•Hamza

And that's how we lived in misery for two weeks.

No messages, an unreachable number and a devastated family.

We called severally and she would reject our calls or her number would be totally be unavailable.

Sigh.

My father is the one who was affected the most. He tries to put on a strong face for us while we sit to eat our meals together but I alone knew he would cry all night and would wake up each night to pray for her return at 03:00am each night. He was a devout Muslim but this alone brought him closer to the Almighty. If he died at this moment I'm sure he'd make it all the way to Jannah (paradise) without delay.

I on the other hand, have cried till there were no more tears left to cry. I'm closest to her yet I feel the most indifferent. I love her with all my heart but deep down I can't help it to think whatever she's doing there is not genuine.

Baba Jinto has been fine for the past one month so I doubt much if her blood pressure is really up again but for the sake of the love I have for my mother I'll pretend she's not lying to me.

I'm getting suspicious of my mothers disappearance so I'll have to play detective to figure it all out.

That's why I woke up extra early to embark on my trip to Yola. I left a message for my sister Zahra so that she'll tell everyone about my whereabouts leaving the exception of my reasons for going there.

The journey to the airport was the most excruciating pain I've ever felt in my life because it's one of the distances I have to cover before I can set my eyes on my beautiful mother.

Thirty minutes later I'm at the airport, dragging my little box of clothes as I reach the immigration officers that check my luggage and search my body for contrabands before I make my way to sit and wait for the time I board the plane.

******

I'm on the road that leads to my grandmother's house and I'm terribly nervous with sweat pooling on my forehead and soaking the back of my shirt but that was the least of my concerns. I was just scared that my mother would be there and all she said wouldn't be a bloody lie.

As the mango tree at the entrance of my grandparents comes to my line of view, my fear dies down as I see my mothers car parked by the other end of the wall by the left.

I suddenly feel bad about my sudden exoneration on her. I say a few prayers before gaining enough confidence to step out of the car and I make a beeline to the gate.

After knocking continuously for more than ten minutes, a girl emerges from inside the house and opens the gate for me. She smiles and bends slightly to greet me the moment she sees it's me and I recognize her as the girl who Baba Jinto hired some months back to take care of her since all her kids were all grown up and her husband was basically in need of assistance too since he was recently diagnosed of glaucoma.

"Ina wuni Kawu Hamza (Good afternoon Uncle Hamza)."

"Habiba ya kike? (How are you?) Is Baba inside?" She opens the gate and shifts for me to go in before she locks the door behind her and I sit on the plush carpet to wait for my grandmother.

"Lafiya kalau Kawu Hamza (I'm fine Uncle Hamza). Baba is inside." Habiba disappeares into a narrow hallway and comes back out with my grandmother on a wheelchair smiling at me.

"Hamza yau kai ne a gidan namu? (Is it you that's in our house today?)" She laughs "How is your mum and dad? Hamza two months ago your mother left her car here. After Balaraba's driver dropped her at the airport she told him to bring it back her instead of driving it back to Abuja for her."

"I've tried calling her but her line isn't reachable. So when you go back please tell her to come and take her car abi she has dashed us ? Also ka ce mata 'yar Altine ta haifi tagwaye (Tell her Altine's daughter has given birth to twins)."

And then it hit me; she had no idea about my mothers whereabouts. That means the driver may have taken her somewhere else instead of the airport. What a shame. She must've sent the car during her last trip so that she could use it while she was here to move around.

She's probably still here and with the help of Aunty Balaraba her twin sister I'll find out.

"Dama aiki ne ya kawo ni (I was actually here for a business trip) so I said let me see you before I leave." I smile to hide the scowl threatening to surface due to my confusion and anger.

"Aah toh mun gode (Thank you) Hamza na (My Hamza). Please sit and eat before you leave."

