Chapter 15: Chapter 15

The next morning, the whole Sarakis got ready and boarded the flight to Abuja where the bride was conveyed to. No one was more happy to leave Yola like Dalia, after Amira. She was genuinely uncomfortable with how Muhsin's cousins tried to make her speak and be their friend. Dalia hardly opens up to new people in her life. She only does that when it was necessary. Like making friends in school. She wouldn't mind walking around alone but it would be creepy to do that.

In less than an hour, they landed safely in Abuja. Mommy and Dalia were taken home as Muhsin and Amira went home also to rest.

He looked around the living room as they walked in. The gateman dropped their suitcases and head back to his position. He looked at amira that was about to head towards the stairs. "This house really needs cleaning," he uttered. "Then you do it," she snorted as she walked towards the stairs. He scoffed and shook his head. He took their suitcases upstairs and dropped hers by her door before he walked into his neat bedroom. He looked around and smiled, just as he left it.

He dropped everything in the right spot and stripped off his clothes before he sashayed into the bathroom to bath. Thirty minutes after he was done, he stepped out of the house and went for his whereabouts.

**

The next day, Dalia started attending school. The one thing she had been waiting for for days has finally approached. Most of the times daddy's driver was the one that picks her up because most of her lectures ends late.

She was in a garden, going through one of her books when a tall figure approached her. She looked up to see him smiling at her. "Salamu alaikum, Dalia, right?" He spoke smoothly. She answered his greetings and continued with what she was doing, obviously not interested in what brought him to her. "Can I sit, if you don't mind," he uttered politely. She eyed him from head to toe and shrugged her shoulders. He settled down a bit inches away from her on the bench.

She flipped through the pages as she hissed softly. He audibly knew he wasn't invited. "My name is Abdulwahab Aliyu, a final year student here. I've seen you a couple of times around our department... well I am a bit impressed by your behaviour, that's how I got to know your name. So if you don't mind, I would like to know more about you and maybe be friends."

She was boiling inside the minute he uttered the words 'a bit impressed'. She glanced at him briefly before glancing away. Her phone vibrated and she checked to see the driver calling. "I have to go now," she grabbed her bag and stood up. "Can I get your number at least," he asked but she pretended like she hasn't heard what he said. She was having a bad day and he had just topped it up, To complete her b bad day, Just great!

She looked his way, annoyed. "Look please, I really appreciate your compliments and everything but I am not interested in becoming your friend or anything. I suggest we continue being strangers." She walked away to the parking lot where the driver was waiting for her. He stared at her retreating back as he smiled alluringly. Did he even hear what she said? He stared at her angry face the whole time as he fell into a fantasy.

"Malam Sufyan, good afternoon." She smiled brightly at the driver. He answered her greetings as they drove away. "Alhaji said I should take you to his daughter's house. Hajiya is out and won't be back till later in the evening," he explained while they took the path to Muhsin's house. She wanted to ask why she couldn't just go back when the maids are around but she shrugged.

He dropped her off at the house and left afterwards. She took smooth steps to the door and pressed the doorbell. Few moments later, amira opened the door. She eyed her from her to toe before she widened the door for her to enter. She knew Dalia was coming but for some awkward reasons she wasn't happy about it. "I hope you know that you're going to clean the house now," amira's dull voice came through. She turned and looked at her but glanced away.

She remembered her mother always warning her about arguing with any of them. If they ask her to do a particular thing, she should without hesitation or showing she doesn't want to. As long as it is not against her religion.

She dropped her bag in the living room and headed to the untidy kitchen. A knot tied in her throat. She never imagined this when she thought of coming back to abuja. What has amira and her mother turned her into, their slave? Cause not even maids are being treated that way. Dalia knew amira clearly knows that she was coming back from school and she must be tired and hungry.

She sluggishly walked out of the kitchen together with a broom. The living room was empty. She dropped the broom and sauntered into the guest toilet. She washed the toilet first before performing ablution. She prayed Asr before she started cleaning the living room then moved to the dining room and cleaned it.

By the time she was almost done, she was tired as ever. Her body ached that she could easily pull off being a walking zombie, dead on the inside but subconsciously awake. She sat on the stool resting while thinking of what she would cook, and she still has to clean amira's room. She remembered the last time she forgot to, amira almost smacked her face but she luckily dodged it.

She heaved a desolate sigh and got off the tall stool. She wandered upstairs to amira's room and knocked softly. She knocked few times again before amira forcefully opened the door. "What is it?" She looked angry, obviously about something but she was venting it on Dalia. "I was wondering what you'd like me to cook for dinner," she spoke tiredly. Her eyes kept closing, and all the wanted was to sleep.

"Cook whatever it is." She shut the door on Dalia's face. She exhaled as she turned away and left. She sashayed into the kitchen and scanned through the pantry which was filled with goodies. She smiled a little before she brought out some ingredients from the pantry and closed it. She walked into the store and brought out a pack of spaghetti.

