Life was a ball kaleidoscopic phenomenon, prone to evolving the most drastic change within the shortest time. Life was uncertain; a point where periwinkle sprout from could be the sprouting point of peony in the next phase.
These aphorisms resonated with Damon, as he sat at the back seat of a cab, thinking of the hole they lived in, with his wife and children and the difficulties in meeting their needs.

Just like yesterday, she had been this rich, spoilt girl, who drove Ferraris and Lamborghinis, wore the most expensive clothes, and ate the best food. Now, he had to struggle hard, to provide food, clothes and general welfare.
But she never showed a scintilla of perturbation. All she wanted was to be with him and the children, to have peace and live in it, to have the chance to take care of him and the children.

After they survived the earthquake, and escaped, they were forced to sleep at the back of the truck that day. They had no food, clothes, blanket. All they had was zilch. He had to sneak into the city to sell his wristwatch to get food and blanket.
Then the next day, he sold the truck. It had no papers so the men of the underworld bought it and at a very cheap price because they thought it was a stolen car.

With the money, they got to rent a two-room cabin, bought food, a few clothes and some savings for contingency.
But Alicia still looked ravishing, breathtaking in cheap clothes and less make up. She kept reminding him that being alive, after all they had gone through was a gift and there was no need brooding over material things.

The cab stopped and he alighted, made sure no one was following him before he walked into a small snack bar, which happened to be the venue of his rendezvous with Jack. He saw Jack taking a big bite of burgers as he sat at a table at a corner .
Damon joined him.

" They got good burgers, buddy." Jack said as he munched. " I bet you won't regret it. On me"

Damon could not refuse the offer.
An order was made and he started eating too.

" From what Pliers told us,” Jack began, “the machine must be close to a RTQ mast. This mast uploads the activating radiator and transported via radio waves to the detonator. I had to contact a friend of mine. He works in the Satellite tracking system department of FBI.
We can't do this alone. I got him to check where the RTQs are located. We got about six hundred of them in the world and no single one in Africa. That means it is not in Nigeria. Only fifty are owned by private firms and one of the firms is Perleys Electricals............ a company owned by Mrs Grace Grants, Mr Grant's mother."

That was news!

" So I got the place on watch." He went on . " The old woman was in there, a few minutes before the Colorado earthquake. She was also caught on camera a few minutes before the Miami disaster. Each time she goes into the planetarium, there is a quake. Dude, I believe everything you have been saying but sometimes the law is a bitch."

Damon finished the burgers and sipped beer.

" I got only a few officers willing to take the risk of working with me. So, we got to find a way to get into this planetarium and the way it is, you are the only who knows how we can get the chip out safely." He twitched his lips. " It is your perquisite to do that. We will be with you. The world is yours to save."

" So, how do we get there?"

" I got Mike, my satellite crony at our back. He will give us live info. I got two FBI agents willing to be on the field with us. We all know what is at stake. This could put us away for a long time but someone has to do something. Are you in?"

"Sure." Damon said. It was not pertinent to be pusillanimous this time. These people had to be stopped. The world was been subjected to slavery and perplexity while the oblivious caboodle lived in a cloud cuckoo land .
He needed a free life for his family, the rest of the world and save the world from losing lives and two point five trillion dollars in every two years.

Jack raised his phone and said, "He's in. Set to move. Alert the men within the perimeter."
He then spent the next ten minutes briefing Damon on how they were going about it.
There was a black coloured Ford waiting outside with two agents inside. The middle aged man behind the wheel was introduced to be Agent Matt while the lanky one was Agent victor but preferred to be called Vic.
Damon was pleased to meet them. Jack handed a fully loaded pistol to Damon.

" Can you handle her?" He asked. Damon nodded.

" Good. It's a go."

The car was set in motion.
They arrived a street before the factory at exactly two minutes to 8:00PM. Matt pulled up the car and Jack gave Damon a tiny earpiece, which he fixed, and hand gloves to avoid fingerprints.

" This is Detective Jack, over."

" Greens." A man said from the other end. " Receiving loud and clear. The perimeter is guarded and a few ambulatory motions are can be detected, probably workers."

"Copy that." Jack said.

" There are two guards by the entrance." Said the man whom Damon learnt was called Johnny. " They move up and down. They are armed."

" Copy that. It's a go."

Johnny was the Satellite tracking system agent. Jack said into his mouthpiece, " Okay, Rene, are you red?"

A female voice replied, " red."

" Good. Two obstacles at the gate, armed. I got your back. It's a green."

" Green. Copy that."She said

From where they hid, Damon sighted the silhouetted figure of a tall, slim girl dressed in skimpy shiny dress. She was walking coquettishly, swaying her tiny waist and small neatly packed fannies towards the gate.
Damon and Jack were by the wall, sneaking towards the gate. They paused , the murky part gave them a cover. The two guards saw her and they got alert.
But her firm breasts and swaying hips was intimidating, overwhelming and charming. Men!

" Hello handsome, I hear you fix things here." She said, chewing bubble gum and forming bubbles, " I got my gadgets all messed up and my washing machine won't function, I got some wires mixed up and my vibrator, I mean the Love Machine machine nearly got me out. The current kind of sucks. And I hate the manual...."

The mention of vibrator and Love Machine got ideas into their heads. There was a change of expression on their faces.

" We don't fix such here but we fix other things." One of the guards said with a roguish grin, his tongue sticking out, while his hand went into his pocket to adjust the bulge that swelled.

" Hey, no flirting," she licked her lips, " I need to talk to the instructors or technicians. And what's that bulge I see?"

" Why not figure it out yourself? Daddy got some lollypop for baby."

" You are dirty, " she said , " and I love dirt."

They used the chance to vault over the fence and then ran and leaned against the wall of a building.

" Done." Jack said and she heard.

" Ohhh, I can't handle you both ." She said and withdrew, " I'm not some kind of IndecentStar."

" It's about me, babe." The one with the bulge said.

" Hey, dude, you got a girlfriend." The second one said.

" This is not about girlfriend."

She turned and began to walk away. “ I am out of here. Maybe next time.”

The two men gaped at her as she disappeared.


" Go left and be quick." Johnny said, " you have about thirty seconds to do that."

" Copy that." Jack said.

They ran through an ambulatory part bedecked with flowers, saw two men coming, hid behind a can and then moved on until they got to the planetarium. By it's side was a two hundred foot high RTQ mast.
This may be the structure being used to cause mayhem in the world. They hid and watched. The planetarium was guided by one gunman. He was sitting and smoking a cigarette, while he whistled tunelessly.

" Getting in through the door might be impossible." Johnny said. "You either get him out or find a way of breaking through."

"Getting him out may raise alarm." Jack said. " But let's see."

Jack studied the place, thought of something then he nodded.

" Come on," he whispered and they ran to the back of the planetarium. He brought out a small equipment which was a mini drone. Using a remote control, he sent it up, watching via a monitor on the remote control.
He began to unscrew some wall nuts, drilling and dismantling until he was satisfied. A hole was made.

" I don't know if you can do this," he whispered, "but we must climb up to go in through that hole."

Damon looked up then grinned. He jumped and grabbed a pole, pulled himself up nimbly and got on a short sill. He looked up, sprang up, grabbed another pole and pulled himself up and slipped in through the hole.

Jack was astonished by the nimble and professional act. He joined Damon but not as smoothly as Damon did it. Jack gave an astonishing look.

"Stunting was my job." Damon said .

" Whoa! That was something, buddy."

Like cats, they landed silently and found themselves in a large sophisticated hall with various electrical machines. This was not the target.
They went out and began rummaging through until they arrived a big hall with just one machine, looking like a power control panel.
The hall was all white, and walls made of shiny ceramics and probably soundproof. The machine was placed at the middle, while two armchairs were carefully placed close to the wall.
There were piles of boxes at one side, containing only-God-knows-what.

" This is our place." Damon whispered. " That's the beast."

" Then we have to be fast." Jack whispered.

Damon nodded and set to action. He tried to picture what Pliers had told him. The chip, he said, was placed in the brainbox which was at the mainframe slot. Whatever that meant.
He began to search, then saw a red button below a slot. There were buttons which meant a code was needed. Damn! A code? He looked through again then another slot. He instinctively pushed a finger into tiny hole and pushed.

Pak!
The slot was opened and a small diskette was ejected, He removed it and put it back, it then began to blink. He turned it off.
Then he put it on again, waited as it kept blinking then a blue light showed and a sound told him that the mainframe had been opened.

Bingo!

He quickly checked, and saw complicated electrical parts, but a look told him the green panelled coloured chip was what he wanted. He tried to pull it but failed. He looked carefully then saw that it had clips and pins. He meticulously removed it and sighed.

" Better leave, someone is on his way." Johnny said in a ferment." And he is damn close."

“She is getting married to someone else.” Derrick said. “Not the guy you thought.”

Kamal frowned.

“Not Adam?”

Derrick nodded.

They have being investigating. There is a new theory about the man with the mask every girl who escaped that day was talking about. They suspected the man to be part of them but fell apart or had a new sect. They dug into Jahl’s past. He was an electrician and follower of their former leader. He abandoned his family and vanished, saying he was going to work for God.
Getting Jahl was not going to be easy but they felt they should find out who the man with the mask was.

“I want to know why he did not let Leena go with the other girls. I want to know who is getting married to her.”

“That is an interesting one. He is called Muhammad Manga. He just got a job with Guttez Electrical Company. It is a German company and there is something interesting about him.”

“What?”

“He just recovered his credentials which got missing five about five years ago.”

“You mean he did not try to recover it all these years?”

“The court records did not show that.”

“What do you think?”

“A lot of the insurgents tore their certificates back then. Why did it take him so long? Did he feel a sudden need for it? Did he not need it all these while?”

“I get it. Maybe he found something that made him need it now. Something like a wife.”

“Just a guess.”

“We need to find out more about him.”

“We tried.” Derrick said. “He is a native of Kano. He lived and worked there until he disappeared.”

“Disappeared?”

“Well, he was fired after he was kidnapped along with a colleague. The boss did not like them so he took a shot at them. The lady got another job but he never got a job.”

“Do you know where the lady is now?”

“She got divorced for undisclosed reasons. The husband took custody of the children. She left the country.”

“What about Manga?”

“A vacuum is created. Not seen since 2007 and just appeared here to start a job and get married….to Leena.”

“Leena who ought to have been married to Adam.”

“He is getting married to her best friend.”

“What?”

“And Leena is cool with it. In fact, they remain best of friends with both Adam and The girl. From what I hear, they would get married the same day.’

“What is going on? Okay, I want us to find out more about Manga.”

“Yes, but with tactics. We have nothing on him now.”

“I know right.” Kamal rubbed his face. “I will handle him. When is the wedding taking place?”

“Friday. Just two days from now.”

“I guess they have a new guest.”





Adam had built his house and it was magnificent. Haneefa was excited and exhilarated. Mufty could not afford to build a house but was given an official quarters which was a duplex.
There were two bedrooms and a living-room upstairs, two bedrooms and a large living-room downstairs, three toilets, a kitchenette, a storeroom, a laundry and a courtyard.
This house could have cost him over a million naira to rent. For the first time, he appreciated the culture of having girls bring furniture to the house because he could not afford them. He had just five million naira. If he had rented the house and furnished it, what would be left to do other things?

But he bought some gadgets, and fairly furnished the living-room upstairs.
Leena was the only daughter and the mother would not let her only daughter go like that. A lot of money was spent on her furniture, utensils, and other household items.
Leena, her mother and two of her friends had gone to inspect the house. They were impressed. Manga had repainted it. He used stucco and satin to cover the emulsion paint that was used before. The front was painted with Trabachino.

Leena loved the house. The estate had Nigerians and Germans as the main occupants. It was just two more days to be with the love of her life.
Later in the evening, Manga went to her house. He had been given an official car which was a Toyota Camry. He had not bought a car yet.
That was not on his top list of scale of preference. He wanted the wedding to be relatively okay, and now that he had a job, he could take care of her and buy a car later. Besides, the official car had no company name written o it.
He remembered an hadith (sayings of the prophet) that said, if you get the chance of acquiring something through haram (forbidden) and leave it for the fear of Allah, you would get it through halal (lawful).

He had the chance of sleeping with her in the camp, in the name of an invalid marriage.
But he desisted. Now, she was going to be his; given to him by Allah with the consent and approval of her parents.

“I love the house.” She said.

“You amaze me. Adam built a mansion but you still feel very happy with an official quarters.”

“I forbid you to say that again. I do not compare. I don’t care where we live so far it is with you. Besides, that is a duplex dude. Who said I was looking for a readymade man? I want us to grow together. A humble beginning, it is called.”

“I am very lucky, Leena. I am sorry I am not going to call you any pet name because I feel your name is the sweetest in the world. I so love the name.”

“Awwnn, thank you. That reminds me, as a traditional northern girl, I have to stop calling you Manga.”

“You just did.”

“Manga, Manga, Manga, Manga, Manga….”

“What is happening here?”

“I have two more days to enjoy calling you that. Let me not waste any second.”

He laughed.

“I don’t mind if you call me by my name.”

“I can’t.”

“So what is my new name?”

“Have you bought a ram? We have to organize a naming ceremony, so I won’t let that out now.”

“Hmm….I will wait.”

“You got no choice.”

“Leena.”

“Na’am.” She said and laughed.

“What is funny?”

“The way you called reminded me of the day the parents gathered the children.”

Mufty laughed.

“They will be like, Leena, and I will be like, na’am. My heart will be thumbing. I wish you were there. It was Adam I pitied most, plus his father was the most harsh. He began by praying for Africa. The guy was ready to start a sermon when the father cut in, said ameen, and asked him to talk.”

“Nah! Thank God I was not there. Six parents in a conference, phew!”

“You called me….”

“Yeah. I just wanted to ask if this is all for real? I mean we are just two days away from our day.”

“That is the same thing Haneefa has been asking me. The problem is I feel the same way. It is even worse now that people have started coming. And I am like, is this real? I’m I really getting married?”

“You are a blessing to me. You are a cleanser, making my heart and soul pure.”

“You came to open the vista of love to me. You showed me what real happiness means. I just hope we live happily.”

“Peace be upon you.” A new voice emerged.

Mufty turned to see Captain Kamal, dressed in mufti.

“I guess this is your wonderful bridegroom.” He said with a smile.

Mufti recognised him, and his professionalism told him this was not just a courtesy visit.

“Yes, Uncle Kamal.” Leena said.

Kamal offered a hand and Mufty shook it.

“I am glad to meet you. I am Kamal.”

“Glad to meet you too.” Mufty lied. “Muhammad Manga.”

The two men looked at each other.

“I came to see your father. I am angry I was not invited.” He said.

“That is one thing with such things. You will always offend some people. On behalf of the Idris family, I apologise.”

“It is okay.”

