"You girls do know our flight is in thirty minutes right? Hafeez asked for the umpteenth time

I am finally done with my exams and today Hafeez and I are leaving to Yola. The girls escorted me to the airport and currently delaying me by warning me to call them everyday, give them every detail of my business and promised to fly over to Yola soon.

"Yes yes Hafeez, we know. And she's coming" Juwairiyya said as Intisaar slapped her arm

"What? She whispered harshly rubbing the place

"Maimai, you shouldn't miss your flight" Yusrah said leaning in to hug me as others joined in

"We will miss you small" Zahra said laughing. She's also heading back home tomorrow.

"I will miss you small too" I said stepping back as I grab my bag

"Goodbye guys. I'll call you immediately I arrive" I said turning to leave

"You better do. We love you

"Good bye Maimai. See you soon super woman"

"Take care. Safe journey"

"Go make that money girl. Let's shop, eat, travel and REPEAT"

"Well I certainly know the last shout was Juwairiyya's" I thought shaking my head as we walked to the airport.

After boarding in, I grabbed my magazine and began flipping through it

"So did I tell you what I experienced the day I went to check on you in your house but found it locked? Hafeez asked grabbing my attention

"No you didn't" I said looking at him.

"I packed my car and went in then saw it was locked. I decided to go on foot and ask the people living around if you guys have perhaps returned. Guess what?

"What?

"I was chased by three dogs" He exclaimed as I look at him with bulging eyes

"What did you do then?

"I stood my ground and tried scaring them off but they won't budge. If anything, they were coming closer"

"So did you run? I asked amused

"No I didn't, I played rock music for them. Of course I ran! Like my heels will touch my head" He said and I bursted into laughter

"Ohh Rabb, you.. you... You were chased" I said trying to catch my breath

"Hahahaha! Not funny" He said glaring at me

"Of course it's funny Hafeez" I said laughing again

"It's not

"It is

"It's not

"It is

"It's not

"It is

"It's not

That's how the journey went. With hafeez telling me hilarious stories and us arguing about it afterwards.

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"Yola is----

"Hot! Yeah I know" I said cutting off Hafeez

"No, I meant it's beautiful. Look at that big Calabash" He said as the car we hired drove through the streets of Yola.

"Hahaha it is? I asked gazing out

"It is. So beautiful" He whispered his gaze fixed on me. I look back to him and offered him a soft smile, looking back at the window again.

Minutes later, we arrived home as the gate man helped bring in my suitcase in with hafeez trailing behind me.

"Salamu Alaikum" Hafeez and I said at the same time coming into the house

"Addah" Zainab shouted coming off the couch and jumping on me

"Woah. What has Daadi been feeding you? You are heavy" I said keeping her down as she noticed Hafeez standing next to me

"Ohh Hamma Hafeez"She said coming to stand next to him. When did she start calling him Hamma? He looks at me wondering the same and I mouthed "big brother" to which he nodded smiling down at her

"Zainab how are you? He asked

"I'm good Alhamdulillah. We know of your arrival and we all are so excited you will be visiting. Daadi said you're definitely one of a kind, one to keep and that if Addah let you g---

I quickly clasp a hand on her mouth shooting him an embarrassed smile as I drag her into the parlour.

"I'll skin you alive if you utter another word" I whispered into her ears just as Maami came down

"Humaira" She said opening her arms as I run into them.

"Maami how are you" I asked started to get teary

"I'm fine darling. Now let's not tear up, I have a guest to welcome" She said stepping aside to go meet Hafeez

"Good afternoon Maami" Hafeez greeted squatting down to greet her

"How are you and how is your mom and siblings? Please stand up" She said smiling at him

"I'm good Alhamdulillah and so are they. How are you?

"I've never felt better for the past months. Ever since you came back, Humaira was the happiest and so are we. We can't thank you enough Hafeez" She said with a grateful smile

Why did she drag my name into this? I asked myself

"Please don't thank me. You guys are like family" He said just as Daadi, dressed in an elegant Bubu as always and a girl around my age came down the stairs

"Well well if it's not my amazing grand daughter and the amazing sophisticated young man" Daadi said and I ran to hug her

"How have you been? She asked her eyes looking over to Hafeez. "Amazing I will say" She added with a wink as she sashayed her way to Hafeez

"Ma'am. Sophisticated will be used to describe you" Hafeez said politely as she laughed

"Let's just hold our opinions then. First we welcome our granddaughter and grandson with food after they freshen up" She said clapping her hands as the maids started arranging the food on the dinning table.

Hafeez was shown to the guest room as I made my way upstairs. After freshening up and praying, I came down to meet Hafeez already on the dining table. Daadi saw me and shook her head as if saying "Finally"

"Let's eat" She clapped her hands again and I quickly took a seat.

After minutes of a comfortable silence with everyone eating and lost in his own world. We were finally done and helped get the dishes to the kitchen. I was introduced to the girl who looks my age, Daadi said she's the cousin I was told about and is actually years younger than me. Her name is Na'eemah and she looks like a kind person for a first meet.

"Now that we are full, we discuss the task at hand" Daadi said standing up and we all moved to the living room

"What task? I ask confused

"The task you're here for. I already informed the farmer who we are getting the fruits from, now I'll just ask him to come here for a proper discussion" She said smiling

"But Daadi we arrived today! I exclaimed

"Yes, so? Incase you forgot, Hafeez needs to leave soon. He has a job to keep. And the earlier we start this, the better. Did you think it had be easy? There are things you have to sacrifice like for other things to work. Like resting for example"

I shut up my mouth to prevent me from arguing about really needing this rest and instead went to the fridge to grab a bottle of coke and two cups. Hafeez likes coke too

"Hafeez, I heard you have the strategies plan out? Daadi asked

"Yes I do ma'am" he replied

"Please go get it. And stop calling me ma'am we are now family" She said as he stood up t

"And you go get the recipe so we can see the fruits we need" She said turning to Maami who nodded and headed upstairs

"And you get your tiny ass over here let's discuss business. This is yours not ours, you need to strengthen up" She said turning to me

"Yes Maami" I said walking over to her

"Good. Be fast, we have some money to make" She paused and tilted her head to one side "Actually, lots of them" She added

Sitting down next to her, I heaved a sigh. Well this is not only going to be a long day but long days.

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