Chapter 29: Chapter 29
One month had passed by in a blur, Dalia had gone back to Kuje and had started receiving skin treatment. She had thrown different kind of tantrums but none it worked. Just as they were done for the day, she had her bath and went back to her room to rest.
She looked around the place again and beamed, a complete transformation. She came back five days ago just to find out that daddy had did a little renovation to their house. He made a complete change of the house since her mother had vowed not to leave Kuje behind.
“Dalia, you haven't taken your drugs,” an intruder came into her room. She furiously raised her head up and looked at her aunt. “Please do not waste my time, it’s better you get up, take it and continue with whatever it is you were doing.”
“You keep asking me to take these pills that I don’t even know what’s it for.” She groaned as she took the pills and gulped it down with a glass of water. “If your husband comes, you should ask him.” She packed the glass cup and pills before sauntering out. Dalia rolled her eyes as she hissed, “he's not my husband.”
She took her phone from the side drawer as it continued to ring nonstop. She beamed from ear to ear before she answered the call. “Salamu Alaikum, dalia.” She heaved a sigh and sat up right. “Wa’alaikumus Salam, good evening. How was work today?” She spoke softly as if she wasn't the one that kept ranting few moments ago. “I'm outside waiting for you,” he announced, his voice was deep, whenever he spoke. He had that rich, silky tone. He speaks as if he controls the world, his experience seeping through. He would remind you of a stormy a day, a nice one.
“Now? Right now? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” She asked relaxed. “I'm sorry, I just wanted to surprise you and it worked, right?” She chuckled softly as she imagined how his facial expression would look like at that moment. “Okay, I’ll be out soon.” She ended the call and rise to her feet. She slip into her hijab and headed out to her mother’s room.
Amina looked at her from head to toe. “Dalia, don’t stay long outside. Come back before maghrib.” Dalia’s eyes bulged out as she tried to suppress a smile. “Mama you didn't even hear what I had to say.” She tilted her head as she pouted. “Your husband is outside, you don’t have to rub it on our faces,” her aunt spoke teasingly. She felt the urge to scream but restrained herself and hurriedly sauntered out of the room.
He was already outside the car waiting for her when she approached him. A smile flickers on his face as he scanned her face. She looked up into his eyes as she smiled. “Good evening,” she greeted and lowered her gaze.
He stares at her for a long moment... then heaved a sigh. “Have you looked at yourself in the mirror?” He asked her. “What? What happened to my face?” She asked panicky as she touched her silky face.
“Hey, it’s nothing.... You're just.... Glowing... I love it.”
She could feel the heat growing in her cheeks. By now the must be beyond an attractive rosiness. She looked away with a hot blush. He chuckled and then his face turns serious as he gazes down at her. “I always wanted to see how your town looks like. Care to show me around?” She quickly nodded as she smiled. “Of course I will. Kuje is filled with beautiful things you wouldn't imagine. I’ll also show you my hiding spot when I know I'm in trouble with Mama or when I'm sad.”
It left him in awe how she would be quiet at a moment and the next, she turns to a talkative.
They started strolling around their neighbourhood to their small market and headed to her hiding spot. “You were just talking few minutes ago and now you seem distant.” She looked up at him with her furrowed brows. “It’s just mama and her sister. They keep giving me some pills that I don’t even know what’s it for. I keep asking and today at the end my aunt said I should ask you.” She looked at him again, waiting for his response.
He eyes bulged out as he suppressed his laughter. “But I don't know which pills you’re talking about.” She looked away and furrowed her brows again. “Some aphrodisiac I think,” she spoke innocently and shrugged.
He dissolves into a puddle of laugher which made dalia to pause and look at him. “Dalia...” He called out trying to restrain himself. “Why are you laughing? You haven't told me what it means? Is it something bad?” She lamented, tilting her head.
“No it’s not something bad, it’s actually good, for us. Just do me a favor and don’t tell anyone about it, okay? Not even your friends.” She hesitated staring at him, what did he mean by ‘for us?’ She shrugged the thought off and nodded.
“This is my hiding place.” She grinned looking at the enticing place. It never changed even though she haven't visited there for weeks. “Now I don’t blame you for running off here. It’s really beautiful and quiet. Does anyone come here?” She shrugged her shoulders, “sometimes but most of the times I'm alone.”
The place hums life all around her. She twirl about, gazing up at the canopy, searching for the birds that sing sweetly. The sunset breaks through the cracks, lighting up the place. He smiled at her because there was so much to admire about her. It takes a great spirit to come through so very much and become the person that she was. He admired her, that’s easy peasy.
“Dalia,” he called for her attention. She looked his way and raised her brows. She was enjoying the moment before he interrupted her. She moved closer to him as she waited for him to say something. He looked around the place and spotted a huge log waiting to be seated on. “Come, let’s sit over there.” He pointed at the log before they moved to the place ad settled down.
He holds her gaze for a long moment. “What are your dreams?” He asked her. Her eyes sparkled while she gave him a grateful look. “No one has ever asked me that,” she muttered still having a smile on her face. He urged her to speak. “Well, I'm not going to lie, getting married now was not in my plans but you know.... We plan and Allah plans, and Allah is the best of planners.”
