Minna wasn't as I thought it was, I expected a paradise-like ecosystem but what I saw was... Let me just keep quiet to avoid drawing the government's attention to me. Moris was the area I got my new house in, it was Salim that connected me with someone he knew and that person helped me in acquiring the house. It was a four bedroom flat and the compound was big. The air-conditioners were working just fine and so was other appliances that you may expect in a 7.5million naira domicile!

The Managing Director of General Hospital, Minna was the opposite of the one in Kano. This one here was more strict than the other one. He plainly told me that breaking his rules or the rules of the hospital would have five thousand naira reduced from my salary. Even coming late could lead to such consequence.

After the welcoming and orientation, I was placed on afternoon shift against my night shift back then in Kano. I so much wanted a change but with the kind of Managing Director here, I decided to maintain myself in order not to be blacklisted on my first day at work. Yes, after all afternoon shift wasn't that bad. I should just face my fear; the fear of sleeping alone in the night. And talking about sleeping alone, Amani would be coming over after her third term examination but Rumaisah wouldn't be coming; her wedding was near.

Today after work I drove to an eatery to get something for dinner. I still wasn't good at cooking so I chose the eatery as my place of buying food whenever I was hungry. It was a little bit far from my house but not that far from my working place. It was a good place and I loved being there almost all the time.

While driving to the eatery, rain began falling heavily. The atmosphere had literally showed some signs of rainfall but I never thought it would rain this serious. I parked my car a stone throw from the eatery to avoid blocking the way for the cars already occupying all the parking space. Thus, I stormed into the eatery. It was quite full, almost all the tables were occupied. I ordered for fried rice and six pieces of chicken takeaway. While waiting and looking around again, my eyes fell on Manal. I wasn't that surprised after all she lived in Minna. But I wondered how she didn't notice my presence, was it because of what she was watching in her phone? And what could even be that? She seemed to be in tears, was it a heart touching romantic movie? I mulled over as I walked gently to her back and peeped on what she was watching. Behold, it was Amani's birthday video – the one we recorded for her.

She was surprised to see me when I took one of her earpieces out of her ear. She stood and gave me a hug despite the fact I was kind of drenched. I paid for my package as soon as it was delivered to me and paid for her own coffee as well. After that, I offered her a ride home but she told me to take her to my new home instead. I did exactly as she said, we went to my house and ate what I bought together. After eating I told her it was prayer time. "You can use my bathroom to perform ablu..." I was saying when she intercepted me.

"I am impure" She said fidgeting her finger.

"Oh, okey" I said leaving her in the parlor watching a Philippines television drama.

After performing ablution in the bathroom I stepped out, sprayed the prayer mat in my room and prayed Isha. After that I headed to the parlor with the intention of having a little conversation with Manal only to find her sleeping. Thus, I went and brought a blanket from my room and covered her with it. While sitting in an armchair opposite her and watching how she gently breath, sleep overtook me as well.

In the morning, she woke me up for fajr and asked for a sanitary towel for her menstrual flow, I didn't have a pad in the house so I gave her a clean towel for that. "Thanks" She said and headed to the bathroom to clean herself while I went out to the nearby mosque to pray.

After the prayer, I went back home and guess what? I met Manal cooking breakfast already. "Your kitchen is very dry, Idris. No pepper, no maggi, no onions... Just a carton of Indomie!" She said looking me with her appealing eyes.

"What do you expect from a man that doesn't know how to cook?" I uttered smiling at her.

"But that doesn't mean you..." She was saying when her phone began ringing. "Mtsww" She declined the call. "Why can't they let me be?!"

"Your parents?" I said walking over to her.

"Yes and that brute, Ya Qasim" She huffed.

"But they ought to be worried, remember they don't know where you are and with whom you are, or do they?" I uttered as a matter of fact. 

"No" She said looking away.

"Okey, after breakfast I should take you back. I will try and explain everything to them" I said.

"Okey" She said in what seemed like a whisper.

"Hmm, alright. Let me go and take shower" I said and left the kitchen island to my room.

After taking a warm shower and changing into a jalabiya and a jeans trouser, I met her in the dining table already waiting for me. We ate in silence and eventually drove to her house. I didn't actually went in, she asked me to halt by the gate so I bade her goodbye and watched as she walked in through the gate. It was a big house; a mansion, they seemed to be very rich!

While driving back home, my phone began ringing. It was Aisha, and when I picked the call she told me something that made me to pull over the car by the roadside. "You got a job again? In a private hospital? Wow, I am happy for you dear. Congratulations!" I said.

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