He dropped back onto the bed, rolling his eyes anticlockwisely as if he was in search of something. “Tade, What is it?,”I asked anxiously as he gasped continuously. I reached out for a glass of water, “have some,” I said. He collected and dropped it on the table, then shook his head in disagreement.” Oh, what do you want then, my Tade?,” I asked. He grasped my hand, I could feel his body temperature. It was as hot as an oven. “Easy, Be calm,” I said in a very low voice as warm tears rolled slowly down my cheeks.

He wiped it off with his index finger, I knew he was about to say something. “Ah..Ah…,” he was so tired that he couldn’t pronounce his most lovable name, Ajarah. He closed his eyes and held me tighter. His strong grip knocked the air out of my lungs It felt more like a squeeze.

His groan brought an echo from the depth of my soul, I had no choice but to press him closer onto my chest. “Even if you will pass on today, you own this place, I would endure the hotness from your breath, the red flush from your skin, I would endure the pain of not seeing you forever.”, I soliloquized.


As if he knew what’s on my mind, he raised his head and wept bitterly. I patted his back and sang his favourite song, we both chanted “laa ilaha ila Allah..” for hours. Then I noticed it, I knew it but I endured, I knew when his body functions began to slow down, when his muscles grew taut and his heart stopped. I felt the heaviness and the coldness of his dear body. I wanted to scream wildly and tear out chunks from my hair but I couldn’t, I gently covered his eyes with my hands and buried his face in my chest with a groan.

Lawal Ajarah