Friday update, AGAIN, because Naanarrh don arrive with her ghana must go of comments.

AISHA'S PHONE pinged just as she stood up from her chair. She stopped, reaching her hand out to pick up it up to see the message that came from Chris. She shook her read, rolling her eyes slightly at what she saw. Of course they would do this. She thought in her head as she slipped her hand and the phone in the pocket of her white coat, before making her way out of the office.

She was planning to head to the ER, but because of the message, she can't go there now. Knowing the Professors, they won't care whatever her excuse may be, she has to be there since they demanded it.

She sighed again, making her way towards the elevator. Extending her hand to tap the button, she paused when it opened, her eyes falling on the last person she thought of seeing there, at that moment. Her lips curled downwards into a small frown, as she took a step back, giving him space to step out. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Well hello to you too. I'm fine Alhamdullilah, thank you for asking. Where have I been for the past few days? Oh well, you see, I was busy with work so..."

Aisha lips curled upwards into a small smile, as she shook her head. "Sorry" She muttered, "But really, Abdallah, what are you doing here?" She then noticed the food bag in his hand, making her smile widen. "No need to answer that,"

Abdallah shook his head lightly, offering her a small smile as he handed it over to her. "It's for you, and sort of a bribe to your best friend"

Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if remembering something. "Yeah about that, what did you do to her seff?"

"Did she report me?"

She shook her head. "She wouldn't exactly say. I mean, she did say you got her a spot for a Pepsi campaign, but she didn't look exactly enthusiastic about the whole thing, which is weird for her" The Jannah she knew would be jumping all about for days for getting something like that, but she wasn't acting that way. Sure, she seemed happy but the excitement wasn't there.

Abdallah released a deep sigh, as he extended his hand out to massage the nape of his neck.

"Abdallah" Aisha called out lowly, when he avoided her gaze. "What did you do?" She wouldn't have suspected it's him if he wasn't acting so suspicious at that moment. But then again, it's Abdallah, he barely does anything to hurt others. So what could he have possibly done?

He looked down for a brief moment, before sliding his hand down his face. When he raised his head up to look at her again, his brows had been drawn in and his lips slanted downwards into a frown. "I messed up"

She quirked a brow, wanting to see the gravity of his words. "Messed up as in 'I insulted Pepsi' messed up, or messed up as in 'I insulted Kdrama' messed up'?" The Jannah she knows would throw a fit if you do any of the two.

"Something worse"

Aisha narrowed her eyes more, if that was even possible. But before she could speak though, the elevator dinged again and when the doors slid open, the person they were talking about stepped out. She rose her head up, stopping when she noticed the two.

The minute her eyes fell on Abdallah, she turned around and attempted to go back into the elevator, since she wasn't willing to stay and say a thing to him.

"Jannah, wait!" It was Aisha that called her, making her stop although hesitantly. When she turned around, Aisha rose the food bag up slightly. "Abdallah brought us food"

Jannah didn't spare the food much of a glance, "I'm not hungry" She deadpanned, keeping her gaze and blank expression solely on Aisha.

Aisha's eyes widened slightly, as she moved her gaze between the two. Did Jannah just reject food? She wondered. She blinked, shaking her head as she rose her hands up slightly, fixating her gaze on Abdallah. "You're in on this alone" She announced, leaving the two alone as she headed to the elevator. She could've went back and dropped the food in her office before going out again, but she would much rather have someone drop it for her than to go back and face the two again.

Besides, she has to be in the VIP ward before her Professors kill her. General Abd Al-Rasheed will be discharged today, so of course, they were going there to act all nice and suck up to him like they did to last time.

Aisha rolled her eyes at the thought as she pressed the button that would take her to the VIP floor, silently praying she would see a nurse there that would help her with the food.

Meanwhile, the minute Aisha left, Jannah decided to head to her office and leave Abdallah alone there. She had been avoiding him like the plague since that day. She was grateful of the whole Pepsi thing, but his words were still stuck in the back of her mind, and it was getting to her more than she would like to admit.

