I looked at the man standing in front of me with frustration, like I didn't get. What part of Alhaja is not around? Does he not understand. Probably wondering who Alhaja is, well that is my mum, my mum is a Muslim, and most people refer to her as Alhaja, hence the reason why some people still call me Maryam instead of Mary. It was past 4 pm already, and my mum wasn't back, I was eager to get out of this place, and the customers were more frustrating than I remembered. It was a little bearable because of Isha's presence.

"Alhaja, she no dey? (She isn't around?)" Nasiru asked again, getting me more frustrated than I am.

"Nasiru, she is not around!" I yelled.

"Mary better don't kill yourself," Isha said beside me, trying to stop herself from laughing.

"Okay," he said and turned on his heels, going out of the shop, making me give a sign of relief. Then he stopped and looked at me again, getting me angry. "Maryam, I go come back. (I will come back.)"

"Okay, come back." I said, bending my head on the desk. I raised my head after he had left and looked up to see Isha laughing her brains off. For real, what was so funny? "Isha, it is not funny."

"Well, that is the reason your Adonis is sticking to the name short screamer."

"Why do you have to bring up his name again, and he is not mine!" I protested, but she only gave me that look that suggested that I was lying to myself.

"Admit it, Mary, you like him."

"No, well, yes."

"No, or yes?" She asked.

"Yes," I replied with a grunt.

"Thank God, at least he is a real person, not like Kim Taehyung, Cha Eun Woo or Zayn Malik, or Toni Mahfud." She said with an eye roll.

"I told you not to mention Justin Bieber's name again. The mere thought of him still breaks my heart." Tears welled up in my eyes as I said this, don't mind me, I'm super emotional when it comes to Justin Bieber and Zayn Malik. And I still haven't gotten over the heartbreak that came with him getting married, and it's been two years now, I'm such a dumbo.

"Better stop falling for another man's husband, but wait, have you read the newest chapter of Homewrecker?"

The mention of that book sparked my attention back to a hundred percent, "Yes, God, I feel so sad about everything that is happening."

"I just like the way Haneef is behaving with the both of them, and I feel sad for him, though. He is caught in the middle of the whole shit." She said with a wistful look.

"But that silly mother of his, I feel like breaking her skull, its just that I cannot enter the book." I said, flexing my nonexistent muscles to make emphasis, Isha moved closer, touching my forehead, and then she nodded her head.

"I see," she said with a smile.

"What do you see?" I asked, laughing. It was at this moment I saw my mum car move into the complex, I gave a sigh of happiness. I was already getting tired of staying at the shop, although it was fun with Aisha here, but I needed to go see my babies even though I had nothing to give to them.

"Alhaja is back," Isha stated with a disgruntled face, "so you're going home now."

"Sorry, you know I told you today is my babies birthday." I smiled widely at her.

She huffed lightly and stood up from where she sat, I watched her leave the shop while she said her greetings to my mum. I felt kinda sad as she left, but I knew there were no qualms there.

Immediately, my mum came into the shop. I picked up my phone, dumped it into my bag, and stood up from the chair. I gave my mum a sheepish smile to show her that I'm going home. Hmm, what a lazy daughter.

"Oti e duro kin wole tan ko to dide, (you didn't allow my entry before you stood up,)" she said, dropping her bag and car keys on the cashier's desk

"Well, mummy, remember today is Emmanuel and Esther's birthday." I said with a big smile. Why? They were her favorite twins in the world, so I know she will definitely give me something to give to them.

"Okay, bye-bye." She said before sitting at her desk.

"Ehen, Mummy, you remember I baked cake for them, right?" I said, hoping that she would at least award me with a reply, but no, my mum had her most passive look on. "Samuel ate the cake mum. He ate it all."

My mum ignored me for five minutes straight, she was looking at her phone smiling, I almost gave up but she said, "he ate the cake, so..."

"So, should I take one pack of drink from your second shop?" I asked, shifting from one foot to the other.

"Won bi e da, (you dare not,)" she said, still not taking her eyes off her phone. I won't blame her, though. She bought most of the ingredients I used in making the cake. This is torture. If only she would have just let me work like I asked her to, then I would have money now.

I nearly pulled my head off, staring at her, I grunted in frustration and walked out of the shop only to run back in at what I saw coming, "Mummy, what is Ademide doing here?"

I looked warily as his car drove into our complex. The car was so familiar now, and I would recognize it anywhere. I looked at my mum, trying to see if she had something to say concerning it.

