She stepped out of her car, a huge frown across her face as she looked at the giant two storeyed house. The house was hers and years back, she was very proud of the house. She liked to call it hers, built with her own money.

When she knocked at the gate, the gateman bowed and allowed her in. The house was noisy as usual, women washing, sweeping, smoking and dancing. The women she called sisters and friends in business.

She went straight to her room ignoring everyone that was greeting her. Her room was the largest as she stayed there while other women pay rent to her. There were almost thirty women there and as part of her rules, after five years she send them out and take in new ones.

She removed her large veil and threw it on the bed. She looked at the mirror and inspected her looks as she wiped the makeup she wore on her face.

"Yar tsana, you're incredible." She praised herself with a smile. She opened the drawer next to her and called someone. She informed him that she would be on her way. She changed her clothes to more decent ones and wore a large hijab. She found her tally counter and placed it on her index finger and began tapping.

******

When she arrived at the house, she waited in her car and gave him a call again. She had to make sure there was no one inside because she hated waiting. When he confirmed to her that no one was around, she walked out and faltered into his house.

The house was small. After the small door that led inside, there were several plungers with rams tied to them. They had soiled the place and it was smelling terribly. Yar tsana scrunched her nose and entered.

The compound wad small too with a well situated by a side and by the middle was a moringa tree. Yar tsana greeted his wife and entered the room he sat.

"Malam well done." She said as she sat on a woven carpet.

"Sannu da zuwa Hajiya." She nodded.

"Weeks ago I called you and told you about a girl Adeelah. And you didn't tell me anything in return." She explained impatiently. She truly won't back off no matter what he would say. If tarnishing Alhaji Rabi'u Danbatta would cost her life, she's ready to do it.

"It's true. There's so many complications about that, that's why." He explained.

"What?"

"Another woman came with the same issue. For the same girl." Yar tsana smiled. It wasn't a surprise to her.

"Get to work kawai."

The Malam nodded and threw his rosary on a sand plate. Yar tsana knew what it meant. This wasn't her third visit, nor her tenth or twentieth. The Malam was literary her god whom she sought help from.

She looked at the rosary and heaved. She randomly picked it and hoped she's lucky.

"Always lucky." He said.

He added. "Now bring the water in that jar over there. Come and wash your face and hand. Let the water fall in this calabash." It hurt her pride to follow all what the Malam said but after all that, she ended up getting good results that's why she was always doing it.

"Now we will see." The Malam began some incantations and spitting it into the water until Adeelah's face showed inside the calabash.

The Malam stood up and brought a mirror from his bag. He shone the mirror before the water and there, Ameer's face showed. He dropped that and brought another mirror which reflected Salisu's image. He lifted the edge of the mat he sat and brought some blackish powder. He sprinkled it in the water and soon Adeelah's picture vanished and two men showed, one was healthy and muscular while the other was handicapped. Their faces, blurred. All the while, Yar tsana was watching.

"That's it. I have tried this times without number but I fail to see their faces. My instinct is however telling me that the two men with the blurred faces are the same. The girl Adeelah is currently married to Salisu. Yet Ameer will get her heart hooked. The other woman when she came, she asked me to..." Yar tsana rose her hand in the air. She hated to hear someone has surpass her in her plans.

"Not all that," she said.

"If you want to destroy her life the way it will affect her father, it has already been done. All you need to do is to appear in his house in one year from now and spill whatever you want to." Yar tsana smiled satisfactorily.

"Ammar..." The Malam stopped her.

"This is attraction perfume and Kohl for you." He stood to fetch it for her. Yar tsana was contented. But there's one thing which the Malam was hiding for her. He didn't tell her because it didn't matter. She should be aware that death would come even if he didn't tell her. As she drove to a hotel, she began to think about her life...

****

Adeelah decided to visit aunt Siddiqa to get away with all that was brewing in her head. She got ready and told Hajiya that she would visit her aunt. Hajiya Sadiya wished her safe journey. She dressed in a blue and black ankara and did a bow head tie. Adeelah wore a veil that matched and sauntered out.

When she reached the car, she called Salisu and there in the next second, he came out all sleek in a blue kaftan. Adeelah knew he hadn't seen her not to talk of wearing a matching cloth as hers so she kept mum.

With no single word she entered the back seat and Salisu drove them out. When they were far away from their house, Salisu parked the car and stayed mute. Adeelah checked her watch and hissed. She wanted to go there on time and from her house to aunt Siddiqa's house, was a bit far.

"What's that?" She asked.

"Come back to the front seat?" He asked.

"Are you? Uh-crazy?"

Salisu smiled. "If you think so." He said.

Adeelah bit her lower lip and remained at the back seat. When Salisu confined that she wasn't coming out, he walked out of the car and stood out.

Ten minutes passed and Adeelah was so eager to see her before her aunt. So she switched back to the front. Salisu smiled and entered.

"Is it because my father gave me to you without difficulty that's why you think you can boss me around?"

Salisu raised his brow. "I think so. After all you're all using me, don't you think? I should be the one to be pissed."

