Who's awake?🌚🌚

“Don't call the IG yet, let's hear what they want?” Alhaji Tafida Aliero repeated massaging his temple, they've been going at it for the past thirty minutes. His brother is stubborn and a bit unreasonable too in his perspective, though he is excusing his behavior because his son has just been kidnapped, stubbornness ran in the family probably because he was going to give up either.

“It is my son, my first son! What do you want me to do?” on normal days, Bello Aliero would rather skin himself alive than raise his voice at his elder brother, but fear does things to people's behaviors. “To just sit and wait for them to call,” he spat bitterly.

“And that's exactly what will put him in harm’s way, this your temper,” he slowed trying to make his brother understand “Let me handle this, I'll call you back in an hour, go and console his mother, I'm sure she needs you in your right mind for this.” he hung up not waiting for a reply.

Mahmud pinched the bridge of his nose, frustrated as he kept his phone on the table after getting off the call with the family’s PI.

“Nothing?” his father asked and he nodded his lips set in a grim line. “They'll call eventually, call the security department, I want to know how they didn't know where he went.” Mahmud nodded already scrolling through his call log, he'd hate to be the security right at that moment.

****

Basra, Sadiya's last born greeted Khadijah with a hug the moment she entered the house and that was when she noticed both her sisters’ cars parked in the compound, she picked up Basra who was playing with one of her siblings and went inside.

Nanah greeted her with a hug too and she put Basra down after smoothening her curls. “Where's umma?” she asked Nanah who pointed to the small living room, too engrossed in Sofia the first.

“Assalamu alaikum.” the trio answered. Khadijah greeted each of them respectfully then went to sit beside Sadiya and playfully rubbed her growing bump, missing the frustrated and annoyed look on her sister’s face and her companions.

“Did you see Kamla outside?”Khadijah shook her head no, she'd thought who they left the kids with though she wasn’t there, she wouldn’t have gone far anyways.

“Let me go and check where she is?” before any of them could protest, hajiya Ladidi was already out of the door.

Baraka pinned Sadiya with a pointed look, she shook her head and turned defiantly, she didn't want in on whatever her sister wanted her to do.

Khadijah who was replying Victoria's text missed the shared look, her phone rang seconds later and she excused herself and left for her room. It was a part of her to not answer calls in front of people, she couldn't remember when she started but she was used to it.

“How are you?” Fahad asked after greeting her, she replied with Alhamdulillah, like she always did when he asked, and he always asked she’d noticed “I saw your message, thank you for informing me.” she heard shuffling and sound of a door closing.

“No problem.” She shrugged even though he won’t see her.

“Have you talked to her? Actually talk to her?” he asked after a few seconds of silence, he added stressing the last part.

“Yes.” Layla's tear stricken face popped up in her head and she shook her head as if to remove the image.

“Is she okay?”

“She will be.” that was all she had to say, she wasn't about to go around lying to make people feel better.

Her opinion had always been to tell the truth even if it will hurt a person, it showed that you respect them enough to not lie to them, that no matter how bitter the truth it, you'll be there for them. Lying is never an option, is her mantra.

He sighed, “Are you busy right now?” she shook her head then muttered a no, “As much as I don't want to stress you with all these, you're the only one that can talk sense into Layla,” he breathed out frustrated “They are both stubborn, I've never met a set of more complicated, stubborn and strong headed people like them, but then it runs in the blood.” she couldn't decipher the tone but it was between frustration and venom.

“What happened between them?” she'd wanted to ask Layla, but she also didn't want to push her, waiting for her to let it out, but that didn't seem like it was happening anytime soon.

He expelled a breath from his mouth “I don't know, no one knows.” he took a deep breath “They used to a close, very close, and then just one time she started avoiding him, he loved her since we were kids so it wasn't new, th-” he left it at that she wanted to urge him to continue but let it go.

“How exactly am I supposed to bring her back to her senses?” she asked to fill in the silence. She did not know any better than she did that morning.

“That's what I’m worried about, you can't solve a problem without knowing what it is, and well, I have no answer to what their problem is, just try to know why she's like that, and you don't have to tell me, I respect her privacy, she needs it for herself, they need to accept whatever it is for any of them to get over it.”

