Sunday, 24th feb 2019.

At the sight of the woman in a navy blue shirt, white jeans that he could swear were tight enough to block blood vessels, ankle-length socks, and a plain white cap on her head, Sudais immediately shook his head and hands. "You're going to my parent's house like that?"

Laila who had noticed his presence by his cologne but decided to ignore him stopped in her tracks. She lifted her head from the clip of the butterfly necklace, threw it back, and let out a heavy breath. "Yes. I have-"

"No way."

Laila's nose wrinkled at that, her lips pushing forward. "Yes way. I'm going to wear a full-length hijab. "

He motioned at her body, almost disgustingly. "Then why not wear something breathable?"

Laila's palm sharply came down in sync with her words. "Because i have a match afterward. You're going to drop me off after seeing your parents."

Sudais' left shoulder came up to meet his cheek in dissent. "Over my dead body will i take you with my own legs to a match looking like that. Ni Abbati? WHAT? Inaaaaaaa. I thought you were only going to watch the match."

Laila abruptly stood, ready to end his judgmental ass. "This is the uniform. You want me to wear an Ankara blouse and straight skirt to my polo match?"

He motioned from the tip of her figure to her base. "Anything apart from...this."

Laila scoffed, clapping her hands in disbelief.

She stopped. "I'm going to the match. I've been going every Sunday for the past 3 weeks, it's not going to stop because you said so."

Sudais' palm came up to cover his wide mouth as he stared at her with popped-out eyes. "You've been doing what?"

Her lips curved up, "You would know but oh. You've been in Lagos living your best. So have i."

He took seconds to himself, letting the new information down to him. This woman was going to mess up their family's reputation.

He took a deep breath and decided to be mature about it. By mature, meaning ordering; "You're not going to the match."

Laila's brows drew in as her arms spread in opposite directions before she was glancing to her sides to see if there was someone else in the room. There wasn't, so, she stabbed a finger into her chest. "Who? You mean me?"

He nodded, walking past her towards the closest only for her to wrap a palm that barely wrapped around his bicep.. He turned to stare at her hand and she quickly revived, folding her arms. "Engineer?"

He blinked, "Student?"

Her nose immediately flared up. "Douche."

"Witch."

Arms crossed in attentiveness, he twisted to her, a cocky smile adorning his features at her frown.

Taunting each other was not going to solve their problems and neither was it going to get her up and ready for a match she hadn't played in over 5 months and had blatantly lied to piss him off, as such, she clarified. "I am and i will go to that match. It's best if you suck it up and we leave for your parent's house so i can leave for my match."

He nodded. "Okay," Then walked off to the closest murmuring. "We'll see."

Laila proceeded to slip into her himar. She got her necessities which weren't much as she had almost everything at the locker room in her polo clubhouse.

Her phone rang just when she was about to pick it up.

"Maya i-"

"I'm in your parlor. Don't want to walk in on you guys."

Laila hung up and flung the strap of her backpack before waltzing to meet Maya who was indeed in her parlor.

"You're early."

"Geez! I'll be on my way then." Maya exclaimed, hands up as she stood and flung back the abaya veil that was about to fall off her hair.

Laila's fingers guided her to the couch. "Sit down abeg." When the girl did, she explained while planting herself on the adjacent side. "It's just that we have to go see Sudais' parents that are in town and he is pissing and moaning about me playing the match."

Maya's upper body rose, her hand holding her head as she twisted. "Wait, don't tell me you didn't tell him?"

Laila nodded. "I did," She kinda did right? She then motioned from her head to toe. "It's my uniform he doesn't like. Says it's too..." wait did he say anything? "Actually... he hinted it was whore-ish."

Maya's gaze followed her cousin's hands before she tsked, nodding. "He kinda is right though. It is-"

"You know how hard it is to find my size in jeans? It's struggle enough i have to wiggle and jump into it, that's why I don't wear them except if it's for a match," Eyes closed, she dropped her head and held a firm palm out. "So, please. You two can moan and groan about it all you want, I didn't create myself."

