"Why do I have to go see your mother when you no longer allow me to go see mine?" She dared to ask same time she was glaring at him. He kept mute till they were stopped by the traffic light. "Just five days ago you visited her, so why are you complaining? Or trying to accuse me? When last did you visit my own parents, Amira?" He implored not glancing her way. She hissed a bit as she crossed her arms on her chest.

"Well it's not my fault that I don't like visiting your mother, she obviously hates me and your brother hates me too...." She quickly swallowed the rest of her words and looked away. "My mother does not hate you. If you had sense, everyone would've treated you nicer," he vented at her before he focused on driving again. She glared his way, aghast. "Wallahi if she tries to do anything or say anything to me I won't hesitate to retort back," she opined. "And I will not hesitate to show you my other side," he retaliated.

The storm had ebbed to nothingness, now the silence was as pure as the wintry blanket. He continued driving calmly while she kept sending daggers his way as she hissed. He knew paying attention to it would only cause more argument and he wasn't in for it.

The car came to a halt and he dropped down the moment he turned off the ignition. She hissed again before following him. She took slow steps into the house as she cursed everyone and anything that crosses her mind.

"Salamu alaikum, aunty. Ado parlour daddy. Min nyalli jam (You're in daddy's living room. Good afternoon.)" He plumped down beside her on the three seater. "Jonta babama vurti kanjum wadi a tawi am haddo. Toi a ifti? (Your father just went out now that's why I am here. Where are you coming from?)" She asked same time Amira sauntered in with a furious expression. "Good afternoon," she mouthed and settled herself down on the two seater. Aunty looked at her briskly and averted her gaze to her son before she answered her greetings. "I hope you're doing great, amira. How's your mother?" She asked further. Amira retorted, eyes on the working Tv.

Muhsin glared at her and hissed softly. "Aunty ko'a defi? Mi do nana velo. Mi nyamai nyamdu kirki hande. (Aunty what did you cook for lunch? I'm starving. I haven't eaten much today.)"

"A do vi'ya a nyamai nyamdo hande? Dume hujja ma? (You mean you haven't eaten a proper meal today? For what reason?)" She asked even though she knew the reason. Amira furrowed her brow, wondering what they were saying. They must be gossiping about her, she knew. "Aunty vi'u huwo defi na'am ko dume on. (Aunty just ask the maid to cook something for me now please, I'm so hungry,)" he lamented. She placed her hand on his shoulder while she replied, "ta saklu don nyamdu lutti, hami wata be waddinna mon. (don't worry we still have food left, let me ask them to bring it for you guys.)"

She left the living room and came back together with to maids holding trays claiming varieties of meals and refreshment. "Kanjum wadi midi ma aunty (Reason why I love you aunty,)" he claimed as rubbed his hands together. They dropped the trays in front of him and left. "Uhh- amira, you should come closer and eat," aunty offered. "No I am okay," she muttered and continued watching the tv.

"Aviya mo o badita on nyama ho kuma a wanna mo (Muhsin ask her to come closer or you should serve her,)" his mother spoke but he played deaf ears till she knocked his head. "Aunty accu mo o jo di da be velo, hanko subti, moi jo vi ta'o definna a'min (Aunty.... allow her to stay hungry, it's her choice. Who asked her not to be cooking for us.)" He continued eating his mouth watering meal. Amira adjusts her sitting position when her stomach groaned. She was obviously hungry but too arrogant to drop her weapons and eat.

"Your brother is going back to school next week, my money will rest for a while." She heaved a sigh as she scroll through her phone. "Where is he even? I don't see him much when I come."

"He's in his room probably playing those video games as usual," she replied and shrugged off her shoulder. He finished eating and continued conversing with his mother while amira sat there brows furrowed. She hated coming to their house ever since they got married.

His mother observed her every move, not that she took it personally but she knew her son was better off without amira. She chuckled softly and shook her head. She remembered when amira used to visit her almost everyday especially the weekends just to impress her. Even though she doesn't know to do much, but she still helped aunty with the house chores. Clean her room, massage her feet whenever she needed it till she had impressed his mother.

Muhsin knew all what she was doing wasn't because she actually wanted to or she did it for the sake of Allah. He knew all she did was to impress him. Even though she didn't and she knew he doesn't love her, she was more than lucky her desires were coming true when his mother spoke to him about her.

The buzzer of his phone went off like a snake rattle. He scooped it up from the centre table and spoke into it. "Good afternoon daddy," he muttered. Amira slightly gazed at him when she heard the name he called. "No daddy, I'm not busy," he responded. Their eyes met and she glared at him while he looked away. "Okay daddy, I will be on my way right now." He ended the call and shoved the phone back into his pocket.

He rise to his feet same time she did. "Where are you going?" She asked moving closer to him. "What do you mean by where am I going? Daddy sent his driver on an errand and he asked me to go to Kuje and pick up Dalia, she's starting her registration in two day."

"Well I am going with you, you can't leave me here," she concluded before stepping out off the living room. "You should get going. Have patience, okay? Just ignore her."

He thanked his mother and bade her goodbye before heading out. And as his mother asked, he didn't pay attention to amira's rants. He was furious deep within and he felt the urge to smack her face but he restrained himself.

