They all turned to the source of the voice, Rear Admiral Asad Tafida Aliero entred the spacious living room from a door by the left side of the room, near the front door, it led to the other part of the house, Alhaji Tafida Aliero's section of the house, the biggest part where he held impromptu family meetings.

Asad is a 6'3 fair skinned Fulani man, Layla's immediate elder brother, Khadijah had only met him twice when she was a teenager, he worked with the Nigerian Navy, he has a nice sense of humor and smiled a lot but has a hell of a temper. He wore a simple black tee and dark blue jeans, simple yet elegant with his built but slightly lean body.

"Oh Allah!" Abba groaned inwardly and tried standing up but it proved to be a futile attempt because of his injured ankle, he sat back with a small yelp giving up.

"I can still see you" his deep voice sounded more threatening when he lowered it, Abba involuntarily recoiled back in his seat, being the youngest wasn't fun with large men and their deep voices commanding his every move.

"He hurt himself with those death traps I've told him to stop playing with multiple times" Mamie pointed to where the hover board was before.

"What death trap again?" he looked to Layla who shrugged before replying.

"His hover board" Khadijah was thankful for the momentary interruption, her social battery was on the low and she had not met even quarter of the family yet.

"Good for him" he sat close to his younger brother before finally looking at the guest who was fiddling with her fingers.

She looked the same, just more mature and unbelievably more gorgeous and radiant than he'd remembered

"So Khadijah, we finally get to see you" he let out a small laugh, she was a mouthful then, shy but sharp and always has a witty remark up her sleeve.

She only smiled at that, Mamie left saying she was going to see what they were doing in the kitchen, they planned to have breakfast late because of the long awaited guest, Khadijah had no idea how much the family had planned for her arrival.

"Should I still keep my shades off because no sun will kill me in a car?" Khadijah blushed at their hearty laughter, even Abba joined though he had no idea why they were laughing.

"Why are we laughing?" he asked still chuckling when the duo quieted down.

"Do you see your mates here? Go and help Azeema with her home work or something" Asad glared at the teenager who sat back down and swallowed his laughter, helping that girl with her work was like teaching a parrot, she would just ask you multiple questions that'll leave you gaping and thinking you're dumb.

"I was right though, was I not? You did enjoy the sun and you have no wrinkles" she smiled at the memory, he and Nazir were forced to pick Layla up from school because their driver was sick, he had put on his ray bans and sat in the tinted car with the all the windows up, he refused to even look at them while Nazir was flirting with her, he hadn't confessed his feelings to her at the time so she was free with him and thought all his flirting was just jokes, seeing the seventeen year old at the time, she'd teased him and told him to stop looking grumpy or he'd get wrinkles before he was twenty five and wouldn't be able to see without those things on his face.

"Well thank you for the compliment, I'm aware that I'm handsome though sitting opposite a damsel like yourself, I feel highly under dressed" Layla groaned the same time Abba muttered he can do it but I can't.

"Khadijah please let's go upstairs before more of these weirdos appear with their weird pick up lines" Layla dragged her halfway through her rant leaving the other two with disappointed looks.

"Well that didn't go bad, yeah?" the look Asad gave him made him rephrase "I'll just shut up now"

"I can't believe that was Abba, he's so big now" Layla laughed at that.

"What I can't believe is that he was flirting with you, my brother's are unbelievable" she face palmed at that, she should've known they were competing to see who would woo her best friend, since she rejected Nazir the best smooth talker in the whole family all those years ago this was like their own little rematch, the thought of that made her shudder. Breakfast would be eventful because almost all the Tafida Aliero men would be there, it was exciting yet cringey to think about when it was her brothers and best friend that were involved but she would just have to wait, if there was one thing she was sure of was that Khadijah wouldn't bat an eyelash to any of them, the old Khadijah wouldn't and the new one, well let her not even go there.

"Just a fair warning before you say I didn't inform you, the whole family are meeting in baba's quarters for the breakfast" Layla finished with a sweet smile.

"What?!" Khadijah froze with the word she uttered, she was fine with meeting five people from the house, that's a crowd but she'll manage, the whole family she didn't even want to picture it.

Alhaji Tafida Aliero has two wives and fifteen children, seven boys and eight girls, some are married and have children, she's heard of family things like this and everyone was expected to be present so far you're in the state, which meant plus their spouses that's at least thirty people, she didn't realise she was hyperventilating until Layla  patted her back repeatedly telling her to breath.

"Are you okay?" she nodded when her heart beat slowed.

"Layla I can't, it's too much"

"No one will talk to you or judge you, trust me, if you're not comfortable I'll ask them to bring our food here" she assured leaving out the fact that the event was in her honor, she didn't want to make her feel pressurized into going, but at the same time she wanted her to feel accepted and heal.

