If you haven't read Chapter 15&16, this is a time to do so. Please also leave a comment and vote on 15,16 and 17 as well.

This chapter is for My Darling, mz_bushirah who's birthday is today. Happy Birthday my darling, May God bless you abundantly, may Dollars 💵 roll in your account this year.

Happy Reading guys.

"This is for Gynecology. Tell them I gave you this note to see Doctor Nosakhare, she's a specialist OB/GYN. You'll be getting the best from her, luckily she's on duty today." CMD handed a note to Nadia who stood before him with a grateful smile, she accepted the note and walked out of his office. 

The sixty year old Chief Medical Director had overhead she and Folake discuss how hard it was to see a gynecologist due to her clashing shifts. He heard and he gave her a few hours off to go two floors down to see the doctor. 

The elevator whirred to a stop on the twelfth floor where Nadia stepped out with three other women. The interior was wide, open plan, with a batch of chairs and a white marker board Nadia thought had to be for the projector they used in teaching Natal classes. It was the obestrics and gynecology department of Diezemane hospital. 

"Hello," Nadia greeted once she reached the front desk. She stretched out the note CMD gave her and once the nurse read it, she asked for Nadia's file number, and in a few seconds it was brought up on the computer, a receipt for the doctor visit was printed for Nadia and she was ushered in to see the doctor immediately. 

She sat in the quiet office, waiting in silent trepidation. It was not as though she didn't know what would be found, she just didn't know how mild or severe her case would be. She had only accepted her diagnosis that one time and had never gone back to do a follow-up. 

"Hello, so sorry for the wait. I'm Dr Nosa." A greying woman entered the room with a flourish, her grey hair in a short bob. She looked Nadia up and down before saying, "You're a nurse here?"

Nadia nodded without speaking, she was so scared, her felt her heart would jump out of her mouth. "I work at CMD'S triage office, but I'm a surgical nurse." Dr Nosa shook her head. 

"The curse of this country, why would you be doing things not in your job description?" Nadia shrugged, she had known early on that many employers didn't know the rules of employment. They did as they wished. 

"I'm quite used to it already." Nadia answered with a smile, she couldn't say much as even though Dr Nosa was a specialist who was not fully situated at the hospital, she was still a staff just like Nadia. 

"So, what can I do for you today?" Nadia sighed and wringed her hands, then she raised her eyes and said, "I was diagnosed of PCOS at the Kano branch." 

"Ah." Doctor Nosa made a sound, then a small smile framed her delicate features. "When?" Nadia counted back, then she realized it had been almost a year. 

"Almost a year ago. I didn't go back for anymore." Dr Nosa nodded, taking notes on a clip board. "Have you noticed anything different between then and now?" She asked Nadia. 

"As a medical professional myself, I know how much a month is important to health, much less a year. I've only noticed that when I do get my period, it's painful than usual, there's three extra strands of hair on my chin, and it's quite difficult to keep my weight down or even hold it down to one figure, I could gain weight this month and lose it all without doing any workout the next month." Dr Nosa nodded, still noting lots of things down. 

"The thing here is, it could be endometriosis, which is easier to diagnose than PCOS, than it is PCOS. But, I'll send you off with these tests. Did you do a hormone profile last time?" Nadia nodded her head, her blood had been taken at strategic times of the month. "Are you sexually active?" Nadia shook her head.

The doctor tilted her head in thought, " I would have loved to get some more accurate testing but, it's also okay this way. We're good to go. I'll also email someone in Kano, for them to send me the results from the last time. I want to compare what I get here to that time. Is that okay?" Nadia nodded again, this time she stretched out her hand to receive the yellow paper the doctor was handing to her. 

"I know these tests are quite expensive, but it's the only way I can begin treating you. If it's PCOS, you know it's only God that can give us success right? So you must prepare yourself, pray, tell God to give you strength to deal with anything that this treatment throws your way." 

Nadia nodded again, a smile formed on her face, the doctor patted her clasped hands and invited her to go see the nurse outside for her tests. 

She registered her tag at the laboratory, and was told to return in the evening when patients had reduced. She nodded, still mute and left to her floor. 

Once the elevator whirred to stop again on CMD's floor, she stepped out and saw everyone rushing to do something. An older couple held each other on one of the comfortable seats near the elevator. 

Nadia walked briskly, as fast as her sneakered feet would carry her to the triage room. She met Folake wiping her tears. 

"What happened to you? Why are you crying?" Folake saw Nadia and cried as though something broke inside her. 

"Remember that our thirty year old patient that finally got pregnant?" Nadia nodded, the patient had been a regular at the gynecology department until she got pregnant, but her pregnancy turned out to be high risk, so she was on a bed rest the first few weeks of conception. 

"Her baby died in her womb today. God. Men, may God punish them." Folake cried brokenly, Nadia knew why she wasn't in surgery with CMD, she was not capable to function. 

