Chapter 17: Chapter 17

Karima glanced at her again, open mouthed before she threw her head back laughing. "And you didn't do anything afterwards?" She laughed more till she was satisfied. By the time she was done, Amira was already pissed off. "What else was I supposed to do? There were five of them, I can't fight back, and besides their parents punished them. And they also apologized to me." Her arms were crossed on her chest. She wanted to cry when karima started laughing again but she ended up glaring at her before she hissed.

"Okay, I am sorry, it's just so funny. But, is that enough for you? Do you feel satisfied?" Karima started with the devil act. Amira glanced at her as if she would understood more of what she meant. "You didn't send any bandits to deal with the idiots?" She questioned. Amira's eyes bulged out as she shook her head. "Karima you're insane. Do you know who saraki is? He used to be a soldier. The whole house is surrounded with soldiers that can't be counted."

"Who is saraki?"

"He is muhsin's grandfather and the man is still alive. He would do anything to protect his family and you're telling me to try that dangerous game with them? No, no way, I want to live." Karima burst into another series of laughter. She noticed how Amira got horror-stricken by the mention of bandits. "That is the last thing I would do karima."

The door bell interrupted their conversation. Amira slightly hissed as she crossed the living room to the door. She opened the door and went back into the living room where she left Karima. "Start cleaning my room first before you do anything." Dalia squatted a little as she nodded her head. She entered the kitchen and let out a long sigh. She thought amira would attack her the moment they met. She walked over to the broom and picked it up together with the other cleaning supplies before she headed out of the kitchen and walked passed them.

"You just allowed this girl enter your house without greeting you or me?" Karima looked at the stairs dalia followed before she settled her gaze on amira again. "You see this girl? Hm! She is more important to my husband than I am to him. I am even starting to think my own father loves her more now than he loves me." Amira spoke with so much bitter in her tone.

Karima scoffed before she laughed in disbelief. "Karima I am not joking. Just last week he slapped me because of her."

"And you're stupidly here sitting without taking any actions on the girl?" Karima asked her in a loud voice. "I am even afraid to glare at this girl because he had warned me so many times about her and I am audibly sure he would do whatever he said he would."

"He's not around now isn't he?" Amira hesitated before she nodded. She knew karima's next words won't be a good one. "Catch that girl now and beat the crap out of her. Warn her about your husband and I assure you she will not do any stupidity to come between you and him."

Amira calmly reasoned her friend's words. Maybe it was because she hadn't warned her the first time that's why she always acted all innocent and melancholy when he was around to get amira in trouble. "You're right karima, but I am afraid. What if he comes back or he finds out what I have done? Even If he doesn't do anything to me and he would tell my father, that's double the trouble for me. Daddy won't take it easily with me."

"Amira why are you acting so stupid? You see this is how people will keep taking advantage of you because you always act weak, like you don't know your rights." Amira dumbly nodded as she smiled brightly. She stood up from the sofa but before she could move again, karima quickly held her wrist, "where are you going? Just wait till she's done and come downstairs herself then we will pounce on her."

Amira nodded before she settled down again. "Daddy took this girl to one of the most expensive universities here in Abuja. Do you see the kind of dresses she wears now? The kind I wear. And not just that, my husband was the one that did her registration. He always takes her home after she's done cleaning my house..."

"And you're here sitting down? I doubt if her mother doesn't use jazz. Haa! I am not accusing your husband but do you know what happens when he's dropping her home? Does he even drop her straight home from here?" Amira's whole body shook as she tried to restrain herself. She had never even thought of that. Maybe that was what her mother had been trying to tell her. But no, she knew who muhsin was and he would never follow that old rag. "The man that slapped you because of her." Karima added when amira started shaking her head in disagreement. "Look karima. I trust my husband, I know he would never try having an affair, just not with that trash girl." She knew she was lying, Dalia was beautiful in and out and she couldn't help it.

"You need to stop the girl from coming to your house. Look at how she was dressed. Who wears that alluring Abaya to come clean? Definitely she's up to something which no doubts she's after him."

"If I stop her from coming who will clean and cook for me? I can't stop from coming else it will be another problem for me.

