman? My son?
Where have you been for the past three weeks? (She tries to
embrace him.)
Abdulrahman: Please don’t touch me. I’m hungry.
Grace: Ok… take this and eat. You look so lean! What happened
to you?
Abdulrahman: I went to start a new life, and I’m enjoying it
right now.
Grace: Where…?
Abdulrahman: My padi, of course.
Grace: (perceiving the smell of cigarette smoke on his breath)
Have you been smoking and drinking?
Abdulrahman: Yes… and so? Do I look like a child to you?
Grace: Ahhh, Abdulrahman! Is this how I trained you? You and
your sister left me alone in this house and came back looking like
this? (She begins to cry.) What have I done to you two to
deserve all this? Why?
Abdulrahman: (ignoring her, continues eating) Please shift… I
want to eat.
Grace: (hand on her head) Mogbe! I’m in trouble.
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