She needed to cook something simple and fast as it just few minutes to maghrib. Her limbs pained and whomever looked at her would know she was tired. She prepared everything and went back to the living room to rest a bit before it was done.

She prayed maghrib first before she checked what she was cooking. She lessened the gas before wandering off to the living room.

As she laid on the soft carpet, a heavy sleep over comes her. She felt the blankness come over her. Like a blanket, but not a blanket of warmth but a blanket of coldness making her shiver. But somehow it's making her eyes feel heavier and heavier. She finally closes her eyes, sending her into a dreamless sleep.

The smoke smell drifts out of the kitchen to the dining area and the entire living room. He rushed into the kitchen and turned off the gas. He furiously walked out of the kitchen wondering who did that. He never noticed the tiny figure lain on the carpet sleeping. Right from the stairs he started calling amira's name loudly.

She quickly walked out of her room wanting to hear what he had in stock for her that evening. "What sort of nonsense is this? Were you cooking or trying to burn down the house?"

She sniffed before her eyes widened. She walked passed him and headed downstairs. He followed her downstairs to the living room but she had already entered the kitchen. He looked around the clean place, astonished. That's when his eyes caught sight of her sleeping. Her face looks disturbed and obviously he knew definitely she was the one cooking and maybe she dozed off in the process.

Amira marched out, irked and launched towards her before she landed a hard smack on dalia's face. Like a nightmare, she jerked up as she muttered a supplication. She looked at the both of them unable to read what was happening. Then she smelt the the smoke again but before she could move an Inch, Amira slapped her again, twice.

"Are you stupid? You wanted to..." The loud smack echoed across the four walls as Dalia jerked back in shock. Amira held her cheek as she slowly turned his way to make sure if he was the one that slapped her or Dalia had the audacity to slap back. "Muhsin? You slapped me? Again?"

"This is more than the fifth time you're hitting this girl, in my presence because you're insane. Are you mad? Is she your maid? I am very sure she didn't rest when she got back from school and now you're hitting her for a mistake you're not above making it. Wallahil Azim the next time your hand would touch anyone, I mean anyone, I will do more than this." He turned his gaze to Dalia who had her gaze lowered. "And you, where your shoes now I am taking you home." He breezed out of the living. She quickly grabbed her bag, wore her shoes and followed him when amira Marched towards her.

She entered the car and he drove out of the house. She sniffed and cleared her tears. If her father was still alive maybe none of that would have happened. That was the umpteenth time amira was slapping her over something silly. She cleared the unending tears again with her hijab. "I'm so sorry for what I did. I was so tired and sleepy that I slept off without knowing. Please forgive me, I would never try to burn down your house."

He listened to every word she said but never replied to any. He continued driving till he reached to where he wanted. "Please take me home, I know mommy is back now, please I don't want to stay here and get in trouble." She pleaded while he was about to step out of the car. "Just give me a minute, I'll be back." He hopped out of the car and sauntered into the restaurant.

She looked through the window and let out a long deep sigh. There were times she felt like the world was slowly disappearing in front of her. Or maybe it was just her who was fading away. That moment was one of them. Feeling anxious, broken inside. It doesn't even matter, she had felt a pain much worse than that when she lost her father.

The tears arose again. Her empty burning lungs and her heart hitting her chest so hard that she thought it would break her ribs and rip apart her skin. And then the void. The black hole in her head, deep inside her soul, slowly swallowing all the hopes and dreams. That was the worst of that moment. She sighed again as she thought of a way she could tell daddy she has given up and wanted to go back home and take care of her only happiness, her mother.

She quickly wiped the tears when he walked out of the restaurant, hand filled with leather of takeaways. He dropped the takeaways in the back seat before they zoned out of the place. The rest of the drive to Daddy's home was a quiet one, but uncomfortable for Dalia as she contemplated wether he was angry with her or not.

The car came to a halt and she looked up. The gateman opened the gate before he drove in. He parked the car at the parking lot before he gazed at her. He smiled apologetically which she almost heaved a sigh of relief. "I am very sorry for her behaviours, in sha Allah I won't let this happen again. As long as I am around." He took to leather and handed it to her. She shook her head and rejected politely. "If you won't take it then I will take it inside for you." She smiled a little and shook her head again but this time in a positive way. "Thank you." She took the leathers away from him and stepped out of the car.

He watched her retreating back and sighed. No girl made him feel nervous that way especially when they were together like she did. Heck, he hardly notice any girl not to talk of admiring her or having a crush on her. He hissed annoyingly when he remembered what he had to deal with when he gets home. Yusuf was working late at the hospital he works and he had no other place to go. He reversed and left the house as he thought of where to go other than his home. Or maybe he would use Yusuf's advise and sleep somewhere else so she would get worried and might even under what she had done was wrong. He smiled joyously and continued driving.