“How is the baby doing?”

“He is fine.”

“Good. Can you please tell them that I am around?”

“Sure.” She said. “Come with me.”

“No. Just go tell them first. He may be busy.”

She left and went in.

Mufty was left with Kamal.

Born2Breed:
If you have not bought this book, then you are missing a lot.

Married To A Fink is must read.

Thank you

smokeydrinky:

I sent a mail since too. No reply

I am sorry about this please. It seems many mails weren't delivered. Kindly resend the mail.

mirob:


Have not seen it

Hello. Have you seen it now?

Tweetyyy:
Sokodobo reply My mail you or Ahmed

Replied. Thanks

mirob:


Hello, have you sent the book?

Yes. Thank you.

THIRTY

“ What is this all about?” Nadia asked, realising that her heart thumbing, wondering what was going on.

“ The shari’a court says our marriage is invalid that Lawal is your rightful husband.”

“Nonsense! Nonsense! This is ridiculous.”

“Yes, but this is from the court. What game are they playing?”

Nadia began to shiver in anger and fear. Who was trying to spoil her joy? What did she do to deserve this? She was just twenty four and they want to send her hypertensive.

“ Lawal is definitely behind this! That swine.”

Jamil closed the front door and went back. They were just having fun before they were told about the visitor. He just came to destroy their good time.
Nadia picked her phone.

“ I don’t have his number.” She lamented. “I deleted it. Now I want to talk to him.”

“ I have it.” Jamil said. “I saved it the other day.”

He gave the number to her and she called him at once.

“ Lawal what is the meaning of this?” she asked angrily.

“I need you to calm down and listen to me.”

“ What do you mean by calm down? What on earth do you want from me?”

“I won’t talk if you don’t calm down. I understand what you going through but I need you to relax and listen to me. By the time I explain the whole thing for you, you will understand.”

Jamil gesticulated to her to calm and listen to him.

“I am Listening to you.”

“Good. We are all Muslims and I do this for the sake of Allah. Who will be happy to be living and dwelling in sin? I did this to save you from Allah’s wrath. You are living in adultery. Your father gave your hand to me in marriage. He gave Mallam Zakari permission to do that, only to reverse it after the marriage had been solemnised.
The law is not his but Allah’s. He may be your father but he had no power to reverse it. Did you know that the Prophet SAW said if anyone gives something to someone and takes it back, it is tantamount to puking and swallowing it back?
You are my wife Nadia. You belong to me and not him. He is sleeping with my wife and it is wrong. He is a Muslim and I have nothing against him. Why is he doing this to me? Why is he leading you to sins? Can you see why I said it is for your good?”

Nadia was so angry she did not find the words to use in reproaching him.

“What do you want now?” She asked in a more calm but dangerous manner.

“ You sound better my love….”

Jamil clenched his fist, his teeth gripping his lip.

“I need you to come back home. The court will see to that. If you don’ want to stay with me, I promise to divorce you and let you go back to him. All I was is to observe Islamic etiquettes. Let things be done the right way.
I can even let you go after six months or a little more. But I know you will not want to go back because you would have seen that I really love you and would do anything to satisfy you. What you have with him is just infatuation…..”

“Lawal, you are an epitome of evil. I regret ever meeting someone like you! But it was destiny. You underrate me, you take my simplicity for stupidity. Never push a woman to the wall. I hate you Lawal. You will never succeed. I better remain unmarried than get back to you……”

Jamil extended his hand to collect the phone. She gave it to him.

“Assalamu alaikum, Alhaji Lawal.”

“So you are there? I do not have anything to discuss with you.”

“I understand how you feel but you are taking the wrong step. What you are doing…..”

“Please let me be. Where you there when her father and Mallam Zakari talked? I have witnesses, Mallam Zakari has witnesses. So what are you talking about? If you think you are going to spend another night with her, then you are in a dreamland so you better wake up….”

“What do you mean?”

Nadia was boiling and she was not happy with the way Jamil was been cool with it. He was a very gentleman, and not the type that got angry but she wanted him to be more aggressive towards him, vent his anger and show Lawal what it meant to be a man.

“ That would be explained to you by the law men but from this moment, you should not touch her anylonger. If she is not properly dressed, tell her to do so and do not stay in the same place without a third party. We are all Muslims and I know you fear Allah.
But do not worry. If the court rules and she comes back to me, I may let her go after six months if she wants to but do not raise your hopes high. She will back in love with me. I have forgiven you, Jamilu for the times you spent with my wife. I forgive you for making me get involved in an accident. I don’t hold grudges. Just do me the favour of not making this difficult for us. I am very ready to fight for my right.
I am told you are a salary earner. I am a business man. I have a lot of resources to use, I also have time to spend. I know you have limited time, you have a boss. Do not let this affect your life. Be a good boy….”

“Thank you Lawal, but I still beg of you to think about these idiosyncratic acts you are indulging in”

“ Hahahaha! Jamilu kenen. If you know how much I love her, you will know that there is nothing that will make me change my mind. Good bye.”

Lawal ended the call.

Jamil took in a deep breath.

“He is crazy. This is totally crazy.” Nadia said. “He can’t be serious.He has lost his mind and this will end up destroying him! ”

“He might be crazy but he has an ace up his sleeve. The law these days is prone to corruption. We need prayers and synergy to fight him back. He boasted of witnesses. He has bought Mallam Zakari and some men to pose as witnesses.”

“ But they would have to swear in court.”

“For money, men would do more than that. We have to be proactive. First thing to do is to notify your father, then I will…….”

“Assalamu alaikum.” The gatekeeper said through an intercom, “There are some men here to see you, Yallabai.”

“ Who are they?”

“ Three men I don’t know with some policemen.”

“Policemen?” Jamil frowned. Before he could make a move, the men who must have forcefully passed the gate came in.

Jamil saw three men all dressed in suit with three armed mobile police men.

“What is this?” Jamil asked.

“ We are from the court. You are accused of living with another person’s wife. The case is in court. Before the hearing, she is to leave this house at this very moment, and stay in an official quarters pending the outcome of
the case. This is to prevent further debauchery and adultery.” The head of the team said.
Jamil could hardly believe this was happening. Lawal might be crazy, but he was manipulative and dangerous.

“ You have to come with us, Mallama Nadia Abubakar.”

What!



" I don't understand this." Jamil said gently. " What do you mean by official quarters? What is wrong with her father's house?"

" Because you may reach out to her before the verdict." The leader said. " We have to bar you from seeing her completely. We ought to put her in cell but there was a special appeal from someone who said she should not be treated as a criminal so he begged for mercy. The official quarters is a privilege. I guess we don't owe you explanation. We have to go Mallama Nadia."

Nadia did not make a move. She just stood gaping, wondering what madness was this.
One of the policemen moved forward but Jamil thwarted him.

"What are you doing?" The policeman asked.

"You are not touching my wife!" Jamil said. "This is total balderdash. I have never heard of such a law. Let us meet in court and leave us alone. Whoever complaint did that from his point of view. I have the right to falsify him. So if I wake up today and file a complain that someone is married to my wife, the next thing is to pick the wife until there is a verdict?"

"How is that my business?" The policeman said. "I am on orders from my DPO so talk to them, not me. Please move out of the way of a federal officer."

" You are federal rogues! You are not picking my wife without a fight from me." Jamil was now shouting and Nadia became afraid. A few moments ago, she had been angry that he was too soft. People who were mostly soft could be dangerous when angry and that was what she was witnessing." You do not have a right to this!"

" Hey Mr Man, are you trying to fight an officer?" Another policeman said. " Get out of the way."

Jamil said nothing. The policeman tried to move but Jamil pushed him back. He was now quivering in anger, his eyes turning into a bugaboo, his fist clenched and Nadia remembered his mother said he could be stubborn.

The policeman raised his gun at him.

"Be careful Mr Man!"

"Shoot for all I care. I am not scared of you. You must leave my house now!"
Another policeman rushed him but was sent back with a straight punch by Jamil.

Ya Salam!

Nadia said, " Sweetheart let them take me, we will sort it out, please!" And she started crying.
The second policeman threw a punch at Jamil. The fist smacked him on the cheek and he felt the part vibrating. He swung his leg with a powerful push and landed it on the cop's stomach.

" Kwaine!" The poor cop remembered his grandmother's name.

The third cop now joined the show down and they all attacked him. Nadia was screaming, shouting for help and begging them.
Jamil was dogged. He kept fighting them until they over powered him, hitting him with the butt of their guns until he was lying on the floor, bleeding.

Nadia wanted to go and pick her phone so she could call her father but she was stopped by the policemen.

" Let us move madam."

She went ballistics, fighting her way to Jamil who was on the floor, whimpering in pain. She laid on him crying and cursing. Two of the policemen dragged her up and took her away while Jamil was carried into their truck.

The couple was taking away.

Leena was excited that this got over in a manner they had not expected. She hoped Mufty would pass the test. And who said Adam was not her favourite brother? He would always be a darling. As for the blabbers, and funny things he said, they would laugh over it later. Dreams of vision and mission.


Mufty had a gift. He was appealing and always won the hearts of many. The day he was invited to the house, Leena had been very scared. This was Iceman. She did not know how he was going to behave.
But Mufty was completely changed. She saw a side of him she had never seen. The first time she knew he was not the devil he took himself for was the day they found the infant. It was later she realised that he had cried.

Then the day he thought he had lost her. He was so broken he wept and did not even respond or react to the lady that kept insulting him.
His visit to the house revealed a shy, and well-mannered man. She was happy when her mother said she like him. But it was imperative that they must know about his background.

Mufty had traveled to Kano to reunite with his family members. They thought he was dead and one of the uncles had taken over the house.
He rented it out. So he offered Mufty five million Naira for the house. Mufty knew the house was worth about seven million naira but he obliged and collected the money. He did not want any trouble, plus he needed them now.
Idris called some people in Kano and asked them to find out about him. They said they had not seen him in years but what they knew of him was good.
He worked had to take care of his ailing mother and did that until she died. He was smart, reserved had a good relationship with the neighbours.

Leena was happy that they did not try to find out where he was throughout those years. Now he had five million naira. He had started processing the court processes to recover his CV.
He knew the money was not enough to star business and get married.
But if they really wanted the wedding to be soon, then he had to use it for the wedding, rent a house and then look for a job. This was not going to be easy.

A few weeks later, there was a formal introduction and he began to forget his past.
After a long struggle, he got his credentials and started looking for a job. All these while, he refused to touch the money he got from insurgency.
In fact, he began to forget his past and felt so new. Due to the insurgency, many people began to relocate, leaving Maiduguri.
This was an opportunity for Mufty. He got a job and the salary was good.
Everything was perfectly okay. Wedding plans began and it was all good.

bakeuhappy:
Hello. I've sent you a mail from bakeuhappy@live.com.

Hello. I've replied your mail.

olukuewu:
Sokodobo I have been trying to do my part but its like third parts are not are not ready to cooperate.

Third parts?

There were two blocks of flats; two bedrooms each. Then three rooms, each with a toilet serving as boys’ quarters. The house was not expensively built but was comfortable. This was Mallam Zakari’s new home.
Talatu occupied one of the flats while his first wife occupied the other. She used one bedroom while her three daughters shared the other room. The four boys occupied the boys’ quarters.
Talatu came out of her flat, dressed in blue denim pants and purple T-shirt. She stood akimbo, holding a packet of cheese balls.

“ Swee Swee” She called. “ Swee Zaks.”

Mallam Zakari was in the other flat with his older wife. He heard her voice and began to shiver.

Falmata grimaced.

“Mallam, does she not know that it is my turn?”

“I am not going to sleep with her.” He said. “It is day time. Maybe she is in need of something.”

“Hmmmm, Mallam fear Allah. The injustice is getting too much.”

“What injustice?”

“Mallam, I have seven children, and you share what you bring equally, is that what you call justice? Sharing equally is not enough. You have to consider the number of children I have.”

“ Sweeeee Zaks” He heard her call again.

“ Tutu Babies, I am coming.”

Falmata shook her head. How did this lady change such an old man?
He got up and went out. Falmata went after him and peeped through the window.
Talatu smiled as she saw him come out.

“How far?”

“ Cooooool.”

“ Swee Swee.”

“Tutu babies.”

“ Close your eyes.”

They were standing on her veranda.

He closed his eyes.

She tore the fifteen naira cheese balls pack open and put one ball in his mouth. She was always trying to show Falmata that she was not on the same pace with her. She was sophisticated, westernized and nothing near local.
She would come out and sit in front of her flat, dressed in English wears, reading big novels or pretending to be reading them, drinking SAN yoghurt and with slices of bread, using hoofer ( Vacuum cleaner) to sweep the compound, claiming she does not take Tuwo, Koko, dan wake, etcetera.

But Falmata was making a big mistake. She never dressed well until she was going out. She was just forty-four and still beautiful. She was not romantic, never innovative, or thought of something to thrill her husband.
She was the type who believed doing anything outside lying like a log of wood under her husband was debauchery. She was a responsible woman and was not brought up that way. She could not be dressing like a prostitute in the name of marriage.

There was a time Mallam wanted them to start kissing, the kind of thing the white men do in movies. He even went ahead to buy skimpy clothes for her. She stood her grounds. She refused to wear them. This had been happening for over twenty years.
Why should a woman just wake up, finish her work and wear her best clothes when she was not going out? What would she wear if she was going to gidan biki? Best clothes are for beneath the box.

Mallam was working at the University as a messenger. That was where he met Professor Abubakar. He would see girls well dressed, wished he would go home and meet his wife like that but she would never do that.
Now that he got this money, he fulfilled his dreams. Talatu was the right girl. She had her boxes stashed with such clothes, treated him in bed like he never dreamt of.
So Mallam got lost. He took a dangerous part. He was now impartial, and allowing Talatu to take control of his actions and inactions. And the way she was living her life, he would forever need more money.
So when Lawal called him moments ago, he had no option other than to oblige and the time was here. There was no going back.






“ My name is Mallam Salisu Habib. I am from the Sharia court. I am here to present a sermon to you.” He said and gave Lawal a paper.
It was not just a sermon but a claim that the marriage between him and Nadia was null and void.
Lawal claimed Jamil was married illegally to his wife. His lawyer said Professor Abubakar gave Mallam Zakari the permission to give the hand of his daughter in marriage but later twisted the arrangement.

Mallam Lawal was ready to swear in court that Professor Abubakar had given him the permission to give her hand in marriage to Lawal. Three other witnesses had been arranged to swear to attest to this.
Each witness was given three million naira. Mallam Lawal got the house and the five million naira Lawal gave him. This was the arrangement. Now that Nadia was not ready to come back, Lawal was ready to do all he could to get her out Jamil’s life. He was obsessed .
He had already bribed the judge.

He had to get her out of that house. Jamil would never have her.
Jamil read the paper with Nadia behind him.






