Chapter 24

The next week, mujahid's uncles went to Nadia's house to ask for her hand in marriage and also fixed the date. Nadia got discharged the next day but she still had a bandage wrapped around her shoulder. 

Mujahid looked at Nadia smiling. She looked at him and chuckled, "what?" She asked. "We're going to be together, at last." She smiled again and nodded. "I'm more than happy. I thought I was going to lose you. I was so downhearted when your mother rejected me." 

"Well I told you to never lose hope because I already had a plan," she said and rolled her eyes. "What plan? Why didn't you tell me about it? You left me heart broken for days."

"Mammy listens to her parents a lot. Especially her mother. She respects and she does whatever they ask her to do. So I wanted to go complain to my grandmother but my aunt did it before I did." 

Mujahid laughed heartily. "Either way, we're getting married in two months," he whispered and kissed her softly on the lips. She pushed him away and scolded. "Are you insane! Mammy is around and she would kill the both of us if she sees us this way." 

He laughed again and apologize. "But really, I cant wait. I'm glad they decided to fix the date not too far," he spoke.  She pouted, "They should've fixed the date like less than a month since there isn't any event." 

He shrugged off, "Baby two months is okay."

"Hey, what was that girl doing at your house," she asked giving him a confused look. His heart did a back flip. He knew she would definitely bring that up. "Which girl? My house?" He asked giving her a bewildered expression. She furrowed her brows and his. "That girl you told me she is your cousin or sister or whatever....” 

"Oh, that girl. Her mother sent her to get something from me. She didn't even enter the  house babe. There's absolutely nothing between us, I promise," he spoke gently rubbing her soft hand. She nodded, her face still not pleased. "C'mon my love, or do you want me to kiss you right now?" He teased. She shook her head, "no. I just not like seeing her around you. I don't like her. And you know I'm the jealous type. The crazy jealous type."

He swallowed hard and nodded. "I know. I'm all yours my love," he spoke and kissed her cheek.

••

The London sun shimmered above like a polished shield, as if it could shelter her from her past. Yet the buildings dominating the land and skyline were cold, monochrome - not a hint of green anywhere. She abandoned looking upward to gaze through the crowd: business people, tourists, students, kids and dossers. Everyone knew what to do... except her. 

She glanced at her phone for the fifth time in four minutes. He was late again, just like their first date. He clearly showed he wasn't interested in her. He was doing it out of pity but she still had to try. 

Thirty minutes later, he showed up. "Firstly, I'm so sorry for being late, again...."

"It's okay. Shall we?" She cuts in and then smiled. He smiled back and nodded. They walked down to Snowflake Luxury Gelato ice cream shop. He bought ice cream for her before they settled down. "You're not going to have some?" She asked before taking a spoon of the ice cream. He smiled and shook his head, "no, I'm not a fan of ice cream."

He fetched his phone out while she took her ice cream and glance at him sometimes. He looked really uninterested in their date. Who doesn't compliment his date? She stayed up for hours getting just to look good for him but she doesn't even get a single compliment. She sighed helplessly but his mind was far away from her. 

"You know I'm really surprised that one of the most hottest guy in our school is still single," she interrupted him. He looked up and smiled. "Well I guess it's sometimes not about the looks." She nodded in agreement. 

"Remember your first day in class?" 

"I was so shy and nervous that I ended up falling in front of the whole class?" She said embarrassed. Mahmud laughed heartily. "But you came to rescue me," she added. "You're like the sweetest guy I've ever met, Mahmud. I fell for you instantly."

"There is something in the way you laugh that reminds me of my better self. There is something pure in the way you struggle to do what is right, it's an honesty, right? You have the kind of creative brain that brings such magic and interest to life, one that enjoys the sparking of ideas. So, my friend, I fell in love with you the moment our eyes met."

The respect she held for him was like an aged cheese. It became stronger with age, more mature, more robust. He was unfailingly kind, he always puts others first and himself last. No matter how tired he was, even after a tiring, boring day at school, he was never short with her. Her admiration for him was deep seated and long lasting.

"I'm still dumbfounded that I didn't figure out you had feelings for me. Like you showed zero hints on it." 

"I was afraid of losing you...." then he remembered Maryam. He was afraid of expressing his feelings for her. He was afraid of losing her. But when he decided to open up? She broke his heart and chose a stranger over him. 