Maya's hands went up in surrender as she slumped back into the couch. "Just saying...you're married.."

"Halima!" Laila gritted.

"Opps!"

The judgmental piece of shit-Maya sat with her royal bitchyness-Laila until the second judgmental piece of shit-Sudais showed up and decided to act all happy to see each other while Laila sighed, hissed, mimicked their pathetic voices in her head until they were at Baba Alhaji's mansion.

The full house welcomed Laila, Sudais, and Maya into the same bakhoor scent Laila could remember from Adamawa as the man led them into a more spacious part of the house that she had never visited despite visiting at least 5-6 times.

Again, Laila found herself on the rug along with Maya as she introduced Maya to her in-laws; Baba Alhaji, Queen Baraka-Mama, and Adda. Conversations moved smoothly, or as smoothly as she could excluding the part in which Adda pointed out Laila was glowing and looking chubbier which everyone knew what that meant.

First of all, she was looking chubbier because she was thick from her waist down and was wearing an ankle-length hijab. Second of all, she was glowing because she had invested in a new natural skincare product and she was at peace being away from Sudais. Now, she was sure she was about to start developing wrinkles from fighting with him.

Along conversations, Baba Alhaji who was also seated on a rug directed his query at Laila. "I hope he is treating you right?" She peered at Sudais across her whose attention had left his phone to her. Their gazes flashed and she wickedly smiled, letting him know she had his dad on her side so he better watch it.

Baba Alhaji saw the gesture and chuckled, "Don't look at him. Look at me." He then turned to Sudais, dropping his smile, "Kai Kalli gaban ka."

Sudais raised a surrendering hand, casting his head down. "Na kalla tinda yanzu kam baka sona."

Baba Alhaji's palms flew to his audience. "Auto ni daman yawshe nace maka ina sonka?"

Sudais nodded, "Ah toh, shikenan. Ita rayuwa haka take."

"Kai dallah ka tashi anan. Kana magana kamar babban mutum."

The audience in the room couldn't help but laugh at the exchange. Hell, even the duo joined until Queen Baraka decided to pop in. "I have something i want you to drop off at Mino's house."

Sudais' mood immediately dampened at that as he started to shake his head. "Gaskia banason inje gidan Mino."

From what Laila had gathered, Mino was an attorney, his immediate sister who was married with 2 kids and lived in Niger, Minna. She was Adda's second daughter but Laila hadn't had the pleasure of meeting her.

Sudais turned to Adda. "I'm sorry Adda if this is offensive, amma batada mutunci. How can i call this girl and she'll ask me, 'Who is it?' Ina yayanta?" He poked an angry finger into his chest, "Tarena min wayo."

"Yi haquri, kasan Mino da banzan Hali." Adda apologized.

Sudais shrugged, letting one of his hands fly into the air. "Banzan halin natan ya kasheta."

After much convincing, he took the package from his mum and they were on their way out.

Laila caught up to his long strides, "Drop us first at the club then you can drop by your sisters."

He turned to give her a disgusted look. "I told you you're not going like that."

"I am going for my match and there's nothing you can do about it."

He stopped in his tracks, "Sadiya."

She hoisted a brow, "Yes?"

"Sadiya."

She set her lips into a straight line. "Sudais."

"We're going home. You're changing your clothes. Then, and only then will i take you to that club."

They stood in a heated staring contest in the Lamido's parking lot until Maya cleared her throat, placing a firm palm on Laila's shoulder. "She will."

"Maya i-"

"She will do it," Maya repeated, squeezing Laila's shoulder and tightly smiling at Sudais who stood neutral.

Laila shook Maya's hand off her shoulder and stalked to the unlocked car. She planted herself in the front passenger seat, slammed the door, placed her elbow on the window, and with squinted eyes, viewed the sky as if it was the most interesting thing while baring her teeth.

