Chapter 40: Chapter 40

Tehzeeb ambled inside there room after saying Salam "Umma you have a visitor" she said removing her hijab

"Which visitor? And moreover who knows that we have packed and know where we stays now?" Umma asked continuing with what she's doing

"It's Doctor Bashir. He saw me when I was coming out of the Keke" reply Tehzeeb

"Oh! But you should have shown him the way"

"I don't think he will feel comfortable coming inside, that's why I told him I would go and call you for him. And moreover his just here to great you no need of coming in"

"I don't know when you will start accommodating people with open arms"

"Umma just go already, you're keeping him waiting"

"I hope you change Cox this not a good habit" Umma said taking her hijab from the mat before walking out of the room. She ambled out side the compound and saw him standing"welcome Bashir,please come inside"

"No thank you Umma. Maybe next time when I come again, was just passing by and decided to branch but was told you packed out"

"Yeah we did. We need a change of environment to move on"

"That's good. I will get going now but promise to come next time"

"In Sha Allah, thank you so much, my regards to everyone at home"

"Alright" and he left before Umma turned back inside "Bashir is a good boy gaskiya(truly)" Umma said but Tehzeeb pretended not to hear her. "So thoughtful of him to visit us, he's trying"

"Umma he will get his reward. Please stop talking about him already" scoffed Tehzeeb

"Did I asked you to comment or what? Am just saying the truth about the innocent guy"

"Well done. Where is my food?" Tehzeeb asked changing the topic because she knows her mother have another intention if not what's the essence of praising him all of a sudden

"Check inside the kitchen" and she walks inside the kitchen before coming out with food. "Umma don't you think you should start a small business?"

"I thought of that too, but let's wait a little bit. After we get to know more people, then I will start"

"That's good. I will continue with my work at Hajiya Kaltumi's mall, so we could cover some expenses with that"

"May Allah see us through"

"Ameen"

Life itself is not a bed of roses, things happen. Tehzeeb and Umma have been trying to meet up with there daily life activities, and to meet up with there expenses. It's have not been easy for them because Tehzeeb have resumed school which she needs some money for some of her school materials, which makes the expenses to increased, so she tries to go to school and go to the mall at thesame time so as to earn some extra change that will suffice them before her monthly payment. Tehzeeb visited Hajiya Kaltumi's house because it's been long she saw Gogo

"Tehzeeb two days I didn't hear from you, nor see you and when I went to your house I didn't see you or Umma, hope all is well?" Gogo asked out of concern

"Don't worry Gogo, we're fine. Umma travel to see her relatives" Tehzeeb lied because she didn't want anybody to find out about there present situation and start pitying them, because that the last thing she wants

"But you should have called. So what of you, where are you leaving?" Asked Gogo

"Am staying with there Khady since we go to school and there place is more closer to the school"

"That's good. Please do call me or I will check on you time to time"

"Don't stress yourself mama,i will call and always visit, let me save you from the stress"

"If you insist. How is Mamman Khady and Khady?"

"They're both fine and send there regards to you"

"Am answering please if you reach home send my regards to them to"

"I will. Mama I will be going"

"So soon"

"Yes, I have 7:00 lecture tomorrow"

"Alright. All the best daughter, and when Umma comes back let me know so I will come and check on her"

"In Sha Allah I will" thus Tehzeeb left after bid her farewell because Hajiya Kaltumi was not around. Tehzeeb was having early morning lectures today, so she was in a haste to reach the class almost at the lecture hall when she felt a tap on her shoulder which made her to turn "Kawa(friend)" Tehzeeb said happily seeing Khady

"Yes bae. How was your night, no need to tell me Cox I can tell already by your mood. I can see you don't want to wake up this early"

"Seriously I don't. I can't just wait to finished this hell of a thing called school, am tired of this early lectures already" Tehzeeb whined

"Don't worry this our last year In Sha Allah, before you know it we're through"

"Your right. How is Mama's health?" Tehzeeb asked out of concerned

"Alhamdulillah she's getting better. When will you visit us?"