"Mahmud!!!" She spoke louder. He looked at her and simpered. "Sorry, you were saying?" He asked and smiled apologetically. "Let's forget about that and play a game uhm? Just like the old times." He laughed a bit and nodded. 

"Our personal game? Truth or truth?" She giggled and nodded, "you didn't forget."

"Okay. Okay I'll start. 50 dollars each question you refuse to answer," she reminded. "Who is your secret crush?" 

When he didn't know what to say he side and brought out 50 dollars. She laughed and took it. "My turn, Have you ever ding dong ditched someone?"

She beamed and nodded. "Remember that weird Indian boy that always sits in the back? He never had any friends.” 

"Uhh... Karan?" He asked and she nodded swiftly. "He asked me out and I ditched him on the first date. He never talked to me again. I mean like he was so weird especially when he draws that red thing on his forehead, yuck! And every Indian person I know are all cute and handsome but in his case.... jeez!!!” 

Mahmud laughs, his deep chuckle lifting the spirit of the room. His face has a softness even when it comes to rest. "My turn," she said excitedly. She always gets jovial when they played the game. "What's the first thing you would do if you wake up one day as the opposite sex?"

"What?! I would literally flip, scream, and have a meltdown.... I mean I would pass out if I one day wake up as a girl!" Habiba suddenly doubled herself up and burst into a low soft cackle of laughter. Whoop! She went, and doubled herself up with laughter almost falling down from the chair. He wondered what was funny. He was only telling the truth. 

"Okay my turn. If you could marry a celebrity, who would it be?" 

"Simple, I would marry you," she said cheerfully. He laughed and shook his head. "I said a celebrity," he repeated. "Yes I know, you're a celebrity. A famous pilot, Captain Mahmud Muhammad," she sighed dreamily. 

Mahmud smiled sheepishly and ran his hand through his soft hair. He looked through the transparent glass. People passing by. Some smiling while talking. Some walked alone and had a straight face on. 

"Who do you think is the worst dressed person in this shop right now."

He sighed, "haha very funny." He brought out 50dollars and handed it to her. "Okay game over I'm definitely done," he said and stood. "C'mon let's go to Hyde park." She smiled and stood up. 

They strolled down to the park. It was few blocks away from Habiba’s house. "I remember when we used to come here every weekend to do our assignments or have a picnic," she spoke walking beside him. The sunbeams poured through narrow openings of the pale clouds as it outlined the fringes of the lazy drifting clouds.The calm relaxing shade of blue in the background supported the clouds and sun. The colorful swings grew wings as it merilly jumped up and down accompanied by little humans with smiles from ear to ear... 

"We had good times together," he stated, smiling. "Good memories," she sigh and they stopped in front of a pond. He looked at her and laughed a bit. She crossed her arms on her chest and smirked. "Now what's funny?" She asked looking at him. "I remember when you fell into this pond, you were about to throw popcorn at the ducks but you ended up swimming with them." He reminded her and burst into a soft laughter. 

"If you don't stop laughing I'll push you into the pond," she pouted and stomped her foot like a little child. He smiled, "okay I'm sorry." 

He bite his lips to avoid cracking up again. “You still want to laugh don't you," she uttered with a sigh. As if he was waiting he started laughing again. She hit his shoulder smiling, feeling embarrassed. "Okay, I won't laugh again," he said wiping the fake tears away. 

"I had a lot of embarrassing moments," she pouted feeling extremely embarrassed. "It's called being a human being. And everyone has his/her embarrassing moments."

She turned folding her arms on her chest, "oh yeah? Tell me yours.” She smiled. "Mine is very worse than your embarrassing moments," he said not wanting to talk about it. "Spill it, else you're giving me another 50dollars."

He sighed helplessly and kicked a rock into the pond, making the ducks to swim out of the pond. She tilted her head looking at him. He looked melancholic. "What's wrong?" She observed. He looked at her and looked away before smiling. 

"Hardest thing in life is, watching the person you love loving someone else." Then she understood there was someone he loved. No wonder he always looked pessimistic. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked. He laughed softly and shook his head. "Maybe some other day. I can't ruin our date again," he said and winked. 

She smiled instantly and looked away. "It's getting late, let me walk you home." She nodded and they started walking out of the park. As they walked down the street, the thought of being his friend to his girlfriend to his wife came rushing back to her mind. It was hard to be just his friend. She was helpless and eager to know if she'd had a chance with him. She really loves him and would do anything to get as long as he loves her back. But she was willing to stay away if he doesn't love her back. 