He drove them a few blocks into the estate, into their house, and parked close to the front door.

As Laila realized she was about to do the shit this man was ordering her, she jerked to him, nose flaring and heart beating fast and irregular.

Before she could snap, he beat her to it, slamming his palm into the steering and producing a honk.

"You cannot go to your polo club looking like that, I am not saying it again." He glanced back, "Maya talk more sense to your best friend, please."

"You don't own me," She stabbed her fingers into her chest and whisper-yelled, "You do not have any right to tell me that," Laila's glare twisted until it met her cousin, "Tell them I won't make it to the match, Maya." The door to the car went flying open with such intensity that he was scared the door would break or develop a fault. She didn't bother closing it and stormed off.

Sudais sighed, his index and thumb fingers coming up to hold his forehead. A small headache started to slowly set at the sides of his head.

No woman, and he meant no woman had been able to have such a strong hold on him while still dismissing him every single time for so long.

This one though, different case.

Without raising his head, his drained voice came. "Why does everything got to be a fight with her?" His inquiry was directed at Maya.

The question took her off guard. Her hand rose to stab her chest, wordlessly asking if he was talking to her. Of course, he was talking to her. She shook herself out of her trance and cleared her throat. "Cause uh...that's all she has known her whole life," Maya's eyes sized up to Sudais that was now twisted in her direction, "Laila, she uh...she has had to fight for everything and nothing, her whole life. And this is going to be no different, especially with what has happened these past few months of her life. She builds up walls so she doesn't get hurt...She is amazing when she comes around though." Maya felt the need to give him a strong pat for what he was going through about Laila, but didn't. She nodded and he did the same.

"I'll be leaving. I think you two should have the house to yourselves." She added a goodbye under her breath that he didn't catch and she was getting out of the car.

"Wait," he hollered, unlatching the door to Maya who was halfway to the gate. "Let me get you a driver."

Maya waved a hand. "No, thank you. My cousin brought me here and by the time i reach the estate's gate, he'll be here."

He lifted his chin and pursed his lips, then inclined his to his right. "Are you sure?" He didn't let her answer as he took hold of the key and slammed the door close, heading towards her, or so she thought. He walked past her, adding. "I know guys and I'll be there in 5 minutes. Trust me, you're going to want to cry before he's here."

Well, he kinda was right.

He got her the driver, and handed him his car key before waving her off.

He took a deep breath.

Go in, take a shower again. Dress up casually, leave, drop Mino's package, find Tahir's and hang out until midnight, then come back.

Easy peasy, sounds really easy.

Except, dear wifey had other plans.

He met the woman still in her hijab as she thrashed ottomans. The whole living room looked trashed. Nothing In its usual place.

At his sight, she stopped in her tracks, breathing heavily with a jerky chest.

Stance wide, hands akimbo, he surveyed the room very slowly until it fell on her figure that looked proud of what she had done. The ottoman in her hand flew towards him. Then, she picked up a bottle from the floor, glancing between it and Sudais, and then stalled in a circle while surveying to find which part of the room was going to be her next victim. She completed a 360 stall, then, glanced at her right that had the open study, the diner which then connected to the kitchen.

Laila's eyes traveled to the study and landed on the large table with devices and wires. Her frown faltered. Her gaze remained on it as her mouth twisted, then turned into a lop-sided smile.

She glanced at Sudais whose eyes widened.

Laila flung a bottle at him to buy herself time and dashed for the study. The bottle hit him but he paid no attention to it as he dashed for her.

Laila's shoved the keyboard and mouse on the table to the floor. They crashed and Sudais roared as he caught up to her. "Sadiya. No. Wallahi, not my computers. Koda wasa!" With a grumble, he forcefully wrapped his arms over her chest and hoisted her up.

Laila wiggled her legs, her elbows coming back to hit his chest and strain against him as he took them down the 4 stairs back into the living room.

Channeling all his willpower to his hands, he flung and released her, a bone in her body cracked as she smashed awkwardly onto the chaise sofa.

