Fallible

eleven

Dr Eesaa appeared to be getting better by the day. He had been responding well to treatment and this gladdens his family members. Several people ranging from his extended family members, his in-laws, neighbours, friends, colleagues at work and brothers and sisters in deen have also been coming to say their taslim and wish him quick recovery. Even the hospital staff and other patients were aware they admitted a "patient", the nurses had to restrict the number of visitors per day. The consultant in-charge had told Mummy Saalim earlier in the morning, that when he comes back the next day and his vitals are good, he responds well, and no complications suspected, he would be discharged but an appointment would be scheduled to monitor the healing process. Mummy Saalim was very grateful to Allah. For a moment, she thought she was going to become a widow. Alhamdulillah was what she kept repeating. Indeed, Allah is the supreme healer.

Saalim and Salmah had started making preparations for the discharge. They had gone together to settle the bills and handed over all the receipts to their mom in the ward. Their mom was seated on a plastic arm chair in front of the bed where her husband laid. They bid their parents goodbye and left for the house. Salmah wanted to do a mini welcome home decoration and get the ingredients available for her father's favourite meal. She intended to make semo and efo riro, which was her dad's favourite food. On their way home, she had called Maymah and Zahrah to come over so they can help out.

Once they got home, she prepared Pap and Akara for her parent's dinner. Saalim waited till it got ready and took it back to the hospital leaving Salmah home alone. Salmah went to her bedroom after locking the main door and started bringing out pelican cards and sugar papers, markers and coloured pens, blades and scissors, gum and twine and other necessary materials she bought. She picked her phone to check for designs she could start with as she awaited the arrival of her friends. She had many design ideas on her smartphone, she went for the easiest to start with. Zahrah was the best among the three when it comes to decoraton, creativity was her thing. She was usually among the sisters who helped with decorating the halls for MSSN programs in their school.

It was almost an hour since Salmah called, but there was still no sign of them. She was done with one and was finding it difficult to choose another design. She tapped on the phone icon and put a call across to Zahrah. Zahrah picked on the second ring.

"Where are you now? Haba..."

"I'm outside already joor, just entered your gate. Come and open the door."

She hung up and went to open the door. She looked back when she heard the gate opening again and saw it was Maymah. So, she waited for her to come in too, before locking the door.

"Nawa oo... why are you two always late?" she hissed.

"Like you are always early right?" Maymah said sarcastically and that made them giggle.

It took them till Maghrib before they finally finished decorating the whole house. Although, Salmah intended a mini-decor, with Zahrah, it became a full blown one. There were balloons at every corner of the house. Zahrah had even decorated the master's bedroom with candlelights, rose petals and balloons littered the ground. It was a tunmigbe something. Salmah and Maymah had laughed their heart out when Zahrah gave her naughty reasons for decorating the room. They said their Maghrib salah and recited their adhkar afterwards.

Salmah arranged the dining table for dinner. She placed the dish with akara on the table and sat on an empty chair.

"Please, I hope we are not eating this with pap sha?" Maymah chimed

"I know you won't drink pap, I bought bread already." She stood up to get the bread.

"Are you really going to start eating without me?" Zahrah pulled a chair and sat. She picked one akara and dipped it into Salmah's pap before chewing.