One, two.

It felt like saying one, two to Adeelah and she's done with school. She's finally finished that degree. Glory be to Allah. She hoped for a good result and a good job in the future.

Abba's visa came out at the right time and she was also tagging along. She, Hajiya Sadiya Ammar and one of her uncles were going to India. Hafsatu had been fuming for days but Abba demanded that she stayed at home and take care of the house till his safe return in sha Allah. Ya Nafeesah was back as a graduate too and she's staying at home.

Meanwhile, Adeelah had visited Sheikh Muhammad Salim. She could still remember her encounter with his wife.

"He calls me Selmah, some call me Matar Sheikh or Maman Huzaifah. You can call me Salmah too." Salmah had said to Adeelah after she had served her some fruits. Adeelah had smiled mumbled a thanks.

"Adeelah." She had told her, her own name. They had remained silent before Adeelah decided to speak because from the way Salmah was stealing glances of her, Adeelah knew Salmah didn't trust her. And she was just being patient and nice. Adeelah's quietness could make her lose it though.

Adeelah had cleared her voice. " I came to see Sheikh, as you see, my husband dropped me." Salmah had released a breath that she didn't know she had been holding. Adeelah almost chuckled. She had found it interesting and she had wondered when she would be so protective of her husband too.

"I came to ask for verses of breaking a sihr and lot more."

Salmah's eyes lit up. "We had been working on a book about it, coincidentally. Please make yourself at home Adeelah before he comes back. In nearly fifteen minutes in sha Allah."

Adeelah had sat as she watch Salmah leave the parlor. Ten minutes later, Salmah was back in a silky red gown. This time around, she had a makeup on her face. The red lipstick she smeared over her medium lips radiated her face. Adeelah was fascinated at how much Salmah cared about her husband.

"I am sure he will be in any moment from now." Adeelah smiled at her.

"Thank you for your warm reception." Adeelah had said. She could remember the way Sheikh had been looking at his wife even when he was explaining stuff to where. It was like he was so eager for Adeelah to leave. Adeelah had never seen a couple so in love with each other the way she had seen there. What shocked her was they had been married for more than fifteen years yet they seemed as if they would swallow each other out of love. In some way, she had learnt a thing or two before she left the house.

So when she came back, she followed the Sheikh's instructions and bought a lote leaves. She also requested for Zamzam water from a friend who had travelled. That's how she began. She told Abba all the prayers and everything, same to Ameer and aunt Beebo. So , to herself, she was strictly praying for Allah's protection. The midnights became almost like daylights for her as she used them to pray hard.

May the surgery be a success and may those people leave her Abba alone!

*******

Few weeks later they came back and Abba was back on his feet. Adeelah was very close to Abba ever since he woke up. With each movement, she asked whether somewhere hurt him. Ammar too, woke up hale and hearty, as if he wasn't under the knife. They were hoewver still on medication.

"Adeelah, it's enough. It's time to go back to your home, okay? Let's not take the advantage of his kindness." Adeelah only looked at Abba in agreement. She couldn't even believe her husband didn't complain even once. He used to call everyday to hear about her Abba's health.

She wondered what type of human he was or why he married her. She's tried to study him for the few minutes she had seen him but she couldn't get anything.

Abba cleared his voice. "Adeelah where's my phone?"

Adeelah smiled. "I smashed it Abba. I removed the sim card too and chewed it!"

Without another word, Adeelah walked out of the room. She's passed that stage and she didn't want anything that had to do with the memory of that event.

After she gained her consciousness, she had to go back and check Abba's phone and when she found it, she smashed it again and chewed off the sim. That's the end.

She's full of faith that Allah would intervene and help them. They will strictly follow all the sheikh's instructions and increase their prayers. In sha Allah, all would be well and back to normal.

Later that day, Adeelah and her family received an unexpected guest, Beebo.

They welcomed her along with Ameer with warm faces. When they enetered Abba's room, Ameer walked out to meet Ammar.

"Beebo, is this you?" Abba finally spoke after they had remained silent.

Beebo smiled. "It's me. For the first time in my life i have come to a realization that i am nothing." She said bitterly.

Beebo since the accident, regained back the senses she never knew she had. After leaving Ameer, all she had been thinking was how to approach Dan batta and be his wife willy nilly but as fate had it, she met with an accident that nearly cost her life. Factually, the accident was a blessing in disguise because it killed the Beebo in her. Again, for once in her life, she was proud of herself in a very positive way; the way she raised Ameer. Ameer was truly Rahama's son because after all she did to him that same day, he stood by her side and made sure she was given the best treatment. As long as she ceased to believe, that's the raw reality that happened.

So-so, she would say Alhamdulillah.

"Rano called me." She muttered.

"Same. I started dreaming of him but the dream disappeared ever since i became more steadfast in my Ibadah." Abba told her.

Beebo remained quiet for a while. "I came to ask for your forgiveness Dbt."

