I woke up in a bad mood today because mother nature decided to visit me. On normal circumstances, I snap almost all the time talk less this time of the month, when I have a good reason to be in a bad mood and grumpy. I honestly don't know how I keep up with those girls and their mother.

As I groaned and grumbled, I got ready for work without waking my mom and sister. I wish I could just curl like a ball and stay in bed, sadly I didn't have that luxury. I dragged my feet to my workplace. I was walking, carefully and slowly might I add, when someone bumped into me. "Can't you see where you are going?" I snapped at the guy. See what I'm saying.

He just looked at me with an amused smile. "What's funny?" I snapped again. The hell? He's so annoying.

"You're a feisty little thing aren't you? What's your name?"

"That's none of your business." I hissed and continued walking. I dislike people like him, obnoxious brat. Hmm!!!

I pushed the gate opened and noticed all the cars aren't present. Thank God! Because I can't deal with those spoilt brats right now, I might slap a sister I swear.

"Yawwa Jiddarh, dauki abincin nan ki kai wa karamin Alhaji; carry this food and take it to the young master," Inna instructed the minute I entered the kitchen. The eldest son and only male child of the house came back yesterday.

"Toh Inna." I sighed. He can't even come and carry his food. I mentally rolled my eyes, they're nothing but a bunch of spoilt brats. Don't come at me, I'm just in a bad mood. You girls will understand.

I knocked on the door and waited for a while but there was no answer. So I just barged in and saw a guy walking out of the room. I didn't bother looking at him, so I didn't see his face. I just kept the food and walked out. I went back to the main house and started my chores.

All-day my stomach has been twisting unbearably. I've been doing karfin hali. It reduced a bit when Inna gave me a remedy tho.

"Keh Jiddarh!" I heard Lubna's annoying voice. I hate how she always says 'keh' before calling my name as if I'm an object.

I mentality groaned and rolled my eyes. "Yes?" I asked in a monotone. I'm not in the mood for her stupidity at all.

"Why is our room not cleaned? Do you know how embarrassed I felt when I brought my friends home today?!" She shot, giving me a dirty look.

Someone should hold me before I rearrange her face. If not, oh so help me God.

"Why didn't you tidy up your room yourself"? I'm so tired right now, I can't even keep up with the nice facade.

"How dare y—"

I didn't even bother listening to her because she'll annoy me more and I will not be responsible for my action.

Hajiya and Alhaji have traveled, I just have Lubna and Hajara to annoy me. The joy!! Note the sarcasm. But it also means that I don't have to stay long, Hajiya is the one that normally asks me to stay back because I quote 'she might need me' since she's not here I can go back as early as two pm, to spend time with my family. Especially, my sister, I don't get to spend time with her.

I finished my work in a flash, and I was already saying goodbye to Inna.

I made it back home at the same time as Rumana. "Ya Jiddarh you're back early. Good afternoon." She greeted cheerfully. "Afternoon Ruu. How was school?"

"It was fine but I'm very tired." She whined. I laughed and helped her with her backpack. I draped an arm around her shoulder as we walked inside. Our house is a simple two-bedroom, one toilet, a small living room, and a kitchen outside with a small tsakar gida. More than enough for us.

We moved here after he left because he sold his house. We would have moved anyway because I don't want us to be indebted to him in any way.

"Assalamu Alaikum." Rumana and I chorused. "Wa'alaikumus salam my daughters," Umma answered merrily. She engulfs both of us in her warm soothing embrace.

"Good afternoon Umma." Rumana and I chorused again.

"Afternoon my babies." She smiled and we sauntered to her and Rumana's room. And I use the other. We talked about our day as we ate food from the same plate.

"Uhm Jiddarh, since today is Friday why don't you visit your grandparents."

"Ummmaaa...." I started to protest.

"Don't Umma me," she reprimanded sternly. "Jiddarh they are your grandparents whether you like it or not. You cannot punish the flower because the thorn pricked you. Plus even they don't know where he is."

"Fine." I sighed dejectedly. I hate it when she's right.

I haven't visited my paternal grandparents for a long time. I just can't, I mean every Friday my Dad and I use to visit them and it became a painful memory so I avoid it as much as I can.

I told Rumana to change her clothes as I also went to change mine. I was now dressed in a simple A-shaped gown. We bid goodbye to Umma and head out.

Our grandparents' house is quite far, we'll need a taxi. And it'll be kinda hard to get one now since they're all returning from the masjid now. I mentally sighed. Why did I agree to this again? The sun is unbearable too. We were staying by the roadside waiting for a taxi when a car parked in front of us. The window is tinted so I can't see who's inside. I sighed and looked away. People seem to be testing my patience today. The windows rolled down and revealed the guy that I bumped into today. Oh great!

"Feisty, hey!! We meet again." I ignored him completely, not even acknowledging his presence.

"So where are you going?" But he doesn't give up, does he? "I can drop you off." He offered.

No matter how tempting his offer seems, there's no way I'm accepting it so I dragged Rumana away.

"Ya Jiddarh, who is he?" Rumana asked curiously.

"I don't know." I shrugged.

"Well, he's following us." She stated.

I hissed under my breath. Okay, Jiddarh ignore him, if you ignore him he'll go away.

"Hey, feisty wait up." He yelled as he jogged to catch up with us.

Urrrgggghhh!! He's dragging attention.