"Soon In Sha Allah"

"Good because I don't want to come to that mansion, I won't be comfortable"

"Don't worry, we will soon be back home"

"I can't wait" Khady reply enthusiastically. Tehzeeb couldn't tell Khady what happened so she lied to her that they are leaving with Hajiya Kaltumi now, thesame way she told them she's leaving with there Khady. Umma said she don't want them spending unnecessarily on them. After the lectures they both departed and go on there different ways, since they no longer take thesame route

"I have a husband house but was chased away because the child I have is not for my husband" a woman sing song when she saw Umma sweeping her frontage. Umma knows very well she's talking to her but decided not to say anything "there's nothing we don't know about, unless we decided to keep quiet" the woman continues to rant till Tehzeeb entered the compound with Tasleem "what a pity. A child without a father. I wonder how she's coping" the same woman said immediately she saw Tehzeeb.

"Umma am back" Tehzeeb said to her mother collecting the broom in her hand

"Go and freshen up dear, your just coming back" Umma collected the broom back from Tehzeeb hand.

"No wonder they were chased out, I heard she's not Mallam Audu's biological daughter" another woman said

"So I heard and that's the reason Mallam Audu brother send them packing" the both woman continue to talk

"Umma let's go inside. The sweeping is okay like that" Tehzeeb said helping her Umma with the broom and packer because she don't know how long she can endure there talks without retaliating.

"Tehzeeb don't be angry with what they were saying, they are just some jobless house wives who go about looking for trouble" said Umma immediately they entered the safety of there room because she knows it's because of there talks that Tehzeeb asked them to go inside

"Don't worry Umma, I will try not to get offended by there talks but you know I can't just keep quiet all the time,Cox blood runs in my veins too"

"I know but don't you know that's what they want?" Asked Umma

"Humm, I know but I will try not to retaliate"

"May Allah bless you my child"

"Ameen" thus Tehzeeb went to bath before changing her clothes.

Tehzeeb was reading when an unknown number called her she check it but didn't pick, when the call was too much she picked "hello" she said but she could not hear anything, so she was about to hang up when the person speaks

"Tehzeeb" comes the voice from the other side of the phone which Tehzeeb did not know who it is

"Please who is on the line?"

"Bashir" he said shortly

"Oh!"Tehzeeb exclaimed surprised to see his call by now "sorry did not know the number that's why"

"It's okay just called to check on you"

"Thank you so much"

"You're welcome. What of Umma?"

"She's fine"

"Good my regards to her"

"In Sha Allah. Bye"

"Wait" Bashir said before Tehzeeb could hang up the call on him "I have something to tell you,and I will be glad to see you so that we could talk"

"Am sorry, but since you have called you can just say it already"

"Okay. Tehzeeb" Dr Bashir called her name

"Yes"

"I know you're not a child anymore and I don't want to bit around the bush" said Bashir waiting for Tehzeeb respond,when he got none he continues "Tehzeeb I love you and will like to marry you" he said waiting for her to reply which he got no reply. He checked his phone and the call was still on

"Tehzeeb" he called again

"Yes"

"Did you not here what I just said?"

"I heard and am sorry to say am not ready for any relationship yet"

"Give me a chance"

"Am sorry. Goodnight" and she end the call before he could say anything else. Tehzeeb hold the phone starring at it like it's the first time she's seeing it in her life. She can't believe that's how they confess to someone you love them or was it because it's her first time experiencing it.

"Where are you coming from in this middle of the night"

"Am not going back to that house again, am done with him, he can keep his child"

"Are you out of your senses or what? And why did you travel by this time of the night? what if something happened to you?"

"What did he do to you?"

"He raised his hand and slapped me"

"What? Who did he think he his? Allah he will pay, no one dares touch my sister and go Scot free"

"Dan Allah keep quiet. Your case is always different, did you know what she did"

"Even though,but he don't have the right to slap her just like that or is he an animal"

"Oh so you know it's only animals that raised there hands on ladies or behaved like that"

"Am not leaving him"

"Will you just keep quiet" She shouted  snapping on him

**********

Sorry for the late update

I know you're confused on what's happening or who are the people talking. Well guesses are allowed.

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DANI KIKE....... An Hausa Novel