Immediately the man left all of them kept quiet for a while before Mallam Audu speaks up " Habiba am sorry about what my brother said. I know you're hurt by his words but please do take heart, don't take his words to your heart, I know by now your used to it"Mallam Audu speaks before he turned towards his daughter "Tehzeeb don't take what your Uncle said to heart and focus on your studies. None of them can force you to get married when am still alive and breathing, In Sha Allah I will stand by you and protect you. I don't know how long I have in this world, all I can give you is the best education that even when am not alive you can take care of yourself and your mother"
"Haba Baba, Audu" both Umma and Tehzeeb said at the same time "baba your not supposed to be saying this, I know every living soul shall taste death, but please Baba stop saying all theses, don't allow what Kawu said to disturb you. In as much as your breathing I know you will protect me and Umma, so Baba let's just pray for the best" Tehzeeb said weakly to her father
"Am proud of you my daughter, and I know I can count on you to take care of your mother even when am not alive"
"Haba Mallam, what kind of talk is this? Your daughter have already said you should stop saying all this things, or are you sick and you don't want us to know?" Mrs Habiba asked worriedly
"Habiba don't say such a thing, we should expect death anytime and moreover am not saying all this because of anything but we should always think about death once in a while, so that when it's comes we should know how to cope with it"
"Have heard you, end of discussion" Umma said "and you go and dress up for school if you don't want to be late for your lectures" Umma said facing Tehzeeb because she don't like how her husband is behaving and talking. She know quite alright his right but can't he say it another time of all time he chose to say it now
"Okay Umma, let me go and dress up so I won't be late" immediately Tehzeeb said that she left her father and mother there to do her own business
"Mallam how are we going to do now?" Mrs Habiba asked worriedly
"About what again?" Mallam Audu asked her too
"About your brother. You know they hardly visit and whenever they do, they come prepared and I don't want any trouble from them" Mrs Habiba state her mind
"You worried alot Habiba, In Sha Allah nothing will happen, I promise you that. Keep your mind at rest and don't disturb your self too much"
"I pray so, may Allah see us through"
"Ameen, now your talking. Let me go and prepare for work"
"Alright" they were about to walk inside when Tehzeeb walk out of her room
"Baba, Umma am ready"
"Allah bada sa'a, here is the bike money" Baba prayed for her handing over the transport fare to her
"Baba but I have money with me"
"I know, but that money is yours and it's our duty to provide for you"
"But" before she could complain her father beat her to it
"No but, just take the money and leave before you're late for your lectures" Baba said giving her the money which Tehzeeb reluctantly collects the money
"All the best dear" Umma said before Tehzeeb left
Tehzeeb went to school but luckily enough the lecturer was not yet there so she sat down and gist with Khadija for a while telling her what happened
"I pity her gaskiya" Khady said in a calm voice "if you're going to the hospital after school hours, I will go with you to great them"
"That's nice and thoughtful of you"
"It's okay dear" before they could continue with there talk the lecturer walk in and started with his lecture.
Tehzeeb and Khady left for the hospital immediately after there lectures but before that Tehzeeb branch to do some shoppings before going to the hospital. Upon there arrival Tehzeeb took Khady to mama place where they saw Aisha sleeping calmly
"Mama how is Aisha's health now?" Tehzeeb asked
"She's fine dear. How was your lectures?"
"It's was fine Alhamdulillah. This my friend Khadija" Tehzeeb said gesturing to Khadija to come forward and great mama
"Good evening mama. How is Aisha's health now, hope she's fine?"