He nodded his head in agreement. “I just want to finish school, get a good job if possible, and take care of my mother. Basically that’s all, really. Mama is my top priority, you know.... She’s basically the only person I have now since he left us.” He stared at the girl beside him. How can he make her the happiest girl because she deserves it, after all what she had gone through.
“What about you? What’s your dreams?” She asked not gazing at him. He averted his gaze to the dancing tall trees above them and smiled. “Mine is sitting right beside me.” He dared not to turn because he knew she would and as he predicted, she looked at him astonished. “How?” She asked softly. “What? You don’t believe my words?” He met her gaze, and her expression twists with happiness. She looked away and chuckled. “No, I just want to know how your dream is sitting right beside you.”
“I never lived a moment of my life, before meeting you. I just don’t ever want to be separated from you. This heart,” he paused and pointed at his chest. “It was angry when I was without you. Today, I want to make a confession. You know before I met you, I didn't believe love actually exists, not even after I married amira, sorry to say. I used to laugh at people who actually claim they were in love. But, today, I have the chance to tell you that you have completely changed my notion in life. Since the time you entered my life, I started loving you more. I love myself for falling in love with you. What is this and how has this happened, I don’t know. But, I have found my true soul mate in you. And I believe that if love exists it’s only because of you.”
Her face lit up with a smile, the kind of smile that shows all your teeth. She couldn't hide it. “You feel that way about me?” She asked and he nodded. “You have no idea what you've done for me this past months. And you have no idea what a great achievement it is to marry you.” He beheld her gaze for a moment and smiled more, “just three weeks more.”
“It’s almost maghrib time. I have to get home before mama starts looking for me,” she hurriedly said and stood up from the log. He chuckled as he stood to his feet also.
They walked side by side back to her house. She waited till he got into his car. “You should head in, I’ll call you when I get home, okay?” She beamed and nodded before she bid him good bye.
***
“Alhaji? He didn't tell you his name?” She asked the boy with an astonished expression. She knew muhsin would be at work that time and alhaji was not in town at the moment. Who could that be then? “The person said Muhsin. My mother sent on an errand. They’re waiting for you outside.” The boy spoke as he hurriedly waved at dalia and ran out of the house.
Dalia looked at her cousin, Amrah. “He might be the one, just go,” Amrah advised her. Dalia heaved a sigh and nodded. Her mother and aunt were out to do some shopping in abuja, she was left alone together with Amrah for the day.
She headed to her room and slipped into her hijab before she stepped out to see who it was. Her smile dropped midair when met the people actually waiting for her. She looked at amira to her friend karima. “I... um...” She stuttered.
The sound of her heartbeat pounds in her ears as she watches them approach her. Amira eyed her from head to toe before she burst into laughter. “It really is shocking that your husband chose this miserable measly midget of a thing as his wife to be.” Dalia peered at karima angrily without uttering a word to her.
Amira threw her head back laughing before she retrained herself. She raised her finger and pointed it at dalia. “Who do you think your father is that you think you have the audacity to marry my husband? Just look at me, first of all. See for yourself.” Amira majestically twirled around as dalia stared at her without blinking.
“What do you have? Nothing, right? You have nothing to compete with me. I advice you to stay away from my husband but if you decide to play dumb with me and do that mistake, you'd wish your mother never gave birth to you. Not just you, your WHOLE FAMILY will disappear and nothing will happen because my father is rich, my husband is rich, I am rich. I will make your life miserable if you don’t step back.”
Anger burns in her stomach, and she clutch her hand, feeling suddenly feverish. “And if you want to marry my husband because of his money, how much do you and your numbskull mother need? Mention it and I will give it to you and just so you know. How did I even forget to mention it to you that my husband actually wants to marry you because he wants you to continue being our little maid? You know, cleaning the house like you used to, cook and whatever it is that you do.” Amira smirked at dalia’s face expression. She was winning. “What? You really think that he would marry you because of something else? Oh no dear, I have everything he needs and you’re just.... The maid.”
Dalia shook her head and looked away as she chuckled softly. Deep inside her, she felt that insult but she swallowed everything and pretended like it didn't bother her. “I've heard everything you've mentioned. And I agree with you, I don’t have the looks or the money. But I have many things your husband couldn't resist not making me his wife. I have home training, I know how to take care of a house, In fact the husband you keep claiming he's yours, I know how to control him. And a wife that doesn't know how to take care of her husband or her house has really failed in life. You really think driving flashy cars or wearing expensive dresses or driving around the city all day and night is something impressive? If you want to impress me or even anyone, you should learn how to take care of your husband, cook for him and glam up for him not glam up for the people who don’t care about how you look or what you do. And so what if he wants to marry me as a maid? Why are you getting yourself worked up if you think he’s going to marry me as a maid? You shouldn't have bothered coming if you think he would marry me as that, I won't mind if I continue to do the house chores while you continue to drive around the cit. But we both know I have the softest and biggest place in his heart. We should compete and see who would win, the looks you claim you have or the caring and loving wife he’s about to marry in just three weeks. And mind you, the maid you just called me will be your greatest nightmare. You will regret letting me into your house to do your house chores every weekend.”
Her mouth stands agape as dalia started walking away. Karima approached her and held her arm before her legs gave up. “Just allow her, we will deal with the stupid girl later. Since she refuses to step back, the game is on and we shall see who would win.”