Mallam Zakari drove into his compound and wondered who the lady coming out of his wife’s flat was. Wait!

Falamata?

She was wearing a black jeans and skinny white T-shirt. Her hair was washed, creamed and made into ponytail. She wore full make up, and he noticed the beauty of her lips, eyes for the first time.
She was cat walking like a model.
Thanks to her daughters. They had told her that crying and complaining was not the best way to fight Talatu. She should fight back by giving their father what he wanted.

They got her clothes, thought her how to make up, even steps, and use of Android phone. This training and been going on secretly for a while so it was time to put it to action.
She smiled, walked coquettishly to him, opened the car door and hugged him.

“Welcome my soul classmate.” She said. No! that was not what Rufaida told her.

“Soulmate.” She corrected quickly. She kissed him.

What!

Mallam Zakari was dumbfounded. He smiled. That was what he liked.

"Welcome EmZee darling. I missed you."

"I missed you 'me ma'"

"How was your day? "

"Alhamdulillah. But I guess I am at the best time of the day. "

She smiled. She held his hand and they went inside. She had cleared up the house, packed all the trash made the air appealing with air freshener.

"Would you like to take a bath first or have your lunch?"

This was new.

"I think I need the bath first."

"Okay. "She went and put on music"Salan Diya( Celine Dion)"She said with a smile. She went and fixed water for him. He went into the bedroom, undressed and went into the bathroom.
He had barely started when she went in and joined him. She had only a towel round her waist. She let it off and they had bath.
First time in twenty six years.

After the bath, she served him food which was specially cooked with the help of her daughters.
She sat near him and fed him.

Falmata?

After the meal, she sat close to him, her hand on his chest while she told him stories.

She tickled him. He flinched laughed and said, "Falma Babies"

"No, I don't want babies. You call her that. I want mine."

"Hmmmm... Falma darling "

"Ahuuuuuu.I love you Emzee"

"Emzee? "

"Yes. Em for Mallam, Zee for Zak"

"Ohhhhh. "

"I am sorry for not being rheumatism all these while" No, it was not the word Rufaida taught her. OK. She remembered.

"What? "

"I said I am sorry for not being romantic all these years. You know we learn everyday. "

"Yes. It is not too late. I just learnt that I love you more."

"Me ma"

They chuckled while she romanced him.




"Swee Sweee"Talatu called from outside. "Sweet Zaks"

He did not answer. Falmata was giving him juice to sip while she played with his body.

"Sweeee Zack's, Kiris Baran (Chris Brown). "

He hissed, then excused himself and and went out.

Falmata knew Talatu would do all she can to make sure he did not come back.
It was working. This was better than fighting aimlessly. Why had she not been doing this since?

Mallam Zakari saw Talatu standing outside.

"Haba Sweet Zacks. You came back and did not bother to see me. "

"I would come and check on you later. You know it is her turn today. "

"So? "

"I have to go back now. "

"But I got your favorite drinks ready, and I fried some plantain. "

"Wallah I just ate. I will come. "

"Okay, just come in for ten minutes. "

"Talatu,... "

"Talatu? "

"Tutu Babies.... It is her turn. Let me give her what belongs to her. I will be back. "

He turned and went back. He could not wait to go back to her arms. It was like he was meeting Falmata for the first time.
Talatu was astonished. What was going on? Ohhhhh, she saw how she dressed today. Okay, let them see who would win.

It was while he was going back Lawal called him. It was time.

Harzeezh123:
well done bro may Almighty Allah bless u more Dan wat u asked for
may u never experienced failure in all wat u working pray for

Amen. Thank you

Tweetyyy:
Sokodobo I have sent another mail please check nah

Hello, Tweetyyy, I am sorry, still didn't get your mail. I will send you a DM now

Lawal sat on the hospital bed, eating bread and sipping tea. He was recuperating but was asked to rest. He was lucky to have survived such a fatal accident without a serious injury.
Sa'ima was sitting on a chair, her phone in her hand while she browsed.
Lawal finished his breakfast, dropped the cup and lay down. He closed his eyes and wanted to rest. His body was resting but his mind was racing. He could not get his mind off Nadia. Three days! The marriage must have been consummated.

“ Asslamu alaikum.” A man said.

Lawal did not open his eyes. He did not want to talk to anyone now. He would tell them to stop visitors from coming. He was okay.

“ Ameen wa alaikum salam.” Sa'ima replied excitedly. “ A’ahhh, amarya da ango(bride and bridegroom) !”

Lawal opened his eyes and his heart sank.

It was Nadia and Jamil!

“ You are welcome.” Sa'ima said with her face full of smiles.

Nadia noticed that her smile was genuine, the bliss palpable but that was not because she was happy for her, but for herself to have gotten her out of the house. It turned out to be a blessing for her because she just found true love and happiness.

That was what happened when one said a lot if inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un when afflicted with calamity.

“Thank you very much.” Nadia said with a genuine smile too. She gave Sa'ima a polythene containing fruits. “ We heard what happened to your husband so my husband said we should come and see him.”

“Allah Sarki. Your HUSBAND is such a nice person. Thank you for the fruits” She said. “ Lawal is doing better. He is awake. Congratulations Aunty Nadia. I am so happy for you. You guys do match. I think I have a new couple crush.”

Nadia chuckled.

“Thank you, Sa'ima.”

She saw Lawal lying down. He looked pale.
Lawal felt as if he was been poured molten copper. He saw Nadia looking as beautiful as he had never seen her look. There was joy, fulfilment on her face, and he could not deny that there was something extra ordinary between her and this idiot who stole her from him.
The sound of ‘my husband’ from her was the worst thing he had heard in decades. Nadia married to another man? Calling someone her husband in his presence and Sa'ima exacerbated the situation.

“ Mallam Lawal.” Nadia said and her sweet voice hit him. No! Tantalizing!

“ Na’am Nadia.”

“I am sorry about what happened.”

“Thank you.”

“ Mallam Lawal, I hope you feel better?” Jamil asked .

Lawal wished he could gun him down. Three days. He has been there, shege dan iska( insult)!

“ Alhamdulillah.” He replied .” Thank you.”

“ I hope there is no internal injury, but you look okay outwardly.” Nadia asked.

It seemed she still loved him, Lawal thought. That was a show of concern.

“ I am okay.” He said with a smile. “ Do not worry. I know you worry a lot.”

“ It is my obligation to worry for not just a Muslim brother but every human being

“That is true.” Sa'ima said quickly and smirked at Lawal.

“ So how was your wedding?” Sa'ima asked. “ Haba! You could not even send us a card.”

“I am sorry. I do not have a justifiable excuse. Alhamdulillah. We give praise to Allah.”

“ Masha Allah. May Allah bring babies.”.

“Ameen.”

Lawal was so uncomfortable. This was torture, worse than the pain from the accident scene. But he still felt Nadia still loved him. She was just angry. She has been showing concern; she may have convinced Jamil to come and see him.

“ Thank you for coming to see me, Nadia.” Lawal said giving her what he felt was an appealing look.

She smiled.

“ Okay let me not take the credit that is not mine. Actually it’s Sweetheart who said we must come and see you. He was the one that was told that you were involved in an accident. So he should be the one you should thank .” She said and flashed Jamil a romantic and lovely look, then as their eyes met, she could not help but give him a smile.

This was the peak of Lawal’s jealousy. He tried to control it but felt a sharp pain in his heart.

“ Thank you Jamil.”

“ You are welcome.” He said. “ I am sorry we can’t stay long. We have to see one or two more people.”

“ Thank you.” Lawal said curtly.

“ Amarya da ango.” Sa'ima said. “ You guys so fit each other.”

“ Awwnnnn, thank you. I have to confess that you and Lawal so fit each other too. May Allah leave you guys together, become Derby and Joan.”

“Ameeeeeen. Insha Allah, with my Ayatul Khursiyu, we will always be together.”

Lawal felt like bursting.

As the couple were about to leave Lawal said, “Jamil.”

They turned.

“ Yes?”

“Please can I speak to Nadia alone?”

“Alone?” Jamil asked.

“ Yes. There is something of mine she still has. Something very confidential which we must talk about now. Please.”

“ What is it Lawal?” Nadia said. “ That my husband cannot know of?”

“ Nadia I have a wife too and she must not know about this now. It is nothing.”

“ It is not Islamically allowed to be in seclusion with you.” Nadia said.

“ Yes.” Sa'ima said. “ That is true.”

Lawal swallowed something bitter. Today, he could not be in seclusion with Nadia. The lady he was married to. He messed up.

“Please.” Lawal said.

Jamil said, “ I can only allow that if there is third party.”

“I volunteer.” Sa'ima said.

Nadia could not help but chuckle.

After a little deliberation, a nurse who did not understand Hausa language was brought in while Jamil and Sa'ima left them.

“ Nadia.” Lawal said. “ I know how you feel. Please save my life. I had this accident because of you.”

“Me?”

“Yes. I was zonked. I almost died.”

“I am sorry about that. I guess I went through the same thing once.”

“ That only shows that our hearts are still together. I know you still love me and I still love you……”

“ Lawal, I am a happily married woman.”

“I am unhappily married.”

“That is your luck. I was once unhappily married too. But now…..”

“We used to be happy together.”

“I don’t want to remember that I was ever married to you. I wish we never met.”

“It is anger.”

“You still don’t understand. I told you this a lot of times. It is not about that. I feel for him what I never felt for you. It is different from what we had. The only good thing I feel about being with you is giving me the chance to meet him. If there is nothing you have to say, I am leaving. We are not supposed to be talking about this. You said you had something with me…… “

“I was not lying. You still have my heart…”

“God forbid! I have only my husband’s heart and I intend to keep it, nourish it for the rest of my life. You have Sa'ima to keep your heart. She is your wife, the love of your life…..”

“Nadia…”

“I thought you had something important to say but I forgive you because you were said to have hit your head..”

“Are you saying I am crazy?”

“ Tell me the sane man that would excuse a married woman and say this to her with her husband waiting outside? You are sick Lawal. I only came here because Sweetheart asked me to come…”

“ Must you call him that to hurt me? You are been childish.”

“Noooo, Lawal. I am used to calling that, and if you see anything that makes you feel I am hurting you, I am sorry but I and my husband are so much in love we don’t know we flaunt it all the time. I am sorry about that but you have no right to feel jealous or hurt. I am a married woman. I wish you soonest recovery.” She turned to leave.

“Nadia, Nadia….”he called but she ignored him and left.

Sa'ima came in after she had gone.

She smiled.

“ Masha Allah. I am happy for her. “She said. “ I know you are a good Muslim and is happy for your Muslim sister.”

“ Get out of my sight!”

Sa'ima laughed.

“ Lawali my boo.” She chuckled. “ See him sitting like Kumbo, one monkey I saw in UI Zoo.”

Adnan held the gun tightly, his face was hard, he was very alert, his eyes travelling round the room, waiting to hear the slightest sound and pull the trigger.
He heard a sound and then abruptly pointed his gun at the direction. He saw nothing. He kept searching, then looked upstairs. He began to climb the stairs slowly, his hard face looking mean. He took a few steps then heard a sound. He was sure it was the thief this time.
He turned and pulled the trigger.
The criminal who had been hiding behind a shelf had run out, also holding a gun.

“ Gushan!” Adnan fired. “ Stop or I shoot your legs.”

The criminal paused.

“Your hands in the air and do not make a false move. I am well trained.”

The criminal smiled.

“I am also trained.” The criminal said and turned to fire a shot at Adnan.

“ Gushan!”

Adnan docked and fired back. “ Gushan!”

He moved closer to the criminal but the criminal shot him in the chest.

“Aughhhhhhrrrr!!!” Adnan held his chest. The criminal shot at him again. He fell to the ground. The criminal tried to escape but was caught by Adnan. The criminal turned and pouted.

“ Haba! I shot you in the chest fa. You cheat me. You don’t used to die.” Naairah said putting down her paper gun.

“ But I am the actor ( protagonist) and you are the boss(antagonist). Actor no dey die.”

Naaira pouted as if she was going to cry.

“Wait, when I was the police, you killed me and said you were the boss and Al-Capone killed the good guys.”

“ It is the plot…..’

“No, you are cheating me. what kind of actor? I shot you at a close range in the chest.”

‘You don’t understand. I am The Terminator. I came from another planet….”

Nadia burst into laughter.

“ Hayati, you will always trick me in every game we play.”

This was one of their many secrets. They used to play like children; Police and thief; hide and seek; who stares longer; starring without smiling or laughing; they never had a dull moment.

It was at that point the house help came to announce the arrival of Baanah.
Baanah came in majestically, swaying her small waist, with her eyes behind big dark glasses.

“How are you Naairah.” She said with a smile. “ My Hayati, how was your night?”

Naairah felt as if she was immersed into a frozen water.

“ Good morning.” She said to Baanah.

“ Hayati, we need to go out. Umm Aaliyah said you need to show me some places I got on my list. I guess it is going to be fun.” She smiled. “ Is Zuma rock as big as Uhud?”

Adnan did not know what to say. Naairah just left the living-room.

Throwback: What happened between Nadia and Jamil's mother at the hospital.

Nadia, even though I never had the privilege of meeting you.” Mama said. “ I am sorry it has to be under such a circumstance. I don’t know if it is alright to talk with you know?”

“ I am okay.” Nadia said. “ You can talk ma.”

“Thank you. I am aware of your relationship with my son. He told me about it from the start and as a mother ,I gave him my piece of advice. I even called on his siblings so we could share views. Whatever decision we took had nothing to do with you as a person because we did not know you.

I gave him my support until he told me that you had an unfortunate incident which made you a divorcee. I felt bad for you because I also have daughters. I am sorry about that my daughter.”

Nadia nodded.

“Thank you ma.”

“ I must be straight with you. We came to a conclusion that he could not marry you. He has never been married and that bothers me. I told him to choose between you and I. He became something else. Jamil was a lively young man but his relationship with you changed all of that. He stopped been the normal kid I knew.

He fell into depression and seclusion. I was told you were to get married a few days back. He just went out without telling us where he was going to. The next thing I heard that he was in hospital. It was later I heard all that happened.

I see that you two are obsessed with each other. It happens to young kids. But both of you do not understand the real love. My daughter, I need a favour from you. If you want me to go on my knees, I would do that. I have nothing against you. You are pretty and seemed to be well behaved. I only wish you were not married before. That is my only problem.

I want you to help me, leave Jamil so he could have his life back. Tell him you are not interested in him, go back to your husband, he will feel hurt but he would get over it. He is just a small boy. I can do anything just to have this favour from you, please my daughter. Please.”

Nadia took in a deep breath, closed her eyes, praying to avert another attack. She waited and felt her nerves calming. Hafsat thought she was going to pass out.

