Endless Summer🌞

27: Every soul shall taste death.

5:20pm.
Abuja, Nigeria.
"Please fasten your seatbelts as the plane is about to land at the Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport, Abuja." The announcement brought Hanan out of her reverie. Her head hurts and her eyes felt heavy from crying too much.

Muhsin seemed to have lost his voice ever since he heard about the tragic news. Abdulmajeed had to take care of their plane tickets and every other necessity for their journey back to Nigeria.

She moved her gaze from the window to her husband, his lips were dry and his face had turned pale. No, he didn't shed a tear, she didn't see him do that, but she needed no one to tell her he was in so much agony. From his face, you could tell that his world has shattered and pain was eating him up from the inside. Merely looking at him crushed her heart into a thousand pieces.

His hands trembled when the plane reached the airport grounds. She took hold of them, shifting his attention to her. She was trying to comfort him but when she looked into his eyes, fresh set of tears trickled down her face. Ya Rabb, he was in so much pain and that doubled her own grief.

He gently shook his head at the same time wiping her tears. And doing that felt like adding salt to her wound. How can a person be that brave, how?

When the plane halted, he unbuckled his seatbelt, rose to his feet and unbuckled hers to. He squatted, looking straight into her eyes. "Hanan." He called for the first time since morning, his eyes slowly closed for a minute before he opened them again. His Adam's apple rose up and down as he swallowed a hard lump. "How do I go through it when you cry like this? By Allah, I will lose my sanity. I know it's hard but please Hanan, lets be strong. Lets....." He kept mum halfway, closing his eyes. Hanan noticed his trembling hands and shuddering lips. She pulled his warm body into her arms, gently running a hand through his hair.

She pulled out of the hug after a short while and wiped off her tears. "We will go through this together In Shaa Allah. I won't cry again. I will be strong for you and the family."

Muhsin nodded while Hanan brought out two shades and a face cap from her hand luggage. She put on the face cap and shades on Muhsin, then wore the other shades. "Lets go." She took hold of his hand and they made their way to the exit.

They sighted Sameer at the arrivals, pacing up and down, checking his wristwatch. They walked up to him, Hanan gave him a quick hug while they shook hands with Muhsin. He condoled them for the loss before they sauntered out to the parking lot.

They arrived at the Khaleed's in no time and sighting the crowd outside the house, Muhsin's heart did a double somersault. And that was when he fully accepted the fact that she was really gone, Didi was gone for good.

Sameer honked at the crowd making them move aside to give space for him to drive the car into the house. He decelerated the car, then glanced at Muhsin who was staring at the people trooping in and out of his home. He placed a hand on Muhsin's shoulder. "Go inside Muhsin, she is still yet to be buried, Ummi insisted they had to wait for you to take part in her final rites."

Muhsin nodded softly, taking off the shades before the cap. His trembling hands opened the door, and he alighted from the car, which Hanan followed suit. The crowd outside became boisterous at the sight of Muhsin, those that stopped crying continued while others uttered words of sympathy.

Without paying attention to the noises, they sauntered into the house and the grieving got worse at the sight of him. He suddenly felt a tight hug around him and raising his head, he saw Aunt Salma, his mother's junior sister. She was around Didi's age so they kinda grew up together as friends.