Just a skip of a paragraph, will leave you behind. From now, read and find the twist.😂🙌
*****

Ameer was sleeping when he felt a pair of hands gripping his neck, at first it was a dream but then the grip tightened and he woke up, struggling for breath.

He was broken to see Hidaya, standing with a deadly look. When he came back, she was in her room and she refused to come out so he decided to sleep.

"Who the hell is this girl?" The sleep was still in his system hence his vision was blurry. He shook his head to get way with the sleep, and looked at the phone.

"Are you thinking of taking a second wife? I will rather kill you than to share you with another woman. I swear to Allah if I catch you with another, the end is near for you." Hidaya threatened but she heard some noise from her parlor. Hence she smiled and looked at the mirror.

She looked presentable before she went out leaving Ameer struck.

It was Ameer's mother. Hidaya rushed to her and hugged her.

"Welcome mumma," she let her sat on a chair. Soon Hidaya was in the kitchen to bring some refreshments for her mother in law.

"Your dan lele is in his room sleeping mumma, let me call him." She went to call Ameer.

"Mumma is here and if she knows the situation, hmm." Hidaya scurried out with a huge smile. There was something on her mind that she wanted to tell Ameer but she needed to do it in a wise way. She had went for a test when he wasn't around and it turned out positive. She's pregnant.

When she went into the kitchen to cook something, she began to make vomiting sound which made mumma to rush there.

"Sorry Hidaya, "

"I have been sick mumma." She cried.

"Since when?"

"Since last week. I went for a test and..." She trailed off and made a shy face.

"Are you pregnant Hidaya?" Hidaya slowly nodded.

"Ayyiriiririri," the woman yodelled and began to dance about the kitchen.

"Don't cook anything okay? I understand." Instead of an answer, Hidaya began to ululate. It made Ameer's mother baffled

"Let's go to your room and talk okay?" She dragged Hidaya out. Once there, Hidaya kept crying like a newborn baby who had been spanked by a nurse. She refused to stop and it made her mother in law sick.

"Ameer wants me to abort the baby mumma. I don't know why... I know he's your son and he hears your words only because you're the only one that's enough and more to order him. He takes me as nothing..." She lied, fueling her mother in law's ego ahead. She's doing everything on purpose and if Allah wills, she would get a free pass with her pregnancy.

"What?" His mother stood up. Hidaya quickly held her.

"Mumma please don't talk to him. He will blame me after, please."

"Allow me Hidaya." And she barged out. Right there, Hidaya knew she had his mother hooked. And her pregnancy would be of great contribution to her. She almost danced of happiness. Many more plans were coming.

*****

Adeelah's father had been receiving call from her. The woman he wished not to meet again in his life, the last time he saw her was ten years ago and he managed to convince her to stay away from him forever. But since then, she had been calling him time to time, when he inquired about her motive she said she wanted him to give her some capital to start up a new business as old friends. To make things easier, he decided to see her in his farm house to end it all.

She wasn't wearing any makeup. She wasn't smelling nice too. It was just obvious that it wasn't a seductive meeting. Maybe it's all about the business.

"I want you to marry me. There's still one slot." She stated as a natter of order, sipping a juice from the cup he served her.

"You've always been crazy Beebo," he said, rubbing his stomach. He didn't know what she was thinking of. For all this years he had been doing things for her just to make sure peace reigns.

"Agreed I am crazy. Just think of everything fast or else?" She stood on her heels and threw her car keys in the air. She winked at Adeelah's father and blew some air onto his face. He jerked back, afraid of what she would do.

He had never been scared of women, in fact they were what he defined as life back then before he changed. Now, the sight of Habibah was something that made him scared. He didn't know what plan she had in store.

They must have left their lifestyle behind in the past, but she seemed like she had a weapon to destroy him. That's why he was just taking one step at a time. He had a family which respected him a lot.

She left without saying anything again. When she sat in her car, she brought out her phone and dialed a number. Soon the person picked.

She talked in hush sounds before she ended the call satisfactorily.

"Dbt, Beebo will never forgive you unless she sees you humiliated and then sees you laying on a coffin." With that, she drove away thinking far away.

******

London.

Nafeesah checked through her Instagram page. All she wanted was to see whether she could see who El-mustapha Kabo was. She wanted to see his face but no one was yet to find about him on the media. Just the day before, it was announced on the television how the company was blooming and it was very likely that El-mustapha would be among the top ten billionaires in Nigeria.

Their business had expanded to many horizons within a short period of time. Well, they had been in existence and were among the richest in Nigeria. But since the announcement of the new founder of many of their expansions, El-mustapha became the headlight. His name was everywhere but not his face. He was hardly been sighted and he could pass without someone knowing him.

Even his closest person, Maya didn't post him at all. She covered him with emoji, not only the face but all of him. Then maybe she would allow his expensive customized watch to show.

Most people knew of the watch that had, El.Co carved on it.

Suddenly this morning, Maya posted another picture and stated that he had gotten a new custom watch with a different name which most people didn't fathom. It was a cursive Arabic writing. And they had seen his cousin, Nawwar posting and tagging him.

No picture still.

Maybe they were tying the knot and the watch had Nawwar's name on it. They didn't know and they wanted to know.

Nafeesah had finished her examinations and was coming home to Nigeria, the next day. She had missed home terribly, beyond the way she could say. She missed her sisters especially, Adeelah.

Tired of searching, she dropped the phone.

She picked her tablet and called her boyfriend who had already moved to Nigeria before her. They talked a bit and called it a day.

