No one's POV

RUKKAYAH FINISHED BATHING her son Abdul when her husband entered the house,the poor man was so tired and sat on the sofa rubbing his temples

"Go and wear your cloth"Rukkayah told her son who nodded going inside the room,she came over to sit with her husband who was busy groaning like he was in lot of thoughts

"What's wrong my dear?"she asked holding her husband hand with her eyes full of worries

"The customs seized my goods Rukkayah,I spent all I had in those goods and right now we are going broke,how will I take care of my family"Suleiman said rubbing his temples the more

"Subhana Allah!"Rukkayah said covering her mouth "what are you going to do now?"she asked

"I don't know,I'm confused really"Suleiman replied his wife "I know someone maybe he might help me get my goods back"He added standing up leaving his wife in the sitting room

***************

Suleiman tried to get his goods back and all effort went to waste,he spent the last money he had and became broke,he couldn't feed his family,pay his children school fees and everything was getting worst so he decided to meet his friends for help

"Khashim you have to help me,things are getting bad for me,Aishah is writing her common entrance soon and I don't have money to pay for her fees, Qadeerah is writing her Junior WAEC too so you see things are cumbersome for me and we rarely eat three square meal daily"Suleiman said rubbing his hand on his head

"This is bad Suleiman,I never thought a day will come and you will be looking for money to do your responsibilities,you were a man who usually help people not seeking help from people and it just too bad I don't have enough to help you"Khashim said and sadness overwhelmed Suleiman

"There's no way you can help me Khashim? I don't care if it's loan I will try my best to pay later,I promise please I can't have my children stop going to school"he begged with desperation

"Hmmm!" Khashim said rubbing his beards when suddenly idea flicked in his head "there is this wealthy man known and called Mr Kandiri,he normally gives out loan with interest,I can take you to meet his friend who is also a friend of mine"

"Really?"Suleiman beamed with joy "thank you so much I will be so grateful"

"Ok then,you can come back tomorrow after I have talk with his friend"

"Thank you so much"Suleiman said leaving his friend's house

The following day came as expected and Suleiman went to meet his friend Khashim who lead him to Mr Kandiri's friend

"Are you sure you will be able to pay this money?"Mr Ismail asked

"Insha Allah by the special grace of Allah I will be able to"Suleiman said

"I'm asking you this because Rasheed is not someone to play with his money,he will do anything to take his money back from you"Mr Ismail warned

"I will be able to pay back"Suleiman said with so much determination

The trio left Ismail's house heading to Mr Kandiri's house,the gate man opened the gate for them ushering them inside the house

They sat at the sitting room and waited for few minutes before Mr Kandiri joined them,they exchanged pleasantries and settle down

"Like we talked yesterday,this friend of mine told me about his friend who need someone to lend him money because he had a set back on his business"Mr Ismail said

"You're the one that need the money"Mr Kandiri asked Suleiman

"Yes sir"He replied

"What business do you do?"Mr Kandiri asked

"I import rice from other countries to Nigeria and sell to wholesalers and retailers"Mr Suleiman replied

"What happened to your capital?"Mr Kandiri asked

"My goods was seized and I invested twenty million on the rice importation"Suleiman replied

"Twenty million?"Mr Kandiri asked rubbing his beards "imagine you have ten million now what business will you venture into"

"I was thinking of changing business too because rice importation is risky in Nigeria,I think if I have a capital worth of ten million I will start going to Dubai to buy Abayas,veils,shoes and jewelry to sell in Nigeria"Suleiman said and Mr Kandiri nodded

"I will loan you ten million with an interest of ten percent and you are meant to pay everything in one and a half year"

Suleiman was quiet for awhile thinking about the deal then he suddenly nodded in agreement

"I agree to that"he said and Mr Kandiri nodded standing up,he came back with a file signing and asking Suleiman to sign too giving him a copy

Suleiman was so happy that he finally had something to start from again,he decided to thank Mr Kandiri by inviting him for dinner in his house which he accepted to come

*******

Suleiman went back home to meet his wife and children sitting in the sitting room,his children stood up and ran to hug him while he smiled broadly giving them the snacks he bought for them

"Qadirah take it inside and share with your siblings"Qadirah nodded dragging her siblings along leaving her parents in the sitting room

"My love you seem happy this afternoon"Rukkayah said and her husband laughed taking his wife's hand

"Something good happened Rukkayah,I talked with my friend Khashim about our present problem and he introduced me to a man who was ready to help me"