“ Thank you very much ma for talking with me with such kindness.” Nadia managed to say after she felt calm. “ I understand all what you have said and appreciate your concern and sympathy from me. May Allah reward you.

I and Jamil met by fate. He saved my life on the day I was divorced and displayed a benevolence that was rare. I was zonked, and ran into his car. He did not only take me to the hospital, risk leaving his car there, pay my bills, but stayed throughout until my people were informed and left without leaving an address. You have brought up a nice person.

I never recognized him the day he came to my office. He allowed us finish the business discussion before he let me know who he was. We became friends but he never asked me out. I was in iddah and could not even do that but he did not know.

It was later he proposed and that was just a few days after I was out of iddah. I told him that it would not work out. I revealed to him that I was a divorcee. I was not even interested in another marriage then because I was divorced four months after my marriage, after going through hell. I was scared of the two words: men and marriage.

He was shocked and left but he came back. He said he loved me unconditionally. I wanted to resist but I could not. The feeling was reciprocal. But my ex-husband came back at that time, begging. I chose Jamil over him but my parents had settled with Lawal’s family and I was asked to go back. Jamil came to tell me the outcome of your decision, and I told him about the decision of my family.

We had to separate naturally. But we could not forget each other. Loving your son is not my making. If I could, I would have taken him off my mind and avoid the pains and travails. I understand your feelings and it was never my wish to be a divorcee. But it is a test from my creator and every woman is prone to becoming a divorcee or widow, may Allah avert that from them.”

“Ameen.” Hafsat said quickly.

“ I don’t know how I can help you but maybe if I get out of here, I would leave the country. I will go for my Masters, or anything just to take me away from him. Get him a wife, so he could get married before I come back. I will commit my life to Allah for extrication. I cannot not tell him that I don’t love him.

But leaving here would be the best I can do. I pray he gets the best of virgins. I am just sad that women suffer things that are not their fault sometimes. There are so many girls out there that are not married, and have never been married but at the same sexual status with a divorcee. Some of these girls were abused at a very tender age, by cousins, uncles, private tutors, paedophiles when they knew nothing.

Some of them were raped, some drugged and molested, some derailed and let the devil got hold of them. What happens if they get married and it is discovered that they are not virgins? They are not divorcees but not virgins. You could have a divorcee that is a virgin. I have heard of cases where a marriage is knotted and the girl runs away. She is still a divorcee.

Would the man divorce her? No. He should not even think about it if he did not witness it himself. It could be an accident, or something that happened when she was just a child. I advise that all these should be checked before choosing a wife for him.

Our feelings are not out of childishness. He is about thirty and I am around twenty-four.

I thank you for advising me to go back to my ex-husband but there is nothing that would make me go back to him. He married another girl three months after my wedding, sent me out my bedroom from her to occupy, sent me out of my kitchen and stopped coming to me, physical and mental abuse and the girl is still there with him. Who knows what would happen if I go back?

It is not about these now, but I do not love him anymore. I cannot go back. I will remain single for as long as Allah wish. But for you, I will leave the country. Going for Masters would be the excuse my father would concur to. I pray what happened to me will never happen to any of your daughters, or grandchildren.

I pray it does not happen to any girl in the world. It is a plight with a pain beyond imagination. That is the best I can do ma.”

There was a few seconds of silence as she finished.
Mama took in a deep breath, and got on her feet.

“ Thank you very much.” She left without another word.

Nadia closed her eyes again and cried softly. It seemed Jamil could never be hers. It seemed happiness would not be hers when it came to marriage. Could she love any man like she loved Jamil again? Would there be another man who loved her for who she was, unconditionally like Jamil? What would she tell her parents?

She felt someone hold her hand. She almost flinched, then opened her eyes to see Mama by her side. Mama was in tears.

“ I am sorry, my daughter.” She said. “ I don’t think I am ready to lose you. I just got another daughter. You little kids win. Go ahead and get married. Please forgive me…”

Nadia thought she was dreaming until she felt the stream of tears cascading. She sat up and hugged Mama, crying.

blakid:
since i have been reading stories on nairaland, i have not for once made or drop any comment, but u made me do dt with ur captivating mode of constructing words. i must commend, u are the BEST.

Thank you

He woke up after a long sleep and had his breakfast. He said if he had not thought of provisions, he could have starved to death because he spent five days on the river without seeing any town.
It was the sixth day he saw a village but it was so remote he got scared of stopping by. He moved on until twelve days later, now he was running out of food. Then he saw a town which happened to be in Borno state.
His dressing was found to be strange, coupled with his hair style. People had gathered round him, thinking he was some kind of ancient man but when he spoke in his American accent, they marvelled and thought he was an actor in an epic movie.

He was taken to the king of the town. He begged the king to contact the Governor who was his father's former employee.
The governor came there himself to pick him and was flown back to Abuja after insisting he stayed for a day for medical check-up. A big discovery had been made of undiscovered people. So the Federal Government was planning on going to see them.

Hajiya and his father knew of this since yesterday but kept it as a surprise package. No wonder Hajiya was hyper even when she was crying.
She remembered some years back, when Baffa told her how a corps member discovered Koma people, in then Gongola State which is now in Adamawa state. They dressed in leaves, covering just their private part and butt. This was in 1986.
The Dabuhus Fahad told her about reminded her of them. Fahad has made history: The guy who discovered the Dabuhus!

" Oh my baby," She raised her face, touched his lips with hers, " I'm sorry for all you went through. But I'm glad Allah brought you back to me...safe, sound and a virgin."

They laughed. Oh, when last did she laugh ? She had forgotten how to laugh, how it felt but now, she was her perky self. Happier than she had ever been.

"I can't imagine what you went through in my absence." He said as he ran his hands over her slowly.

" We don't have to go into that details. It's over and I have forgotten it. The only thing I will say is....I died two months three days ago and resurrected a few minutes ago. End of story."

" Kachakum! You is is died and comed back?" He said and they laughed.

" Gerrat, you primitive man!"

But he did not allow her laugh before he covered her mouth with his.

" We are going home today." He said, as they walked arm-in arm.

" Haba Mallam! You want mum to think I'm ungrateful, ko?"

" They will understand. It's been over two months."

" Two months of what?"

" You got bills to pay." He said and winked.

"I do not know what you are talking about." She said and playfully removed her arm from his, walking hurriedly ahead of him.

"Where do you think you are going?" He said and tried to hold her, She screamed lightly and then broke into a run, he chased her and caught her. They were laughing.

Awwwwnn, I missed this guy. What! I just felt air in my stuffy lungs after two months.

He raised her on his shoulder, saying they were going home from there. She was hitting his back lightly.

" I will report you Mum. You want to go and spoil me."

" Sure bae. You need a lot of spoiling after all these while."

He dropped her gently, then she wound her arms round his neck, gave him a short but powerful kiss. She held him tight. She could not just get enough of him, could not believe this was real. Once more with Fahad. My Fahad.

" Fahad!" A voice emerged so loud she was startled.

She turned to see Sabir coming with great speed, his face alarmed and hugged Fahad, almost shoving her. What the hell was wrong with this dude?
Hypocrisy of the first other. He had what he wanted them to believe was tears of joy in his sinful eyes.

" Sabby-doo!" Fahad hailed him, unaware that he would have taken what was not his if given the chance. They shook hands again.

" I missed you dude." He said. " I was kinda shocked, man. I kept coming here to be sure all was well. I wanted to go with the search team but you know the ol' man with his principles."

“ I know right.” Fahad grinned. " You were in London when I got married, guess you have met my wife. Leema, this is my crazy cousin."

" We have met, dude." Sabir turned and winked at her. What a bastard! " I have been talking to her. She was really worried. I'm going to get me a wife too, bro. Someone who will cry when I'm kidnapped."

Dry joke!

" I was shocked when I was told you were getting married." Sabir said." So, I asked, is it Aisha? They said no, Maryam, Teemah, Fareeda, Precilla, Sandra, Kemi, Chika, and they kept saying no,no,no, and I'm like, this dude left all those girls...hehehehehe!"

Fahad forced a laugh but it was obvious he did not like the joke.

" So, dude, I'm so glad you are back." Said Sabir . He turned at her, " I told you he will be back , didn't I? I told you I got my forehead in sujud like two-four-seven for my cousin, huh? Hehehehehe."

She said nothing. She did not want to tell Fahad about his promiscuous attitudes but this guy could act weird and get her into trouble. She was going to tell Fahad about him.

" Thank you for coming dude. " Fahad said.

" Don't even think about leaving. We got a lot to discuss..."

" I will come to your crib. I need to be with my wife. Go get married and know what it feels like." Fahad said and laughed, then held her hand and dragged her into his arm.

Sabir's face went red for a split second.

Aha! How can you feel jealous over someone's wife? Halima pondered.

" Ok, bro. I will get married but you know I always love for life so I choose carefully." He said

" I know you, bro. I'm not as cool as you."

" Hehehehe. You don't have to say it." He shrugged." I will see you guys."

He then left.

" Did he say anything absurd to you while I was away?"

She hesitated. she did not want to be a causative factor to a family rift but one had to be careful.

she nodded.

" You don't have to hide it. I know him better than you do. Sabir is a big numbskull and I know that but this time, if he tries it with my wife....I don't get high but I will give him a dose of craziness."

" Let him not spoil our mood." She said.

" Who said he is worth it? "

As they walked out of the garden, they met Hajiya and his father coming out of the main building.

" Subahanallah!" Hajiya exclaimed. " What happened to your clothes?"

Alhaji Yar’adua smiled, held her hand and said,

" What's your business? They went to work in the garden."

He held her and they walked away.

" We were planning to go home, mum." Fahad said while Halima tried to cover his mouth.

" You are right boy," Alhaji said, " you got cobwebs to clean."

The couple looked at each other and chuckled.

" Real cobwebs to clean." Fahad whispered.

TWENTY-ONE

They were silent. Even the children had stopped crying. They held on to each other, saying no word but his mind was tumultuous. It was hard to see your family dying and you could do nothing about it.
He tried to hold them tighter as the vibration kept increasing while the heat became more fierce.
He let her go, gave the child he was holding to her then stood up. He climbed a fallen rock then saw a small passage into the garage.
He dropped again and pulled her up, pulled off his shirt, tore it then put one of the babies on his back and tied him the rope he made from the shirt. Then held the second child with his right hand .

“ Come on, climb here.”

She climbed the rock, then he used his free hand to push her, complemented with her effort, she passed through the passage and got into the garage. He then passed the baby to her through the passage, untied the one behind him then passed him to her.
They were in the passage but a swift shake cracked a stone and the passage was reduced to just a tiny hole.

“ Damon!” she screamed. There was no way for him to pass through. He was trapped behind. He tried to pull the rock but failed. The vibration was increasing and it would take only a few moments before the whole place was annihilated.

“ Get into the car and go!”

“No! Come out Damon!” She was crying again.

“ I can’t. I am trapped and we can’t all die. Think about the kids, they need you. Please get into the car and go. We got no time.”

He peeped through the small hole and she saw him. He would never forget that look she gave him. It was a look of undying love, pity, regret, agitation and desperation.

“Please go.” He emphasized. “ I will be alright.”

She went and opened the car, lay the babies then got under the wheel. She turned, gave him another look then alighted with a speed that was terrifying. She ran to a rock, raised it and threw it on another rock. Then a cracking sound emerged and the rock was shattered. It had been weakened from previous hits.
This in turn pulled the rock that blocked his way out and a passage was made. He rushed out, she got under the wheel while he went to the passenger’s side, carried the babies and fixed the seatbelt. She started the car engine and drove out with an incredible speed.
They made it out of the house but saw the pile of volcanic eruption and fire coming towards them, turning rocks into mere dust. What kind of disaster was this?

She turned the car, ignoring the vibrations and sped off as the ground cracked. They had barely left when a fierce molten material covered the house and turned it into dust and ash. What!
That was close. The fierce fire kept coming after them, like it was on a mission to burn them. Alicia was a dab hand when it came to driving fast. He sighed as he saw the distance between them. The distance increased, the impact of the vibration and heats reduced. They were saved.







Halima sat on the swing, in the beautiful garden, alone while she watched the peacock display its beauty. It was two months since Fahad got missing, two months of pain.
Islam permitted her to wait for four years before she could remarry if she wished, but she was ready to wait for eternity, except if he was confirmed dead.

Dead?

Ya Allah, keep him alive, keep him safe.
But Where could he be for this long? She did not want to admit that she feared something terrible must have happened to him. If he was alive would never stay away from her, his family and friends.
It was two months and three days to be precised. She remembered having this intuitive negative feelings that day. She just felt something was wrong, and she could not take her eyes off him until he disappeared.
He did it for her, to save her grandfather, to make her happy, it was all for her and that was a supreme sacrifice.
She kept dreaming about him. She never spent two days without dreaming about him, and sometimes ,she would see them together in the dream while sometimes she saw him in pain.

Fahad, my love, where are you? I am left in cold and only you can warm me up. I am drowning and only you can save me and take me up. I am hungry and no one but you can get me satisfied. Where are you now that I need you most? How do you expect me to carry on without you?
Why did you go with that smile that pump joy into me, the touch that make me shiver, the kiss that sweep me off my feet, the voice that fills me with sweet sensation, the hands that keep me warm, and the soul that keeps mine bright?

She started crying again, holding the chains of the the swing and the peacock, as if realising she was no more watching it, stopped its display.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and she got startled. She had been paranoid since her various encounters with Sabir, his kinky cousin. But as she raised her head with a startle, she felt she was hallucinating. It had happened before. The day she woke up to see Fahad standing in his bathrobe.
She had sprung up only to realize that it was just an imagination. Now, it was happening again. She could see him, dressed in white caftan with black and white coloured qube Cap.
He looked charming, his white eyes glittering, his natural red lips so firm and he was just staring at her, as if in a state of shock, confusion and bliss.
She said nothing, hoping to enjoy the view before it vanished. It looked so real, she felt like hugging him, but did not want to hug air.

" I thought I would never see you again." The image uttered at last.

The voice sounded so real, and she heard it loud and clear.

" You are not real." She said. "You are just an image tormenting me, making me miss him the more, making me feel worse...."

But she was cut short as he placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a little squeeze.

What?

She felt the impact.
This could not be an imagination. It was Fahad! Fahad!
She sprang up, gawking, then she saw tears in his eyes. No ! Wallahi it was her Fahad, standing right before her, live and whole, healthy and handsome.

" Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihi raji'un! Fahad dina (My Fahad)!"

She jumped into his hands and the force may have been more than he expected, so they both fell to the ground but she was too excited to take note of the fall or think about his white caftan, or fallen cap.
They rolled on the ground, while she cried, squeezing him with a bone-crushing hug. They kept rolling on the ground until she was on top of him. His white caftan had turned into a mess just like her claret coloured abaya.