“Do you also want them to get married?” she asked out of the blue, on normal days she shied away from the topic of marriage, she wanted to tell him to just forget it but he was already talking.

“Yes and no,” he stopped, she didn't have to tell him to elaborate, he did just that “If it's the best thing, then yes they should but with the way everything is, it's better if they just called it quits and fix themselves, I'd hate to see any of them in a complicated relationship especially marriage, you can complicate everything if you want but marriage shouldn't be one of those things.”

Tears pooled in her eyes, why? She also didn't know.

“Are you there?” she forced out a yes that sounded suffocated. “You shouldn't fret over it, they'll be fine, just look after Layla for me please, I know everyone is with her but she needs someone.” He let out a breath, frustrated most probably. “You understand right?”

“Yes.” she added as an afterthought “She's lucky to have you, and I don't mean that in a cliché way, knowing someone is out there looking out for you, defending without your knowledge is one of the best feelings ever, so thank you on her behalf.” Sadiya's face crossed her mind and she knew she would always be there for her, always and forever.

“We'll talk later.” he was asking her permission, she answered with uhhm because of the emotions clogging her throat, she hung up and kept the phone beside her, she wiped the tears that betrayed her and stood up, she rinsed her face before going back to her sisters, a little curious as to their surprise visit. Not that they don’t normally visit like that but they usually inform her so she can be at home and they’ll spend the day together.

She sat beside Sadiya again after greeting their father who’d joined them, she hasn't seen him since last night, hajiya Ladidi sat opposite him on the one seater sofa while Baraka was beside him. They stopped talking immediately she entered to which she wondered why but didn't voice it.

Laughter and conversation passed between them, Khadijah not really imputing, only answering when a question is directed at her, though it felt calm having the whole family together.

“Can we please talk about it now that she's here?” She looked up curiously at Baraka when she spoke, she knew it wouldn't end well, for her at least, a sixth sense of some sort.

“Just let it go.” Sadiya sounded angry.

“Enough both of you.” malam Sadeeq commanded halting Baraka's retort, they apologized.

“Khadijah,” she looked at her mother, a bit anxious, she wanted to hear what it was they were arguing about, but she didn't want to know at the same because she had an idea what it was about, besides there was only one thing her mother was interested with in her life so it wasn’t hard to guess.
“Hajiya Zainab called yesterday,” she nodded wondering what her connection was with the phone call, the answer glared at her but she pushed it to the back of her mind as she struggled to get her heart rate back to normal.

“They want to officially send elders, to ask for your hand in marriage.” hearing it out loud made her heart skip a beat, she couldn't hear what was said after as multiple thoughts swarmed her head, she saw Suleiman, standing with a menacing look, for a minute he just stood there and then he swung his fist, she snapped her eyes open and tried to blink the tears that glistened her eyes clouding her vision, she kept telling herself it was all in the past.

“….And I say it's absurd, she doesn't know him and I'm sure she doesn't like him either.” Sadiya protested.

“I agree with her on this and he is too young,” Khadijah only turned at Baraka's intervention.

The subject of the argument was not even considered, malam Sadeeq studied the four women, his gaze resting on his last daughter who'd wiped the tears but she still looked scared, he wondered why but didn’t say anything. He massaged his temples when hajiya Ladidi started arguing.

“And so? He is financially stable, he comes from a good family and his mother is in support of it, I don't know what is wrong with you all not wanting her to move forward.” she finished raising her voice at the end.

“He is too young!” Baraka's voice was lower than their mother's but was equally strong.

“…Because you have someone old enough for her right?” Sadiya asked sarcastically.

Baraka fixed her gaze on her immediate younger sister and with a scowl she started “Yes I do have someone better for her, we're already related to them and mama wants him to get married, his daughter needs a mother.”

“And that is our sister's responsibility, how?” her voice sounded angry, she was trying hard to get a grip on her temper and not disrespect her sister but she was tempted to forget propriety, being pregnant her hormones were all over the place.

“He’s the best option and he's been married before, it’s even ideal.”

“-and his daughter needs a mother.” she finished with venom in her tone.

“It's only sensible.” Baraka argued.

“You're not forcing her into this, she has a right to get married or not, and she has a right to choose her husband, when-if she chooses to ever get married again, it's going to be someone she wants and that's final.” her breath was coming ragged but she didn't care.