"Help you?"Rukkayah asked looking confused

"Yes,he is a wealthy man and he decided to loan me ten million Rukkayah"he chuckles happily "we have something to start from again,this time around we will build our family again"

"You're going back to rice business? That risky business"Rukkayah asked

"No my love,I changed my mind I was thinking of opening a big shop and start abaya business"

"You're not joking right?"Rukkayah asked carefully

"I wouldn't dare joke with something like this" Rukkayah look at her husband for awhile before bursting out laughing happily and hug her husband

"Alhamdulillah ya Allah you're so wonderful,how are you going to pay?"she asked

"He gives me a maximum of a year and a half to clear the debt with ten percent interest,so I did some calculations and decided I will be giving him five hundred thousand every month even if I'm not able to cover the loan within that specific time I will beg him to add another six months"Suleiman said

"Do you think this business will be that profitable for you to pay five hundred thousand every month?"his wife asked

"I'm not using all the money to start abaya business though that's what I told him,I'm going to continue the rice business in small scale then add another business to it"

"That's a nice idea"Rukkayah said shaking her head thoughtfully

"So get ready and prepare a sumptuous dinner because I invited the man to have dinner with us,I wanted to show him how grateful I am"Suleiman said standing up

******

It was evening and Rukkayah succeeded in preparing exact food her husband wanted with the help of her first child Qadeerah,Mr Kandiri came not long after and Suleiman went to welcome him bringing him to the dining room

Rukkayah and her daughter has finished wrapping everything up in the kitchen and brought the food to the dining room,Aishah and her younger brother sat on the dining room too waiting for their mom to serve them food

Rukkayah look up to see Mr Kandiri and realisation hits her immediately,she pretended like she didn't know him and continue serving the food

She sat down beside her husband, Suleiman decided to introduce her family to Mr Kandiri

"Thanks for coming sir I appreciate"he said smiling at Mr Kandiri who smiled back pretending like Rukkayah was doing "this is my wife Rukkayah"Suleiman said gesturing to his wife "my children Qadirah,Aishah and AbdulSamad"

"You have a wonderful family"Mr Kandiri said and Suleiman nodded in agreement, Rukkayah gave him a curt greeting followed by their children as they ate in silent

Rukkayah will peak time to time to see Mr Kandiri and verse versa,Mr Kandiri decided to break the silence

"You have a lovely wife here,how did you met?"he asked

"Oh she's my distant cousin and our parents decided to get us married"Suleiman said looking at his wife with eyes full of love and adoration

"That's wonderful"Mr Kandiri replied and Rukkayah lost her appetite,Her husband excused himself going ahead to use the bathroom

Rukkayah felt suffocated staying in the room with Mr Kandiri without the presence of her husband,she stood up and went to the kitchen,she placed her hand on the kitchen island with her head down as she breathed heavily

She suddenly jolt when a hand touched her shoulder

"Rukkayah"Mr Kandiri called and she slowly turn with her chest going up and down

"Rasheed"she replied looking away

"So you left me because of him,right? Telling me you need to get your head straight not knowing you were with another man"Mr Kandiri said with an accusing gaze

"You know why I left Rasheed,you are into dirty business and I told you I don't love illegal things I can't build a family with a man who can do anything to raise money, Suleiman doesn't have anything to do with why I left you and please it's been fifteen years now,you have to let go we weren't made to be"Rukkayah said

"Let go? When I spent all those years thinking about you,when I spent all those years building my empire for you, Rukkayah come back to me I promise to take good care of your children"

"I'm happy with my family Rasheed,I can't leave my husband for anything in this world,he is everything I ever asked for and I love him"

"You told me you love me too"

"That was then Rasheed,you should put this behind you and move on with your life,I have my life too now"

"Look at that your girl Qadirah that looks like you,you suppose to give me a baby like that,you promised to give me a baby that look like you"he said grabbing Rukkayah's hand

"That was when we were in love Rasheed not anymore"

"You promised never to leave me"he said almost digging his fingers in Rukkayah's hand

"You never did things to make me stay"Rukkayah said releasing her hand from his grabs walking away

"I won't let this go easily"Mr Kandiri said stopping her

"You have to Rasheed"

*********

"My love I think you shouldn't loan this money, I have a bad feeling things can go wrong"Rukkayah told her husband when they were in bed about to sleep after having the dinner with Mr Kandiri

"Nothing can go wrong love,let's sleep"

"Everything can go wrong"

"Sleep wife and don't try changing my mind because nothing can change my mind"Suleiman said switching off the light and Rukkayah knows that she can't do anything to stop her husband because it seems his mind is already made up