She still feared and hoped it was not a dream, hoping Hajiya would not wake her up and tell me it was fajr. They stared at each other, short of words, then she hit his chest lightly, " Is this a reality or dream?"

" I'm sorry Gimbiya (Princess)." He said. " I missed you. I died without you." He was wiping tears off her eyes.

" Alhamdulillah! All praise be to Allah." She said and barely finished when he dragged her head close and arrested her lips, mouth and ran his hands all over her back.
She melted like a candle in fire, turned liquid but still hot. She reciprocated, hungrily kissing him back, their tongues in a jamboree, their hands in a befuddled state, not knowing where to touch first, or how to, so reflex actions took control.
She saw sputtering sparks in his eyes as he opened and closed them. Those eyes she feared she would never see again.

Then they paused, all breathing hard, after ten minutes of the most passionate and vigorous kiss they ever had. She laid her head on his chest, feeling his heartbeat, assuring herself that it was real. Fahad was here.

" What happened?" She whispered, her head still on his chest, her hands tugging his caftan.
Still lying on the ground, his hand on her back, caressing her lightly, he began to tell her how he was chased by a strange plane, how he crashed. Sometimes, she could not hold back tears, she cried silently as he kept talking. She could not imagine how Fahad went through these.
Sometimes she giggled. Like the part of dressing in skirt with plaited hair. She could imagine him in those outfits. She nearly fainted when he said he was about to be thrown into boiled water. She nearly ran mad with jealousy as he said he nearly got married to the princess.
He did not give much details about him and her and she was glad because she did not want to know. From inference, she knew their relationship was not consummated. Argggg!!That could have sucked.

But she would not have minded if he did it just to survive. His life was more dear to her than her feelings. Then he told her how she had wanted to rape, or coax him into sex, and he planned an escape.
He felt ashamed to have hit her so hard but he had no option. She had shouted and her guards were alerted. He saw them running towards him and he quickly set the canoe in motion, paddling like an Olympian.
They had chased him, swimming after him, and nearly caught him but he kept paddling as fast as he could and got away.
They had run back, probably to get a canoe, but the river was trackless. He kept paddling with no specific direction, just hoping to get away from them.
He was so scared, so desperate he paddled for over eight hours without stopping. It was at dawn, when he felt he was away from them he paused and lay inside the canoe and dozed off.

TWENTY-NINE

“ Hope you arrived home safely?” Nadia said clutching the phone to her ears.

“ Alhamdulillah.” Naairah said. She did not tell Nadia that Baanah had been in town for three days now. It was her moment of merriment and she was not going to ruin it. Nadia had gone through a lot and deserved happiness.
Jamil had been very impressive. The wedding date was fixed with a limited time but he made it worthwhile. Her first wedding was not better than this. She had begged him to make it low profile but he refused. It was not just his first wedding which a lot of people had anticipated but a knot with someone he loved dearly and got miraculously.

Mama had come to love Nadia so much and still regretted her actions. She spent a lot of money to make the wedding grant. Jamil’s father was working in France. He came back to attend the wedding.
Nadia felt more excited than her first wedding because she never faced the problems she faced this time. Besides, she was out of Lawal’s life and into a new life with Jamil.

“ It still feels like a dream.” Nadia said. “ I am finally married to him.”

“Allah never forsakes one with a good heart. It happened for a reason.”

“It did.”

“Now drop the call. It is after Isha and he will come back from the masjid any moment from now. It is your first night…dearie.”

Nadia chuckled.

“ Here he comes.”

“ Ohhh, happy first night.”

“Go away.”

They ended the call just as Jamil came into the room and gave her a smile.

“ Hurdles don’t stop the race. They slow the pace. But with determination and divine help, you will get to the end of it and have a smile on your face. Today, you and I in our place. As I ascended the staircase,I knew I was coming to my solace. Nadia, this is our life and base.”
He moved slowly towards her, reached out and held her hands, pulled her up and welcomed her into his arms.
They held each other, feeling warmth. This was a day he had dreamt of, lost hope of having, just to have it here.

“ Nadia..”

“Na’am.”

“ I love you.”

“ I love you much more.”

“This is the first time you will lie to me. I love you much much much more.”

“ Then let us compete.”

“I am game.”

Her eyes closed and their lips met.






Lawal could not sleep. He could imagine Nadia with Jamil on their first night. They would be there making……aughhhhhhhhr! No! His Nadia with another man! No!
He could not hold it any longer. He cried. Sa'ima peeked and saw him crying. He did not sleep that night. The next morning, he left home very early. He had to see some people. He came back in the afternoon and heard music blaring loudly from his house.

What was wrong?

He got in and was shocked to see over thirty girls dancing in his living room. They were dancing, drinking and he could swear the drinks were mixed with codeine.
It was like a club.

“What the hell is going on here?” He asked Sa'ima who was the host.

“We are celebrating.”

“Celebrating what?”

“My ex co-wife got married yesterday, and must have enjoyed a long night of love making yesterday. We are celebrating her wedding. Join us, please.”

Lawal stood still, short of words. He did not know what to do. Should he chase them out? Sa'ima was a crazy girl. She could go ballistics and create a scene.
He simply turned and went out again, using hanky to wipe off his tears. He could not let Nadia off his mind. He could remember the times they spent together. The best moments he ever had with a lady. He just did not realise that in time.
No woman could be like her again.
Nadia…….Nadia!
He got into his car and drove out. He just kept driving until he heard a loud horn. It was too late. He was going to hit a big truck with a very high speed. He lost control of the car.





Nadia and Jamil were enjoying lunch at that time, feeding each other. The air was full of love, joy, and peace. It was as if she had never fell in love. It felt new, different, exciting and just too sweet.





Lawal was rushed into emergency ward. He had been engaged in a fatal accident. His car was completely destroyed but he was lucky to have sustained serious injuries. He closed his eyes. He had hit his head severely. It was a miracle that he was alive.
He had to stay alive….he just had to do that.






Nadia came out of the kitchen with the percolator when she saw Jamil coming to the dining. She pouted. A part of her melted as she saw the gorgeous man who she could proudly call her husband, dressed in a well sawn caftan that made him look breath-taking. “ Who asked you to come out when I am not done?” She said ,pouting jokingly.

“ Wallahi, I could not wait longer without you.” He confessed. “ I just wanted to see you.”

“I am in the house, darling.”

“ You don’t understand dear. You seemed so far. I don’t expect you to believe me now, but I never get enough of you. ”

She blushed.

He said and moved to her, and extended his hand to collect the percolator.

“What?” She asked.

“Let me help you with that.” He said, lowered his face and planted a peck on her cheek. “ I guess you still have something to pick. I insist.”

She let him collect the percolator, and then went into the kitchen to collect the chips. She came back to meet him making two cups of tea.

“ Sit down.” He said as she dropped the plates.She sat on a dining chair and he drew another chair close to hers. He drew the tea cups closer and placed one in front of her.
She took a sip and marvelled.

“How did you do that?” She asked.

“ This is our third day and I have seen how you like your tea. I watched it because I might need to make tea for you some times.”

“Awwwwn, you are so sweet.”

“You are sweeter.”

“You are the sweetest.”

“ You are the most sweetest. To hell with tautology.”

She giggled.

They enjoyed their breakfast. He kept feeding her, wiping her lips with tissue, and she felt out of this world. It was like a dream, yet a reality.

“You are not eating, Sweetheart.” She observed and began to feed him.

It was while they ate, almost done her phone rang. She left it in the kitchen. She got up and went to pick it. Jamil did not miss the chance of staring after her back. This was all his. His halal” Masha Allah.

The phone stopped ringing before she got to it. She picked the phone and checked the caller ID.

“It is Mama.” She said as she joined him. She was trying to call back when the phone rang.

“ Assalamu alaikum.” Mama greeted.

“Ameen wa alaikum salam. Good morning, ma.”

“Good morning my daughter. How are you?”

“Alhamdulillah. How is Baba?”

“ He is fine. We are sorry we have not come to see you.”

“It is okay ma. We intend to come tomorrow insha Allah.”

“ Oh, that is nice of you. The house is just beginning to settle. The visitors finally left today.”

“I understand.”

“How is your husband?”

Nadia blushed, felt ashamed and said, “Alhamdulillah.”

“ Nadia, I want you to keep your marriage intact. There is nothing like perfection in marriage. But what matters most is how to handle it. If you have any problem with him, the best people to settle the matter is you and him.
There should be no third party. Do not call your friend at the slightest problem you have, or your mum, sister or relation. If you can’t settle it between you two, God forbid, then the most appropriate person you should talk to is me.
Why? I can handle him. He knows me. If a woman has the habit of telling her relatives the wrongs her husband does, they would settle, she would forget but the relatives won’t. I have seen multiple cases where a girl runs to her family house after a rift with her husband, the parents tell her to stay behind, he calls her , they settle and she wants to go back, the parents say no. Some parents even swear that she would never go back, they can’t take it anymore. She now begins to see her parents as spoilers. Sometimes, she would resort to sneaking to him, and her parents would just wake up to see her pregnant before they are forced to let her go back. It is when you are not satisfied with the way I am handling it, and you find no other means you will resort to that. I do not pray for you to have a serious problem between you that you cannot resolve between you two.”

“ Ameen Mama.”

“ Do not let his masculinity, mannish nature and sex deceive you. You will also be like a mother to him so I give him to you as ‘amana’…it is not just you that is an ‘amana’ to him. He may be stronger physically, older, and be a man but you play a role of a mother in his life
You are the only who can do things I used to do for him….”

Nadia heart sank as Mama said that. What? Did she know what happened this morning, and yesterday morning? She could not have known that. Jamil dared not tell her.
It had reminded her of her childhood and he said the same thing. He had washed her like a baby as they had their bath, dried her body and carried her to the bedroom, applied cream on her then stopped because he could not do make up.
She had also done the same for him, and he acted like a child, and he felt like one and confessed,

“ You bring out the best in life for me. I never knew such a land of ecstasy existed. You softened the hardest part of me, sweetened the bitterest part and cooled the hottest. Life is good. Life is best with you, Nadia.”

“ We women love to be pampered," Mama continued, "but men also loved to be pampered too. The method of pampering might not be the same. Where men like women who act like babies, act like they are crying, making sulky voices, it would disgust a woman to see her man pouting and acting like that. That is not what I mean.
When he looks sad, or perturbed, and you go to him, look concerned, hold him, ask him what is wrong, that is pampering. When he tells you, and you comfort him, give him solace, put his head on your laps, chest,…….”

Nadia felt ashamed and Mama could sense it. Old experienced mother.

“Do not feel ashamed. He is my son, but you are a woman. We are on the same team. Your problem is every woman’s problem. I tell my daughters this. These are the strategies of keeping a man spellbound. Feel him up, make him go like. ‘if she was here she would have done this, only if Nadia was around. I pray you will live in peace with your husband. Jamil is a nice boy but he could be stubborn. Do not see him as a perfect man. Give him his position: A human who is fallible. Do you know how to make beans soup?”

“No ma.”

“ He schooled in Minna and lived with some Nupes .He loves it so much. I had to learn it. It is your turn now, you will come so I can teach you. He also loves zogale( moringa) with a tomatoes , fresh peper and green and he prefers it with grounded kuli-kuli and not salad cream.”

“I know how to make that.”

“ And you will surely pay me for this.”

Nadia laughed.

“ Insha Allah ma.”

“ May Allah bless you with beautiful and blessed children.”

“Ameen.”

“ And no woman shall come to break your house,insha Allah.”

Nadia quickly saw Sa'ima’s image and said , “ ameen.”

“ I have to go. I have to make breakfast for my husband.”

“Thank you ma. May Allah reward you. I promise never to fail you insha Allah.”

“I trust you already. Have a nice day. Say hello to the naughty boy on my behalf.”

Nadia chuckled.

“Okay ma. My regards to Baba.”

“I will tell him. Bye.”

“Bye bye.”

The call ended.

Jamil puffed his cheeks.

“What were you discussing like that?”

“That is none of your business, Mister.” She said and rolled her eyes. “ The only part that is your business is …..she says hello.”

“ Hmmmm..someone is jealous. I will call daddy(her father) too but….there is just one problem.”

“What?”

“I don’t have my dictionary close to me.”

They laughed.

TWENTY


“I appreciate this gathering.” Idris said after the prayer. “I was seriously confused when my wife met me with the shocking news. I could not understand what Leena was saying. But I am glad that the three of them are here. I can see that Alhaji Abdul-Salam and Mallam Kabir are also confused. I think the people that are in a better position to give an explanation are the kids.
I know Adam sought the hand of Leena in marriage and it was granted. If not for the unfortunate incident that happened some months ago, Leena should have been in her matrimonial home by now.
But it was only postponed and not cancelled and up till afternoon, the mother was still making arrangements for the wedding.”

“It is the same with his mother.” Abdul-Salam said.

“When Leena was forced to admit that she and Adam had broken up and decided on their own to cancel the wedding, without informing us, I did not know what to think about it. Adam….”

“Na’am.” Adam answered.

“Is it true that you and Leena decided to cancel the wedding?”

“Hmmm….we did not actually decide to….”

“Yes or no, Adamu.” His father said .

“Take it easy Alhaji.” Kabir said with a slight smile.

“Yes.” Adam said.

“Is it true that you and Haneefa are into a relationship?”

“By the grace of Allah.”

The three men shook their heads as if they had planned it. Ameena pouted.

“Leena…” Idris called.

“Na’am.”

“Haneefa has being more of a sister than a friend. Ordinarily, even if you and Adam had broken up, it would be fishy for he and her to get into a relationship. Are you aware that they are into a relationship?”

“Yes. She refused at first and reported Adam to me. She felt it was wrong but I convinced her.”

The parents seemed to be more confused.

“Are you children okay?” Idris asked. “You mean you facilitated the relationship?”

“Yes, sir.” Leena replied.

“That means you and Adam planned it. He must have informed you before he asked for her hand in marriage.”

She nodded.

“These analogue parents sitting here before you digital children deserve an explanation because it does not add up. Maybe it is one of the trending digital world relationships which we are too obsolete to understand.” Idris said and the other men chuckled.

“It is true.” Abdul-Salam said. “They say we are analogue. We don’t know what is up.”

“They call it what’s up.” Kabir said. “They don’t even salute with sallama anymore. You hear, Babs, what’s up; sometimes they salute with insults: Ke shegiya, yar banza kina ina (you bastard, useless girl where are you)?”

“It is true.” Idris concurred. “We are listening.”

“In the name of Allah, The most Gracious, and The most Merciful.” Adam began, “May the blessing of Allah be upon the Holy Prophet SAW, his household, companions and the ummah as a whole. I seek refuge with Allah from shaytan. There is power….”

“Kai Adamu! Do not use prayers to prevaricate. Ameen. We started this meeting with prayers. Start talking.” His father said.