It wasn't love between them in any romantic way, perhaps more fraternal than anything. He was the only man she could ever admire. No matter how tough things got he always knew the difference between essential virtues to be upheld no matter what and what was negotiable. There were men that talked a better game, that spoke like angels from on high, but he walked his talk and in that there was more honour than in all of the king's guard. 

It wasn't just her that had a high opinion of him. The whole squad back then in school. He never expected more of them than he gave of himself, and he expected the world from them. He demanded every ounce of our being and then a little bit more. But what he gave in return was almost superhuman, hard to describe really. But he was more than a brother figure to them, he was a hero. They would have followed him anywhere, into any battle, no hesitation. He was a leader of the likes. That's why she'll forever admire him.

"Hey, when last did you visit Nigeria?" He asked as they walked side by side, His hand in his jeans pockets. "Uhh I can't really remember but like two years now. I usually don't get to fly there, like they think I'm still not good at flying planes because I'm a woman," she rolled her eyes when she remembered what she goes through at work. "What a man do a woman can do it better," he stated. "You see that's the kinda energy I need. Please please please You should totally transfer to London," she pleaded giving him a puppy face. She stood in front of him, blocking his was. 

He smiled heartily and shook his head. "What would you do if I transfer to here?" He asked grinning. "I'd steal something special from you," she said with a smirk. "Hmm! What would that be?"

"Your heart and your name." 

A grin spread over Mahmud’s face, wide and open, showing his over-whitened teeth. "There's something about you that I like; you're always happy and carefree. You brighten up every human beings mood. I like you." 

She lowered her gaze, blushing. It was the blush of roses, that peek of champagne pink. The colour infused cheeks dimpled with the blossoming smile and her eyes shone in a way that only deep happiness can bring. "I really am sorry for ruining our first date and being late today," he apologized again. 

"Look on the bright side please, we had fun today didn't we?" He laughed and nodded. "You're right. I really had fun today.” 

The cold breeze brushed against her body and she shivered even though her abaya was a bit thick. She looked at the sky terrified. "I need to get back inside.... Uhh you know my condition, I would not want to go back to the hospital,” she said walking backwards slowly. 

"Oh, oh yes. Please you should go in," he said quickly when he remembered what she goes through when the winter came. And it was just few weeks before it comes. And that time of the year wasn't the best for her. "Thank you, for everything," she spoke softly. 

"Now head inside before you freeze, okay?" She chuckled and nodded. He watched her till she headed into the house before he hailed a cab and went back to their apartment. 

He met Ahmad watching football while eating pizza. "Hey lover boy, how was your date?" He asked not moving his eyes from the Tv. Mahmud sat down beside his friend. "Habiba isn't that bad after all. She's fun to be with actually. She's sweet, kind, funny......"

"Blah Blah blah..... you're in love," Ahmad cuts in. Mahmud laughed and shook his head. "Well maybe I am."

**

"Simple, I would marry you," she said cheerfully. He laughed and shook his head. "I said a celebrity," he repeated. "Yes I know, you're a celebrity. A famous pilot, Captain Mahmud Muhammad," she sighed dreamily. 

Mahmud smiled sheepishly and ran his hand through his soft hair. He looked through the transparent glass. People passing by. Some smiling while talking. Some walked alone and had a straight face on. 

"Who do you think is the worst dressed person in this shop right now."

He sighed, "haha very funny." He brought out 50dollars and handed it to her. "Okay game over I'm definitely done," he said and stood. "C'mon let's go to Hyde park." She smiled and stood up. 

They strolled down to the park. It was few blocks away from Habiba’s house. "I remember when we used to come here every weekend to do our assignments or have a picnic," she spoke walking beside him. The sunbeams poured through narrow openings of the pale clouds as it outlined the fringes of the lazy drifting clouds.The calm relaxing shade of blue in the background supported the clouds and sun. The colorful swings grew wings as it merilly jumped up and down accompanied by little humans with smiles from ear to ear... 

"We had good times together," he stated, smiling. "Good memories," she sigh and they stopped in front of a pond. He looked at her and laughed a bit. She crossed her arms on her chest and smirked. "Now what's funny?" She asked looking at him. "I remember when you fell into this pond, you were about to throw popcorn at the ducks but you ended up swimming with them." He reminded her and burst into a soft laughter. 