At the end, the fact remains, you can't heal someone who doesn't want to acknowledge the wound.

"Layla Tafida in the house" Layla hollered raising her hands in the air and she got groans and 'not again' as reply when they entered her father's side, unlike the other two quarters that it was sandwiched between, his living had no furniture but rather it was left blankly with floor to ceiling windows that were made of glass, it's mostly for in house parties that he hosted, his private quarters was upstairs which consisted of his bedroom, a cozy living room and a study, each floor has at least four bathrooms excluding his private one is his room. With his office on both floors, the one downstairs for meetings and the other his private office, his sons had their own study there too since it wasn't occupied, though most of them were married, because of family events that happens a lot it was still in use. The library, gym and movie room were located there, it was basically the family side of the house while the others were for sleeping.

"Haters" she muttered moving ahead in the large dining area with Khadijah hot on her heels.

Khadijah laughed at her dramatic friend, the small scene made her loosen up, she agreed to meet them because they've been asking after her for long and it would be considered rude to not attend when she was in the house, she wouldn't know what to give as excuse because she doesn't like talking about her problems.

"Shift jare, Khadijah come on in" it took her a few seconds to recognise the voice and when she did she smiled widely at the mother of two. Jiddah Aliero, Layla's half sister, first born of Sakinah Aliero and fifth to Tafida Aliero, like almost all the Aliero's she has a good sense of humor and a pretty smile.

"Thought I'd never see you again, where are my angels?" Khadijah asked after her two boys, they were full of energy and talked a lot too.

"With their father somewhere around here, I need some me time" they laughed at that.

Layla did show her off to all her siblings, the ones that were there already, only three out of the fifteen children were absent, the first born adda Nabila, Ruqayya who was the years younger than Layla and hamma Jabir.

Khadijah's face was sore when they were done from all the smiling she's been doing, she couldn't help it they were all funny and very welcoming, that was the most safe she's felt in years and she didn't want to leave.

Soon enough Alhaji Tafida Aliero graced them with his presence, he was in his office but he could hear the chatter all the way from upstairs, Mahmud, the first male and third born was with him, they had one thing in common, work and responsibility, so they spent most of their time in the study discussing work stuff but once it's family time, then it's family time.

Khadijah realised that one thing the Aliero's had in common, more than their humor was their bond, family first, always.

They greeted the sixty something year old who had a smile on his face, seeing his family like that, all smiles gave him a feeling of tranquility and he lived for that.

She was surprised when he'd gone and kissed both his wives on the forehead which earned a chorus of awww's and then hugged his female children that were present, like a business introduction he'd given each child attention and what surprised her the most was when he had patted her and gave her a friendly smile "Welcome to the family" he'd whispered before hugging Layla and moving on.

She willed herself to not cry, the family were just too good that she'd felt if she closed her eyes it'll be a dream and she'll wake up to still be in Suleiman's hell.

After greeting everyone, he sat surrounded by his grandchildren listening to their stories about school, it was a lovely sight to behold, the rest of the family sat in different places talking about things.

"Khadijah in all her glory, I was led to believe you've vanished from the face of earth" her reaction to the voice was what she didn't expect, she didn't feel weird at all but rather wanted to laugh.

"I wouldn't say that"

"Oh then, what would you say?" Nazir smiled at his childhood crush, he couldn't say that he still didn't like her but there wasn't any romantic feelings involved, rather a brotherly type, maybe.

"Hamma Nazir please go away" Layla cut in playfully glaring at him.

"Who's talking to this one? Please shift from here"

"Ya Allah, you gave me the most annoying set of humans as siblings wallahi"  she looked upwards eyes closed.

"Just a quick reminder, you're not too old to be flogged" he pushed her to the side and stood in front of the person he wanted to talk to "How have you been?"

"Breathing alhamdullillah, you?" he laughed throwing his head back, she's still as he remembered.

"Daddy, please tell uncle Abba to give me my baby" they both turned to the little girl that was tugging her father's trousers, her curly hair was in pigtails and she had on a pink princess dress, she looked nothing like Nazir except for the eyes.

"Abba, what did you take from Afrah? Give her back before I descend on you" he shouted to his younger brother who was across the room, they called him the tyrant of the family, but it wasn't his fault being the youngest was.

He didn't feel when she let go and moved to his companion "Are you a princess?"

Khadijah smiled at the girl who squinted her eyes, she had always found what children blurt out amusing "You look more of a princess in that beautiful dress darling, what's your name?" she crouched down so she could look at the girl close up, definitely Aliero eyes.

"My name is Salmah, but you can call me Afrah"

"Baby did you greet aunty Khadijah?" Nazir asked before she could say anything else, her eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her small hands.