“It was- was a consensus between I an Leena to annul the wedding. It was a mutual agreement and we thought Hanny- SubahanAllah! Hannefa was a very good girl, so we decided to marry her.”

“Okay, both of you will marry her, ko?” Abdul-Salam said sarcastically.

“No. I meant we decided that I should marry her.” Adam said, still bowing his head.

“Why did you and Leena decide to call off the wedding?” Kabir asked.

“Em- Em..it was ….”

Leena found her heart beating rapidly. It was here. How on Earth would she explain that? Would Adam reveal it?

“We had dreams which corresponded so we decided to follow our dreams.”

“What is he saying?” Abdul-Salam said.

“We both had dreams….” Adam tried to repeat himself.

“We heard that.” His father said. “What do you mean by dreams? You mean you kids just had a dream, net and said, we should split because of the dreams? What kind of dreams are they? Tell us, Adamu the dreamer.”

“And Leena the dreamer.” Idris added.

“The prophet SAW said if we experience a good dream, we should praise Allah and tell someone we love but if it is a bad dream, we should turn our heads to the left and spit air thrice while we seek refuge with Him and never tell anyone.”

“That is an authentic hadith Mallam Adamu.” Said Abdul-Salam. “And the holy Prophet also said if anyone lies about a dream, about seeing him in particular, the person deserves hell. You did not claim to see him but if you are lying about the dream, you know the rest.”

Adam felt uncomfortable.

“I meant dream and not the dream of a dream like the dream you mean.”

“Explain.”

“I meant dreams like a vision, mission, or wishes.”

“Can you hear yourself?” His father said. “Do you make any sense to yourself? It is confirmed that you make no sense to us.”

“I and Leena decided that we don’t want to be with each other.” He said firmly, “because of reasons we both agree on and promised to keep it confidential.”

“Did she do something wrong?” Idris asked.

“Wallahi Leena is a good girl. If there had been a problem, we would not have been so cordial to even plan to get me a fiancée. It shows that we are still very close. It’s just that she is more of a sister to me now.”

“Did he offend you, Leena?” Idris asked.

“Wallahi Adam is one of the best people in my life. If I say there is a single way he hurt me, Allah will punish me. I see him like my blood and a favourite brother.”

There was a few seconds of silence. It seemed these kids were not ready to open up.

“Leena, Adam and Haneefa are mine.” Idris said. “I never used to look at Adam as a son-in-law but as a son. He is a very nice boy. But no matter what we feel, it is imperative that we put into consideration that these kids of ours are adults. Leena is twenty-four. Adam is almost thirty. And Haneefa is Leena’s age mate. I am glad that Leena and Adam admitted that their decision was not out a rift. No matter what the reason is, they don’t want to be together and they are the once that will live together if they get married.
I suggest that we will not force them. Haneefa….”

“Na’am.”

“Do you accept Adam as your suitor?” Idris asked.

Hanefa bowed her head in shame.

“Speak.” Her father asked.

She nodded.

“ I am about to say something which I will say because I feel you are all my kids. We know all of you. There was a time some people thought Haneefa and Leena were unidentical twins because I used to go out with them. Adam has become my son and the bond will never be broken.
I want to seek for the hand of Haneefa in marriage on behalf of Adam. If it was possible, I should have doubled as the waliy and the wakil.”

The parents chuckled.

“Let me represent you.” Kabir said with a smile. “Permission granted.”

“Alhamdulillah.” Idris said.

The tension in the room began to ease but there was something on Ameena’s mind. If Leena was not going to marry Adam, then what next?

“Leena,” Kabir called.

“Na’am.”

“Don’t you want to get married?”

“I do sir.” She replied with her head bowed in shame.

“Have you found a suitor.”

She hesitated.

She nodded.

“Hmmm….and you never told us.” Idris said.

“We were scared of your reactions.” Adam said quickly.

“Who asked you to speak?” Abdul-Salam said.

“Masha Allah. I think we will like to meet him.” Kabir said. “ If he okay with us, then I suggest you all should get married the same day.”

Haneefa could not believe this. She woke up this morning without a suitor. Her so-called fiancé was not serious. Now she had Adam and it had been approved.
This is a shame to all those girls who mock girls for praying for a good husband during tahajud. If a girl did not pray for a good husband, what did they want her to do?

This was like a dream.

Tweetyyy:
Mr SOKODOBO i have sent a mail to bellanbooks for the price slash for married to a fink i sent it since friday i don't want to hear that the offer is up ooo

Hello. Good morning. Apologies. We've responded to all the mails we got. Kindly resend yours.

Regards.

Lawal sat lugubriously in his living room, his eyes blankly on the TV, the coffee on the stool stayed untouched. Sa'ima walked into and sat next to him.

“ Darling, why did you fail your promise?” She said in a respectful manner.

Her voice brought him out of his deep psyche.

“What promise?”

She smiled.

“ You promised to get back my Nadia, you chased me out of my room but you did not bring her back. I waited that Friday, as you and your friends left here like men going to entertain Sarkin Kano. You left with joy and much expectations but came back alone, dejected, no wife, and the room has been empty since then. Why did you fail me? I was waiting for her, to have a company.”

He hissed.

“Please leave me alone.”

She burst into laughter.

“ Lawal, Lawal. I told you that my Ayatul Khursiyu is not a joke. I chase all devils out of this house. You and I are stuck together . Mutu karaba, takalmin kaza ( Inseparable). You better let the idea out of your head and enjoy while you can. Let us go inside.”

Lawal felt angry and ashamed. What a disgrace. And now Sa'ima was not making it easy on him.

“ How does that concern you and what makes you feel you stopped it?”

“ I was told she does not love you. I told you that I am the one that is made for you. She was just a distraction. She planned to destroy you, and disgrace you. They said she is back with her old boyfriend. They said they were even dating while she was here. How could you be so blind? Lawal, you should thank me for coming to chase her away for you.
My Ayatul khursiyu never fails me. Anybody that trusts in Allah will never fail.”

“That is true but you don’t know what it means to trust in Allah. You don’t even know your duties, you don’t observe prayers in time…..”

“Spare me please. I am not hypocritical. What about Nadia? She prays as if she killed a saint but what did she end up doing? She cheated on you while she was married to you. They got together the very day you divorced her. She could not even observe iddah and they took us for a fool, after sleeping together and she passed out, he took her to hospital claiming it was an accident….”

“Stop it! Where did you get your false information from?”

“Nothing is hidden under the sun. You think I will sit here while you cheat me? Hmmmm….why did you take the twenty boxes you bought somewhere after they rejected you? Why did you not bring them for me so I can slay you with them? My Ayatul Khursiyu will deal with all of you, Insha Allah.”

“Please leave me alone.”

"Let us go inside.”

“I am watching TV and enjoying coffee.”

She laughed.

“ I think the reverse is the case. The TV is watching you and the coffee is drinking you. Come let me go and give you life.”

“Is that all you know? Is marriage all about sex? You don’t have plans, no side attractions, nothing….”

She got up and moved in front of him. She shook her back, making sure her skinny pants was provocative.

“ All you know is…..You are just lucky I have the fear of Allah in me and I know it is not right to deprive you of your rights.” He got on his feet .

“That is the only reason for following.”

She smirked.
They spent about an hour on bed before she excused herself, went to the restroom, came back and then walked to her dressing table.

“ I have something to show for you.”

She came and handed a card to him. It was an invitation card.

Jamil was getting married to Nadia the next day!

No!

Lawal sprang out the bed, naked and ran to get his phone. No! No!

He could not lose her to another man. He could not let Jamil take her away.
Something has to be done. That marriage must be stopped. He paused and checked the card again. No! He was wrong. He did not look at the date very well. Oh God!

He picked his phone.

“Hello.”

“Hello. Alhaji Lawal.” Mallam Zakari said from the other end. “ I am sorry. I am with my Amarya. We got married today.”

“Did you hear about it?”

“About what?”

“Nadia and Jamil.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about. You know I don’t relate with Prof anymore.”

“ They got married today.”

“What?”

“ You failed me. I bought that house for you for a reason, left the five million naira for you for a reason. You failed me, then you will have to pay me back and I am collecting that house back!”

Mallam Zakari felt a bang in his heart. No! Something had to be done.

Alhaji Abdulsalam paced up and down, his hands behind his back. His wife, Sadiya sat with her palm on her cheek.
Adam was sitting on the floor with his head bowed.

“Adamu, what are you saying? What kind of game are you playing? You left your fiancée for her friend? Just some weeks to the wedding?”

“It is not what you think.”

“Shut up! You will not destroy my reputation. I know Alhaji Idris. You will not cause a rift between us. Get ready, we are going there right now. I have been asking you why you called off the wedding but you keep prevaricating.”

“Baba….”

Alhaji Abdulsalam had dialled a number already. He called Alhaji idris. After salutation, he said, “are you at home?.....okay, we are on our way insha Allah.”

“I guess it is about these children.” Alhaji Idris said. “I just heard about it now.”

“I don’t know if Leena gave you a reason. This boy is not talking.”

“Same thing here. She has not said anything reasonable.”

“We are on our way insha Allah.”

At that same moment, Haneefa’s parents, and Hannefa were on their way to Leena’s house.

Forty five minutes later, they were all gathered in Idris’ living room: Leena, her parents, Haneefa, her parents, Adam and his parents.

The children all look confused but the parents seemed to be more confused. Leena was the most scared.

“Let us pray.” Idris said.

tijehi:
Sokodobo, please can you skip to the part where Baanah was deported back to Yemen.......I just saw a vision of that.

lol

Baanah was slender, attractive and tall and that was what Baanah meant in Arabic. She had always been told that whoever named her Baanah had done that right. She wore a long green Abaya and covered her hair with a translucent veil which showed her long, dark hair.
She had inquisitive , piercing eyes of green, which was a pool of restless gold. Her full lips widened into a smile as she saw Adnan. They met in Yemen once.

Adnan found it hard to smile back. He forced his lips to move, and hoped it looked like a smile.

“Assalamu alaikum.” She said as she got to him, dragging her luggage. Adnan had come with Hamisu, his chauffeur who helped her with the luggage, dragging it to the car.

“Ameen wa alikum salam. You are welcome to Nigeria.”

“ Thank you.” She said and studied him. He was handsome, and sweet.

“ Shall we?”

“Yeah.”

“How was your trip?”

“Alhamdulillah. It’s my first time here though.”

“I know . Its not a big deal here. I guess you would enjoy Yemen better.”

“ I guess with you, it will be fun.” She said. “ You will show me places, right?”

“ Hmmmm..”

“Pardon?”

“Yes. We would go places. Yeah, places.”

“I am loving it already. This is the Capital of Nigeria, Ahujar.”

“Abuja.”

“ Subahallah!”

“What?”

“It sounded like Abu Jahl.”

“ Audhubillah. A-bu-ja.”

“ Yeah, I get it. Abujar.”

He shrugged smugly.
They walked to where the car was waiting . Baanah cringed as she saw a lady standing by the car. Who was she?

“ Baanah, this is my wife, Naairah. Naairah, this is the lady mum told us about.”

Naairah forced a smile, feeling her heart beating faster. The dreaded time was here and it was not just another lady but a ravishing Arabian. Could she handle it? Her beauty was intimidating.
Baanah did not return a smile. She only nodded at Naairah and felt dislike for her at once.

She turned at Adnan.

“ I don’t get it. You are supposed to pick me up and you bring your wife? Is that not condescending? I know you have a wife but you don’t have to flaunt it. So what do you expect? I sit in the front with the chauffeur while you guys sit in the back? Is this what you guys plan to do to me? To humiliate me?”

Naairah knew there was going to be trouble.
Baanah was already moved to tears. Jealousy burning inside her.

“ I don’t get this.” Adnan said. “What is wrong with her coming to welcome you?”

“A lot is wrong. You make me look like a piece of shit. I am meant to get to know you better. We never even spoke much in Yemen. How do I feel free to talk to you when she got her eyes and ears all on me? Where is Umm Aaliyah? I need to tell her I am going back. Let me speak to her…”

“ Wait, what do you want? Ask her to go back?”

“ She should take another car back or let me seat with you at the back.”

“What? That is not going to happen. Listen Baanah….”

“ Hayati…..”Naairah began.

“What? “Baanah cut in.” Hayati? You should wait until you are in seclusion before you do that. In my presence, you don’t do that. I know he got married to you first but we are going to share him equally with equal rights so please spear me. Is this all a plan to ridicule me? Umm Aaliyah never told me it was going to be like this. I was skeptical. I never even wanted to marry an African. I am here because it was you, Hayat.”

Adnan could not believe this was happening.

“Okay, call him Hayati.” Baanah said and turned to Adnan. “I am okay with it, Hayati. You are that to both of us, right, Hayati?” she smiled.

“I am sorry she is not taking another car, or sitting at the back….”

“ Hayati, I will sit in the front. It is okay.” Naairah said.

“No.”

“Please.” She implored and he saw a look in her eyes that broke him. He wanted to hold her, and press her to his body. How could they understand that he and Naairah had a bond that was unbreakable by a mere mortal? This was a lady that fell in love with him when he was nothing, a rogue, a labourer and security man. “Please don’t argue. Let her sit there.”

Adnan was silent for a spilt second, then nodded.

“Okay. Let us go.” He said.

Baanah smiled and went into the back seat with Adnan. Naairah opened the passenger’s side door and went in.
Hamisu put the luggage in the booth of the car and then car under the wheel.

“ I left Aisha behind.” Baanah said as the car began to move. “ She would join me next week.”

“Who is Aisha?”

“My cook. Hayati.She is a good cook but don’t get me wrong. I am gonna give you some real good cooking and feel the Saudi dishes. I lived in Mecca for long, got tired of the strict laws and left for Dubai. I can cook Saudi rice boukhari with meat, spinach and meat stew, sweet harisa, chicken biryani, okra and meat stew, lamb salona and lots more. But Aisha has to come in and give a helping hand.
I am told pregnant women fall sick.” She chucked. “ I feel ashamed saying this.”

Adnan said nothing.

Naairah closed her eyes. It was happening all too fast. Was she dreaming? And her attitudes made things worse.

Aadila called Adnan.

“ Have you picked her?”

“ Yes.”

“ Good. I told you she is very sensitive and delicate. Treat her nicely. So many people wanted her hand in marriage. I made sure I got one of the best for you. You have seen her right? She is beautiful.”

“ I have picked her and we are on our way home.”

“ Good. You will need to be taking her around and get to know each other better. Don’t’ make it look as if she is just here to breed for you. She has feelings too and I know she likes you. She would not have agreed so mark that. I love you.”

“I love you mum.” He said but with a heavy heart. “ We will try our best.”

“We? What do you mean ‘we’?”

“ It’s nothing. Good bye.”

“I will be expecting you.”

Adnan ended the call to see Baanah smiling at him.

