THE LAST INSURGENT

Twenty-one

“No.” Leena said and felt so low at that moment. A part of her said she was just a player, toying with the hearts of two men. She had told Mufty that there was nothing serious between her and Adam. Now, she told Adam she was not in love with someone else.

Was she threading on the wrong side of the game?
Okay, she had lied to Mufty because she did not want to lose him. If she told him about Adam. He would have walked away. She did not lie because she wanted to play him.

She lied to Adam because he looked as if he wanted to make a scene and unveiling her relationship with Mufty had to be tactical. There were too many dark sides of him which no one may understand.
She did not want him to go ballistics here. She would tell him the truth but in a more conducive manner.

“Are you sure about this?”
“I am.”
He seemed to be relieved.
“I need you guys to excuse me.” Haneefa said.

“Where are you going to?” Leena asked.
“I have not said hello to Mama. I will be back.”
“Okay dear.”
She left.

“What is going on? Why is all these happening?” Adam asked.
“There is nothing going. I told you I had to save someone. He was a child who I could not leave alone.”

“Where is he?”
“Did you expect me to bring him home?”
“But you brought a child home the other time.”

“That was an infant and we got the formal permit to keep him. Gwago is taking care of him. This boy I saved is about twelve and he left with his mother.”
“Were they both  captured?”

“Yes. But it was for him.”
“But I don’t get it. how did you save him? We are talking about insurgents here. The most dangerous sects in the country now. They are more virulent and feared more than  Niger-Delta militants. The whole world is shouting ‘bring back our girls’ so I wonder how you saved him and his mother.”

“Did I make a mention of going back to the insurgents? I saved him from a house where he was been subjected to child labour and please stop pressing me with barrages of questions. I told you because I trusted you.”

“Don’t I have the right to question you?”
“You use the word ‘right’. I am not yet under you. I am still under my parents. Don’t call it right. Call it courtesy.”
“Hmmm…so what has the saving of the boy got to do with you not knowing if you love me again?”

“Adam, I just came back and I have gone through a lot. I cannot engage in an argument now.”
“This is not an argument. Just seeking for answers.”
“I never said I do not love you again. I said I don’t know but I do not hate you. I like you.”
“Hmmm…Leena.”

“My name has not changed Adam.”
“No but you have changed.”
“Really? I never knew about that.”

“Please Leena do not hurt me.”
“I swear I will never hurt you intentionally. I just want us to ray for what is best for us and only Allah knows this. If you are the best for me, then may we get married. If I am the best for you, same but if……..”

“What are you saying?”
“I am praying. Is there something wrong with the prayer? Do you know what lies ahead?”
“Why now? Why just a few weeks to the wedding?”

“You don’t seem to understand it. I have always prayed that I do not know who is best for me. I always pray that Allah should bring him to me. We are not yet married Adam. Please let us talk about something else. We should not put all our eggs in one basket. We should not commit our whole hearts into it so we don’t get shattered hearts. We should wait until we are married before we believe it fully but you are still very special to me. You are more than a friend but a super-brother and potential husband.”