"But you agreed."

"You did too, Ad... Dillaliya."

"Salisu?" She called, marking if in her head that this was his second attempt at calling her name. She didn't know but the last one she heard from him was the best way one could ever say her name. It rolled off his tongue like he was a real Arabian man.

"Yes?"

"Don't think I didn't hear that." She blinked twice with eager to hear him call her name again.

"Oh what are you talking about?"

"Don't act like you don't know." She warned. Salisu smiled. For the first time ever, Adeelah looked at him via the rear mirror. Something in his eyes captivated her, she didn't know what was it. Now she had seen some truth in what Haneey said. If not because of that burn scar, his bald head, he was easy on the eye. Though it's the truth, she would never admit it in her lifetime.

"He's just acting different..." She mumbled to herself.

"I heard that. You can call me Kamilu, a chameleon." Adeelah laughed.

"Is that your real name?" She asked.

"Maybe yes, maybe no." Adeelah kept mum. This new Salisu was better. More quieter but with ting of jokes here and there. This Salisu knew what respect was. True that respect is reciprocal. If you give respect, you gain it.

"Dillaliya I can't wait for sic months to fly and I will get married to the woman of my dreams." He said, in a quest to hear what her response would be.

Adeelah swallowed something. He was thinking of letting her go easily? Then it's fine. It would be easier for her to have Ameer too but something bitter kept rising to her throat.

Salisu stared at her via the mirror. He loved the way her emotions were shook in a flip of a second. Somehow Adeelah liked him but he's sure she would never admit it.

"By the way Ameer is handsome. Masha Allah." He added. Adeelah looked at him and found him looking at her. She didn't know if Salisu was well. How could a sane man be this cool and calm when his wife was seeing another in the name of love?

"I am not a dayooth." He cleared. He's very jealous of her too. The thing was Adeelah didn't know he loved her. She only knew he was helping her. She didn't know for how long he had nurtured his love for her. He would preserve the love word in him until he's sure she's hooked then he would tell her. For now, he would keep on beating around the bush.

"I..." She lost her speech.

Salisu held the steering wheel with his other hand and placed the other on Adeelah's hand. Her eyes widened but she didn't remove her hand. His hand was warm and soft, so soft. She didn't feel any of the chemistry or biological terms going on due to the contact. But she felt the physics terms. Some sort of attraction, the want to feel his soft hand all the time.

Salisu stole a glance at her and he could feel how her tender hand eased under his. To him, all the chemistry, biology and physics couldn't explain what he felt. He heaved a sigh, overcoming everything.

"I won't force you to love with me. We can live without strings. You can put Ameer aside for now to avoid sinning. I know I can't remove him from your mind. Keep him however you want but remember you're married. You're not doing this for my benefit. Marriage is beyond human worship, it's a way of Ibadah. For now, severe all ties with any man for Allah's sake. Give us a try if you think you can, then we will sort everything out. If it doesn't work, it's fine. We aren't meant to be. Don't stress yourself Dillaliya." He gave her hand a squeeze before he removed it from hers.

Adeelah was numb in the heart. She looked out and saw that they were packing at the gate. Without a word, she exited the car. Salisu was showing her he didn't even want her to stay and it hurt her. She thought he loved her but with all that he said, she suddenly felt like she didn't want Ameer anymore.

"I will be waiting for you here." She nodded, rubbing where he touched her with her other hand. Adeelah looked at him and felt some mist in her eyes. Why was she even feeling that way? Why did she want to cry? Salisu was capable of doing that to her. As mere as he was. Her chauffeur.

She walked into the house with a heavy heart. When she disappeared, Salisu laughed. He hit the right spot. He locked the doors of the car and sat under a tree while he waited for her.

He couldn't explain how elated he was.

****

El-mustapha had return to Kano but he didn't tell Mahmoud. He was staying in a different hotel and wasn't using his phone that had his Nigerian sim. As he stared at the hotel's swimming pool from a window, a thought occurred to him.

He decided to turn his phone on. Putting it to power, Abdallah's call came through.

El-mustapha picked the call. After exchange of greetings the two fell silent.

"Are you in town?" He asked.

"Yeah." El-mustapha answered.

"Adeelah is here." El-mustapha raised his brow.

"And?"

"Come, wear blue." The call was cut off.

El-mustapha smiled and got ready. Yes. He knew she wore blue, he knew she went there. He knew she wore an ankara that killed him. He saw her.

That's Adeelah, his Heer. The girl his cousin loved. The girl other men were after. May the best for her win. If Allah willed, he would get her. If otherwise, she's someone's else.

*****

Hmmmm. Part two coming soon hopefully.

El-mustapha is a mini detective😂😂😂... Or rather he has one. Who do you think is the person that brings information about Adeelah to him? Is Salisu maybe working for him? And maybe betraying him?Hmm. 🤐🤐🤐

Adeelah is beginning to begin to fall in love. Is she safe?

Yar tsana, who's she? Any guess?

The story is about to begin...

Don't forget to vote, comment and share. Thanks in advance.