•Hamza

Today was a bit hectic. We had a meeting with some foreign investors who wanted a partnership with T&K housing limited. I think Bilal and I did a good job as they all but smiled during the entire meeting.

Now that everyone had left the office, I decided to stay back and go over a few things. Normally, Bisi and Ugochuwku were the night owls but I guess today I replaced them.

I want to help in every way I can to make the company grow immensely so I'll be able to prove my worth to my father since I'm currently a disappointment. I'm going to show him just how sorry I am by working extra hard so that I'll get on his good side.

"Hamza!"

I knew that voice anywhere. It was none other than Iman. Even on a voice recording I'd recognize that  irritatingly loud screeching sound anywhere. It seems she's daft because she has refused to understand that I'm not interested in her.

She called a few months back and I hung up intentionally just to spite her.

"I'm working. What is it?"

"I just wanted to check up on you. How have you been? I called you a while back to invite you to my friends wedding but you hung up without even listening..."

"You're not my mother so stop this whole caring charade you've got going on. Anyways, I'm working so you may take your leave."

"Just listen. I even messaged you on WhatsApp but you didn't reply. It seems you've blo..."

"Yes! I've blocked you. I don't like you. Stop pestering my life."

I thought she'd leave me to my lonesomeness once I'd been rudely receptive to her but...

I guess she was a fighter.

"You'll like me after today." She smirked, revealing her pearl white teeth before using her tongue to sensually lick her scarlet stained lips.

I ignored her and continued my research until she sat on my table and  turned off the laptop.

She pushed it farther away from me and sat in the former position of the laptop.

"Move away! Let me get on with my work."

I knew Iman to be very persistent with her work but not on frivolous things such as chasing unrequited love.

She remained silent for a few seconds as we had this weird eye contact before I stretched to drag my laptop back to me.

Before I could reach it, she covered it and pulled my hands to rest on her waist.

Seconds later, her tiny henna clad hands were unzipping the front of her abaya, exposing her entire nakedness to me.

"Auzubillah!" I pushed her away and tried to hastily get my things into my bag to leave the office at once.

"Never speak to me again. And if you try it again, be sure to lose this job!"

I can't believe I almost succumbed to her advances.

She was silent with a mortified look to her countenance as I walked past her with my laptop bag slung across my shoulder and phone in hand.

I felt the most loyal and treacherous to Aaliyah today.

Home was where I wanted to be now. I stepped hard on the pedal and drove as fast as I could.

I now felt at ease once I was at the confines of my beautiful home. The hunger I was feeling at the office suddenly disappeared so I opted for a cup of chamomile tea and some freshly made toasted bread before continuing to my room to get some proper sleep for I knew tomorrow was going to be a long day.

****

Today was our father's meeting with Yusra's baby daddy. And Zahra as well as Umma were going to rehab today.

So sad.

It'll be for the betterment of us all. I'm still shocked about the revelation especially our mothers'. Being a junkie was bad then for a mother...

That's preposterous!

Anyways, I'm trying to wake up with a clear and optimistic mind. I'll start with forgetting the whole Iman fiasco and how two of my family members are addicts. I pray the meeting will go well and the man will accept his child.

The meeting was scheduled for 13:00pm today. And their flight was for 15:00pm.

Let's hope for the best. It's already 12:19pm.

The whole house was a mess as a harsh dissonance took over the house. The chefs were trying to get on with the meals and my parents were arguing about something in their room while two sisters; Zahra and Fadila had a few friends over so all that could be heard from  both rooms were a series of high-pitched giggles and chittering except Yusra who was stuck in her room crying.

Then me, I was just there. My head was in the clouds. I was thinking of Aaliyah, the meeting with the baby daddy and my parents trip to a rehabilitation center for two.

Now, where does that leave me? Only God knows.

I'm worried about my verdict. My father has always been known to be lenient with his judgement so my hopes are resting on how well today goes because sometimes he tends to let his emotions cloud his judgement.

Finally the house has come to a state of discordance. The house is void of non-family members, apart from the cooks and cleaners, my parents have quit arguing, Fadila was in Zahra's room while Yusra just left to the living room to stay with my parents.

I followed suit and sat down beside her to wait for the arrival of our visitor.

Soon he arrived and my father recieved him in a rather friendly manner contrary to the way he felt about his coming.

"Alhaji Yusuf! Long time. What brings you to my house?"

"I came here to see a particular man and the address I was given led me here."

He nodded, still in thought, before asking, "Please can you tell me your reason for this visit? I hope I'm not intruding."

He was silent under the scrutinizing gaze of my father and we all hoped that this old man wasn't the father of my unborn niece/nephew.

"She's even here." He pointed at Yusra, "You're her father?!" He asked, looking shocked.

"Yes. You're welcome. Please sit, let me introduce you to my family."

"No need. I already know them all."

"How so?" Father asked, taken aback.

He looked at both my mother and Yusra before speaking again as he sat, "Your wife here has told me about them." He paused, "There's more. This woman here is evil. I pay her to find me girls and all she does is eat my money. She only found me one before she made your daughter my permanent call girl and that was because she couldn't pay me all the money I gave to her."

"I payed her heavily to make sure she visited the best doctors and gets the best treatment and contraceptives..."

"But all I get is a phone call about her pregnancy. I was going to expose her mother and reject the child but I'm a man of integrity so I'll accept the child but only if we take a test to prove the baby is my blood."

My father was silent for the remainder of the time, watching my mother. If care was not taken he'd probably shoot her today.

"The appropriate tests will be taken. Choose a day then get back to me. We'll take her to our family's doctor. As for Yusra, I expect you to marry her. After the tests we'll discuss everything else."

"You're her mother. Do you have anything to say to counter what he has just said?" My father asked our mother.

She was silent and that was enough evidence for my father.

I as well as my father were disappointed but I was angry, more, because that was a line of business that involved trafficking young girls just for money.

Despicable...

Who knew she was the one that put Yusra on this path?

"Since this meeting has come to an end, I'll take my leave. I'll send some money for her upkeep. Goodbye Alhaji Tukur."

And so...Alhaji Yusuf left us...with another bombshell for the family to cradle.

Time went really fast as it was already an hour to their flight so they decided to leave.

My father chose to give my mother the silent treatment and Zahra cried throughout the car ride. So, it was just me, Fadila and Yusra who would be left in the house. For once the dynamic duo of  problems AKA me and Yusra wouldn't be doing anything dubious.

It was a long ride but we got there in time. My father stayed in the car while Zahra and Umma left to go in without him as he was about to tell me my fate.

My heart beat faster than normal, almost bursting out.

It was scary.

He cleared his voice, "I'm giving you two weeks to find a place to live. I'll be back in a week. Also, from today you don't have a job. Don't beg. I've already made up my mind."

___________________________

~Aisha Safiyanu🥀