•Raliya

"What do you mean she has been discharged?" I barked at the old lady standing behind the receptionists desk.

"Who did she leave with?" I asked, my hands flapping up and down as if I was preparing to fly into the sky.

"She left this morning with her uncle."

If utter confusion had an emoji that would be my face right now. I didn't understand a word she was saying. How can she be discharged? I'm the one that brought her so technically, I'm the only one allowed to take her. The hospital has no record of another family member or do they? Faridah doesn't even know so which uncle was she talking about?

It better not be Hakeem or he'll be six feet under for real this time!

"I need to see someone in charge. Get me someone I can talk to!"

Her body shakes like a leaf as she picks up the phone on the table to call the Doctor.

"The doctor will be here soon."

The man who took care of Aaliyah apears not long after the call. His smile widens as he approaches me. We exchange pleasantries as he takes me to his office.

"What is the problem madam?" He asks, sitting on his recliner.

"Aaliyah is gone."

"Yes. I spoke to her today when I went to check on her. I discharged her not long after. I thought you knew."

"That's the problem. I don't know who took her."

"There's no need to worry. Her uncle took her."

"Did he mention his name?"

"Yes." He scratches the back of his neck "He said his name was Alhaji Tanko."

"He's an imposter! Call the police. I don't know any Alhaji Tanko. This is preposterous!" Oh God please help me find this girl today.

"Please calm down ma. This is not our job, I'm sorry we can't do that."

"What do you mean it's not your job? She was left under you care and you let her get kidnapped. Is that what you were paid for? I can't calm down. It's my niece we're talking about here!"

"I'm sorry madam. Please go home we'll call you if we hear anything or better still, go to the police now and file a missing persons complaint."

"Who did that one help? Goodbye doctor Ifeanyi." I grabbed my hand bag from where I dropped it beside my leg and got up to exit the office.

"Goodbye ma."

I first call Mairo before I call the police to be sure she isn't with her.

"Aaliyah na tare da ke ne? (Is Aaliyah with you?)"

"Ha'an babu sallama, babu komai (No greetings, nothing), you're just asking me of Aaliyah. She's in the hospital now." She scoffed.

"I went to the hospital kuma su ka ce (and they said) she's been discharged. Suna son su sa na haukace (They want to make me go mad)." I said, walking out of the hospitals reception.

"Did they mention who took her?"

"The doctor said Alhaji Tanko? Yanzu waye Alhaji Tanko (Now who is Alhaji Tanko?)

"I should be asking you. Do you have a family member with that name?"

"No. Then call her number and see if you can reach her."

I hang up and dial Aaliyah. *This customer is busy* answers me after hitting the dial button. I called again but this time it was switched off.

I'm starting to think she has a hand in all this. Maybe she knows something. I just need to beat her at her own game but how?

I've taken everything so she's basically worthless but I still need a house girl. That's the only thing she's useful for anyways. I don't try her number again. Instead, I drive to Mairo's house so that we can plan our next move.

****

"So yanzu ya za mu yi? (Now how are we going to do?)" Mairo asked, throwing a piece of gum in her mouth.

"Let's start by finding out who this Alhaji Tanko is then from there we move ahead. Amma kin san bana bari ta fita (but you know I don't let her go out) so I don't know how she even got to meet with this Alhaji Tanko. I'm sure he's her boyfriend. Yanzu zata watsa min kasa a ido (Now she's going to disgrace me).

"Take it easy. I don't think she's like that. Send her a message, if she replies then plead with her to come back."

"Ok. But kin san ni (you know me), Idan ta dawo da ciki kashe ta zan yi (If she comes back pregnant I'll kill her).

Pulling out my phone, I type out a message to Aaliyah. I sit and wait on my phone for a reply from her but none came till I fell asleep on the couch beside Mairo who was watching a movie on arewa 24.

"Tashi Raliya kiyi sallah (Wake up and pray Raliya). Mairo taps my arm with her gold adorned hand.

I ignore her and carry my phone to check for Aaliyah's reply. Unfortunately, no message had come in from her. I send another one before getting up to perform my wudu (ablution).

After the completion of my Asr salat, I go upstairs to join Mairo in her room. On my way to the room I hear murmuring and the sound of my name aroused this sudden curiosity so I stood against the door to hear what it was she was discussing with someone else that she didn't feel the need to call my attention to it.

