Chapter 22: Chapter 22
Tehzeeb and the woman where sitting patiently waiting for the doctors to come out from the theater room when she heard her name being called. She looked to see who was calling her name by this time, to her ultmost surprised it's was her Madam " Good evening ma"
"Evening Tehzeeb"Mrs Kaltumi said waiting for Tehzeeb to say another thing, which Tehzeeb was speechless because she didn't know what to say or asked, so Hajiya Kaltumi speaks up " Tehzeeb" she called her name, which in return Tehzeeb raised her eyes to meet her gaze. Hajiya Kaltumi walk close to her and took Tehzeeb's hand into her own before she speaks "I followed you here, but couldn't locate you on time. But firstly I want you to call your parents which I know you have not done that. Call them immediately because I know they will be sick and worried about you now" immediately Hajiya Kaltumi said that Tehzeeb eyes become moist because she knows wherever her parents her now they will be sick and worried about her where about. She immediately pick her phone to call her parents, her hand was even shaking when she was dailing the number
*
They stayed at the main road before finally getting what will take them to there destination "Ashafa's shopping mall" Mallam Audu said to the driver
"Two hundred naira" the driver reply, which they entered without pricing since it's getting late and it's will be difficult to have a cheap car that will take them there now. Immediately they arrived they walk close to the mall and saw that it's was locked, so they walked closer to the security man at the gate to asked him about there daughter
"Good evening Baba" Mallam Audi greated seeing the man was a little bit older than him
"Evening. How may I help you?" The security man asked
"Please we are asking of our daughter Tehzeeb, she works here" Mallam Audu reply which Mrs Habiba was just busy fidgeting with her fingers because of fear of what might have happened to there daughter
"Oh! I know Tehzeeb, but it's been long they close and I saw her walk out of the gate" the security man answers, before Mallam Audu could talk Mrs Habiba shouted "am finished. I said it something have happened to my only child. What am I going to do? Someone should please help me out" she begin to shout which Mallam Audu talk to the security man before he draw his wife close to him.
"Haba Habiba. Stop shouting like these, let's check there Khady's house first before you start all these" Mallam Audu wanted to continue with what he was saying when his phone rings, he immediately bring it out from his pocket and saw the name on the screen, with shaking hands he pick the call "Tehzeeb where are you? Are you okay? Tell me where you are and I will come and meet you now" Mallam Audu said in panicked, immediately Habiba heard what her husband was saying she stopped shouting and snatch the phone out of her husband hand "my daughter please tell me, where are you? Please talk to us, did they harm you, where did they drop you?" Habiba asked tears streaming down her face, from the other side you could hear Tehzeeb voice
"Am sorry Umma, for making you both worried. Nothing happened to me" Tehzeeb was trying to explain before her mother intervene
"Just tell us where you are these instant" Habiba boomed through the phone
"Am in the hospital" Tehzeeb said
"What?" Both Mallam Audu and Habiba said at the same time "which hospital, just tell us the name when we reach there you will explain" Habiba said in panicked since she heard Tehzeeb mentioned hospital thinking something might have happened to her but she didn't want to tell them
"Woman specialist London street" Tehzeeb replies without wasting another seconds Habiba ends the call
"Mallam we have to hurry up. I think something have happened to her" Umma said stoping a taxi "Woman specialist in London street" she said to the driver and entered without pricing. They arrived at the hospital and Mallam Audu pay the taxi driver before he follow his wife since she left immediately she came down from the car. They entered inside together and was about to asked the receptionist when Habiba saw Tehzeeb, without asking or saying anything she run and hug her daughter before she break down "don't just disappear on us like this again, please I beg you in the name of Allah. No matter what the situation is or will be try to call us please" Habiba said crying severely. Tehzeeb hold on to her mother tightly
"Am sorry Umma. Am sorry, I did not mean to get you all work up and worried. Please forgive me I promise not to do such a thing again, I promise to call you no matter what the situation maybe" Tehzeeb said crying to. Mallam Audu wish he could cry to but no he tried his possible best to be strong for them both so he walk close to them and hug them both
"Shhhhh, it's okay now that we have found her, it's okay she's not harm in any way" he said trying to convince himself too not his wife alone. They stood there for some minutes before they break the hug. Hajiya Kaltumi and Aisha's mother were just looking at them without uttering a word, till they stop crying and break there hug that when Aisha's mother speak up
"Am sorry for the trouble you both went through. It's all my fault, she was busy helping me that she forget to call you both, am sorry on her behalf" Aisha's mother said to both Mallam Audu and Habiba who did not understand what she was saying
"It's okay mama, don't worry I will explain to them" Tehzeeb said to Aisha's mother that looks guilty. Tehzeeb turn to her parents "Umma, Baba these the woman that I helped and" she turn towards Hajiya Kaltumi "these my madam at my working place" Tehzeeb said to her parents
"Well-done Hajiya" both Mallam Audu and Habiba said because they don't know what to say
"Thank you. You're welcome and sorry for what Tehzeeb did" Hajiya Kaltumi said
"It's okay, atleast she's fine" said Mallam Audu.
"What happened that you're in the hospital?" Mrs Habiba asked her daughter
"Umma when I was coming back I saw Aisha and her mother" and she told her parents all the story, even Hajiya Kaltumi that did not know the full details heard it now
"Innalillahi wa'innailaihir raji'un" they all chorus "Kai Kai Amma Dan Adam mugu ne (but human being are wicked) Habiba said already in tears while Hajiya Kaltumi was cleaning her tears because she was tongue tied about what she heard. Mallam Audu being the man was just shaking his head thinking how the world is coming to an end
"Allah will surely judge them, even if you don't know them they will not go Scott free by God's will, because they will repeat it again and when they do someone will see them and they will get there punishment from there" Habiba said cleaning her face.
"Tehzeeb you have done what not every one can do. May Allah reward you and continue to bless you" Mallam Audu pray for his daughter, giving her a hug. He his proud of her, even by the way he talks even a blind man will know he his proud of her. They were all still there waiting for the doctors to come out and tell them the girl was safe, but still yet no one had come out from the theater.
"Hajiya don't you think it getting late?" Habiba asked Hajiya Kaltumi
"It's okay, I will wait for the doctors to come out" Hajiya Kaltumi reply before Umma could speak the door to the theater was open and they all rushed to door waiting for the doctor to come out. Aisha's mother was already in tears but Tehzeeb was there to support her. The doctor comes out finally
"Who is the mother or father of the patient?" The doctor asked
"I'm the mother. Is she save? is she alive?" Aisha's mother asked
"Calm down ma'am, she's out of danger and she's alive" the doctor said which they all sighed in relief "but am sorry to say, you can't see her today till tomorrow because we need to keep an eye on her for now" the doctor said calmly
"But we can sleep here, so that whenever she wakes up we can see her?" Tehzeeb asked with the hope that the doctor will say yes
"Am sorry, but no one is allowed to sleep here. You can all come back tomorrow" the doctor said and was about to leave when Aisha's mother stop him
"But I can sleep here right since am the mother?" She asked with the hope that the doctor will agree
"Sorry you can't. I need to go now. Thank you" and he left while Aisha's mother break down.
"It's okay you can go and sleep with us" Mallam Audu said which they all turned to look at him, he nod his head which Umma and Tehzeeb understand. She was about to thank them when he stopped her "no need of thanking me, anyone of us could be in the same situation as you now, so it's okay to help one another because we don't know what tommorow had in store for each and every one of us" Mallam Audu said
"Let's get going, I will drop you all before I go home" Hajiya Kaltumi said