“Because she has a lot to choose from, do you think suitors will be lining for a woman who forced her husband to divorce her?” she didn't pay attention to their mother's glare or Sadiya's furious expression, “No,” she stated too lost in the argument to think, “because she's tainted herself.”

“Then I'd rather my sister stay tainted and happy than go play mother to your brother in law.” they've totally forgotten about their parents. Malam Sadeeq could only look from one sister to the other, shocked at the pent up anger and frustration.

“She will get married! Now you both listen to me, she won't go and be a mother to another woman's daughter-”

“Dead woman umma, dead, at least he wouldn't marry another wife after her, but like this she would have to settle for third or fourth wife, if she's lucky second.”

“As long as she's happy, that matters to me more than her marital status.” Sadiya stated pointedly.

“Why do you want her to marry your brother in law?” malam Sadeeq asked Baraka who smiled triumphantly.

“Because out of the options, he's the more sensible one, he's mature and he has a daughter, he wouldn't worry about children.”

“That's your only reason, what if he can't treat her right? What of his duties as her husband? Does that not matter to you? She's not a hired nanny or replacement mother.”

“Sadiya, let her talk.” she huffed and folded her hands against her bosom.

“Are we all just going to ignore the fact that she can't have children?” the room became dead silent, that's when she realized her blunder, she turned to Khadijah looking sorry “Kha-” she was already out of the door before she finished.

“That was so low of you, I hope you're happy now.” Sadiya spat and followed after her sister.

Hajiya Ladidi shook her head disappointed.

“You can go.” she didn't recognize her father's voice. She wanted to say something but the words weren’t forming so she dejectedly stood up and left the room. She called Nanah when she reached the main living room not having the mind to answer who was talking to her, she only shook her head at what she said not that she heard, she got in her car and drove off, not having the courage to face her sister.

“Khadijah?” Sadiya sat beside her on the bed and Khadijah looked up at her, the empty look in her eyes made Sadiya stagger a bit. “I’m so sorry, she was-”

“She is right.” her voice was cold which made Sadiya all the more worried, she wanted her to cry, then she would know how to pacify her but she looked fine and that scared her more than everything, she wasn’t like that even when she lost…no she shook her head willing her thoughts not to wander.

“She still had no right.”

“It is the truth.” she turned her back on her sister. “I want to be alone……Please.” Sadiya respected her wishes and left the room closing the door behind her.

Khadijah closed her eyes a memory she'd pushed to the back of her mind hitting her full force.

“She'll be okay, she just needs to rest.” the doctor said to Sadiya whose red rimmed eyes were on her sister.

Khadijah laid lifeless on the hospital bed hearing voices around her but she made no move to stand up, she didn’t want to be there anymore.

Her whole body felt numb except for the pain in her head that wasn't going no matter how much or how hard she bobbed her head, her hand mindlessly moved to her flat stomach, she felt empty, she’d felt the life before and it gave her hope, she'd only been three months along, ten weeks but she'd felt the presence and that made her happy, she was at peace even though she was leaving in a hell.

“Khadijah?” she turned to Sadiya, her face blank, the tears had dried already, she didn't have the energy to even cry anymore.

Sadiya opened and closed her mouth multiple times, how could she console someone who just lost a child? Probably by the hands of the grandmother, she did the only thing she could and pulled her into a hug, tears streaming down her face.

“I'm so sorry, so sorry sorry.” she cried.

She felt something was wrong when she saw Khadijah's the call, it was zuhr time and thankfully she just completed her prayer and was folding the mat, getting ready to go and pick her children up from school, Aifa who was a year old was sleeping in her crib. She picked the phone hoping she just wanted to vent because she'd been complaining about Suleiman getting angry at every little thing, and she was dealing with morning sickness and fatigue.

The icing on the cake, his mother decided to move in for a while, because quote enquote “This your wife doesn't know how to take care of you, you've lost weight, I'll come to the house and see what it is she does all day if not sit and spend your money.” and with that, her fate was sealed.

At first, she'd criticized her cooking, her cleaning and every other thing that she does, she’d let the anger slide and did exactly what the woman wanted, she was sick but the old hag hadn't minded, piling up unnecessary work for her.