"Like, he knew he caught herpes, he didn't treat it, he even had the audacity to sleep with her. Now the baby is blind and dead. My God!" Nadia held Folake and stroked her shaking back. 

While others prayed for a generous spouse, she prayed everyday with everything within her not to ever have a man that set out to kill her. 

\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*

---

\*\*\*

Nadia rested her head on her steering wheel, extremely exhausted. She had had blood drawn from her at the laboratory earlier that evening and she'd finally reached home with just a few minutes to spare to Isha. 

She braced herself, picked up her bags, shut the door of her car and clicked the key fob to turn lock it securely. She greeted the gateman who had opened the gate for her as she walked into the house, watching as the sensor lights flooded the door area as she opened it. 

"Ya Nads, how are you?" Nadia nodded tiredly, but she still leaned into the hug that Sarah gave her. Sarah took all the bags she was holding and lifted one up to the light to look at it. 

"Is this something for me?" Nadia let a smile bloom her face as she shook her head no. She greeted her aunt and uncle watching a translated Arabic show on Iqra Tv, they waved her off and she went upstairs with Sarah and UmmulKhair who had just finished doing the evening dishes. 

Once they reached her room, Sarah put everything in her hands down and she ran to the window to get the flowers that sat there. They were Begonia flowers, Alhaji had sent a pot of them over when once she told him she would rather know how to grow a begonia than care for a frangipani. 

Nadia stared at the rare white begonia and smiled, taking out her phone to text him. Once the text went out, her alarm began to shrill for Isha prayers.

UmmulKhair and Sarah leisurely walked to her bathroom and performed ablution, then came out to pick a floor length hijab that Nadia had in several colors. They fought amongst themselves for one in silver grey that Nadia had only just received. 

"This one is for me. You people should find another color to fight over." Nadia immediately wore it over her head, watching as the light crepe material flowed to her feet. She put her hands into the designated places and smiled, the color made her want to do a whole praying set in this color. Knit handmade praying mat in that color and a Quran cover as well.

After praying, UmmulKhair got up to get Nadia some food while Sarah put her head on Nadia's lap, while reading on her phone. Nadia's phone chimed and she made a crazy turn of her body to pick it up from her bed, while trying not to disturb Sarah. 

I remember everything you tell me about yourself. Let's hope you can keep that begonia alive. 

Nadia laughed at the message. Still smiling, she typed back, then she cleared what she had typed to say,

Old man, between you that doesn't have a single green thumb and will to keep plants alive and me who used to garden, we'll see. 

Her phone chimed some seconds later, Nadia looked down to see Sarah looking at her thoughtfully. 

"You like him." Nadia didn't open the message Alhaji had sent, instead she cast a mischievous glance at Sarah. 

"Well, I didn't say I hated him." Sarah hit her hand on her blue covered book before saying with so much fervent emotion, "I said it! You don't get so careful going on a date with a man you don't like." 

Nadia pushed Sarah away and got up to open the message Alhaji had sent, she briefly saw UmmulKhair bring in a covered plate on a tray. 

I think my mother is going to like you even more. She loves her flowers and has a green thumb that I seem to have jumped over. 

Nadia laughed as she pulled the tray of yamarita fries and fish sauce to herself. She speared one piece of egg fried yam and dipped it in the spicy fish sauce, she tasted it and her eyes widened in UmmulKhair's direction. She chewed faster and faster, once she swallowed, she stared at her cousin. 

"What did you put in that sauce? It's the most amazing thing I've tasted." UmmulKhair shrugged and flopped on Nadia's bed before replying. 

"I fried the fish in fresh onions, oregano and rosemary herbs before adding the pepper." Nadia tasted another piece of yam and nodded appreciatively, she could taste the oregano and rosemary herbs in the second bite. 

"That's amazing. Will you teach me?" She wiggled her eyes in her cousin's direction. UmmulKhair sat up and asked her, "Mummy said you might be getting married soon? Alhaji went to visit your dad today." Nadia felt a tingling sensation in her nose and near her eyes. She coughed to remove the pepper she'd choked on from the pathway to her throat. 

"What?" She put down the glass of water she had sipped generously from and asked UmmulKhair. 

"It's true. We heard them Daddy and your dad, talk about it on the phone, then our own daddy and mummy talked about it next." Nadia tilted her head in question, trying to absorb all the information she was receiving. Alhaji wasted no time in getting things done. 

Her phone rang right at that moment. It was the ringtone she assigned to her mother, she dived to pick it up from the bed where she left it. 

"Mummy. Walaikum Salam ma." She greeted immediately she put the phone to her ear. She saw through the corner of her eye that UmmulKhair had pulled up Sarah and they were leaving the room. 

"How are you? How was work today?" Nadia's eyes roved around her room, it seemed like her mother would not go straight to the point. She put her hand on her ear in nervousness, when she told her mother that someone would be coming soon, she did not specify who, or what he did, she just said it as non-chalantly as she could, if her mother felt it was serious she would form a harsher opinion before even meeting him. 