"Jannah, wait, please"

She stopped, her shoulder slumping slightly as she turned around to look at him. "What do you want, Abdallah?"

He sighed, blowing out a shaky breath. "I wanted to apologize for what I said the other day" It has been on his mind, the look that overtook her features when he said that and to be honest, regret has been eating him up. "I was harsh, and you didn't deserve any of it, I'm sorry"

Her blank expression didn't waver, and he found his nervousness increasing due to how her eyes never once left his. But her eyes weren't exactly giving away what she was feeling, so he couldn't tell whether his apology got to her or not. "There's no need for you to apologize" She said after a while, her voice cold. "You just stated the truth and nothing more, so..." She shrugged lightly.

He released a deep sigh, his head hanging low for a second. He knew apologizing to her won't be easy. She stays angry for a long time, that's her problem. "Jannah, I'm--"

"Don't bother" She cut him off, "Please leave now. I have work to do" She didn't wait for him to say a word more as she turned around and headed to her office, leaving him there alone.

The minute she closed the door behind her, she found herself leaning on it and releasing a small sigh. Her shoulders slumped almost instantly, as her lips curled downwards into a small frown.

He apologized, and she would've forgiven him if not that she was still feeling embarrassed regarding what happened. She didn't want to face him anymore, not when he thinks she's seeking for attention. Nope, no way. She can't handle that, anything but that.

With another sigh, she found herself walking over to her table and settling on the swivel chair behind it. She leaned back, her legs crossed as she waited for Aisha to arrive so she can get the food.

What? She only said that in front of him so she wouldn't seem easy.

When Aisha returns though, she is so eating that food. There's no way she's turning down food, especially not one that came from Abdallah.

Food comes first. Always.

~*~

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Chief Wali asked, a crease forming on his forehead as he watched the young man seated on the sofa beside him.

The corner of Aslam's lips tilted up slightly, his eyes resting on the man for a brief second before he chortled lightly. "What? You knew it would happen eventually" He stated, his expression calm as he folded the paper in his hand, before sliding it into the white rectangular envelope that was on the table in front of him.

Chief Wali's eyes flickered to the envelope, before he shook his head. "You know he hates it when you fold papers and place them in envelopes like that"

"I know" Aslam responded, his tone holding amusement. He then placed the envelope that now held the letter back on the table, before he shifted his gaze back to the Chief, who didn't bother to hide how he truly feels about the whole situation. "I can't leave without annoying him one last time at the very least"

Chief Wali's scowl deepened if possible. He then scrunched his face up, extending his hand to massage his temple slightly. "You and your father are as stubborn as they come" He stated lowly, though he's sure Aslam heard him from the chuckle that came from him. Flickering his eyes close for a brief moment, he took in a deep breath to calm himself, or at least relive a bit of the headache he's getting from trying to reason with the two men. "As his doctor, how could you let him leave like this? It has barely been a week since the surgery"

"Before being his doctor, I've always been his son" Aslam tried to reason, though he found the whole situation humorous. He doesn't get why Chief Wali is bothering himself by trying to change their minds. It's obvious Aslam and his father are in on this together. The father and son have this stubbornness that one can't tamper with no matter how you try. As long as they are in on something together, it's better to not even try and change their minds because it won't work. "And besides, he is responding to the cardiac rehabilitation well so he can be discharged within the week. He can follow a home-based maintenance now"

Chief Wali hummed, knowing what Aslam just said is a fact but still not willing to change his mind either. "And you resigning, what's with that again"

"I only agreed to come here for him, I wasn't a full time doctor to begin with" Chief Wali knew this, everyone does. So, why is he making a big deal of Aslam resigning now that his father is being discharged? Perhaps, he thought the place would grow on Aslam a little over the two weeks he had been there.

And it's true. The hospital did grow on him. But he planned on resigning as a part time doctor from the very beginning and that's what he'll do. He has to go back to Egypt too, for his Mami.

"--And besides, Mami need me there" He added.

"Your Mami is recovering too, she is a strong woman you know. But what will happen when she gets all better, huh?" There are so many reasons that Chief Wali wanted Aslam to stay in Nigeria. To begin with, his family is here. "She will return here too, and you know that? After that will you keep living with your grandparents?"