"Alhamdulillah dear, thank you so much"
"It's nothing I wish her quick recovery"
"Thank you" Tehzeeb bought out the leather and kept it in front of mama
"Mama manage this for now" Tehzeeb said to mama who was already in tears
"Thank you so much dear, you have done enough for us, stop stressing yourself and spending too much on us"
"It's nothing mama" Tehzeeb said and stays for a while before she and Khady left. Tehzeeb have no doubt that Umma didn't come to the hospital because of what transpired between them and Kawu (uncle) so she did not bother saying anything to Mama and left
Things have been going smoothly but Aisha's body was no longer responding to the treatment, which made all of them worried most especially Gogo Ramatu and Tehzeeb who was getting to know Aisha gradually, because whenever Tehzeeb come to visit Aisha was always awake unlike before that she's always sleeping. They were still in the hospital because Aisha was injected with some sedative due to the lack of sleep she was having, when it's was time for visitors to leave Gogo Ramatu pleaded with the doctor to let her sleep in the hospital
"Am sorry ma'am but that's the rules of the hospital" Comes the doctor's response
"Please doctor, let her sleep here, if not for the sake of anything but for the sake of Allah, you know and see how Aisha's condition is, no mother in her right sense will like to be far from her child in this condition. Please have mercy on us let her sleep" Tehzeeb pleaded
"But" the doctor want to say
"I beg you not because am worthy but because of your Lord who created heaven and Earth and created me and you" comes Tehzeeb plead again
"Okay, I will let her sleep here, but just for today" Doctor Bashir said
"Thank you doctor" Tehzeeb said holding Mama "mama please stop the tears already, just pray for her, anything that is happening is her destiny, we can't over come our destiny. Destiny can be delayed but can never be change. We will be leaving but In Sha Allah I will come first thing tomorrow morning before going to school" Tehzeeb said bidding mama farewell which Mrs Habiba and Hajiya Kaltumi did same and left since Mallam Audu was long gone after the congregation prayers.
Hajiya Kaltumi Walk to where her car was parked "let me drop you at home" she said to Umma
"It's okay Hajiya you can go. We will get a ride that will take us home"
"Don't worry I will just drop you and leave"
"It's another stress Hajiya. You know you're already in your area,don't stress yourself again by taking us home. It's a long drive again"
"I can do that, it's just some kilo metres away from here"
"Thank you" with that Tehzeeb and Umma entered the car while Hajiya Kaltumi drive them to there destination
As early as possible Tehzeeb dressed up to go to the hospital to check on Aisha's health because she couldn't sleep through out the night because of the condition she left Aisha yesterday. "Umma am off" Tehzeeb said hurriedly going out but was stopped by her mother
"Take the breakfast for them atleast"
"Don't worry Umma, if you're coming please come with it" Tehzeeb said and left without waiting for her mother's response. Immediately she entered the hospital her heart beats increased which she stand still and pray for a while before she continues with her walk. She was dauntless of what she might encounter inside but nevertheless continue with her walk.
Tehzeeb walk inside the ward after much contemplation but stop abruptly because of what she saw. She was finding it difficult to breath which made her to collapsed on the floor without any word, she was finding it difficult to breathe that she was clutching onto her chest. She wanted to talk but could not. Shortly after Umma walked in and saw them in that condition and quickly walk closer to Tehzeeb
"Dan girman yarasulillahi (because of the Almighty Allah) breath Tehzeeb, let the tears flow so you could breathe, don't cause harm to yourself" Umma said tears flowing down her cheek. Umma was hitting Tehzeeb on her back gently for her to release the breath and she finally let the tears flow down
"Umma tell me she's not dead" Tehzeeb said before she crawl to Gogo Ramatu and placed her hand on hers "Mama tell me this is a dream. Tell me Aisha is still alive and breathing, tell me am dreaming, tell me all this is some kind of dream or joke. Please Mama" Tehzeeb said crying vigorously which made everyone passing by to look at them and felt a sympathy towards them
"No you're not, she's gone Tehzeeb. Aisha left me in these cruel world all alone without anyone"Gogo Ramatu said crying the same way as Tehzeeb
"Gogo Ramatu take heart,Aisha does not need your tears now but prayers. Every living soul shall taste death, whenever death arrived at your door step you shouldn't cry rather pray because you have no idea how the grave is. Please pray for her, she doesn't deserve your tears" Mrs Habiba said trying her possible best to control her own tears
"Am not crying, I just" Gogo Ramatu could not complete her statement because she was choked by her own tears. Tehzeeb and Gogo Ramatu where busy crying that Umma could not help but joined them because she couldn't hold it anymore and that was how Hajiya Kaltumi and Mallam Audu came to meet them. Hajiya Kaltumi joined them in crying, it's was Baba that did everything for the corpse to be taken to there house for Aisha's final bath before she will be be taken to her destination
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Kulunafsin Zayikatul maut (Every Living Soul Shall Taste Death)
Who knows this would be Aisha's end. That's how life is death does not care who you are, where you are, when or how to take you. Let's forget about this Earth and Strive for the hereafter