"Work was fine ma, though one of my patients lost her child to herpes, the day still went well." Her mother prayed for the mother who lost her child and they were in awkward silence for a few seconds. 

"Mummy, I went to the gynecologist today." Her mother made a knowing sound, now she put two and two together. 

"Don't tell me it's because of who came to see us today. Me I refuse oo, I will not give you off to an old man." Nadia shut her eyes, slightly troubled. She knew what her mother's bottom line was and knew how not to broach it. 

"Mummy. Is his age the only problem you see? Was he rude to you, or Daddy or was he proud in some way?" Her mother hissed, knowing that Nadia was trying to be logical. 

"What will people say, Nadia? Even that useless Ammar, what will he say? It's not as though you don't have suitors, or don't you? Why do you have to break my heart like this? I'm only ten years older than the man that wants to marry you. Ya Allah, where did I go wrong?" She sniffled, making Nadia realize that her mother was crying. 

Nadia pinched her forehead, trying to find a way to clarify things. She truly wanted her mother to see things her own way, see that she wanted to marry him. 

"Mummy. When did we ever start thinking of what people would say? If we a family that thought highly of what people would say, I should be married as Ammar's second wife. I should be languishing in that man's house. But I've always known you never to be that person, why now?" Nadia rubbed the part of her forehead that she had pinched, feeling that it had gone red and painful from her hard pinching. 

"The situation was different then. This man has a wife, he definitely does. I asked him and he said he was divorced seven years ago, but his wife still posts on her Facebook as his wife. Don't let him lie to you o, and his age. Innalilahi!" Nadia sighed, not saying a word.

"He hasn't lied to me. He's been divorced from her the past seven years. He has never married anyone since then." Nadia spelt her words as carefully as she could, her mother calling Alhaji a liar was funny and at the same time aggravating. She had to be careful to remain on the same wavelength as her. 

"Toh." Her mother sighed and silence reigned on the connection line between them, until her mother gasped. 

"Is this about his money? Are you now a gold digger? I raised you better than this Nadia. Ya Allah, all my friends are going to say you're doing it because of his money. Oh Ya Allah." Nadia sighed again, not still saying a word but her heart was breaking every single time her mother said something. 

"Your father has no objections, not that he will. He's a fan of the man already, they were talking so easily about everything and I just looked at them. How can your father be so easily swayed?" Nadia didn't speak, she got up and picked a ball of wool that must had fallen from the basket she handmade at a rattan furniture class. 

"Aren't you saying anything?" Nadia sighed and asked, "What do you want me to say? In one fell swoop you've called my choices trash, called me a gold digger and now you're saying Daddy can't make decisions. Which one of them do you want me to answer to first?" 

Her mother scoffed. "You're always on your father's side. Always on his side, how can you even think of marrying that old man? I agree he doesn't even look his age but when he said fifty, my heart nearly burst out of my chest. I thought he would be in his late thirties. To tell you the truth, ehn, I wish you'd married Ammar, instead of this, this, old cargo!" 
A buzz filled Nadia's ears, all of the calm she'd managed to summon flew out of the window into the dark night. 

"Mummy karki ce mun abinda kika fada kenan; you didn't just say that." Nadia said in utter disbelief. She could not believe her ears, or the information her brain processed. 

"I said it!" She shouted in Nadia's ears and Nadia had to take the phone off her ear to see if it was really her mom who was talking.  "I said it. I truly said it. People everywhere are going to say different things and I'll have nothing to retort with. All because you want to marry a rich man. I raised you better than this, Nadia!" Nadia tried with her innermost strength to control the rage that should have burst out. But it was her own mother and she had never spoken to Nadia like that before. 

"Mummy, of all the reasons I gave for agreeing to his proposal, did I list his money?" Nadia asked,still feeling an undescribable ache in her chest and tiredness that she couldn't diagnose in her bones.

"This man is kind to me, he speaks softly and kindly to those around him, he helped me at work, he is kind to people around him, he is a good employer, his Deen is good, he is a great father to his children, where in all of this has his money ever come up?" Nadia found herself smiling, she'd never defended a person like this. She would rather have her mother on her side than not have her blessing. 

"Even if he is the United Nations, I still refuse, I refuse!" The phone let out a series of tinkles to show that call that been hung up from the other end. 

********†*

Oooph. My lovelies. Eid Mubarak everyone! I hope you had a pleasant time with your families and friends. I didn't see one grain of rice but I saw many beautiful girls and that's enough for me.

Alsooooooo. This is my special gift for y'all this Eid. I wrote it, edited it and brought it to you because all of you are my loves. So, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, please 🥺 vote, abeg share, e joor comment.

We'll see on Friday oo. Because that's what me and you people bargained. But it may be Saturday because I'm quite busy serving this country at the moment 🙄

TheOmoope 💙💙❤️🥰