Chapter 24

                                    

                                          
*
                          
"You've come a long way," Adnan said, smiling as broadly as anyone had ever seen him. "What brings you this far north?" 
                          
"Forgive me, Your Grace," Fahad replied with a distant look in his eyes as he continued to stare at Afrah. "I should have sent a raven ahead." 
                          
"Dark wings carry dark words, my friend," Adnan replied, clapping his back once again. "Come. There is much to do." 
                          
He turned then, to find Afrah staring at Fahad like a ghost risen from hell. Only then did he notice the strange look in his friend's eyes, as he too was staring at her.
                          
"Fahad," Adnan said as he led him slowly towards her, "this is..."
                          
"Afrah Aminu," he cut him off, a slow smile stretching across his face. "A pleasure to meet you once again, my lady." 
                          
As he bowed in an extremely exaggerated manner, Afrah's eyes flickered towards Adnan, who was staring at her with a curiously calm demeanour. 
                          
"Hello," Afrah replied once Fahad straightened up. His eyes were glued to her, making her incredibly uncomfortable. 
                          
"I believe I am missing something which you are about to point out," Adnan said, shifting his gaze between both of them. 
                          
"Afrah and I go way back," Fahad said with a mischievous smirk. "Some might even say we are as close as two peas in a pod." 
                          
"I certainly wouldn't say that," Afrah narrowed her eyes at him as she quickly turned to the scowling woman behind her. 
                          
"How do you two know each other?" Fahad asked, turning to face his friend. 
                          
"Why don't you let her explain that?" Adnan turned to face her. Fahad turned to face her as well, and under their collective gaze Afrah felt a knot tighten in her stomach. 
                          
"Adnan is my mother's husband's sister in-law's daughter's brother," she replied without looking at them. 
                          
Both men paused, tracing her sentence in their heads to be sure it made sense. Adnan was the first to understand. 
                          
"Touché," he smirked. "Fahad, why don't we go and talk to the district head? Earlier he made some curious comments which I would like you to hear." 
                          
"You look beautiful today, Afrah," Fahad whispered as they walked away, the unusual smirk still on his lips. Afrah breathed a sigh of relief as they walked away, revelling in the silence now that they were gone. Her table was finally empty, and she proceeded to the mosque which she had gotten directions to. It was time for her Zuhr prayer. 
                          
The prayer was quick, and she emerged from the mosque just under ten minutes later, with the acrid taste of the water she had used for her ablution still in her mouth. 
                          
The mosque was right on one of the busiest streets in the town. Afrah sat on the step as she slipped on her shoes, while watching the people as they hurried past on their day-to-day activities. A few traders were about, hawking their goods in as loud a voice as possible. There were three different people selling the same items: sugarcanes. Each of them pushed an old looking wheelbarrow, pausing every few seconds to water the canes against the rising heat. Across the street was a young boy who couldn't have been older than fifteen, carrying a wooden case with several packs of cigarette tied around it. There was an old cobbler who walked past as well, shaking his box so the strips of metal he had tied to it rattled as he walked. There were several children running up and down the street, most of them barefoot and wearing torn clothes while they chased their friends. Several old men rode past on their rickety bicycles, their straw hats tied around their necks. No one paid the slightest attention to the young woman sitting on the steps of the mosque, staring at them all with the hint of a smile on her face.