"I'm so happy that Aaliyah is gone sef. Do you know what she has gone through in Raliya's hands? Now sef the girl ran away and she's looking for her."

"It's better for her to even run away than go back to that lunatic. You know I'm just friends with her because she can be very generous to people who are in her good books. Anyways I'm just glad that Aaliyah is out of the way so now I can push Safiya into the picture."

"What do you mean she'll find out and kill me? If it's malams you're talking about, me too I have plenty so don't bother. Spiritually I can handle her.  For now, I need to get the medicine Malam Mahamadou gave us from her or better still, I'll just call him for another one."

"See, she's downstairs. I'll call you later in the night. I don't want her walking into the room and hearing any of this. I still need her connections. Anyways bye. Ki gaida mai gidan ki da yaran (Greet your husband and the kids)."

She hangs up and I push the door, stepping into the large Morrocan themed room.

"Mairo what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry Raliya. Please forgive me." She kneels clasping both hands and bending her head.

"What are you talking about? I'm just asking what you're doing. You left me alone downstairs aah."

I pretend not to know what she was talking about, dragging both her hands to pull her up.

For the first time, I feel like crying. This woman is my best friend. How can she betray her close friend; Hajiya Jamila, then, come back to do this to me? I thought we were past that.

I felt betrayed even though she hasn't even started implementing parts of the plan. That's why you have to be a step ahead.

I'll play the fool to beat the fool.

Now we'll see who laughs last when Safiya has a fall out with her mother and runs away. *evil smile*

When I find Aaliyah the plan will take it's expected course and I'll acquire more gold and money than I've ever had in my life once Aaliyah becomes a widow.

Isn't that smart?!

"Raliya!" Mairo shakes my shoulder vigorously.

"Hmm." I look up at her.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes. I'm just tired because of this Aaliyah case. I'll go back home now. Bye."

She brings my veil from where I kept it on her bed and hands it to me and I exit her room to the staircase that led me downstairs Where I got my bag and left to my house.

The moment I'm sitted in my car, the tears slide down in slow treads, messing up my make up. I rest my head on the large steering wheel and cry like I've never before.

Seriously, how can this woman think of betraying me after everything we've been through?

Yes, I have a heart!

Ok.

I thought I lost it after killing my own brother but I guess somewhere deep down there was a piece left that loved this woman and her daughter dearly.

God forbid, I fall and die today, so she'll probably be happy. Right?

God! The nerve people have!

After crying for what felt like an hour but was actually ten minutes, I drive out aimlessly till I decide I'm going to Chief Badmus' house. Thank God his wife is all the way in Mozambique so I can sleep over tonight.

I send him a message to which he instantly replies welcoming me even before I reach the gates of his large mansion in Maitama.

I stopped at the gates once I reached his house then called him so that he could inform his security men that he was expecting me.

The gates were dragged to the side so I could drive in. I parked my Mercedes Benz e350 beside his Cadillac Escalade and made a way to the entrance of the beautiful house. He opened it even before I knocked then he took me to the living room where he offered me a glass of wine that I rejected then he forced me to eat Fried rice and chicken that he ordered from drumstix before my arrival, remembering that that was my favourite food.

We binge watched Nollywood movies till we fell asleep on the couch and my phone woke me up to pray the Fajr salat. After praying, I quickly took a shower so that I could leave but he begged me stay till breakfast was over.

Since I had nothing to do, I slept again till it was time to eat with him then I hit the road again to my house despite his desperate lobbying.

Once the driver opens the gate, he greets me with a 'Aaliyah don come back madam!'.

I can't tell you how happy I was that moment.

It even made me forget Mairo's issue for a second. The waft of a fragrant scent filled my nose and I knew who it was without even coming face to face with the person.

Aaliyah!

She must be somewhere in this house.

I enter the kitchen and see her slipping out through the back door and I follow behind her in slow and noiseless strides so she doesn't notice and run. I notice a box and a folder that I've never seen before in her hands but I ignored it and went ahead to grab her arms but she noticed too quickly and ran out.

I chased her till she flew into a car and I retreated back into the house in a burning rage.

__________________________

~Aisha Safiyanu🥀