Dalia walked down the stairs, not that she was done. She only came out to throw the tons of trash amira had littered with around her room. She scrambled up and walked over to dalia. She grabbed her by the neck and pulled her into the living room. "You will tell me who you did this makeup for. You're trying to seduce my husband right? Husband snatcher." Dalia didn't know when she got on her knees and started to plead with her. "Aunty which makeup? Seduce? Snatch who? Please aunty amira I am so sorry if I have done anything but I am just here to clean for you like mommy asked me to and nothing more. Please spare my life."

"Don't even allow that stupid innocent face to deceive you amira, by the time she snatches your husband it won't be as innocent as it looks now." Amira averted her gaze from karima to the girl on her knees below her. She slapped her across the face multiple times before she grabbed her by the neck. "If I for once catch you anywhere near my husband, you see this face that you're claiming it's beautiful. I will burn it with acid and I am not kidding. My husband is rich, my father is rich, no one will dare arrest me for what I have done because you are no difference with the trash. You better watch out." She pushed her to the hard marbled tiles. "Now you're doing the right thing," karima mumbled happily.

They both left her in the living room silently gushing tears out as she winced in pain. Her mind screamed out as the pain drove through her head. Amira really did smack her multiple times on her head and face. She laid down there for couple of minutes wishing she had never had left her mother at the first place. She would've continued being stubborn till they all gave up and let her be with her mother. She was just an orphan not a beggar but look at how someone was treating her like her life didn't matter.

She curled up in a ball and buried her face in her knees thinking of every possible way she could have her old life back. It was too devastating. Because her parents weren't rich? Because she was an orphan? Or because she was too soft and never showed her anger? But she had no power over anything or anyone. She was controlled. She had to wait to be given orders. She had to wait till she was told to do something, all because of a life she wished not to have. She would choose a thousand times to have her old life back. Where she lived with her parents in their small world filled with joy and happiness. No disturbance, just peace.

"Dalia? What are you doing here? What happened?" She heard his voice from no where. She slowly sat up and glanced at him with her bloodshot eyes. "Please take me home. I'm begging you." Her sobs increased, making him more panicked. He just arrived home from work even though it was the weekend, just to find her in the middle of the living room sobbing. "Get up let's go." She followed him out to the car.

He found himself parking by the roadside when her sobs didn't stop and he kept asking but she ever responded. "Please just take me to any nearby car park, I want to go back to Kuje." He was perplexed for a minute. Amira did something, he mused. But what? What would dalia even do to her? "What did amira do to you?" He questioned her but she answered with another question. "Can you please just take me to the car park?"

"I can't take you dalia. Why should I? What do you want me to tell daddy when he finds out you're not around or you went back home?" He threw the questions at her. "He doesn't have to know you were the one that took me there. Please just do me this favour. I want to go see my mother."

He looked around the road as he sighed. "I will take you there but I have to call daddy first." He fetched out his phone but she shook her head. "He doesn't have to know, I don’t want to get him worried.” No one needed to know what has happened. Not even muhsin. All she wanted was to be with her mother, why can't he get it? She attempted to open the door but luckily he had locked it. "Where are you going?" He asked holding her wrist. She snatched it away. "Can you tell me what is going on please? What did amira do? I am confidently sure she has something to do with your panic attack."

As if she was waiting, the tears came rushing down her rest already pink face. He stared at her face and observed the finger print on both her cheeks and some bruises on her neck. He swallowed hard, heart pounding against his chest. What would he do to amira now? What has the innocent girl done to her now. "I just want to see my mother. She is the only one that will calm me down and give me advices that I need. I.... I just need to see my mother now.” He heard her say between tears.

"If I take you there, you promise to tell me what happened and you will stop crying?" It was a tough one for her. If she said no he might not take her to go see her mother. If she said yes, it meant trouble for amira and more trouble for her. "I promise you no one will touch you again as long as I am there." As if he knew that was what she wanted to hear. She slowly nodded her head and he smiled. "I will take you there and come pick you up before maghrib." He started driving and did a U-turn.