“ I think I love you already.” She said.

Naairah clenched her fist. It was not easy. It was hurting.

Haneefa crinkled her face, finding it hard to believe.

“Are you kidding me?” She said. “You mean you are aware that he has been asking me out?”
Leena nodded.

“Adam is not the type of guy that would date his fiancée’s friend. He is a complete gentleman and it a two sided thing. Adam is one of the most special people to me and I want the best for him. You are my best friend and I want the best for you too. I know both of you, and you guys know each other. This would just be perfect.”

“I still find it hard to believe. Wait! You met a new guy and you never told me?”

“Haneefa, you are a friend who would tell me the truth to my face and I knew you would never support the relationship and you know what? Even though you are naughty, your opinion matters a lot to me. I am sorry about that. Okay, beat me later but I want us to talk about Adam now.”

“This is crazy! Do you think I will ever feel comfortable with this? He was your fiancée and you are best friend. It is just crazy! What are we going to tell the world? What will you tell your parents, what will he tell his and do I start telling my parents this?”

“We will figure that out.”

“Have you thought of something else? What if I don’t want to be a replacement? He is just coming for me because he lost you.”

Leena smiled.

“Women and pride. Mark this, he did not lose me. He let me go and why do you think he is not broken? Because he found something better. He talked about you right from the moment we broke up. You are what Allah used to reward him for his benevolence.”

“Lick my boots.”

“I am not. Bestie, there is something else I never told you.”

“What?”

“A big secret and I will reveal it today.”

“Hmmm?”

“The first day I introduced Adam to you, I felt jealous.”

“Why?”

“Because I just saw the compatibility between you guys which none of you noticed. There is that thing between you guys that I have always seen. Maybe you are made for each other.
When he told me that he wants you, I realised that I was right. Do not get me wrong, Adam never cheated on me. He is a nice guy and I believe you came on his mind when he realised that my heart has gone far away from him.”

Haneefa was confused. She had never dreamt of this. If Adam was in love with her, it meant he wanted to get married to her and that should be soon.
How was this going to work out?

“I will think about it. I want to go home.”

“Adam is coming to pick you. He is close by. He sent me a text message.”

Haneefa sighed.

“I really don’t know what to say or think right now. It’s just surreal.”

“I know….oops! He is calling. I think he is around.”

Haneefa felt her heart thumbing. It was like she had never met him. There was one question she had been avoiding to ask herself: did she feel anything for him?

“So?”

“You said you wanted to go home. Now let me have the money you would have used for keke since you are going for a ride.”

“I guess you are strong. Pin me down and collect it, naughty girl.”



Immediately Haneefa saw Adam leaning on his car, she became nervous. What was wrong? It was the same Adam. Why was she feeling like this now?

“Adam.” She managed to say.

He smiled.

“Hanny, you are so majestic.”

“Thank you for the flatter.”

“How dare I flatter you? You know you are. Where is your friend?”

Oh no! This was strange.

“She only stopped by the door. She is inside.”

“Oh, that’s cool. Shall we?”

He opened the door for her.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I should give you what you deserve.”

“Let someone see you and hear the interpretation.” She said and got inside the car. He closed the door and bent over to say, “what would they say?”

“You are henpecked. You know it not common here to do that for a woman.”

“Even over there, it’s not everyone who does it but I don’t care what they will say. I don’t joke with my duties.”

She pouted.

“Adam get inside the car and let us move.”

He giggled and then got inside the car. He started driving.

“So she knew all these while. You guys are crazy.” She said.

“She did. I guess you thought I was crazy.”

“I did and still don’t know if I have changed my mind.”

“Why?”

“Everything. Have you guys thought about it. What are we….”

“Going to tell our parents.” He completed . “I know and we thought about it. I think what is most important is what you feel about me. It is I and you that will live together. If that part if settled, we will figure out a way.”

She was looking out through the window.

“I don’t know what to say about that.”

“Is it about your parents?”

“It is about a whole lot of things. Adam, you guys took me unawares and I am just so confused.”

They arrived her house a few minutes later. He parked the car in front of her house.

“Hanny,” he called softly, “you are the reason I am still strong. The reason I am not hurt and had the heart to let Leena go. If it was not for you, I would have been down. Do you think it is nothing? It means you have the power to protect my heart, keep me immunized and cured. There is something about you that makes me feel exhilarated. All I want is your heart and soul. That means I want all of you. I don’t know the words to use in telling you how I feel about you right now. But hope is one of them, I see love, joy, friend, wife and goodness. But if you don’t feel anything for me, then we can let it go. I would not want to be with a woman who is not in love with me.”

Haneefa was silent for a while.

“Adam it is just kind of strange. I have looked upon you as my best friends fiancé for long and this happens now. I still feel like I am betraying her.”

“But you know you are not. I and Leena can never be together again after what happened eve if you reject me.”

She smiled.

“We should think of what to tell our parents. The three of us.”

“That depends on your acceptance status.”

“You said the first thing is for me to accept it or not. Now that I talk about our parents, don’t you read between the lines?”

He smiled.

“I did but we are adults. I want to hear it. I want it to resonate with me, send me into reveries. Do you accept me as your fiancé? A man that you will want to share your life with.”

“You are a stubborn guy.” She smiled. “Yes, Adam. I do.”

“I also do. I may kiss the bride.”

“What?” She said and they laughed.

Haneefa allowed the joy to erupt inside her. She now let it flow. Yes, he was right. She had always liked him and wished Farouq was like him.
But Farouq was nothing like him. She had prayed for someone like him, and Allah answered her prayer by giving her him.

“I have to go, Adam.”

“Ouuch! That hurts but we have no choice. Just one more thing…..I want us to get married as soon as possible. I am going to pray about it. Do the same. I want to take you away from this house.”

She smiled, blushed and went out.

“Take care.” She said.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

He left.

She was not aware that her mother was watching her from a window upstairs.

“Was that not Adam?” Jamila, her mother asked immediately she entered the house.

Haneefa flinched.

“Yes.”

“Adam, Leena’s fiance?”

“Yes, Mama.”

“Why has he been coming here frequently? Plus, the way you acted today is fishy. Do you know what you are doing?”

“I know.”

“Leena is your friend.”

“I know. I am not doing anything wrong.”

“You are doing everything wrong. I am not a baby. I saw you guys. There was nothing platonic about your gestures. You cannot make me believe that there is nothing between you two.”

Haneefa said nothing.

“Are you dating your friend’s fiance?”

Haneefa shook her head. “No.”

“Tell me what is going on now.”

“We – We are in a relationship.”

“Subahanallah! What kind of relationship? If it is not getting married, what is it all about? Haneefa! I am disappointed.”

“It is not what you think…”

“Tell me what I don’t know. I know he and Leena are getting married. I know Leena is your childhood friend. I know both of their parents. I also know that you are now dating the same guy. What else do you want me to know?”

“They- they broke up.”

“What? When, how, why? But Maman Leena and I talked yesterday. The wedding plan is still on.”

“I don’t think they have known.”

“What are you talking about. Even if Leena and Adam breakup without telling anyone, is it you, her friend that would take over? Is it morally right?”

“Leena is aware.”

“None of these makes sense to me. I am going right now to tell your father. No! This is crazy! And we must tell her parents.”

She left the room in a confused state.

TWENTY-EIGHT

He came out of the car, his head covered with a red hood, opened the car booth and packed some bags full of provisions. He walked to the caravan, and the door opened before he went in. He dropped the bags and Lori hugged him, kissed him and smiled.

“You took like forever.” She said. “ I was scared.”

“I am sorry. You know what is at stake and I had to get us new phones. We don’t even know what is going on now.”
They had been hiding in this caravan for days after their miraculous escape from Mason’s gunmen. They had been shot at sporadically, shattering the glasses, making bullet holes, until Lori got fed up and became so gutsy, shooting back and she got a perfect shot which got the driver of the car in front.
The car crashed and the one behind it hit it so hard there was an explosion. Before the gunmen could regain their balance, the couple were gone.

Lori had carried the cash Addy left in the closet. It was about two hundred thousand dollars. This got them a caravan which they furnished, a new cheap but functional car, and cash to keep them breathing.
They never left the caravan except when they had to get more provisions which they only did at night. They could not get new phone lines. Mason could not be underestimated. He was watching all their credit card financial transactions, bank, and anything to do with registration.
This night, Addy bought a phone and line from a junkie. They guy sold it for three thousand dollars. It should not have cost three hundred dollars but Addy was desperate.

Addy locked the door, and Lori went and opened a pack.
She removed sandwich and munched. Addy was busy with the phone, feeling hopeless because he did not have any contacts. He went on line, then opened Facebook, logged in and reached Zayyad's account. He sent a message.

Hey Zayyad, I need you to get me Hayat’s number.

Zayyad was not on line. Addy had to wait.

He dropped the phone and joined Lori for dinner. It was while they were eating the phone rang. Zayyad was calling via Facebook.
Addy picked the call.

“ Addy, where have you been?” Zayyad said and there a sharp note in his voice that made Lori pause to listen.

“I am somewhere in US. Did you get the number?”

“Yes, I sent it to your message box. I ….I kind of work for him. Just trying to assist.”

“Good, thank you.”

“You did not come home.”

“I would.”

“I could not reach you to express my condolence. May his soul rest in peace.”

“What are you talking about? Who died?”

“You mean you are not aware Uncle Abbas’ death? Your father died some days ago. Almost two weeks.”

“Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un! How?”

“ He was killed in a car bomb.”

“What?”

“They said he was alone in the car. No one knows what happened.”

Addy and Lori exchanged glances. The call was on loud speaker.

“ How come you don’t know?” Zayyad asked.

“ I was on a boat that capsized and got stranded on an island.” He lied. “ Thank you Zayyad. I will come home ASAP.”

Addy sat down and placed his hands on his head. So his father was dead. He felt tears in his eyes. He prayed silently.

Who killed him?

Lori held him and consoled him. They spent about twenty minutes crying before Lori collected the phone.

She checked an online directory and found a number. She dialled it.

“ Anita.” She said.

“Lori! Where have you been. Your father has lost it!”

“I know. Who killed Tiger 606?”

“ He gave the orders. Tiger had gone to the Lodge to seek for a conversation with him. He was denied and your father told them to kill him. He also said his son Adnan should be killed. Adnan was here but he escaped after knowing about the Evolution. Lori….I am afraid you are on the death list.”

“I know.”

“And he has decided to use the children. He has sent for Dr Barcovy. The Evolution is about to begin. It is horrible and scary. I am afraid for Sean and the other kids. It seems my mission is failing.”

“ Do not give up. I am working on something. Is Bell still on?”

“Yes. He told me these.”

“Okay, keep your eyes open. I will get in touch.” Lori said and ended the call.

“ My father did it. Your father went to the lodge…….”

“I heard. I guess he wanted to tell him that I am not Adnan. I told him not to. Adnan would have been killed and he does not deserve that. I warned him. He should have let it go. He got this on himself. They should not have started this in the first place.”

“ It is a pity. I am so ashamed of my father. He killed your father ”

“Don't see it from that angle. He plans to kill you too so let it off. Who is Anita?”

“ She is a nanny who takes care of the children. One of the thirty in the house. Last year, I caught her with one of the little boy. She was given him extra food, and she kissed his forehead. I began to watch her. Then I realised that she had a special affection for the boy.
I got her blood sample, and the boy’s and realized that she was his mother. I called her and she confessed to me. She had been pregnant at the age of sixteen and could not take care of the child. Her boyfriend was seventeen. They sold the child to the company.
Six months later, she could not sleep. She had the child on her mind. The boyfriend took the money and left. She traced the company and somehow met a man called Bell. Bell works for the company and he got her the job of a nanny.
She kept looking for the child until she found him: three years after. I don’t know how she recognized him. She was not really sure he was the one until I got the DNA test. She just wanted to be close to him, be there for him and take him away.
She was quick to realise that taking away was not possible. She stayed behind, working just to have the chance of seeing him. But her fear ignited when she began to get information from Bell. I guess he fell in love with her.
And she learnt that the children may be used for a project. She felt a relieve when she was told Adnan was around and he could find a possible solution to the project. Now she is scared after you escaped. They feel you are Adnan.
So when I discovered why she was there, I did not report her. She was amazed knowing I was mason’s daughter. I did not know why I could not report her. I understood better two months ago.”

“ What happened two months ago?”

She lowered her gaze, feeling shy.

“ I took in.”

“What?”

“I am carrying your child dummy.”

Addy was speechless.




Sean was a five year old cute boy with auburn hair and large bright eyes. He was playing among the children when he suddenly moved towards his favourite nanny.
Anita was sitting and watching the children play. She wished she could wake up one day and see these innocent children out of here while she had her son with her.
The security system was too tight.

“Hello Miss Harry,” he said, “why are you always sad?”

“I am not always sad my friend.”

“ Do you want to be my best friend?”

“ I am your best friend already.”

“ Tommy is my best friend.”

“ Really? Now, I am jealous.”

He laughed and showed his two missing front teeth.

“ I have a lot of friends here” Tommy, Jean, Sasha, but I don’t like Frank, he is a bully.”

“ Yes, but we always watch over you.”

“ I know. Why do you love me so much?”

“ Because you don’t have two front teeth.”

“ You did love me before I lost them. They called them milk teeth. Why? They are not soft like milk.”

“ That is your first set of teeth and you are going to lose them and get them replaced. But if I lose any of mine, it can never grow back.”

“Why?”

“I am an adult.”

“ Adult. Why don’t we have parents like the kids we see on TV? We don’t even go out . Are we normal? Uncle Ted tells us stories about kids who go out, and I see that we are not like them. We don’t parents right?”

Anita felt uncomfortable. How could he know that she was his mother and her stupidity got him here? How could he know that he was prone to been carried away before her eyes and get his skull broken? She controlled her tears.

“ I think Tommy wants to play with you. Go and meet him.”

“Are you angry?”

“No.”

“Okay, I will make you my best friend.”

She forced a smile.

“I love you Sean.”

“I love you Miss Harry. I hope you would not leave me here. I want to go out, please take me with you.”

Her eyes were wet.

“ I will.”

He smiled, and then turned to run back when he bumped into a man who just came in with Mason and Maya with two gunmen.
She recognised the man. Dr Barcovy.
The weird looking man was smallish with a rough hair and big ugly medicated glasses. This was one of the best surgeon, DNA expert in the world.

Dr Barcovy held on to Sean and studied him.

“I think we got one already.” He said. “ his eyes looks promising. Get five more.”

Anita nearly fainted.






“ I fell in love with the foetus even before it was formed. I felt empathy for her then. But now I understand the bond between a mother and a child and I would do anything to get those children out of that place.” Lori said. “ So I covered her up and she became my informant. I began to have a different view from my father''

Addy was still shocked about her announcement. Lori carrying his child! That was his dream.
He was yet to react when the phone rang.

