"Where am I?" The voice muttered in a hoarse tone.

My sleepy eyes raised up to Mariya, I couldn't believe I spent the night here with her. Siju and Emem both left leaving I and Amina with Mariya, we agreed on spending the night with her

"She's awake!" I jolted from my chair moving towards her bed.

Mariya looked around in confusion as she winced in pain whilst struggling to sit up from her bed. "Where am I?" She asked.

"Hey, slow down," I replied softly with my hands on her arm to support her in sitting up. "Yusef brought you here, he hit you again and knocked you out."

"Yusef? Where is he?" Mariya queried looking around horrified.

"You won't be seeing him for now, he called us here." Amina said to her.

Mariya rubbed her bandaged temple still wincing in pain "How long have I been here?"

"Since yesterday." Amina responded.

"Oh." Mariya looked down and I could tell guilt washed over her face.

I placed my hand softly on her lap with an hopeful smile. "We will get you away from him."

"I can't... I am getting married and... I am sorry I dragged all of you into this..." tears spilled down her cheeks with her palm covered on her mouth so as not to be loud.

"Hey, look at me," Amina held Mariya on the chin softly. "You will get away from him and we are all going to help you."

"But our wedding-" she tried speaking.

"Which our? There won't be any nonsense wedding going on and if your so-called parents can't see that, we will! Yusef won't kill you for us." I stated.

"I can't get out of this like you people think... he is... I just can't," she shook her head vehemently with her eyes shut tightly.

I took my hands in hers reassuring her that we were here and we would be of help. When Amina asked if she would inform her parents, Mariya had protested against it. Poor Mariya, I couldn't blame her, her parents were politicians who cared about their reputation more than the life of their daughter's.

We sat there for a while longer with her, talking about the encounter Amina had with her ex Doctor boyfriend, laughing in between and of course we dare not inform her about the punishment we planned for Yusef but we made it known to her that she wasn't going back to Yusef. They didn't leave together anyway but we didn't trust to keep Mariya in her house alone, we agreed she would be roommates with Amina.

"You, madam! Where were you all this while?" Amina finally scolded.

Alright, this was it.

"I have been here working in my studio." I replied hesitantly.

"You have been everywhere but with us."

"Haba give her a break," Mariya said to Amina.

"I am sorry, I got caught up in everything." I said slowly, revealing to them what happened between Tunde and I not leaving every of the details that happened at where he was squatting. I didn't tell them about Kamal though, it was... well... a complicated situation to explain.

"Finally you left that good for nothing bastard, I am happy for you." Mariya said with a hug and we both burst into laughter.

I stayed an extra hour with Mariya, promising to bring her Tilapia peppersoup and her favourite drink, kunun aya. A part of felt happy that we were able to make her laugh, a little hope and support was all she needed but also, I was scared. Scared for her and how things might out.

***

I yawned exhaustingly as I got down from my uber. Dragging my feet into my studio, I fished into my bag to find my keys.

"Yeside," I jerked at the familiar voice.

Shit!

"Iya Yeside, what are you doing here?" I turned to her in shock. She never visited my studio before.

"Do I need a permission to visit my daughter?" She said in her usual stern voice with her hands in akimbo.

"I don't have time for this yelling you are doing." I said slowly, exhausted from my body aching and trying to unlock the door to my studio.

"Are you going to talk to your mother this way ehn!?" She yelled in her high pitched voice. "Why haven't you been home?"

I rubbed my palm on my forehead in frustration trying not to compose myself because I was this close to flipping out. "You wanted me out of your house and now I have a job as you can see, Mummy."

I barely called her 'Mummy' except when I got frustrated.

"I only wanted you to have a job, iwo omo yi! I didn't say you should move away far from us." She cried.

Finally opening the door, I walked into my studio leaving my door open not caring if she came in.

Na she sabi.

"Yeside, omo mi..." she began whilst walking behind me.

"Do you want water?" I asked facing her.

"I am here to talk some senses into my daughter not drink water," she remarked in sneer.

"What do you want? Do you not have three other daughters to yell at?" I replied.

"Don't speak to me in that manner, young woman! What has come over you gan na? You have been behaving erratically these few months, you treat your sisters badly and now you talk to me with disrespect!" she raged, her hands in akimbo.

I slumped down into the leather sofa with a loud sigh not bothering to respond to her yelling. I shut my eyes tightly still trying to remain composed. I paid no attention to her outburst, at this point she could shout for all I care.