Like he promised, he dropped her off at their house in Kuje and left. She entered the house and met her mother on the weaved mat together with Amrah. They both scrambled up, alarmed when they just saw a human being appeared in the compound . Amina heaved a sigh, hands both on her chest. "Subahanallah, Dalia? What happened?" You didn't call and told me you were coming." She hugged her mother and placed her head on amina's chest, just what she needed first before she tells her everything.

Amrah left the place knowing they needed some space. Amina sat her down as she asked her again. Dalia narrated everything that has been happening to her to what happened between her and amira. "Dalia, I am glad you told me this but all I can say is you should be more patient because I cannot just tell this man I want my daughter back after he had spend tons of money for your school and everything. That will be so unfair and like you said, he doesn't have an idea of what his daughter and her mother are doing to you right?" Dalia nodded her head as se sniffed.

"Patience is all you need to do surely this will pass. No one said you will always be happy, dear. No one said your stay in Abuja was going to be a good one. Sure you have to go through some trails and all you need to keep doing is Du'a and exercise patience, that's the only solution."

"But mama, I don't want to go back. That lady hates my guts and I don't know what I have done to her. She keeps saying that I am trying to snatch her husband away." Amina couldn't help but chuckle. She continued to say soothing words to dalia till she had stopped the tears and calmed down. She urged her to pray Asr before she ate her lunch and they continued conversing after Amrah had joined them.

Few minutes after six, he came back and picked her up. She looked a bit relieved and calm which made him pleased. They were half way the journey with no one speaking a word to the other. He couldn't help but speak up. "You haven't told me what amira did." She gave him a look that meant she had even forgotten about it. "Oh," she murmured. "I..." She thought of million things to say but she couldn't create a lie. "Don't lie to me, Dalia. Just tell me the truth. You have parents and it's not like they can't take care of you so therefore, you can never be treated like a slave."

She suppressed a smile and nodded. "But I don't want to come between you and your wife." He stared at her till she spoke up again. "Okay, okay I will tell you. But please you don't have to say or do anything to her." He slowly nodded waiting to hear what she had to say. She told him all that had happened even though she did it not to make them fight, no, she did it because she made a promise to him. He was silent for more than two minutes before he heaved a sigh. The rest of their ride home was a silent one which made Dalia afraid when his face showed no mercy.

He dropped her off at home and left without saying a word to her. She looked at his car till it disappeared into the streets.

He parked the car in the parking lot same time she was about to step into her car together with karima. She hurriedly step out and shifted back as she looked at him coming out of his car. "Kindly leave my house before I come out now." He glared at karima before he turned his gaze to Amira whose body was already trembling.

"Meet me In my room, now!" He walked away into the house. She looked at karima before she turned and followed him. Karima let out an evil laugh before she turned and started walking towards the gate. She’s making progress.

He was already seated on the vanity stool when she came in. "Sit." He pointed at his bed. She settled down where he pointed. "I was just.." He raised his hand and she paused. "Look I won't sit here and waste my time. Be honest with me, what did that girl do to you?" He asked smoothly. She stuttered as she thought of a lie but she knew he might not believe her. "Why did you hit her? Amira, this girl is simply here to help you, she's not your maid. You do not have the right to hit someone's child like she's your slave. Please be careful next time else daddy has to hear about this since you don't take my warnings seriously."

He dismissed her afterwards but she still sat there and burst into tears. "Muhsin why do you hate me this much? What have I done to you please? You're always yelling at me, accusing me..."

"Whoa wait. Accusing you? When have I ever accused you? Amira I don't hate you, I only dislike your behaviours and attitude. Please, it's not too late to change..."

"What do you want me to do? You know I can't cook or clean. I asked you to hire a maid you refused. Mommy brought this girl to help but you're always condemning me..."

"Amira you are always pushing me to the wall." He stood up from the stool and walked over to her. he knelt down in front of her and slowly held her shoulders. "Please, change, not just for me but for our unborn babies. I am begging you now, please." Her sobs diminish before he enfold her in a hug. His embrace was warm, and his big, strong arms seemed very protective when wrapped around her frail body. The world around her melted and she found herself snuggling up to him closer. Sometimes all she needed was a hug.