“Wai where is this stupid girl? Will you get me the bucket already?” Mannira, Suleiman's mother yelled, she was seated in the living room, her legs on the chair as she watched the rerun of a soap opera, that's what she'd been doing for two days since her arrival, she'd scream for Khadijah and order her, like she was a slave at her beck and call.

Khadijah had never liked the idea of having her in laws close by to avoid problems, but the problem had come knocking on her door, and she seemed ready to stay. She'd only been married five months now, at first she called her barren the first two months after the wedding that they didn't hear any news of pregnancy, she'd questioned her chastity and virginal status, she'd said horrible things to her but she had let it slide because she knew the woman never liked her and was just looking for something to complain about.

“Ba ki da kunya ko,” (You’re very shameless right?) she eyed Khadijah who was clutching her stomach and the bucket she kept a few feet from her “What disrespect is this that you'll give something to me while standing? I'm I your mate? Your mother didn't teach you any manners abi, it's to just follow rich men and marry you all know how to do,” she tsked and shook her head “I've heard about your sisters, one is married to a major and the other a hot shot lawyer, at least they have pretty faces so I guess it's easy to trap men, but you! Only Allah knows what my son saw in you.” she hissed turning back to her show.

Khadijah who was tempted to open her mouth and retort let it go, her mother had told her to never talk back to her husband's mother, she was raised better than that. She closed her eyes when felt the pain again in her lower abdomen, she clutched tighter feeling light headed, she felt her stomach churn making her gasp a little in pain.
Her eyes were a bit hazy as she blindly reached for the closest chair but she didn't make it when she felt bile rise in her throat. She stopped hoping to regain her composure so she can at least make way to the nearest bathroom when the little breakfast she'd managed to chug down came back up full force.

“Keh!”(You!) Mannira screamed as the rest of the food spewed out without her able to control it, tears pooled in her eyes from the force of it. She thought if she doesn't control it she'd probably end up regurgitating her intestines.

She hadn't stood up fully or opened her eyes to check the damage when she felt pain from her back that made her yelp, she tried to get up but she couldn’t and she felt it again harder this time, this time in her stomach, her hand moved instinctively and hovered but she'd felt it, just like the pain that kept coming from nowhere.

She'd reached the floor on her hands and knees in the puddle of her own vomit, her hands on her stomach protectively, her eyes started to droop but she forced it back open, she tried to yaw her mouth open willing it to scream for help but nothing left except for small gasps.

She shuddered, no longer fighting the force above her, whatever it was and she felt another pain in her abdomen, more worst than the first, a whimper escaped her lips, seemingly the only sound her vocal cords could make, the ground shook beneath her, or maybe it was her body that was shaking, she didn't know, she wanted to do something anything to stop what it was that was hurting her  but her body was already weak.

She felt a piercing pain in her lower abdomen, like a knife was plunged into her and was being twisted mercilessly slow in the same position, she tightened her arms tighter around her ignoring every other pain she was feeling.

She heard an ear piercing scream, maybe it was her, she couldn't really be sure, the dampness between her legs stole her breath as realization dawned on her, it like her water broke, but that couldn't be possible, the baby wasn't due till in six months plus, her brain shut down the mental calculation and she welcomed the darkness her grip loosening, she laid limp in the middle of her living room in her own vomit, crimson liquid trailing down her thighs.

A knock sounded on the door and Suleiman's 5'10 frame walked in, Sadiya glared at him and he looked down, in shame? She couldn't be sure and it probably wasn’t that, he is shameless.

“How is her body?” he asked after contemplating, the argument had been written all over his face.

“How does she look to you?” her voice was bitter and every word filled with venom, she bit her lips right after. She didn't want to talk because at that moment, she'd rather beat the hell out of him and his mother, especially his mother, they can sue her or throw her behind bars for all she cares, she needed to feel their skin under her fingers, she was hungry for blood and the feelings didn’t even scare her, not that she really cared how violent her thoughts were.

The woman had been lucky she was occupied else only Allah would've saved her from her wrath.

He scratched the back of his neck and then rubbed his eyes.

“Can you please excuse us? I want to talk to my wife.” she sent him a deadly glare which made him swallow whatever he wanted to say.

Khadijah who wasn't in her right mind paid no attention to the conversation mostly because she just wasn't hearing anything they were saying, everything felt hollow to her.