"You should tell me your name so that I'll stop calling you feisty."

Ignore him Jiddarh, ignore him.

"Hey, little girl, what's your sister's name?" He asked Rumana. He's now walking in line with us. I can't walk that fast because of Ruu plus he's tall, he has long legs.

"I'm not a little girl." I tightened my hold to tell her to stop talking.

"Okay big girl! Can you tell me what you call your sister?"

"Yaya, I call her Yaya or sometimes Adda." She replied cheekily. I mentally chuckled. I have to agree that was a good one.

He sighed. "Okay, what does your mother call her?"

"Simple. She calls her my daughter."

I couldn't help but laugh under my breath. My sister is so sly.

"Smart pants," he grumbled. "well since you won't tell me your names, I'll tell you mine. My name is Mas'ud."

Obnoxious finally has a name. Mas'ud.

Mas'ud! Ugh, why does his name have as beautiful as him?

What the?!! The Hell?! Okay, that wasn't me. It wasn't. It can't be.

I decided to stop maybe we can get an adaidaita here. I hope so.

"Is your sister usually this quite?"

"No, just when she's with people she doesn't like. I'm her sister, she loves me so I'm gonna say it's you."

The hell? When did her mouth get this sharp?

Even Mas'ud was a bit surprised. "Okay ouch! That was mean. Are you gonna let her be mean to me?"

I turned to look at him for the first time like really look at him.

He has a well-sculpted face. With a chiseled jaw, a pointed nose, a pair of twinkling orbs with lashes that are too long to belong to a man, his mouth the right size, not too big not too small, just right. He looks soft too. But what really gets to you is the soft, almost goofy smile adorning his lips. Are that dimples?

I just shrugged and stopped two rickshaws but none of them stopped.

"Where are you going smart pants?" He asked Rumana.

"To our grandparents."

"I was serious when I said I'll drop you off," Mas'ud said in a serious tone. "Let me quickly get the car." He stated while turning around.

"That won't be necessary," I say, finally talking to him.

He turned back quickly. "You talked," he exclaimed as if I was a mute talking after years. "I got to hear your melodious voice, I have to say it's sweeter when you're not snapping at me."

Very flattering. I rolled my eyes.

"Lemme stop a rickshaw for you." And he did.

"Thank you," I said to him as we entered.

"You're welcome," he smiled. "bye big girl," he waved at Rumana. "It's Rumana," she smiled. "my name is Rumana."

He grinned, like actually grinned showing his teeth. "Rumana, what a beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

Boys and their way with words.

"Saura ke Hajiya. I'll know your name, I promise."

I just rolled my eyes.

"Ya Jiddarh who is he?" Rumana asked after we hit the road. "I already told you I do not know him Rumana." I sighed. "He's funny tho." She grinned. I scoffed. "Yeah warrever."

:::::::::::

The house is still the same as the last time a visited, which I honestly cannot remember. We head inside and met our grandparents sitting down on a mat.

"Ga su Rumana, ga su Rumana." Grandmom sang merrily. She pulled us in for a hug. After we pulled away, we turned to grandad.

"You've forgotten about these old people right?" Though he said it playfully, I still felt bad.

Umma was right, I can't punish them for the mistake they didn't commit. I wasn't the only person that lost someone, they also lost their son, their eldest son.

"I've been busy Dada, but in sha Allah we'll visit more."

"Haka nake so inji Hauwa'u. God bless you."

"Ameen," I replied smiling.

"You're still working Hauwa?" Dada asked a bit sternly. He never liked the fact that I was working. He was willing to support us.

But he couldn't support us forever, could he? No matter what one day he'll get tired. We cannot rely completely on him.

Umma was an only child, her parents recently passed away. And not up to a year later he packed everything and left when he knows that he's the only family she has left. That makes me hate him more, when she, we needed him the most, he left, just left.

We left at around 5 pm tho grandma insisted that we stay, but we couldn't Umma is all alone besides I have to go work early in the morning. I did promise to send Rumana to spend the weekend with them. My mom was right I shouldn't let what happened to affect our relationship because they are honestly the best grandparents you could ever ask for.

That night I went to bed wondering what would have happened if he had not left. What if... Under this facade is a girl who misses her father. I hold on tightly to the anger, hatred, grudge whatever it is to hide how I truly feel. But the truth is that I miss my Dad. He was with me through everything, 'Abba' was my first word, he was there when I took my first step, lift me whenever I fell, he was my biggest supporter. He was my Dad for fourteen years before Ruu was born, I was the definition of Daddy's girl. We didn't live in luxury, it was far from that, very far. There were times we starved for days with little to no food because the market was low, but all that didn't matter because my family was complete and we were content, or so I thought.

I can't wrap my head around why he did what he did. He and Umma were very much in love, I was trying to be the best daughter by making him proud, his family, friends everyone was with him, so why? Just why?

I know no matter how many times I ask myself I can never answer the question.

Why Abba? Why did you leave me Abba?

Why did you leave Abba?😭😭💔💔

Your guesses?! Leave them in the comment box.

And what's the deal with this Mas'ud? Pronounced as Mass-ood

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See you in the next chapter, in sha Allah💕💕

Don't forget to protect yourself
Wash your hands frequently
Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose
Avoid crowded places
Stay at home!

Yours truly
Memzyb✨🌹