"God!" she gasped, closing her eyes at the impact and arching her back. She wiggled out most of the pain as her breathing slowed, chest heaving up and down with noises from the back of her throat.

"I don't like hurting you."

Laila stared blankly at his heaving figure, calculating how she'd get past him and hit him where it hurts; his computers. They seemed dear to him. And since she was the one getting hurt physically, she might as well try another way.

The tension in the room simmered down and just when he thought she had backed out, she cried out and lunged off the couch. Thanks to reflexes, he ran opposite her to knock her off her feet, sliding down and butting his head at her thighs. The air whooshed around them as they both lost their balance and landed on the side of the staircase that lead to the diner.

To avoid any further havoc from this chaotic woman, he grabbed her wrist and lifted himself to crash on her. Trapping her by sitting and unshackling his weight on her, he paused to catch his breath.

Sudais' upper arm lifted to awkwardly wipe the sweat on his forehead before he whipped his angry eyes at her. Her legs wiggled and hiked to hit his back using her knees. After the first strike, he reflexly brought her wrists together and used one of his hands to trap them above her head, then twisted her legs and mucked up the bones on her shins, which should keep her paralyzed for a second.

He turned, taking a deep breath as he slanted to her face.

"Sadiya!" Her name yanked her out of her painful trance and she fiercely stared back. He wasn't in the mood to talk sense to her. Since everybody dey ment, the trend should flow. "Do not trash my computers. Trash the whole house, babu damuwa amma ko karen hauka ne ya cije ki karki sake tabamin systems ina. Kina jina?" When she gave no response other than her heavy breath and flaring nose, he reran. "Kina jina?"

"Ina jinka."

Thinking she could bushwhack him, she grunted as she lifted her head to head-butt him. Without conscious control, his free hand flew to catch her by her throat over her jilbab and slammed her back to the floor.

She let out a loud cry of pain. Hell, even he internally winced at the sound.

She was quick to accept despair, awkwardly making the recess sign. "Time out! Time out!" The tip of her right fingers poked her left palm, indicating the time-out button, "Half time, Sudais! Wallahi, time out!"

What was this to her? Basketball?

Nonetheless, he released her throat and wrist.

Her hands flew to her fabric-covered dry throat.

Standing to his feet, he pointed a vibrating index at her, "Whatever evil spirit possessed you, tell them not to touch my systems!" And he was flashing out of the house with the walls rattling as a departing gift.

Laila lay on the floor to catch her breath before she abruptly stood up.

Plan failed.

She didn't hurt him. He hurt her. He got the upper hand.

God damn it.

Yet again, she thrashed the ottomans this way and that way until she found her phone under one.

Then, she proceeded to press the last caller ID on her phone.

Laila clicked on the speaker at the sound of her call being picked up. With no regard, she started, pacing back and forth, "Remember the alarming rate of wives killing their husbands in Kano last year, Maya?"

The line went dead silent.

Laila got where Maya was coming from. It wasn't every day you pick a call to hear that. On the contrary, she reran her query. "Do you or do you not remember lots of wives killing their husbands in Kano last year?"

In between yawns, the voice on the other end replied. "Yes, yes! I do."

"You're sleeping?"

"No. But I'm going to."

Laila worked on stabilizing her respiratory system. "Well, there's going to be a new case in Abuja."

"What?"

Laila nodded, kicking the ottoman as she brought the phone closer to her mouth. "If we keep going like this, I will break his head."

Wheezy sounds emerged from the other end and Laila imagined Maya whipping the phone away at the hint of seriousness in her best friend's words. "No, Laila."

"Wallahi."

"Don't ever say that."

In rebellion, Laila read back. "I will break his head. Cut off his fingers, and shove them in his eyes and mouth."

"Stop, Laila. Stop. I just saw how angry you were with him. Stop saying this so it doesn't actually happen and you find blood on your hands again!"