“If I leave you with my sister, they'll sure as hell be a uniformed man right beside her.” he clenched his fists to stop from talking back at her.

“In that case, I'll talk to you, why did you have my mother arrested? Do you know what that will do to her reputation?” he sat on the single plastic chair in the room.

“Then she won't be able to show her face when I tell the world who she really is, and I'll be dammed if anything stops me.” she picked her phone when she heard a ping, she tapped for a bit then put it to her ear.

“Okay, I'll see you in a bit, be safe.” she said softly on the phone, she hung up and turned to Suleiman who was sitting comfortably, his head resting on the plastic chair with his eyes closed.

There was a knock on the door followed by their mother's voice. Suleiman stood up and greeted her, Khadijah was still motionless on the bed, her mind elsewhere, Sadiya who was wondering what took their mother so long frowned but greeted her nevertheless.

“Khadijah, Ya jikin ki?” (How is your body?) She blinked but that was it, Suleiman excused himself leaving the three women.

“You took long.” Sadiya stated.

“Toh let me sit before you start questioning me,” she sat on the chair Suleiman vacated.

“I went to the police station first,” she looked at Sadiya pointedly who's face has gone red with anger, she opened her mouth to talk but her mother beat her to it “Is this how we raised you? Uhhm, getting people's mother arrested.” Sadiya turned her blood boiling, she didn't answer though.

“Your father is withdrawing the complaint, for whatever reason you made it in the first place.” she eyed her finishing.

She wanted to talk but she felt a light tap on her hand, she turned to Khadijah who shook her head, ‘it isn't worth it’, she shook her head and turned.

The door opened again, Suleiman, his mother and their father walked in and a few seconds later, Baraka, her husband-general Mubarak Maigona and Abdul walked in, though the room was big, it felt cramped with all the people in it.

Hajiya Ladidi stood up for Suleiman's mother to sit, asking her how she was, she answered with attitude when she lowered herself into the chair, not wanting to stay there, malam Sadeeq left the room after enquiring about her health, when he heard all was fine from Sadiya, Khadijah still wasn't talking.

The room was thick with tension and Baraka who got tired of the never ending silence spoke up.

“What happened?” simple two words.

No one answered, Mannira, Suleiman's mother was on her phone talking furiously, she ignored the look major, Baraka’s husband whom they still refer to as that even though he was a general and Sadiya were giving her.

Sadiya had an inkling of what happened, he didn't but the woman didn't sit well with him, he checked her body and left without a word.

“It was an accident, she fell or something, I wasn't in the house.” Suleiman finally answered, Sadiya sent him a deadly glare for his nonchalant attitude.

“And your mother?” she asked, holding his stare, daring him to say anything stupid.

“She was asleep, her morning routine doesn't let her wake up till eleven or twelve.” Sadiya was dumbfounded, did he not hear how he sounded?

“But beating up my sister is apparently involved in the routine?” she asked with a mocking laugh.

“Sadiya?” Baraka chastised in a stern voice.

“What? Is it not the truth?” her gaze was still on him, and even though it wasn't obvious, he was squirming under her gaze.

“Do not disrespect the woman.” Sadiya stood up and angrily left the room, why don't they see it from her view, there was no way Khadijah fell down, simple question, how did she fall?

It's not like it's a storey building that they'll say she fell down the stairs, and the broken bucket?

She wiped her angry tears and sat on one of the reception chairs tapping her foot furiously on the white tied hospital floor. She would make sure that woman pays, even if it is the last thing she did.

“Walk with me.” she looked up at her husband with blurry eyes, he stretched his hand forward for her to take and she did without a word and followed him outside.

They walked aimlessly, she was tempted to ask why he'd done that but kept it to herself. They rounded the hospital, her heart pace leveling going back to normal and her breathing steadying.

“Can we talk now?” he asked, pointing to two empty chairs, she nodded.

That's when she realized he'd wanted her to calm down before he talked, she had a tendency to cry while angry and he hated when she cried.

“What happened in there? You look tired and angry.” he asked, gently stroking her palm with his thumb.

“Can you believe umma?” she tried hard for her voice to come out leveled but it was still pretty loud.

“What did umma do?”

“She bailed her out, not only that, it's me they are all scolding, what if I hadn't gotten there on time?” she let out a shaky breath, “What if she'd-” she stopped the tears coming back full force, they streamed down her face but she wasn't making any sound.