*****

Adeelah had finished her examinations and being the last day of being in level two, she couldn't keep calm. The next year was going to be more interesting. Before they resume, Fatimah was going to be hitched. All in all, it would be a crazy year for her.

Her first semester in level three was going to be an industrial training. She had heard of the new company opened under the name of the Kabo's and that's where she was going. Their level coordinator had distributed the application letters to them. Which they would submit to their various firms.

She was sure going to work in the laboratory aspect of the company as a biotechnology student.

Salisu had just parked in their parking lot and she was about going out of the car when he stopped her.

"Dillaliya till when?" He asked with a low voice.

"What do you mean?"

"I am going home since you're on holidays Dillaliya." Adeelah was silent.

"Safe journey." She said.

"Dillaliya, take care of yourself." Instead of the insult or loudness he expected, Adeelah just left. It had been a crazy while with Salisu. More than six months of togetherness. Every single day she had to be under the same place with him. If she's not going to school, she's going to Fatimah's house or shopping. He's just always there.

And not even once has he ever insult her for being loud. He just talk too much. She shouldn't be having a nostalgic feeling that's why she quickly left the place.

To get away with Salisu's thought, she called Ameer and relaxed on her bed.

*****

"Deejah, hi." Adeelah said with a grin. She was about to take an evening sleep when Malam Labaran the gatekeeper called her and told her she had a guest.

It was that girl she didn't like seeing around. Her brother's girlfriend.

"Aunty Adeelah." She replied with same grin. Adeelah ushered her inside, directly to her room. Asama'u later brought some refreshments for her.

"Aunty Adeelah, your brother has been ignoring me. I don't know what I did to him." She said, trying to make a pity face.

Adeelah knew Ya Ammar was a player. He's supposed to settle down but all he did was to jump from one girl to another. She didn't know why he thought it was being classy to break a girl's heart. By Allah he was accumulating sins unknowingly.

Above all, boy to girl relationship is frowned upon in Islam.

"Deejah, I think you should talk to her Haneey. He's her main guy you know. If I talk to him, we end up fighting. And oh girl, if he is going to stress you, forget about him. You deserve better." Adeelah advised.

"I can't leave him. He's all I have invested into. I mean I gave him all my love." Adeelah showed the door out to Deejah politely. She didn't want the girl to break down in front of her and there's nothing she could do about it.

"Thank you for referring me to her." Adeelah nodded.

Deejah faltered out. Adeelah closed the door behind her and went back to her call with Ameer.

"Why are you stern?" He asked her in a conversation.

Adeelah guffawed. "What's your definition of stern?" She asked, her cheeks warming up to a shade of pink. She didn't know why she blushed in anticipation. Her other hand held her phone whilst the other held her chin as she listened to Ameer.

"You're just unapproachable. You're so beautiful but you try to hide it although you fail miserably Ameerah," he stated.

Adeelah arched her brow. She didn't like what he was saying. It was making her uneasy, her heart palpitating in joy.

"Adeelah is the name not Ameerah." She corrected. First it was Salisu calling her Dillaliya. Now it's Ameer calling her Ameerah. Hmm.

"If a man is a king, what do you call his wife?" He waited for her to answer.

Adeelah didn't get the drill at first thought that's why she quickly answered him. "A queen of course."

Ameer felt happier than he was when she picked his call. He didn't care about Hidaya's warning and he was on the last stage of his patience.

"That's why I call you a queen. You're my queen. Ameeraty." Adeelah was numb, then the words suddenly started fusing into her being. It was just so surprising to her how she wanted to hear more of the likes of those words. He was flirting with her indirectly and she wasn't doing a thing. She was just loving everything.

"Oh please..." She managed to say and cut the call, in bid to cut away the alien feeling. She sprang to the other side of the bed. There she rested her head, thinking. Out of her stance, she found her mind wondering what Salisu would be doing while away. Where would he get money to take care of himself? What if his witty mouth even land him in trouble?

She hissed and tossed again. Then Ameer's image surfaced and casted away Salisu's thought.

She began to smile, spreading her smile into a grin. He called her his queen. Oh, it was so sweet. Then she remembered her Oum. Tears spilled out of her eyes. She opened her bedside drawer and brought out a box.

The box of memories, she liked to call it. She shuffled through the several bow envelopes and carried the one with twenty on it.

She undid the bow, her Oum's beautiful handwriting shone in her eyes and she began to read.

At this age, twenty. You know what? I was already a married woman and a mother. But you, as much as I know you and your father, you're still probably sitting on your bed while I work in the kitchen or maybe I am gone by then. Whichever one, whenever you remember me, pray for me Adeelah.

Have you found love yet? Or are you still in denial that love doesn't exist? Or you've found love but you don't know what it is.

Sometimes it's confusing. Love, obsession and infatuation look alike. So take note Oum's little baby. I know you won't look at me in the eye with this. Or maybe I am even gone. I just have to keep this for you because I love writing to my children since you were in my tummy.

Once you found yourself in a confusing state, contact Siddiqa. You see she's almost your mate and she's the one who lived in the same era with you. She might know better than I know.

Adeelah, first love is crazy. It makes you mad and maybe if you're not careful you loose yourself in the process. Be careful and talk to Siddiqa.

Happy twentieth birthday little baby. I can't wait to see you married. But if I am gone, please be a good wife. I will soon stop writing to you. At which age? Nah, you won't know yet.

Happy birthday! Oum loves you so much. May Allah bless you my gem.

Adeelah wrapped it up. She cleaned her tears and smiled at how Oum wrote like a kid.

****

Ohkay, goodnight. Till we meet again😝🤐. Don't forget to vote, comment and share.