"He came to give me something. How is that any of your business?"

The answer wasn't satisfactory, but it looked like that was the only answer I would be getting. I watched him step out of his car, and he walked gracefully as though the whole world was watching him, I must say he was one proud freak. He came into our shop with a smile on that perfect face of his, really Mary. You need to start drooling less.

"Good evening, ma," he greeted my mum before giving me a sideways glance, I quickly looked away, pretending not to see him.

"Mide, welcome, how was work today?" She asked, giving him her most precious smile. With the way she was looking, anyone would think Ademide was her child, while I was her servant, or something.

"It was fine, ma," he answered with an innocent smile. That smile that he used in bewitching my mum, I felt like wiping it off his face.

"So, did you get it?" She asked expectantly.

Ademide dipped his hand into his pocket and fished out a small paper, I looked at it to see what it was, but my mum snatched it before I could get a look.

"Thanks," she answered, sounding genuinely grateful.

"Mummy, what is it?" I asked, peering over her shoulder.

"Water!" She deadpanned. "The one we will use in preparing your wedding dishes." I puckered my lips up in annoyance. My annoyance grew when I heard Ademide laughing, I threw him a glare, which he outrightly ignored. "Mide, you don't mind dropping this talkative at her pastor's house, do you?" I sent my mum a look that showed that I didn't like the idea, but no, she ignored me. Oh, I hate being ignored.

"No, ma," he said with that stupid smile again before turning to look at me, "shall we?"

I walked out of the shop, nearly stumping the whole place down, I could hear Ademide chuckling, which I had no idea why. I opened the passenger door to his car and hopped in. I turned my face sideways to make sure I avoided him as much as possible.

I heard him get in and start the car. He didn't as much as say anything to me, so I didn't say anything either. I just kept on looking out the window at nothing in particular. My mind was filled with how disappointed my babies would look, I'm sure I'm going to make it up to them later. After several minutes of silence, he finally spoke.

"Where exactly is this pastor's house of yours?" He asked in a very gentle voice.

"It is at unity estate, but don't worry all you have to do is drop me at the estate I will find my way," I said in a similarly gentle voice still looking out the window.

"Are you okay?" I heard him ask. This had me looking towards him, and he was looking at me with concern.

"Yes, why do you ask?" I asked quietly.

"Well, you are talking gently, which is unlike you. it's scary." He said and turned back to face the road.

"I decided I needed to shout less, I still need my vocal chords." I said, turning back to face the window, and I would really like for him to just stop with the questioning there because I was still worried about my babies birthday, but did he? No.

"I have to say I prefer the screaming Mary to this," I heard him say, and this really got me angry.

"What exactly is your problem? Won't you just let me be? If I yell, then I'm screaming, and if I don't, you don't like it!" I yelled at his face.

I watched him flinch a little before composing himself, and right then, a smile broke out on his face, "Now that is my short screamer."

I ended up trying not to bang my head out of annoyance, and luckily for me, I saw the estate as we drew closer to it.

"I will be dropping here," I said happily.

"Really? You don't want me to take you in?" He asked before parking his car.

"No, thanks." I opened the door and hopped down from the car, I also heard him opening his door, I wondered why, though. My curiosity was soon abated when he came to my side of the car and opened the back door.

I looked at him wondering what he was up to, then he pulled me towards him and turned me to face into the car, what I saw inside the car had me going crazy and at the same time happy. At the back seat of his car sat two cakes and two big teddy bears. One of the cake was pink and was designed to look like a barbie, while the second one was blue on color, it had the Mickey mouse design on it. The two teddy bears were white in color.

I turned to look at Ademide with surprise and joy, I need not ask to know what this is for, "you..." I stuttered.

"Well, when I saw you crying, I knew those kids meant a lot to you, and since I was one of the culprits who ate their cakes its only natural I get a new one." He said with a nervous smile.

I don't know why I did it, but I threw my hands around him in a hug, "thank you, Adonis." Slight tears dripped out of my eyes. Yes, I was that happy.

"You're welcome." He said, wrapping his arms around me. Well, I must say hugging him was something I would love to do always. "Are you sure you don't want me to drop you at their place? I'm not sure you can get there with all this stuff alone."

Hearing him say this jolted me out of my reverie, I looked up at him with a peevish smile and said, "Nah, I can't."

What do ya think.
A picture of Aisha is up there. Take a peek at my cute bestie🤗.
© Mary Aden