It's real.
****

"What did you say?"

Ameer asked nervously. When he reached home he gave Hidaya the letter to read it for him. He couldn't read it by himself because he was really scared from the way the manager gave him with a cold look that looked like he's done something wrong.

"You've been promoted. To a director." She said with an off mood, Ameer watched as she kept the paper beside her and continued watching a movie on the television. The gesture glued him to the spot he was standing for few seconds.

He didn't believe what she said and he thought that she was pulling his legs, her attitude washed off his nervousness in a few and soon he peeled his legs from where he stood and marched to the cushion she sat on.

Ameer picked the letter and true to Hidaya's words he had been promoted but he didn't feel anything from the way she looked uncared about the situation.

Sweat began to penetrate out of his body. He used his hand and cleared it before he swallowed a lump.

"Hidaya," he said with an solace-inviting tone. He didn't like her new character at all and he wanted to regain her back by all means. The Hidaya he knew. His Hidaya.

"What?" She asked.

"What have I done?"

She smiled. "Nothing!" She exclaimed.

"Pull it off Hidaya, I am sure something is wrong. Tell me, we will fix it." He besought.

Hidaya smiled again. She had finally saw the truth Mama was showing her. Yester, she looked at the mirror observing her features for over an hour. She got all the looks, the curves and everything a lady would wish to be endowed with. The features were not to be wasted anyhow and owned by a man of a middle-class man like Ameer. She's supposed to be a big man's wife, a man who roll dollars and count his money in six figures and who won't give a damn about whether she took his money or not.

Now she saw the light. She had been in the dark since she fell in love with Ameer, she believed love's blind, in fact she would like to say it's dumb and deaf too because then she didn't understand anything. But this time, she had come to an understanding, she had threw herself into the kind of life she didn't deserve. It's all Baba's fault- he kept showing her that Ameer was a nice man and money didn't matter at all as long as Ameer had something doing to feed her, cloth her and sustain her. Maama had opposed the opinion but then she was only a little kid cocooned in the shells of love. Now the shells have broken and the air of realisation was too overwhelming.

Since the deed had been done-already married to Ameer as per destiny- she would make sure all Ameer's earning went to her, she would make sure he's no length close to anyone that wanted his money or anyone that would collect a penny from him. No woman should be so close to him, even his mother. Because she didn't trust the woman, she might ask Ameer to take a second wife. And she would show less care concerning his affairs, he had to know that she wasn't his mate actually, she just did him a favor by marrying him. And no, she don't want to be divorced like Maama suggested. She needed to stay, having a husband was a blessing.

"There's nothing wrong. What do you see?" She said with the type of smile that Ameer suddenly disliked. It was a sarcastic smile at him.

"Oh Allah." He massaged the space between his eyebrows.

"Hidaya," her hand in the air stopped him from talking.

"Don't talk to me that way, I said there's nothing. Don't you get it?" She asked.

"Fine." Ameer said and left the parlour for her.

Hidaya looked at the path he followed and imprinted in her mind that, that's the kind of Hidaya Ameer would keep seeing for the rest of his life. The two face Hidaya, camouflaged Hidaya.

Other reasons were left to her.

*****

Adeelah went to Fatimah's house. She was happy to see Fatimah doing well and saw her talking with her mother as if nothing was worrying her. Adeelah liked her resilience that it made her smile. But still she wished Fatimah would speak up for herself. Many women were dying in a marriage and they stay because they didn't have a voice. Others lack support system and courage.

Sure divorce isn't a good thing, Allah didn't like it too, reconciliation is better as stated.

That's why she didn't want Fatimah to step into the marriage, the loveless marriage with a non understanding partner.

Adeelah sighed. "Umma good afternoon." She greeted her with a smile.

"Adeelah, how're you?"

"Fine Umma." Fatimah had been eyeing Adeelah all the while. Adeelah noticed it and decided to pull Fatimah's legs.

She looked at Fatimah's expression telling her not to dare talk about the marriage issue, because she knew how scared Fatimah was, she decided to act.

"Umma, I wanted us to talk about something regarding Fatimah." Fatimah's mouth flung open, wide as Adeelah talked. She began to cough to stop Adeelah from talking but it didn't work.

"About Fatimah? What has she done?" Umma asked.

"Actually," Adeelah spy at Fatimah and smiled.

Before she could talk, Fatimah had stood up, her legs trembling as if they couldn't carry her anymore. Her face was all shade of pity, her eyes welling up.

"Umma tell her to make sure she becomes a good wife." When relief circulated within Fatimah, she didn't know when she sent a fist to Adeelah's back. From there they began running and they didn't stop till they're at Fatimah's room.

They began panting heavily because they passed the steps fast without resting.

"You scared me." Fatimah panted with a laughter.

"It is intended." Adeelah screeched.

Fatimah laughed and rested her head on the headboard. She blinked back her tears that contained so much emotions that she won't love to be burst. She's been through something more grave than this, it did a lifetime damage to her. And this, too, was going to damage the rest of the pieces she had left in her heart.