They arrived in Kuje after thirty minutes. He parked the car in front of the house and stepped out without uttering a single word to her. She folded her arms on her chest as she fumed with anger. She looked at them from the car as he waited for the boy he sent in to announce his arrival. He later went into the house. Her heart skipped a bit. Why would he enter? She stepped out of the car and walked over to the door while contemplating wether to enter or not.

She looked at the environment and hissed, disgusted. So this is where the girl lives and mommy was disturbing her about the dirty thing? A jungle, no a garbage place. She chuckled dryly and went back into the car.

A while later, he came out together with Dalia. Burning rage hissed through her body like deathly poison, screeching a demanded release in the form of unwanted violence. Dalia opened the back door when she caught sight of amira in the front seat. She greeted her same time he was stepping into the car.

Dalia sinked in het seat when amira ignored her. He started the car and they left the village. Few minutes into the journey, amira broke the silence. "I hope we're taking her home with us to clean the house because it's been two weeks since she last cleaned the house."

He glanced at her and gazed away as he chuckled, devastated. "I'm taking her home and I don't want any arguments amira." He declared but it was like he added more fuel to her fire. "But the house is dirty, she needs to clean it today!"

"Is she some kind of your maid? You should respect this girl more than you respect those your useless friends that only teach you how to roam around the city. This girl cleans your entire house and for once have you ever thanked her? And you have the audacity to speak like that as if you were the one that gave birth to her."

Her eyes widened for a second before narrowing in anger. She had no words to fight back. Every word stung only fuelling the fire that burned inside her. Every violate phrase was like gasoline to it, her fists began to clench and her jaw rooted. She was more angry at Dalia than she was with her husband because she caused all the insults rained on her, she mused to herself.

And as he said, they dropped her off at home and went back to their house. The moment he dropped amira off, he left the house again.

White knuckles from clenching her fist too hard, and gritted teeth from the effort to remain silent, her hunched from exuded an animosity that was like acid- burning, slicing, potent. Her face was red with suppressed rage, and when she saw him leave again, the anger rises twice as much as it was.

Later that night she was still in the living room waiting for him. She needed to release her anger on something or someone, and he was the perfect person. An hour later, she heard his car pullover. She peeped from the window and nodded her head, infuriated.

The moment he stepped into the house and met her in the living room, arms akimbo, he sighed as he rubbed the space between his eyes. He walked into the living room passed her, she blocked his path, "we need to talk," she demanded.

"What, amira?" He asked calmly. He knew definitely things were about to get bad. "What the hell was the meaning of what you did? How on earth would you speak to me that way in front of that rag?" She dared to ask. He shoved his hands in his pocket as he chuckled angrily, maybe that would reduce the anger boiling within him.

"I did not question you for what you did to my own mother, I did not question you for indirectly calling that girl a slave. But you have the audacity to come block my path and say nonsense to me like I'm your kid." There was no heat in his voice, as if his heart beat was steady, or he wasn't angry.

"I... I.... What do you mean? I'm the bad person? You insulted me so many times in front of that girl. What have I done to you to get that kind of embarrassment in front of that rag...."

"Stop calling her that, amira. She has parents and it is not like they could not take care of her or any of her financial needs. You should watch your mouth and know what you say to people, amira. And this talk is over," he declared. Her cold fury burnt with dangerous intensity. He never worries about her frequent fireworks and showers of red hot sparks, it was these bitterly cold slow burning rages that threatened to engulf their relationship.

She looked at his retreating back remorsefully. Maybe she has gone too far, she thought. But he also has a fault in this, he humiliated her in front of that rag girl. As big and rich as she was, he dared to humiliate her in front of that girl? That will never sit right with her and she was never going to tolerate it.

**

"Alhaji, I have an idea. Why don't I ask my nephew to move here since he isn't doing much in kano, I know my brother won't have a problem with that." She suggested. He flashed her a quick gaze and averted his eyes from her. He continued watching the news as if he was the only one in the room. "Alhaji I'm talking to you. I see Muhsin has his own company which he must be busy with and he has family to take care of so there's no point in stressing him all the time because of that girl or anything."

He chuckled nonplussed. "I didn't tell you I needed someone to help me with anything. Muhsin is enough for me," he concluded but amira's mother still insisted. "Alhaji if my nephew comes, things would be much more easier for you. You don't have to call muhsin all the time. He might not show it to you but with time he will definitely get tired of your errands."

He rest his back against the soft couch and exhaled. He barely let's anything enrage him. His eyes were on the tv as he spoke. "Hajiya, since when did you start caring about my business or anything concerning my life activities?" He inquired. Her eyes widened before she furrowed her brows and ward off her face away. "I'm asking you. When did you start showing your concern? Why are you even bothering yourself about them? What's the worse that could happen? He would ask the girl's hand in marriage? I would be more than glad if he did because your daughter is as good as nothing in his life. So Please, I don't want to hear such thing again if not you'll face my wrath."

She rise to her feet and marched out of his room. If amira or her father wont't cooperate, then she was in no position to bother herself about what might happen since they don't understand what she's afraid of.