Na she get her mouth.

"This is my issue with you, you are so stubborn. You act just like him, you are like your father!" She blurted out, her eyes looking at me with anger.

A surge of anger boiled inside me as age said that, how could she compare me to him?

"Do not ever compare me to him. I am nothing like him!" I snapped.

Soon, we both heard a loud knock from the door.

"Who could that be?" She asked with a quizzical look.

"I will get the door," I rose from the sofa to get the door, lo and behold it was Kamal giving me his billion dollar smile.

Bad timing, Kamal.

"Tani yen?" Iya Yeside asked again walking to me at the door.

"Ehm... nobody... it's just a friend, mummy." I uttered, still in shock that he was here.

For some reason, I couldn't look into his face. I was too ashamed especially with things getting heated between us in his home.

"Afternoon ma'am," he greeted her with a warming smile.

"Ta l'eyin? What do you want with my daughter?" Iya Yeside questioned with a curious frown on her face.

"Ore omo yin ni mo je, ma. I came to pick her up for an important meeting." he lied smoothly.

Speaking of, I never knew this guy could speak Yoruba fluently. Kamal was full of wonders.

"Yes, mummy. I have three clients from his family who booked for consultation so we both need to get going soon, right?" I turned to him with my smile shun at him signaling him to play along whilst he gave me the -you need some explanations to do- kind of look. His coming wasn't a bad timing afterall.

"That is good then, please bring her safe to me." Iya Yeside said returning a smile to him.

"I will make sure of that ma'am," he replied with a smile.

"Alright then , mummy. I will see you later." I smiled awkwardly.

"Ehm... but Yeside? Can I speak to you privately? Just for a minute."

Ooooh! What does she want again?

"Yes, Iya Yeside?" I moved closer to her but not before motioning to Kamal to head to his car.

"Your friend looks familiar but I can't point a finger where, do you see his big car?"

"His sisters are my loyal customers and I got introduced to him through them, there's no need to worry." I assured her and not without a lie of course.

"If you say so but be careful and we aren't done talking yet, young woman." She wagged her index finger at me in a warning expression.

I sighed in relief as I watched her leave , locking my studio with no hesitation and heading to meet Kamal.

"Thanks for saving me." I have him a smile, watching him nod his head in return.

"You have alot of explaining to do? You left on that day, anything the matter?" he asked worriedly as we both got into his car and drove off.

Thank the Lord he didn't come with a flashy car this time around.

I heaved a sigh narrating the plight we encountered with Mariya and trying to get her out of her abusive relationship with Yusef.

"Wow, that's alot to take in. How can I be of help?" he asked, sending a worrisome stare at me.

"I will let you know once it's time to get help." I assured him with an hopeful smile finding its way to my lips.

"Are you certain you can do this alone?" he voiced, his eyes turning to where he was driving as he turned with swerve.

"Hundred percent, but... Kamal where are we heading to?"

He turned to me with a huge smile. "You will see."

Hian!

"You better not kidnap me." I said to him with a side eye.

"You came into my car all willing to, madam," he replied bursting into laughter afterwards which made me shook my head slowly.

"I hate surprises and waiting keeps me nervous." I replied looking into his dark brown eyes this time.

"I won't keep you waiting for long," with that said, he continued the rest of his driving with his eyes staring into each directions he swerved at until we got into a place that looked like a resort.

I looked around in awe as he opened the door of his car for me to step out, everywhere was greenery and smelt of wet grass. It had little wooden houses and the hills and mountain made it look even more heavenly. There were palm trees everywhere as bird chirped loudly.

Truly, there were beautiful parts of Nigeria exclusively meant for the rich.

"Don't tell me you own this place too." I said to him, my eyes still glued at the beautiful hills.

"I do, I bought this resort ten years ago." Kamal offered me his hand to hold onto, my hand entwined in his as he led me into the tiny wooden house.

It wasn't tiny on the inside, it looked spacious and had other rooms in it.

"And why did you bring me here?"

"It sounds like you need time away from everything plus you are a sugar baby you know?" I chuckled on hearing him say that.

"You are right but..." I felt his index finger pressed on my lips gently.

"Shh... you need a clear mind here. Think things through for the day and stay till the next tomorrow?" I could feel goosebumps appearing on my skin as he spoke in his usual soothing voice. His gaze glued in mine as though he was expecting my response to his offer.

"Fine, you win." I muttered.