Numb.

Adeelah woke up to numbness. When she flickered her eyes open she met all her family members' own. All disturbed.

Hajiya Sadiya spoke first, "you're awake Adeelah. Alhamdulillah." She pulled Adeelah to her side, heaving a sigh of relief.

"Are you fine?" Abba asked. Adeelah only looked at them and nodded. She closed her eyes, a giant load dropped on her heart simultaneously when she remembered why she passed out.

"I think you should leave her rest." Hajiya Sadiya said to everyone. When they all left, Hajiya Sadiya sat down. She could see how worried Adeelah was. She knew things wouldn't be easy on her. She had never come for an advice from her. She did things all alone even if she's confused.

"You're stressed out Adeelah. Tell me what's going on in your head. Tell me. I'm here for you." Adeelah shook her head and forced a smile.

"I will be fine Ummah. I promise you."

"Should i call Siddi for you? Or rather go and see her. Don't bother her too much she's giving birth soon." Adeelah smiled again.

"I will get ready and see her in her house."

"That's good, what will you like to eat?"

Adeelah smiled warmly and walked forth to hug Hajiya Sadiya. "Anything my Umma brings, is delicious!" Adeelah whirled to her bathroom. As if she was waiting, when the shower began to drizzle, her tears followed suit.

****

Abba came out to meet Malam Labaran.

"Where's the envelope i asked you to hold?"

Malam Labaran grinned. "Iyi? What?"

Abba shook his head. "The envelope i asked you too hold before we rushed in."

Malam Labaran's tiny eyes met Abba's own. He grinned again revealing his toothless smile. He once had an accident and lost three front teeth.

"I was burning leaves earlier so i forgot and... wai nace mantawa nayi he kawai na jeha hi a wutar. Iy wallahi ya kone kurmus. (I threw it in the fire and it burnt to ashes)."

Abba tried to hold his anger and gently walked away. Since Adeelah fainted and Salisu even told him it was the divorce as they agreed, Abba knew that Adeelah has seen the divorce paper. May Allah choose the best for her.

He walked back to his room and he met his wife, Hafsatu.

"Baby..." she called.

"Bebi what's wrong?"

Abba stayed mum. Hafsatu noticed his mood and walked out silently before he began shouting at her unnecessarily.

Abba sighed. He had seen the papers. It was the divorce. He had been praying, hoping Adeelah would love to live with Salisu forever. That would have saved him alot of pains. Now, Nafeesah was showing signs that her fiancé wanted his people to meet him. Abba wasn't ready because marriage requires background check and whatnot. If Nafeesah comes out clean he doubt he would be the same especially now that Beebo was around his neck. He knew she wouldn't let him rest till she achieve her goal. It was all his fault.

He wished he could undo things. He wished it so badly. He had regretted alot of actions but just one haunt him more. The fact he had hands in his first wife's death.

Aayat.

*****

Adeelah had never missed her mother like today. Whenever she closed her eyes, she saw her mother whispering something to her. When she's asleep, she dream of her. One thing she knew was, she needed help. Her mother had always tell her to run to Siddiqah for help hence she decided to go after Hajiya Sadiya had remind her.

"You're not here to keep shut forever Adeelah." Aunt Siddiqah rambled, chewing the fried seeds of baobab fruit. It was her new addiction or rather craving which she couldn't stop. Thank goodness it had some health benefits to help her.

Adeelah rubbed her face. What could she say? That she had been married? And now divorced? And that too, the ex husband was her chauffeur? What exactly? She sighed, although every inch of her face showed hor worried she was.

She couldn't tell anyone. That this divorce disrupted alot of pillars in her heart. How could she bear this all alone? She needed to spill it.

"Ameer proposed to me and i just don't feel contented even though i love him aunt." She decided to go that way.

She didn't lie. This Ameer was just there in her heart. When she thought of him, it felt too sacred and chilly.

But she loved him. His voice and the all of him.

"And he took back his wife."

Aunt Siddiqah laughed. "Oh i see, you're just jealous. I won't even waste my time to hear this story. Just pray over it and follow your heart Deelalah." She pinched her cheeks.

"Elmustapha is getting hitched too, I'm sure Nafeesah has more news about it. Are you following their love story account? Their pre wedding pictures are the bomb. Come and see how girls were acting when George Okoro dropped the pictures in the morning. Well, It would have been you."

Adeelah shook her head. She barely cared about the media. She could go a month without checking any of the applications. She didn't care about how many prople were in love with him. She had seen beyond his looks. For her, behaviors and character define beauty. ElMustapha wasn't the way she thought and since then the little crush she had on him vanished. He always called her to his office and let her sit while he just work. Whenever he finishes, he dismissed her.

Then his brother or cousin, she didn't know. Mahmoud. She hated him in fact. He didn't tell her he loved her. All he did was degrading Elmustapha and telling her how Elmustapha wasn't the right choice. All in bid to woo her heart. She didn't like it at all. Afterall he's so close to ElMustapha. He should have advice his brother to be better instead of backbiting on him. She thought Mahmoud was different but he was also something else. That's why from then, she disliked the Kabos'. All of them.

"I will leave aunt. You are just not in the mood to help me out." Adeelah fumed. She didn't listen to what aunt Siddiqah was saying behind her back when she exited the parlor. She remembered Salisu told her to work on her character too. He didn't care about how hurt she would be. He always told her the truth. He told her not to follow her heart all the time. Yet, she didn't go back to aunt Siddiqah. She left with one decision. She wouldn't let herself heal or anything, she's saying yes to Ameer.

****

Baffa and Baba Kabo were in Abuja for the wedding. They both have motives in their minds behind the whole arranged wedding. Both of them acted as if the wedding was to strengthen the bond between them. Especially Baffa Kabo, the snake.

Baba Kabo cleared his voice. It was only the two of them in the vast parlor. It was quiet, except for the water running on the artificial indoor water fountain.

"If Hassan was alive, he would have been more glad." Baba Kabo remarked, remembering their eldest brother.

Baffa Kabo grimaced but quickly replaced it with a sad smile.

"Life hasn't been the same without him. My heart longs for him all the time." He said bitterly.

Baba Kabo smiled again.

"He would have been proud of how far we came. The business, the kids, you know."

Silence then fell between them. Guilt slowly wrapping both hearts. But like the strong men they were, they all smiled and spoke together.

"May his soul and his family's soul be in Jannah."

"Ameen."

They fell silent. Each of them remembering what they did. It should better be left unsaid. Because ElMustapha and Mahmoud will be so mad if they find out the truth.

****

Salam alaikum. How many question marks are up there? 😜

Who missed our long chapters? I guess we will get back to them. What say?

Don't forget to v.c.s please