Laila froze, her heart skipped a beat or 2 and immediately started to compensate with a loud, fast, and irregular beat. Her system froze for a second before it began again.

She took faint steps back and thumped down on the couch, lips quivering. "I-i...Again? Maya why-that wasn't my-my fault?"

Almost immediately, "Then don't make this one your fault!"

Was it because she dismissed her without going to the match when she was leaving in a few days that she was being mean?

Toes curling up, she dropped the phone to her side and started to crack her knuckles when her chest started to heave. "Then what the hell am I supposed to do?" She was never one to hold back her anger anyway.

She channeled her emotions into rage and feed her demons with it.

Rather anger than sadness. "Huh?" She kicked the wood table in front of her and relished the sight of it tumbling.

She whipped to her phone and bent to grab it. "What the hell am I supposed to do? Ask for a divorce?" She nodded, lips tight as she pointed at the door, "Go home and have daddy marry me off, again?"

"if you keep fighting him and being this disrespectful you might have to go back to daddy."

Pained, Laila whispered. "Maya i...wh-what?"

The pin drop silence from the other end faltered. She could hear shuffling and struggles before Maya's now soft voice came. "Okay. I'm so—"

"Fuck you." She yelled before hanging up and tossing the phone away. She threw her head back, the only person she thought she could go to just had to bring it up.

She let out a scream.

***

All plans flew out the window. Except one; find Tahir.

Sunday, meaning he had nothing to do.

First thing Tahir insisted on after their firm handshake was:

"I'm hungry Tafida. I haven't had food since 7 am today."

Tahir had expected an offer to go to Sudais' house now that the man was married, instead, he ushered Tahir and drove them down to a restaurant to claim a room while they waited for food.

Sudais sat on the rug with his right leg folded in and his left leg sitting/standing as he unconsciously tapped his foot and zoned out.

Without conscious control, he blurted out the question that had been bugging him. "Do you ever think... you don't have power over someone and it scares you? Because then, these people can do anything and you can't do anything?"

Tahir's scrutiny morphed into a squint as moved them to Sudais' facial. His brows drew in as he sat up from the ottoman in the traditional themed room.

The question took him off guard. It wasn't on a normal Sunday that Sudais asked that type of question-if he had ever asked. The men stared at each other. Tahir in confusion and Sudais in need of clarity.

"Eh?" Tahir managed to ask.

Sudais hissed, shaking his head. "You heard me."

Tahir nodded, jutting his chin and spreading his lips. "Yeah. But, it was fast. Say it again."

Sudais sighed, clasping his palms loudly as he twisted to Tahir. "You know I don't like doing this, Tahir. Wallahi you know. But i know you don't lie to me no matter how bitter it is. So," he rubbed his palms, taking a deep breath. "Have you ever felt like you didn't have power over Aisha, but she has the ability to control your mood? Irin...has-does it scare you? I-i mean the fact that if you don't have power over her and she has the ability to ruin your mood for the whole week then she'll use it to her advantage?"

Tahir's lips pursed for a while, then he chuckled, "Don't mention Aisha when this is about Laila. I know-"

"It's not Sadiya i am talking about!" Sudais immediately protested.

Tahir tsked, lifting the side of his lip, "Keep lying to yourself, Tafida. As for me," he dipped his fingers into his chest, adding with confidence, "I won't lie to you. To answer your question about Aisha i have to answer generally. Truth is, the society makes it out to seem like men have more control over their women, and yeah..." he trailed off, squeezing his mouth in disgust,

"In some ways it is true. In most, it isn't....Our women have more control over us. As long as we want them, we desire them, we fancy them, then they're always going to have more control over us than the imaginary control society thinks. So yes, I sometimes feel like i don't have much power over Aisha, she catches me by my balls sometimes. Literally. And i listen to her more than i listen to anyone. But it doesn't scare me. I know she won't throw me off the cliff, and if it comes to that, i hope I'll be able to pull myself."