“And you think she did what?” his voice ever so calm he asked still stroking her palm.

“What's there to think about? She hates her, we all know that, I told umma not to agree to that stupid marriage but no, everyone has to be married.” she looked up at him, he was looking at her tenderly, she'd always thought he would get tired of her outbursts and leave but he was always there, looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing in the world.

“How was the house when you went?” he asked.

“I was planning on going with Hanan and junior to visit her because she's been saying she missed them, I was waiting for them to come from school when I received her call, she wasn't talking, I thought it was a prank at first, but she was never one to prank? She hates lying even if it's just a joke,” he nodded in agreement. Khadijah is one of the most honest people he has ever met.

“I got worried and asked her what was wrong, then I heard her crying, I didn't want to make anything of it, I left what I was doing and texted you then left for the house, the door was open, that was also unlike her, I called her name but she didn't answer, I tried again still no reply,” her voice started shaking, “I got scared, I checked the bedroom but she wasn't there either, I retraced my steps since the house isn't that big, I made for the kitchen and then I saw the trail of blood, my brain went haywire and I found her in the dining, her phone in her hand, since when she called me I presume

“She was laying on the floor, her clothes were stained and I…I didn't know what to do, I called you but you didn't pick, I called ya Baraka the same thing, I didn't want umma and baba to be worried so I called Hameed and told him I was coming to the hospital, she was passed out, I woke her up and helped her dress, she didn't say a word to me, she just kept working monotone, and once in a while she'll clutch her stomach,” she breathed out, trying to get her breathing even.

She was the only that knew Khadijah was pregnant and she didn't tell anyone, they wanted to keep it a lowkey until it announced itself, besides you can never hide pregnancy.

“His mother,” she said with spite, “She had the nerve to walk out, she didn't ask-heck she didn't spare us a glance and just went back to the parlor and sat, she kept watching a stupid show, I wanted to tell her to help me because I needed a hand, then I saw the place, blood and broken bucket and vomit, she'd moved to the other side, not having the decency to clean it up, and when we left she told me to close the door behind me and muttered good riddance.”

Abdul was perplexed, he knew the history of the family but even that was too much for them, he understood his wife but rational thought made him give Mannira benefit of the doubt. Even if it was your enemy, so far she's carrying your son's child, you should have even an inkling of compassion towards her, nobody is asking you to love her, and she is a mother too, even if she wasn’t crying your son’s child, and there was no way she would say she didn’t know, she did.

“But how are you sure it was her?”

Sadiya eyed him then turned to the other side trying hard not to hiss, “Who would it have been? A jinn?”

“No, but maybe she did fall.”

“Khadijah is not clumsy, and the bucket?” she fired at him.

“All have an explanation, maybe she was nauseous, she couldn't move and vomited, not recovering from that she stood and tried to walk then fell back on the bucket and it broke, and his mother that never liked her simply ignored the noise and went about her usual routine.”

She didn't answer.

“Look, baby I'm not trying to justify her actions, if she did or didn't do it, sooner or later we'll find out, but now I want you to calm down and go home, you need rest, I'll handle everything.” he pecked her forehead, a gentle command showing the conversation was over.

“I don't want to go home until she's discharged.”

“You know the hospital won't discharge her till tomorrow at least.” he reasoned.

“Later.” he agreed with that, they sat hand in hand looking at the scenery, the people going in and out, nurses rushing with doctors, people smiling having received a good news, others in tears from losing a loved one, he muttered Alhamdulillah under his breath, he was fine and so is everyone around him, it'll all be good in the end insha Allah, he sighed with that resolve.

Khadijah released a ragged breath pulling away from the painful memory. She remembered how Sadiya had wept when she was telling her after she’d forced her to tell her everything that happened that day, subsequently all she remembered was the emptiness she’d felt when she’d woken up and when the doctor informed her that she’d lost her child, her hope.

Assalamu alaikum, how'd you like this chapter? Veeerrryyy long, almost 6k words l, it's the lenghtiest I try abi so tap that star it'll mean a lot, if you haven't commented go back up and please do🙂

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So I'll try to update again tonight and tomorrow insha Allah, just keep the votes coming.

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Haba na

That's all my head is aching abeg

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