She remembered when she lost her voice. When it happened and she couldn't say who was it.

"Adeelah do you think someday this world will be fair?" She asked out of the blues.

Adeelah curled her legs up on Fatimah's bed and stretched them. She remained silent for a while, thinking.

"The world is delusional and just a joke. Eternal bliss is in the hereafter. But here," Adeelah pointed down, showing the earth.

"Is not guaranteed. The world is a battle field, we keep the fight even if we've never won before. Someday we will. Just pray Fateem. I know you will sail through everything." Adeelah finished, resting her head on Fatimah's shoulder.

"I hope so. Thank you my support system, you always come when I need you." Fatimah said with tears.

The girls kept mum, each thinking of the hues of life. All they could say was Alhamdulillah.

"When are we going to start dating?" Fatimah asked.

"I just don't trust men Fateem." Adeelah suddenly answered. Fatimah revolved her head around, surprised of Adeelah's outspokenness.

Adeelah noticed the way Fatimah looked at her was demanding info from her. She shrugged, like she always did.

"The men in your lives messed up big time. Fatimah no matter your facade, though you're trying, I can see how broken you are. And it's because of a man, that you have been. And now you're just a living soul, not ready to fight." Fatimah knew it was the truth and she had nothing to say to Adeelah.

"Where's that your Ameer?"

Adeelah smiled.

"Yana nan. He lingers around but I care less."

Fatimah smacked Adeelah's arm with a great force. They broke into a laughter which only them knew the meaning.

"You were all bustling and swooning to me about him, now you have him close but you aren't making any effort to keep him. You human?"

"You can ask me. I guess I am an alien from Jupiter. I just don't feel the chills anymore. It's nothing than infatuation and it's gone. I want to be genuinely in love but I haven't find any man fine to my eyes. And responsible enough if I may add."

Above all those, Fatimah thought it was her turn to tease Adeelah.

"But you know, this guy I know is amazing, perfect to your taste. Guess who?" Adeelah's eyes widened.

"Salisu, your chauffeur." The next second, Fatimah regretted because Adeelah turned her room upside down. Pillows to her face, shoes to her back, and whatnot.

"Of all people Fateem." She remarked, beating Fatimah. They laughed and rested.

Adeelah's thought geared to their last encounter, it was satisfying.

****

"What are you waiting for? I am getting late Salisu!" Adeelah yelled at him. Since she entered the car he had been utterly silent and he refused to drive.

"Go and change your clothes Dillaliya." He said, to her surprise. Adeelah looked at herself as if she didn't know the type of garment she wore. It was a simple black abaya with red stones adornment on it then a medium veil covering her, all fit.

"I don't understand! Are you mad? How can you command me to change my clothes? Can you even hear yourself?"

"Dillaliya, go and change if not I am not driving you to school today."

Adeelah slapped the headrest of the driver's seat of the car in furrow.

"Lord!!" She exclaimed at his audacity. He's just her chauffeur. She couldn't believe he had all the nerves to say all that to her. Minutewhile, she passed via Hajiya Sadiya's room, she didn't ask her to change her clothes. She greeted Abba while he was about to go out and check his farm, he didn't make a comment on her dressing.

Why him? What's wrong?

"It seems you didn't get it Dillaliya. You've been modest and chaste for all that I know but today you wore a perfume which is too strong. And it's haram to walk in it. If you're wearing it at home where everyone is your mahrem, then fine. But you going out with it, is against Islam."

Adeelah was numb and weak at the instant.

"Look at you. What did you know to tell me all this?"

Salisu chuckled. "If I were you, I will stop belittling people, I will stop shouting and I will face the truth no matter how bitter it is."

"Okay fine!" She gave up and went out of the car. Salisu went out too and returned to the room where he stayed. He knew he didn't know much about the religion but he knew the basics. He had start to like Adeelah and he won't allow her to be harmed by anything... If he knew something and he thought she didn't, he would remind her no matter what she would do. Even if it meant losing his job. He cared less.

He wanted her to ace this life and the one after. Especially when he heard from Labaran, the gatekeeper that she lost her mother early. And if someone lost their mother in life, they have lost the most giant wall of support in their lives, they had lost whom could tell them the truth no matter how bitter it sounds.

Adeelah was together with her step mothers who, especially Hajiya Sadiya was making effort to see she trained Adeelah to a good woman but yet he had seen some loops and holes that were yet to be filled. He understood everyone didn't like her loudness that could make them angry hence they would rather shut up than to correct her.

In that little time, he had studied all that. And he wanted to make things alright. Better than they were.

Salisu thought Adeelah won't come back but he was surprised to see her call coming through his phone.

He smiled and when he came out and when he saw her dressed in another abaya, his smiled broadened.

"This one looks finer on you Dillaliya." Adeelah didn't say anything.

"Sorry for ruining your mood Dillaliya. And sorry for making you bend to my instruction."

Adeelah glared at the air.

"Just shut up!"

"Done, Dillaliya." Adeelah closed her eyes still weighing what happened minutes ago.

Wow. Just wow at Salisu.