"What's taking him so long?" she asked her self dialing his number for the hundredth time that evening. She was done with the makeup hours ago and her clients have already left but she's here stuck with their grandmother who won't stop blabbing about her son.

"He's a very good boy fa but I don't know how he ended up marrying that slut and since after their divorce, he wouldn't agree to marry again"

Zizi wished she could rip off her heart and reveal the scars to this old woman who wouldn't stop talking about divorce. She needs to see the way her heart breaks at every mention of it.

"You should meet him someday my daughter. You'll get to like him. He's so adorable. " the old woman said adding salt to her injury.

"Could someone be more adorable than her ex husband? He was the definition of everything and the explanation of DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER" she thought. Her phone suddenly began to ring and she couldn't help but make some snoopy dances in her head.

"Thank you Jay for taking forever to come pick me. I'm glad to tell you I've gotten a husband. He's also a divorcee. By the way, where are you?" She said into the phone.

"Azizah!" he said huskily and she froze. She quickly checked the caller ID and to her biggest surprise, it wasn't her Jay but Him. "How dare he call her? " she huffed.

"Are you alright? Is he here to pick you?" the old woman asked. She quickly recovered from her shock and ended the call. Another call came through immediately .

"I'm outside Divorcee" he said then ended the call. She gathered her things and left promising to pay the old woman a visit some day.

"Inform me when you've decided on when to come so I'll inform my son" she said and Azizah simply smiled nodding her head.

Outside, Azizah had to pause and take in few deep breath before she headed to the car. Hearing his voice after all these months birthed a feeling she doesn't know how to describe. It birthed a feeling she has never felt.

Once in the car, she leaned her head on the window and just sat there trying to fight back the memories.

"What's up? " he asked starting the car. She turned and punched him thrice in the arm and chest. "The first one is for taking long to come pick me. The second for rejecting my calls and the third one for... " she paused thinking of the right words to use.

"... for making me pick his call." He couldn't hide the disappointment on his face.

"He called?" he asked removing the sweet from his mouth. She nodded .

"And you picked? " he asked. "This is unbelievable" he added.

"Look Jay! My clients left and I was stuck with their grandmother who kept making attempts to hook me up with her son." she paused panting heavily.

"Wow! So was that why you picked his call so as not to... "

"No Jay! Listen to me. I was calling and you kept rejecting my calls so when a call came through, I picked immediately without bothering to check who it was because I thought it was you."

"Then how is it my fault and why did you have to punch me for it."

She knew not to talk when he's angry and keeps on ranting but she is also very angry at him for putting fault on her and refusing to understand .

"Because you caused it Jay. Had it been you came and picked me on time, then this wouldn't have happened. "

"When will you stop blaming others for your mistakes. Do you think I was relaxed doing nothing all this while?"

She gave no response instead, she grabbed her stuffs and got down from the car.

"I'm in no mood for your childishness Zizi. Get inside the car now."

She walked away and got back into the house switching off her phone. She'll just have to book an uber right away.

She was surprised to find his car parked outside thirty minutes later when she bid farewell to the old woman again. She was glad he wasn't there so she quickly got into the cab and instructed the driver to drive fast.

Jay dialled her number severally but the response was always the same "SWITCHED OFF" He knew he wasn't meant to yell at her the way he did but he was angry. Angry for the fact that she picked his call and blamed him for it. He got down from the car and knocked on the gate.

"Waye? (Who)" the gateman came asking. "Assalamu alaikum Baba" he said stretching his hand out for a handshake. "Waalaikumus Salam. Sannu Mallam"

"Uhm Baba I came to pick my sister but her phone is switched off. So I was wondering if... "

"Who's your sister. The painter?" the old man asked revealing his kolanut stained teeth. "Painter?" Jay asked.

"Eh mana. Isn't she the one that painted Fatima and her sister's face? I keep wondering why they do that."

Jay let out a chuckle. "It's makeup Baba. And they do it to look beautiful. "

"Kayya! Better than the beauty Allah gave them. Let me go and check on her"

He turned and walked towards the building. He came back fee minutes later. "No one answered. They should be praying I guess. Let's also pray before then"

He waited in his car after Maghrib while the gateman went in to check on her. " I was told she has left." he heard the old man say. He hesitated before thanking the old man and left after giving him some 'Kudin Goro' (money for Kola nut).

Meanwhile, Tahir sat at the edge of his king sized bed with his phone in his hands. His heart was drumming in his chest as his whole body shook. He wanted to dial her number again but was afraid of the outcome.

He closed his eyes as images of her kept running in his mind. Her priceless smiles, her beautiful eyes and the glitters in them.

Oh how much he missed her. This is the first time he's hearing her voice after seven dreadful months full of nothing but regrets.

"Thank you Jay for taking forever to come pick me. I'm glad to tell you I've gotten a husband. He's also a divorcee. By the way, where are you?" Her words came echoing in his ears.

"A husband and also a divorcee?" he huffed. Does that mean she no longer loves him and is ready to go into another man's house? And Jay? Only God knows how much he hates him and his guts.

"I have to do something sooner or later before I loose her." he reminded himself thinking of possible ways to make her his again.

**

"Open this damn door Zizi!" he yelled. He has been knocking for over thirty minutes and she refused to say a word to him talk less of letting him in.

"Leave her alone Jafar. You know how she can be at times."

"Ammie she's angry just because I questioned her angrily for picking his call."

"Who's the HE?" she asked.

"Her ex husband Ammie. He has been sending her text messages and now he has upgraded to the calling level."

"Just leave her Jafar. Azizah is no child any longer. It's like what she went through in his house isn't enough for her." she spoke angrily.

"If she likes she should leave for his house right now. The door is opened and please don't bother yourself with her. Oya start going home now or do you want to pass the night here? "

"No Ammie. I'll leave right away. Jam Wala (Good night). He left regretting why he told Ammie what happened. Now Zizi has a reason to be mad at him.

"I was hoping you would break that door so I would break your nose." Abdul said punching him in the chest.

"For goodness sake Abdul, we're now grown ups" he said groaning.

"You and Zizi are still yet to grow. I'm just coming from your house and Mama said you weren't around. She guessed you will be here "

"Awww. I'm glad you checked on me. How's Anty Zainab and the kids?"

"That's none of your business. Go and start a family and stop playing around." Jafar rolled his eyes.

"I am waiting for Aisha your daughter to grow up a little before I can.... " He wasn't caught by surprise. He expected it to happen. He received two punches in the arms.

"Remember how I used to deal with you when we were kids. I'm still capable of doing it now. "

Jafar chuckled softly remembering how Abdul made his childhood a negatively memorable one.

Who's Jay?
Who's Azizah?
Who's Tahir?
Who's ABDUL?
And who's EVERYONE.

Stay tuned for the next chapter.

P. S There's going lot of flashbacks and the date which will be at the beginning of every chapter is going to serve as a hint.

Enjoy 🍷 🍿