“ Anita?”

“They are around.” She said breathlessly “They are picking six of the children for a test operation…..please do something. Sean was the first to be picked.”

Lori gave Addy a sharp glance.

“Get Adnan!”

Addy collected the phone and searched for the number Zayyad sent to him. He got it and dialled.

“ Hello.” Adnan said.

“Hello Adnan. This is Addy. There is fire on the mountain.”

“ Addy? Where the hell have you been?”

“ Hell. Just found out that dad got himself killed….." He briefly told Adnan about what he had gone through.

Adnan knew it was not the right time for so much questions or show of surprises. He now knew what the Evolution was all about.

“ They have collected six of the children right now. We do not have time!”

Adnan felt a bang in his heart.

Children! He had to do something. This was what he was looking for, some insane men were going to use for madness!

“ Where is Lori?”

“She is with me.”

“ Let me talk to her.”

“I am here.”

“I must talk to your father.”

“I got his number but you can’t reach him.”

“Give it to me.”

She gave it to him hopelessly.

Adnan looked at the numbers, input it into his PDA and opened it. He studied the network, then got into some complex software, manipulated, and got into the system.
He dialled the number.

Mason was shocked to see an incoming call. Who got into his line? How?
He hesitated, let the call end without picking it. Who was it? He was now curious. The call came in again and this time, he picked it.

“ Hello Mason Ford.” Adnan said. “ You should not have killed the fake Tiger 606. He was coming to tell you what I am about to say to you now.
The guy you had was Addy. I am the real Adnan. We need to talk.”

Mason felt an explosion in his head.

The wedding preparation was big. The natives were excited. A lot of renovation was going on. You could see them patching the walls of their houses with clay, making new skirts and beads. All for Fahad’s wedding.
He learnt there will be visitors from the villages which were mostly colonies of the kingdom. He had been tested and certified okay.

Tested!

They called it Burga.
He was snatched and taken to a room with over twenty girls then tied to a stick. Then they got him naked and began to check every part of his body.
Every part!
Literarily every part.

They took a lot of time checking his private part, making assessments and commenting in their language.
They even made sure they tickled him to check if he was responsive to stimulus. They said it was a kind of check to avoid bad blood and thwart to a high pedigree.
He saw hell in that kingdom!
Then the next phase was Hanta’u.
This time, two experts were called to take him through sex class. They taught him all they knew about sex, preparing him for his wife. A man and a lady.
While the man told him what to do, the lady told him how the action felt. Damn! And he realized that they knew nothing like kissing.
After two days of lectures, the man took Fahad to his house, as the custom demanded to show him what he had taught him.
They made Fahad watch him and his wife have sex.

What the hell!

It was said to be his job. He learnt that Goshiya was going through the same course.

Fahad called it Madness 312.

Three warriors were set to guard him and that became a problem to his escape plan. With the guile of hunting, he had tried many times to escape only to come back for the fear of wild animals.
This jungle was not close to any town, it was so isolated the Nigerian Government had not discovered it. He could not guess which direction to run towards. He had to resort to conniving with Gusku.

Luckily for them, the warriors understood no single word in English so they kept planning in their presence.
And the children started calling Fahad Rim Alakabar. Rim was said to mean prince while Alakabar was Allahu Akhbar which they heard while he prayed.
He learnt a few words in their language. Fum meant girl, Gudum was boy, and from his sex tutors, he learnt fik-fik meant sex.
On this fateful afternoon, while sitting with Goshiya on a sand dune, she touched his cheek and smiled coquettishly with a prudish stare at him as her hands went into a dalliance.

“ Tested am.” She said.

“ What?” He asked.

“ Tested am ( We should give it a test). Wetin is is teach us in fik-fik (What we were taught in sex).

“ But it is just five days to our wedding.”

“Is is know but am wanting is is tested am.” She said and he saw that impatience and infuriation begin to inchoate. She wanted it and she must have it, very typical of the princess. She never had space for excuses. All that mattered was her desire and need. Wasn’t she going to make a marvelous wife?

“Ok, but where are we going to do it?” He asked, hoping to calm her down.

“ Is is doing it in your house.”

“ No. Gusku has been watching me and Gwimbu may visit. I think when it is dark, we can come here and cross to that place,” He pointed a finger towards the river, “ there is an island….”

“Wetin is is island?”

“ A piece of land amid this river. We can have all the carte blanche we need. It’s going to be more than fik-fik, but I got some skills to add like bik-bik, sik-sik,”

She laughed and touched his chest. This girl was trying to rape him. He could not imagine himself with another girl apart from Halima. Oh, Would he ever see her again, have her in his arms; feel that warmth, her fragrance, her smile, touch and softness?
She was the only one who aroused his libido, sparked his adrenaline, act as an aphrodisiac and made him want a woman. His halal, love, wife and world.
His touch was just for her, his mouth was hers, and the thought of having another woman have what belonged to her made him sick. Yes, Goshiya or whatever she called herself made him sick.

Each time she touched him, it felt like been caressed by a snake, or pricked with a needle. And she loved doing that a lot. Why would she not want a test when they took her to watch a man and woman having sex?
What kind of tradition was this? These people had no religion, they did not know about Islam or Christianity.

“ But how is is go there?” She asked.

“ We can use a canoe.” He said using his hand for an imaginary paddling to make her understand what he meant by canoe.

“ Aha! My father is is has am.”

“ Serious? That’s cool.”

“ No. Is is no cool. Is is wood .”

Damn! She thought he meant the canoe was cold.

“ Oh, damn me. I thought it was the cool type. ” He said.

“ But is is cannot go in the night. My father is is no give am.”

“ But in the day time, there will be guards, maids and we are going for fik-fik, remember.”

She thought about it.

“ Yes. What is is going to do?”

“ Can’t we borrow it without his consent?”

“ E?”

“ Can’t we carry it in a way that your father will not know.” He said in a simpler way.

“ Hmmmmm….. Is is keep am in back palace. But me is is no fit carry am.”

“ I will get someone to help.”

“ Who?”

“ Somebody who wants you to be happy.”

After their departure, he contacted Guskus and laid it on his lap. Guskus knew what he was doing was tantamount to getting executed but he seemed obsessed with her. He said if Fahad ran away, the king would have to get another suitor in order to avoid embarrassment and he was the next in line. He was not doing this because he liked Fahad, he was doing it for the big buttocks that he hoped was rammed into his face.

Fahad had quickly gone into the bush and was lucky to hunt an antelope down. That was one of his newly acquired skill: hunting.
He preferred hunting and slaughtering himself and he cooked his meals. They were great farmers and he understood why they survived for centuries without communicating with the outside world.
They were blessed with natural resources. They had iron, aluminium, and very fertile soil and rich vegetation.
They had animals, both domestic and wild, they farmed maize, potatoes, cowpea, guinea-corn, and many more. They had a kind of sweet and fragrant leave which was used as seasoning.

They just had it all and cared not about the outside world. Sometimes, he envied their simple life. No insurgency, no air pollution, no seasoned food, no intake of chemicals, no political crisis, King was supreme, just a simple life though not perfectly serene.
He had arranged his travelling paraphernalia : roasted meat, roasted corn, dried dates, honey, mangoes, coconut, roasted yam, palm oil and dried fish, and two skirts.
He went and hid them in the bush close to the river bank then headed to the king’s quarters.

“ Rim Alakabar.” One of the warriors said as he saw him.

He nodded vain gloriously, acting like the prince that he was. He walked with a swagger, his hands behind him while he raised his head up high.

“ Hum Dabuhu.” He said.

“ Hum hum.” They replied .

Who said he was not a bona fide citizen, a royal one for the record?

He walked with one of his guards behind him. He had come to understand that they loved palm wine so when he wanted to be alone, he got them a lot of wine and kept them busy.
He hoped Guskus and his cronies would play that part perfectly. This was prone to death sentence. It was a big risk, but just the thought of Halima alone made it worth it.

He walked to Goshiya’s quarters, then one of the maids ran inside and announced his arrival. He had been elated and promoted to wearing a woolen skirt.

“Lah lah lah lah lahhhhhhhhh!” The maids shouted as Goshiya came out, with that air of royalty, power and glamour. She came and touched his cheeks, then his lips while the maids bowed their heads.
She held his hand and they began to take a slow walk. As the maids and guards began to follow them, she ordered them to go back.

Very good.
To her, it was a fik-fik night, to him, it was a chance for escape. A very dicey one indeed.
They walked to the back of a big building at the back of the palace. There were a few guards there. When she started romancing him, they moved away.
It was now getting dark and some servants had begun to light gigantic lamps that illuminated the quarters.
Guskus and a friend of his then appeared. They had been let in because they posed as Fahad’s friends. With the guards out of sight, and knowing the crowned princess was there with her fiancé, they got the chance to break the door and bring out the canoe. It was long, and strongly built.
It had two paddles of different lengths. They used a strong rope to tie it, moved it to the fence then threw the rope over the high fence. The accomplices behind the fence started drawing the rope while Guskus and his friend pushed the canoe up.
It was not an easy task, but they succeeded in crossing it over the fence. They would then take it to the river bank.

Guskus came and bowed before her, a look of contempt and jealousy on his face as he saw her touching him. But Fahad guessed he assured himself that the days of his pain would soon be over.
Fahad was his pain and he was making sure he left. Then he would start wearing woolen skirt and be addressed as Rim.

About twenty minutes later, Fahad and the princess walked out of the quarters while the guards trailed behind. They got to the river side, and then settled behind a sand dune.
The plan was to use the canoe to get to the fictitious island. But how would he leave without her? And if he left with her, how would he escape?
The guards were sitting under some trees. Fahad had told her to make sure they had enough palm wine, so she ordered for pots of palm wine and made them merry.
While they enjoyed palm wine, he told her to excuse him for a few minutes to set the canoe. She did not excuse him because she accompanied him. He then remembered that she was no fool. He moved the canoe to the river bank and tied it to a peg.
He could not put his bag of provisions in the canoe in other not to make her suspicious. Then he told her that they should go back to the sand dune.

“ Why? Is Is go now.”She said.

He held her, grabbed her and held her for the first time. This seemed to astonish and exhilarate her. She held him back then he pulled her back to the sand dune .
He had no choice. This was his only chance, the king’s canoe had been stolen already, if he missed this chance, then he may be stuck here for life if he escaped execution. So, he had no choice than to draw her into his hands, with a lot of regrets and contempt.
He pulled off her skirt, it only took just one step to get them naked. She wore no pants, knew no pants, just skirt and skin.

Tested am!

She was lying on the sand, her tall body waiting anxiously for him. He pulled off his skirt then lay on her before he sprang up abruptly.

“ Wetin is is happen?” She asked.

“ The canoe, I did not tie it, I need to check on it.”

“ Leave am. Even if is is lost, I tell am my father is is me, he is is no talk am.”

“ Just a moment.”

He ran out of there, springing like a puma, dipping his legs into the sand and shoving off sand He was desperate and ready to hit anything that came his way.
He ran to the bush. Damn! Where exactly did he keep the sack? Okay, over there. He went and carried it. It was heavy, but the thought of Halima gave him synergy. He carried it and put it in the canoe.

He was shaky, jittery, desperate, enthusiastic and hyper. He was about untying the rope when he felt a cold hand on him.
It was Goshiya. She looked angry, her eyes piercing angrily into him, her bare chest heaving, the breast galloping up and down.

“ What is is doing?” she asked. “ You is is ranning away?”

“ It’s not what you think my love.”

“ Me is is no your love. You is never touching me, never wanting the fik-fik, you is taking me a fool! I will tell am my father.”She began to cry.

This was not good. This was a straight ticket to gas chamber, oops! He meant cauldron of boiled water.
He was desperate, at a point of no return, no abdicating, no retreat so he went on trying to untie the rope.
Goshiya attacked him, held his hand and pushed him away from the peg. What a strength she had!

“ You is is going to die am.” She said, an expression of hatred on her pretty face. The boundary between hate and love had been broken. She now wanted him dead.
He went for the rope again, she tried to stop him but he shoved her, she put in more effort and refused to fall. This girl was strong so he went ballistic. His gentlemanliness was swept off. This was a matter of life and death so he formed a fist and rammed it into her belly.
She screamed, he then punched her breast. She fell down and he untied the rope but to his dismay, he saw the guards running towards them. He pushed the canoe into the river but doubted if he could escape these brutes.

The vibration of the ground was scary, the rumbling sound and the distant hissing of the fire that came with it made Damon’s intestines crumble. They ran into the bedroom, where the sensitive twins were crying hysterically.
He grabbed one them, not knowing which, while Alicia grabbed the second one. There was no time to pick anything. He used the remote to open the garage door. He had to get to the car so they could leave as quick as possible.
But a cracking sound got him shocked. It was so loud he was scared for his children’s ears. Alicia screamed. The tempo of the vibration increased, the whole place began to shake.

“ Come on! Let’s go.” He said and made a move for the garage. Then he heard a blasting sound and pulled Alicia quickly as a piece of stone nearly hit her. The place was cracking! Oh no! She screamed, fear on her face and she held the child tightly while she cried. Her agitation, the children's wailings got him confused. How could people so wicked?
As he tried to get into the garage, he saw a big stone falling directly above him, he swayed and the stone just narrowly missed him. He could have being crushed. Now the road to the garage was blocked and the house was now scattering.
The sound was now very loud, a sign that the quake was so close. It may be their last day on Earth, but he was going to fight it to the last.

Brakk! Booom!

A crack and the ground split and a big hole was made. If he had not held her as quickly as I did, she could have fallen into the deep hole. That was when he saw the power of a woman’s love for her child.
She held on to the child. He held her with one hand, and held the child with the other hand. He pulled her up and she came out.
She could cry no more. It was more of shock, fear and disbelieve. They were stuck. Behind them was a big hole and ahead was a blocked road.
Yet the earthquake was increasingly coming closer, and the heat he was feeling told him that the volcanic eruption was on its way too.

They were in a dilemma, stuck in a death track, and his little babies could cry no more. They just watched helplessly, unaware of the real danger they faced, their innocent faces so cute.
Alicia was tired and she sat down and held her child tightly, tears on her chicks. He joined her, pretending not to be aware of the bogey sound, sputtering sparks, heat, and cracks that threatened them.

She looked at him, a smile amid tears and pains, she said “ at least we are together as a family. I always wanted to be with you to the last. I love you,Damond.”

He lost his manhood. He was crying, even though he tried all he could to stop it.

“ I love you too.”

She came closer and rested her body on his, even at that state, he felt comfortable, she never failed to make him feel so . He wound his arm round her and the four of them stayed like that while the Earthquake savaged the Earth and they waited hopelessly.

t1976:
please i sent a mail to the address since yesterday,I have not seen response

Apologies for the delay. Have you gotten a responce?