Two

Ihsan kept going to and fro in her room, she had been rolling on her bed, sniffling and thinking of what she would do for Daada to let her go. She felt her stomach growled, emanating it needed something for her survival.

She grimaced and turned on the AC in her room, turning on the fan as well. She knew it wasn't good for her health, but she needed to do something for Daada to let her go. He needed to know how adamant she was.

Slowly opening her room's door, she peaked and saw they weren't in the living room anymore. She quickly evaded and took yoghurt in the fridge before she gambolled back to her room, stepping on a paper on her way.

She took the paper and opened it, there were some scribbled words from Daada, she smiled woefully and read it.

Daada's fave. I love you and I'm so sorry that you had to cry. Don't ever say you're a burden on us again, we have no one to love but you. Don't on the AC or fan. Sleep well.

She let out a snicker, so Daada knew her so well that he knew she would come out, Allah! They love they share. She took the paper to her bedside drawer and slumped on her bed, as she fell asleep. A peaceful one.

Her phone's Adhzan woke her up, she slowly squinted her eyes and groaned in pain. She realized she slept off without a duvet, with the AC and fan on. Trying to pull herself up, she felt an excruciating pain in her joints, hands and legs. She yelped and slumped back, as her head throbbed aggrievedly.

She wanted to at least call Maama and inform her, but she couldn't move her hand, her head was paining, joints thudding, stomach aching, she felt like her whole body was been diced.

***

Alhaji Ibrahim Karaye was seated in the mosque pinned with his friend's house, he looked ruminative and restless. He knew whenever Ihsan was angry, she would get to any point to hurt herself, he knew she might not be safe.

A tap on his shoulder jolted him out of his reverie, he looked up and smiled ruefully at his best friend who sat down close to him, his eyes emoting the 'spill' expression.

"What happened, Alhaji? Is Ihsan sick again? For nothing on earth would make you ruminative expect Ihsan's issue, so tell me what the problem is," Alhaji Mustapha Argungun inquired, giving his best friend an assuring look.

Daada looked at him and spoke "It's Ihsan as you guessed. But it's a different issue this time, she wants to study in the U.S. and you know so well how stubborn she can be," he whimpered. "What will hinder it is her health. You know she wouldn't even take care of herself here not to talk of there," Daada added apprehensively.

"Huh! Ihsan is so incorrigible, what are we going to do? And by you worrying about this, I know she had tightly held onto her words, being the Ihsan I know," Alhaji Mustapha spoke, sounding impotent.

Before Daada could utter a word, his phone rang, he picked the call and his expression abruptly changed. He looked at Alhaji Mustapha and uttered "I have to go, she's sick again," before he swiftly scuttled off.

***

Maama finished her morning adhkar and fretfully stood up, she felt something gnawing at her, it wasn't something good. She slowly sauntered to Ihsan's room, hoping she had unlocked her door.

She slightly turned the doorknob and entered the room, only for her to see a lifeless Ihsan sprawled on her bed, groaning in pain. She swiftly went to her and placed her head on her laps, softly tapping her face "Ihsan! Talk to me, what happened?" She asked petrified and looked up when the whirling cold swashed on her skin, with the fan's cool air splashing on it.

"What has gotten into you? Why would you turn the AC and fan at the same time? Sleeping in it without even a duvet! What's wrong with you, Ya Allah!" Maama bellowed and broke into tears before she switched them off.

She came back to the bed, only to see Ihsan catching her breath arduously, as she was about to faint. "Ihsan!" She convulsed her vigorously, her heart beating at a higher speed. She wasn't imagining, Ihsan had dashed out!

She hugged her and cried hysterically before it somersaulted in her that she had to act fast, they had to take her to the hospital, her life is in a menace with each passing minute. Without hesitation, she took Ihsan's phone and dialled Daada's number.

"You have to come back! Now! She had zoned out," she roared in tears and ended the call.

In two minutes, the door creaked ajar, emanating an agitated Daada. He looked at her lifeless body and gently placed his hand on her hand's vein, it was popping! He swiftly took her from Maama's hand and left for the parking space, Maama tailing behind.

He halted his car in Budo specialist hospital before the nurses rushed and took Ihsan swiftly, for they were their usuals. It happened a lot.

Daada and Maama sat down in the waiting room, he palmed his face in remorse, "How did that happen? She was okay yesterday, what did she do to trigger the sickness?" Daada asked, intensely looking at Maama.

She heaved a sigh, cleared her tears and spoke "You know how incorrigible she is. She on the AC and fan at the same time, and slept like that without even a duvet," she elaborated, as more tears rolled down her cheeks.

"God! You should've check on her, Jamila. What kind of negligence is this? You know her so well that she would do so. I haven't seen your use in that house," Daada flared up, as tears glistened his view, he could imagine the pain she's feeling.

"Alhaji..," Maama slurred, giving him an unbelievable look. "You shouldn't rub it on my face before I know you were with her when she needed me the most, for I would never forget that. Thank you," she spoke with an agonizing pain laced on her tone.

"Whatever it is! You should have been more careful!" He spatted angrily, yawing his gaze away from her teary face. Seeing her like this broke his heart. He knew he shouldn't have said those words to her, but it couldn't be undone.

"Sir, she has woken up, you all can enter, but you have to speak in hushed tones," a nurse informed and walked off.

They stood up and advanced to room 14, where she was laying lifelessly, her eyes were opened a bit. she smiled laboriously when she saw them, before suppressing her smile with a rueful curve.

Daada moved closer and sat beside her, he held her hand and looked at her detrimentally "Ihsan, why would you do that? Do you want to see yourself in the hospital forever? Do you want to live in pain? Why Ihsan? Why? What was our promise?" He croaked, as he used his other hand and cleared the strand of tear that rolled down his cheek.

"Daada, please let me go. I promise to take care of myself. Yesterday's too was a mistake, I needed some air, so I switched them on and slept off without knowing. Please, Daada, Reena is there with me," she slurred, letting her tears fell freely.

"Why won't you understand, Ihsan? You aren't like every child that could go everywhere you like. You're different, And your health matters a lot," Daada contended, giving her the 'reason with me' look.

"What makes me different, Daada? Just because I'm sick? Why wouldn't I live like a normal person? Please, Daada," Ihsan broke into tears, why wouldn't they just let her? This is too much and disgusting.

"Ihsan my dear, don't cry, please. It isn't good for your health condition now. You need to rest, please," Maama whimpered, wiping away Ihsan's tears with her thumb.

"Health! Health!! Health!!! Why are you always talking about my health? Making me look down on myself? Why aren't I like a normal person? I eat like everyone, dress, play, smile, talk, cry, everything is normal. I'm normal," Ihsan bellowed, suddenly getting infuriated, why would they always make her feel bad? Aren't they the ones to lift her spirit?

"You are not! Ihsan, you are not. You are a sickler, a child that was born with sickle cell anaemia, that too a chronic one, you aren't a normal person. When others can swim, you can't. When they can expose themselves to cold, you can't. You always need to warm up your body and take care of your nutrition for your haemoglobin to function well. You so well know all of this. Don't be pugnacious please, let this matter go," Daada assimilated, suddenly feeling frustrated. Why is she so adamant?

"Daada! I know all this, please let me go! I want to know how it feels out there, how normal people live even for once, please," Ihsan begged, breaking into tears, crying hysterically.

Alhaji Mustapha tapped Daada's shoulder, he had followed him to the hospital, for it was their usual hospital. "It's Okay, Alhaji. Let's go and sort all this out," he spoke and guided Daada out of the room.