Aslam shrugged, "I don't mind" He has been living with them for the longest time, just like Taslim. That's one of the reasons they grew on each other even more. But it wasn't just him. Huda, Mami, and everyone else in his family that visits Egypt stay at his grandparents' house. It was a rule set by the old people. They believe their house is big enough to contain them all so why do they need another house?

Isn't it better to all stay under one roof like the family they are, despite their differences. It's not like they are that big to begin with.

"What about the hospital? Are you going to give it up like that? Are you going to let it end up in the hands of your cousin?" Personally, he has nothing against the man but he sure is reckless. How can they allow him to take over running everything?

Sure, it wasn't in his place to judge since he isn't part of the family, but Aslam's grandfather has always been good to him too—since he knew him as his son, Muhammad's close friend. He was more of a family to them too.

"He has been doing a good job so far, I'm sure he can handle it all the way"

"Aslam..."

"Uncle Wali, I honestly have no intention of taking over anything, I don't know how to run a business—even if it's a hospital—and I honestly don't want to know how to. I am perfectly content being a doctor"

Chief Wali stared at him for a while, before he released a deep sigh that had his shoulders slumping in the process. Aslam truly is one stubborn man. "I get what you mean, Aslam and I won't try to change your mind again. But, for your information, the hospital needs someone like you. It needs someone who has the exact same mindset you do right now. You aren't blinded by what will come along with the position, and that's what makes you the perfect person for the job"

Aslam zipped his mouth shut. He wouldn't change his mind no matter what his Uncle would change his mind.

And the old man knew that too, which is why he shook his head and decided to drop the issue. "What about Aisha?"

That piqued Aslam's attention, and he didn't bother to hide how his expression changed from slight gloom to happiness. "I'll see her after I stop by the Deputy Director"

Chief Wali offered him a smile, he was glad Aslam at least found someone that he likes and is serious about—else he wouldn't have told his family about her. "She's a good woman, you shouldn't lose her"

"I won't In shaa Allah"

"So I suppose you'd tell her the truth now?" He didn't need to elaborate for Aslam to know what he's talking about. Since Aslam kept his identity a secret, it's only right to at least tell her of all people.

Aslam nodded, without any hesitation. "I plan to do that" He was finally going to rid of the mask, for her.

Chief Wali nodded, his grin stretching into a small grin. The sound of a phone ringing filled the otherwise silent room for that brief moment, and it came from Aslam's phone that is on the table, beside his resignation letter.

"Excuse, I need to take this" Aslam said, after seeing the caller ID. Chief Wali waved him off, to show he can go ahead. Aslam then tapped the answer button, and brought the phone to his ear. "Dada,"

Sniffs came from the other side, which had him tensing almost immediately.

"Dada," He called out again, his brows furrowing as his mind immediately thought of the worst. "Huda" He called her name this time, since all he got from the other side is the sound of her sobs. "Huda what is it?"

"Ya...Ya Aslam" She hiccupped, her words coming out ragged. She paused, trying to catch her breath. When she spoke again, he barely caught her words from how hoarse her voice was, "Ya Aslam, it's..."

~*~

Why, hello there🌚.

Did I just give you another update? Ah, yall are lucky I'm feeling this book's vibes sha. The ideas are just there, na to write😎.

Anyways, Aslam is leavinggggg😭. Pass me a tissue box abeg. But wait seff, what is that last call about?

Abeg Aslam don't leave without showing us your face now, help our souls like this🥲.

Ga kuma Jannah and Abdallah. I have a feeling she won't forgive him easily. But the food though, we no dey joke with food. Speaking of which, I'm hungry now seff so make I go and eat. It's currently five, but I have a feeling by the time I'll update it'll be 8 ko seven haka🙂

Anyways, anyways, yall should thank Nana for this gaskiya. Omo her comments made me start writing again earlier💗.

Toh na gaji. Sai gobe ko jibi. Rest in peace...hehe🙂

Love, Jannah.