"Sorry I forgot, good morning" she bent a little and Khadijah let out a small chuckle at the cuteness, she replied her greeting and she left like she was never there.

"She is so cute, Layla never told me about her"

"Are you even shocked? Layla can't focus on one thing to save her life"

"That's my best friend be careful" she joked  "She doesn't look like you though, lucky her"

"What is that supposed to mean, I'm handsome" he pouted and she shook her head as reply.

"You wish" that was Layla, beside her was a woman about her age, maybe older, she wore an A-shape gown but her bump was showing a bit, she's darker than Layla but not as dark as Khadijah making her look tanned "Dee, this is Faridah, this guy's wife"  Nazir face palmed at his sister, she was too much.

"Wow it's so nice to meet you, he got lucky, we wanted to bribe some girl to marry him but thank you so much for helping us save our money" Faridah has heard a lot about Khadijah, and not only because she's a renowned fashion designer but because her in laws teased Nazir whenever he said he was romantic, he'd failed to sweep her off her feet.

She had thought she was a competition the few years they'd been married and never liked the girl even though she'd never met her, but as she stood there she couldn't help but laugh at the joke.

"The pleasure is mine"

"Yes adda, please take your husband while I show off my darling" Nazir who has been quiet the whole time knocked Layla on her head before taking his wife's hand and sent Khadijah a charming smile "You're welcome"

"I was fine, besides I think you're in for it because by the looks of it he has a lot of explaining to do" they laughed at that looking at the couple, Nazir had a distressed look while his wife was glaring.

"Ha! Totally worth it, let's go out before one of my brother's decide to try his own luck" she was already dragging her towards the door, She only shouted 'be right back' and left the mansion.

"Where are you dragging me to?" Khadijah asked when Layla walked towards the back of the house.

"Thought we should go get ice cream or something but I know you don't eat much and Mamie will kill me when I tell her you're full, so let's just stay here in the garden before they serve the food"

Khadijah's eyes swept over the length of the garden, she couldn't identify most of the flowers to save her life but the place was calming and it gave her peace of mind, she inhaled the fresh air and closed her eyes, it felt like an escape from reality for her and she loved it.

"Where is that?" she pointed to a bungalow a few close to the garden, looking around she realised it was close to the kitchen back door, they can easily go back to Mamie's side of the house from the garden.

"Boys flats, it's only Abba, Kabir, hamma Asad and hamma Shaheed that are there now, those ones will not go and marry" she rolled her eyes referring to Asad and Shaheed, he lived in the other flat, he didn't like sharing, she wasn't surprised when Layla pointed to another building close to the bungalow when she said his name.

"Get them wives then" she shrugged, her eyes on a plant.

"Like it's easy, he is annoying and he doesn't like people" she let out a laugh.

"Let's go back inside, I'm sure they'll start soon" Layla said after some time.

When they entered the room only Abba, Alhaji Tafida and two others were around, it took her a few seconds before their faces registered, Kabir and Shaheed.

Layla asked her half sister where they went to, the door opened and they trooped in before Waleedah could answer.

"Shorty" Mahmud pulled her in for a hug off guard, he towered over her 5'10 frame with his 6'4, that's what earned her the nickname.

"Hamma you're just a teeny bit taller than me" show showed a space between her thumb and index finger indicating the difference.

"Yeah right" he laughed then turned to Khadijah with a smile "Dee, how are you?" she nodded as a reply, she knew him most because of his closeness to Khadijah.

"I know you don't plan on taking a second wife anytime soon so whatchu doing here, wait where did all you go to?"

"Oh, Fahad came to drop something for baba, he was in a slight rush" he took her hands and pulled her close "And Jawad came with him, he was asking of you?" she pushed him like he burnt her.

"Don't please, anyone but him"

"You're going to have to get married at some point in your life, and he's pretty serious"

"He was my childhood friend, I know all his embarrassing secrets and I'd rather not live with that, and Hamma Fahad will not let me hear the end of it so no way" Khadijah joined in the laughter, she's heard a lot about him and he's quite a character, her cousin's best friend she'd told her.

"Food is served everyone, to the table" Mamie announced, Ummi was beside her and they looked more like friends than Cowives, Khadijah thought if it was her mother that had a cowife, she'd already pitied the woman, Hajiya Ladidi would not share her husband, she smiled at the thought of her mother seeing another woman, she would yell and burn the house down, she just couldn't picture it.

Hellooooooooo, so was this a Fast update or what?

You like this chapter, whatchu think?

This is basically 3k words, longest chapter so far, flood my notifications with comments and votes and I'll try to update super fast.

Many votes=happy me=more updates, see how that works, make me smile angels.

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Thank you to those that voted and commented, you're super awesome, see ya next time.

Amyrah