The room went pin drop silent as a waiter knocked on the before proceeding to drop their food.

Thinking the conversation was over, Tahir wasted no time in devouring his meal.

On the other hand, Sudais sat Indian style as he played with his food, his eyes narrowed and his head tilted.

Tahir was halfway through his meal before Sudais admitted, his muscles rigid as the memories kept looping in front of his eyes. "Sadiya makes me soooo...ANGRY. So Angry, wallahi."

Tahir nodded, swallowing the food in his mouth before exclaiming. "I knew it!" He then added a spoonful into his mouth, chewed half and talked with the half. "Because i know Simi can't make you look so stressed and even go as far as asking me that question."

Sudais dropped the spoon back into the plate as his hands waved into the air. "Of course, Simi doesn't. I haven't even spoken to her in over a week."

Tahir sniffled, "Good to see you're doing monogamy."

"I've always done monogamy. Where i come from just supports polygamy more than anything and if you haven't noticed, it was not 'on our will monogamy marriage' Tahir. She is so impulsive."

Tahir stopped chewing, his eyes widening and his mouth hanging wide. "And you're not?"

Sudais glared at Tahir who shrugged and continued to eat. "All i am saying is that—"

"Errrr-" Tahir screeched, wiping his mouth with a napkin and pushing the empty plate away as he clasped his fingers. "Tafida...you see, it's not that you're scared you don't have control over her ba. it-it's-you're scared she has too much control over you and you-"

"That's what i just said."

Tahir's hand flew towards Sudais, "Ka tashi anan!" He took the energy to engage in a staring contest before Sudais backed down, sighing and that gave Tahir the green light, "You like to be in control, i mean that's why we even named you Shugaba. Because you're a leader, not a follower, kama ajiye background inka a gefe. That's just who you are... but Neither of that is true. People do not have control over us," he set out palms towards Sudais, moving them forward, "We give it to them. It's not her, it's you. And, to be honest, you're a shitty partner most of the time so," Tahir finished off with a shrug.

Instead of the glare Tahir expected, Sudais lowered his eyebrows and squinted his eyes in an attempt to digest everything.

After a while, Tahir added. "And, i think the reason why she is so special to the point she is driving you to the edge is that she is a mystery to you. You didn't know her, you never spoke to her, and boom, you are married. And i mean no offense but your wife is tall, has ambitions, has flawless skin, comes from a prestigious family, dimples, she resists you which is something you're not used to. Not to mention she looks like SZA that you used to be obsessed with...basically everything you wanted in a woman."

Sudais' eyes snapped to his friend, eyes turning icy. "Kai. Don ubanka kallon matana kakeyi?"

Tahir moved back and raise his hands up, "Haba mutumina. Ni? Attahiru? Ai ban isa ba. I suppose turn blind before i look at your wife."

Sudais nodded, "You better." Then chuckled, shaking his head. "Or I'll gauge your eyes out so you don't get to not just see Sadiya, but to not see at all."

Tahir cast his head down, "Affuwan! Affuwan Tafida Mazan jiya."

Sudais hissed, then sighed. Repeat. Then, his eyes widened before he started to nod. "You're right...but wrong, Tahir... She is not special. I," he stabbed a finger into his chest, his lips surging slowly, "I made her special by giving her control. And i need to take it by doing the most obvious..."

Tahir stared at Sudais with squinted eyes and a twisted mouth, "And that is?"

Sudais turned with a full-blown smile. "I need to get over my infatuation with her."

"What?"

"I need to lose interest. Have sex with her."

Tahir let out a breath through his mouth, he looked down before looking up and waving. "Yeah you're married anyway but it's not what i meant. Um-i think you should talk. Get to know her or-"

"No. Don't tell me you've forgotten that's the first thing to do on the how to lose interest 101 operation?"

Tahir shook his head, then nodded. Shaking because he had not forgotten and nodded because that's the first thing to do for a man's real intention and motives to reveal themselves.

"Exactly."