Beebo was well aware that, that Malam she visited, whom she sacrificed Hidaya's unborn child to, told her that the magic she performed on Ameer and Adeelah would never expire but look, it did. The Malam told her never to pray for the rest of her life too. When she prayed for the first time, she had experienced something wild. She would feel as if someone was calling her, as if someone was screaming in her ears. Four weeks into prayers and using the Sheikh's treatment which Adeelah brought to her, she stopped experiencing it all. The Sheikh even used to see her, himself. He lectured her on the dangers of what she had done.

Beebo had told the Sheikh that she was hopeless. The Sheikh had qoute a verse for her which Allah said: Oh my servants who oppressed themselves (meaning who transgressed and committed sins) do not despair from the mercy of Allah. Allah forgive all sins...

When the Sheikh noticed that she was a bit optimistic, he had went further to tell her the story of one woman who he called Hind. Beebo knew nothing about her or any story that had to do with her but she remembered clearly what she Sheikh had said.

"Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan lost her father, her brother, her son and her uncle to Hamza, the uncle of the prophet S.A.W and Ali R.A in the battle of Badr. She swore for vengeance. She assigned Wahshi a black slave to kill Hamza R.A in return for her jewelries and so many goodies. At the battle of Uhud, that black slave was able to kill Hamza. She had sang in jubilation and rewarded him. That's not all. You know what she did? She went to the battlefield and found Hamza's R.A corpse. She was a heavy-well built woman. She slid his stomach open and removed his liver. Guess what? She put it in her mouth and swallowed it! She was so happy that she avenged for the blood of her lost ones while she killed one of the most beloved persons of prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. She sang again and left. A while after. Guess what! She was pardoned by prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and she became a muslim. Which means what? She's been completely forgiven of what she had done while she was a disbeliever!"

So Beebo wept that day. She never knew there would ever exist a day where she would change her lifestyle. Or a day she would regret all she had done. Perhaps Allah spared her life so she could repent. She would use this opportunity to be a nice person! Sheikh told her other people weren't given any opportunity to repent and since she still had time and guidance had come to her, she should hastily embrace it.

That's why she decided to first see Dbt and the next day, she will travel to Katsina to meet her parents' family.

"Dbt forgive me please."

Abba's eyes widened. Forgiveness? Surely Beebo had changed. For all the years he knew her, he had never seen her surrender. She always follow a target till she win. Here, she surrendered! For real?

"It's not a trap I promise." She rose to her feet after saying that.

Beebo reached to the door and pressed her hand to the handle. One leg out, she sighed. "I will keep asking for your forgiveness till you believe i mean it, truly."

Abba's body was cold even after she left. He felt that this time around Beebo has changed.

*****

Adeelah had seen this coming from Ya Nafeesah.

"You mean you married someone else?"

Adeelah nodded. She didn't know no one has told Ya Nafeesah. She just had been thinking and because of Abba's health she didn't get to ask anyone in the house. Every single person was immersed in their own world of agony and idleness due to Abba's absence. They all wondered how they would be able to thrive happily if Abba had passed away.

Nafeesah could promptly remember Adeelah and how happy she could be sometimes...she felt so much pity for her. For sure, it wasn't easy losing either of your parents. This incident taught her how to appreciate her mother Hajiya Sadiya, while she lived.

Abba's health break also brought the family together in a way unnoticed. They were always sitting at the main parlor with Abba on his movable bed which they brought for him while he stayed on bedrest. He could however walk but they preferred him to be laying all day.

Ammar was well taken cared of, too.

All these aside, Nafeesah was curious of one thing. Abba only had farms. Were those farms enough to support all the lavish life they had? Nafeesah put a question mark on Abba's source of income. She didn't tell anyone though.

She would later share it with Adeelah, because Adeelah was the closest to Abba. Perhaps she would know more.

"Turned out I can't marry Ameer..." Adeelah briefly fed Nafeesah with the news.

Nafeesah was about to talk when her phone rang. With a huge grin, she picked the call and answered it while Adeelah busied herself with a game on her phone.

"It's your brother in-law to be, he came to check on Abba." Not spending another minute, Nafeesah sprint off to get her veil.

Adeelah shook her head at her sister and went out to breath some fresh air. She was still sitting when Shahid and Nafeesah walked inside the house and after a while, they walked out.

Adeelah noticed their hands entangled. She yawed her gaze away but the next thing she saw made her so mad at her sister.

They thought no one was looking. But Adeelah saw when her sister placed a smooch on his hand.

Adeelah didn't know when she involuntarily released a long deep breath.

****

So because Maryam Auwal said I'm torturing you guys, here's an update. 😂😂🎉.

What do you think of it? I know it's not so adventurous, just a lil bit of reminder. Hausa people say 'Taba Kidi Taba Karatu.' So yeah...😁❤️

The votes are discouraging kinda. You know? Not even 1/3 of the viewers vote, so i feel like I'm just writing nonsense 🥱🥱