"If you don't stop laughing I'll push you into the pond," she pouted and stomped her foot like a little child. He smiled, "okay I'm sorry." 

He bite his lips to avoid cracking up again. “You still want to laugh don't you," she uttered with a sigh. As if he was waiting he started laughing again. She hit his shoulder smiling, feeling embarrassed. "Okay, I won't laugh again," he said wiping the fake tears away. 

"I had a lot of embarrassing moments," she pouted feeling extremely embarrassed. "It's called being a human being. And everyone has his/her embarrassing moments."

She turned folding her arms on her chest, "oh yeah? Tell me yours.” She smiled. "Mine is very worse than your embarrassing moments," he said not wanting to talk about it. "Spill it, else you're giving me another 50dollars."

He sighed helplessly and kicked a rock into the pond, making the ducks to swim out of the pond. She tilted her head looking at him. He looked melancholic. "What's wrong?" She observed. He looked at her and looked away before smiling. 

"Hardest thing in life is, watching the person you love loving someone else." Then she understood there was someone he loved. No wonder he always looked pessimistic. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked. He laughed softly and shook his head. "Maybe some other day. I can't ruin our date again," he said and winked. 

She smiled instantly and looked away. "It's getting late, let me walk you home." She nodded and they started walking out of the park. As they walked down the street, the thought of being his friend to his girlfriend to his wife came rushing back to her mind. It was hard to be just his friend. She was helpless and eager to know if she'd had a chance with him. She really loves him and would do anything to get as long as he loves her back. But she was willing to stay away if he doesn't love her back. 

It wasn't love between them in any romantic way, perhaps more fraternal than anything. He was the only man she could ever admire. No matter how tough things got he always knew the difference between essential virtues to be upheld no matter what and what was negotiable. There were men that talked a better game, that spoke like angels from on high, but he walked his talk and in that there was more honour than in all of the king's guard. 

It wasn't just her that had a high opinion of him. The whole squad back then in school. He never expected more of them than he gave of himself, and he expected the world from them. He demanded every ounce of our being and then a little bit more. But what he gave in return was almost superhuman, hard to describe really. But he was more than a brother figure to them, he was a hero. They would have followed him anywhere, into any battle, no hesitation. He was a leader of the likes. That's why she'll forever admire him.

"Hey, when last did you visit Nigeria?" He asked as they walked side by side, His hand in his jeans pockets. "Uhh I can't really remember but like two years now. I usually don't get to fly there, like they think I'm still not good at flying planes because I'm a woman," she rolled her eyes when she remembered what she goes through at work. "What a man do a woman can do it better," he stated. "You see that's the kinda energy I need. Please please please You should totally transfer to London," she pleaded giving him a puppy face. She stood in front of him, blocking his was. 

He smiled heartily and shook his head. "What would you do if I transfer to here?" He asked grinning. "I'd steal something special from you," she said with a smirk. "Hmm! What would that be?"

"Your heart and your name." 

A grin spread over Mahmud’s face, wide and open, showing his over-whitened teeth. "There's something about you that I like; you're always happy and carefree. You brighten up every human beings mood. I like you." 

She lowered her gaze, blushing. It was the blush of roses, that peek of champagne pink. The colour infused cheeks dimpled with the blossoming smile and her eyes shone in a way that only deep happiness can bring. "I really am sorry for ruining our first date and being late today," he apologized again. 

"Look on the bright side please, we had fun today didn't we?" He laughed and nodded. "You're right. I really had fun today.” 

The cold breeze brushed against her body and she shivered even though her abaya was a bit thick. She looked at the sky terrified. "I need to get back inside.... Uhh you know my condition, I would not want to go back to the hospital,” she said walking backwards slowly. 

"Oh, oh yes. Please you should go in," he said quickly when he remembered what she goes through when the winter came. And it was just few weeks before it comes. And that time of the year wasn't the best for her. "Thank you, for everything," she spoke softly. 

"Now head inside before you freeze, okay?" She chuckled and nodded. He watched her till she headed into the house before he hailed a cab and went back to their apartment. 

He met Ahmad watching football while eating pizza. "Hey lover boy, how was your date?" He asked not moving his eyes from the Tv. Mahmud sat down beside his friend. "Habiba isn't that bad after all. She's fun to be with actually. She's sweet, kind, funny......"

"Blah Blah blah..... you're in love," Ahmad cuts in. Mahmud laughed and shook his head. "Well maybe I am.”