I couldn't believe she'd lie about travelling to Yola to see our grandmother and then when I arrive here she's nowhere to be found. Baba Jinto offers me an enticing delicacy of Tuwo and miyan kubewa and I don't refuse. While enjoying my delicious meal, I make a mental note to visit a few other people related to us and some of her friends that she went to FGGC Yola with in hopes of finding her.

After eating, I bid my grandmother farewell and hit the road again and this time it's to my aunty Kulthum's house. I find out she's in Lagos for a course and won't be back till after a month when I call her so I turn to make a turn to Kawu Muntari's house and before reaching I call his phone and unfortunately his number is not reachable so I drive there anyways and to my surprise the gates are locked.

As I got back into my car to leave, a man stops me and asks for money to eat. I give him some money and inquire about my uncle and he tells me that he's in Germany for a vacation with his two wives.

My last hope is Aunty Balaraba. Her house is at least two hours away but I'll go there even if it's going to take me twenty four hours.

******

"Salamu Alaykum Aunty Balaraba."

"Wa Alaykumusalam dana (My son). How are you? Ya aiki? (How is work?)"

"I'm fine Aunty. Actually I'm on my way to your house so I was calling to be sure you were at home."

"Toh sai ka zo (Ok. Till you come). Be careful. You know how the road is when It's Magribh time."

"Nagode Aunty sai na zo (Alright Aunty. Till I come)."

I hang up and set my eyes on the road. It gets darker the closer I get to the house and thankfully it's twenty minutes away.

Like the blink of an eye, I'm at her gate hitting my horn impatiently for the gateman to open it. It doesn't take long before he's at the door and I make my way into her beautifully furnished bungalow and park my car beside her BMW X6.

She opens the door before I even reach it and I rush forward to greet my recently widowed Aunt.

"Aunty Ina wuni (Good evening)." I smile.

"Hamzana ya kake (My Hamza how are you?)? How is your father, Rabia and the rest? You guys haven't been here in a while. Muna kewar ku sosai (We miss you alot)." She beams.

We walk into the house and take our places on the Pearl white sofas then she calls her maid to get me food and drinks.

The house looks empty but I'm hoping that my mother is sleeping in one of the numerous rooms of this house.

"We're all fine. How is Na'ima and Shafa'atu?"

"They're fine. Hutunsu sai (Their holiday is in) April so gidan is going to be terribly boring till they're back."

"Allah sarki. Errrrm Aunty I'm here because there's a problem and I need your help to find the solution."

"Ina jinka dana (I'm listening my son). What is the problem?"

I clear my voice before I let out the reason for my unexpected visit. "Aunty Balaraba it's been two weeks since we last saw our mother and she has refused to pick our calls. My father is turning crazier by the passing minute and my sisters to taps producing liquid from their eyes every second of the day.

"They all look lean and sick due to over thinking , it has turned our house into an empty vessel." I pause to take a deep breathe before continuing "You know she was the life of the house and now that she's gone I need your help-we need your help to find her. I know that you're the only that she'll tell where she is even if she killed someone so please Aunty help us." I beg as tear drops slide down my face while I hold her legs.

"Hamza I can't help you with this. You're also my child but I can't betray my sister..."

I interrupt before she completes her sentence "Dan Allah (For Allah's sake) Aunty! You're our only hope. Even if you can't help me give me a clue. Anything will do."

"Listen I won't reveal where she is but I can send you to someone who'll help you."

"Toh nagode Aunty. You don't know how you've helped me." I almost choke on my tears as a smile spreads across my face for the first time today.

"It's the least I could do after all the pain she's caused you all. Get some rest and eat your food before you sleep. Tomorrow we'll talk." She says that with a reassuring smile and walks away to her room.

I don't realise how hungry I am till I look at the food placed before me and my stomach churns to be fed. The spaghetti bolognese I ate filled my stomach to the brim and I want nothing but to a take a cold shower then sleep since my mission has been made halfway complete.

By the time I reach my room it's already twelve so I take a quick shower and take my well deserved rest.
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~Aisha Safiyanu🥀