The Nostalgia Diaries

Beautiful suicide

Aisha could see the airport communication tower from her window inside the plane as they arrived at the airport in the states. The plane made a long screeching sound as it touched the ground and slowed down before it finally stopped.

"Hey! Wake up, " Aisha said to Fatima, smothering her cheek with the back of her palm to wake her up.

Fatima had fallen asleep throughout the entire flight. She slapped Fatima's lap.

"Fatima! Wake up. We've arrived!"

Fatima swung her hand in front of her face to make sure she wasn't dreaming anymore. She moaned in annoyance and stretched her hands in the air.

"Pack your luggage's. Let's go, " Aisha cried.

Fatima stretched and looked out the window. Her eyes widened as she turned and smiled at Aisha. "We've finally arrived?" Fatima asked. It sounded rhetorical.

"Yeah!" Aisha said with a sarcastic look. She stood up and said to Fatima. "Come on. Let pack our luggage before Ma -" Before she could finish speaking, Ma Kesem clasped her left hand on her shoulder. Aisha turned and looked at her.

"Hurry up," Ma Kesem said coldly, then looked down at Fatima.

Fatima became scared.

She hoped Ma Kesem wouldn't scold her here inside the plane.

"I'm talking to you, too. Young lady, " Ma Kesem added, staring at Fatima.

Aisha and Fatima didn't waste any time doing what they were required to do.

Ma Kesem was worried about finding a hotel where her and her daughters would lodge for the week. She had been to the States before when she was younger, but she didn't know the place very well, unlike her hometown in Japan, which she knew like the back of her palm. In a strange way, she missed her restaurant and her home back in Lagos, but selling the restaurant was the right choice to make. The income from selling the restaurant was her only way to get more money for her trip to the States. When she got to the hotel, she ordered Fatima and Aisha never to leave their room under any circumstances unless it was an emergency.

Aisha shrugged and brushed her shoulder on Fatima's arm to get her attention as they entered their hotel room. "I never go out anyway,"

Fatima looked at Aisha awkwardly. She said it was like it was an achievement or something to be proud of.

Ma Kesem's room was opposite Aisha's room, so she would be closer to them in case they needed anything. Keeping two teenagers in the same room wasn't really a great idea for her. What bad could a seventeen year old do to a fifteen year old? She thought.

One Saturday evening, as Aisha came out from Ma Kesem's room after a brief discussion with her. She was stopped by a lady wearing an all black dress like she was coming from a funeral.

Aisha assumed the lady was a cellist because of the encased Cello she was holding.

The lady had short dreads, and she wore a big pair of glasses.

Aisha eyes went straight to the ID card hanging on the lady's neck. She speed read her name. 'Chioma Okeke' was followed by a signature under it. Aisha had already pressed down the handle of her room door before the woman could even talk to her. She didn't want to talk to the woman. She feared Ma Kesem might coincidentally come out of her room and catch her having a conversation with this strange lady. But today, she chose to ignore Ma Kesem's warning of talking to any stranger in the hotel. There was just something about the lady who intrigued her. Maybe she's lost, Aisha thought.

"Zee!" Chioma said with a warm smile.

Aisha corked her brows, wondering if the lady was talking to her. "Can I help you?"