Tehzeeb ambled inside their room after saying Salam "Umma, you have a visitor," she said, removing her hijab

"Which visitor? And moreover, who knows that we have packed and know where we stay now?" Umma asked, continuing with what she's doing

"It's Doctor Bashir. He saw me when I was coming out of the Keke, " replied Tehzeeb

"Oh! But you should have shown him the way"

"I don't think he will feel comfortable coming inside, that's why I told him I would go and call you for him. And moreover his just here to great you no need of coming in. "

"I don't know when you will start accommodating people with open arms."

"Umma, just go already. You're keeping him waiting,"

"I hope you change Cox. This is not a good habit," Umma said, taking her hijab from the mat before walking out of the room. She ambled outside the compound and saw him standing"welcome Bashir,please come inside."

"No, thank you, Umma. Maybe next time when I come again, I was just passing by and decided to branch but was told you packed out"

"Yeah, we did. We need a change of environment to move on"

"That's good. I will get going now but promise to come next time. "

"In Sha Allah, thank you so much, my regards to everyone at home."

"Alright," and he left before Umma turned back inside. "Bashir is a good boy gaskiya(truly)," Umma said, but Tehzeeb pretended not to hear her. "So thoughtful of him to visit us, he's trying,"

"Umma, he will get his reward. Please stop talking about him already, " scoffed Tehzeeb

"Did I ask you to comment or what? Am just saying the truth about the innocent guy. "

"Well done. Where is my food?" Tehzeeb asked, changing the topic because she knows her mother has another intention. If not, what's the essence of praising him all of a sudden

"Check inside the kitchen," and she walks inside the kitchen before coming out with food. "Umma, don't you think you should start a small business?"

"I thought of that too, but let's wait a little bit. After we get to know more people, then I will start"

"That's good. I will continue with my work at Hajiya Kaltumi's mall so we can cover some expenses with that"

"May Allah see us through."

"Ameen"

Life itself is not a bed of roses. Things happen. Tehzeeb and Umma have been trying to meet up with their daily life activities and to meet up with their expenses. It's have not been easy for them because Tehzeeb have resumed school which she needs some money for some of her school materials, which makes the expenses to increased, so she tries to go to school and go to the mall at thesame time so as to earn some extra change that will suffice them before her monthly payment. Tehzeeb visited Hajiya Kaltumi's house because it's been long since she saw Gogo
"Tehzeeb, two days I didn't hear from you, nor see you, and when I went to your house, I didn't see you or Umma. I hope all is well?" Gogo asked out of concern

"Don't worry, Gogo, we're fine. Umma travelled to see her relatives. " Tehzeeb lied because she didn't want anybody to find out about their present situation and start pitying them because that the last thing she wanted

"But you should have called. So what of you, where are you leaving?" Asked Gogo

"Am staying with there Khady since we go to school and there place is closer to the school"

"That's good. Please do call me, or I will check on you from time to time. "

"Don't stress yourself, Mama. i will call and always visit, let me save you from the stress."

"If you insist. How are Mamman Khady and Khady?"

"They're both fine and send their regards to you,"

"Am answering please if you reach home send my regards to them to"

"I will. Mama, I will be going. "

"So soon,"

"Yes, I have 7:00 lecture tomorrow,"

"Alright. All the best, daughter, and when Umma comes back, let me know so I will come and check on her"

"In Sha Allah I will," Tehzeeb left after bid her farewell because Hajiya Kaltumi was not around. Tehzeeb was having early morning lectures today, so she was in a haste to reach the class almost at the lecture hall when she felt a tap on her shoulder which made her to turn "Kawa(friend)" Tehzeeb said happily seeing Khady

"Yes, bae. How was your night? No need to tell me, Cox, I can tell you already by your mood. I can see you don't want to wake up this early"

"Seriously, I don't. I can't just wait to finish this hell of a thing called school. I am tired of these early lectures already, " Tehzeeb whined

"Don't worry this our last year. In Sha Allah, before you know it, we're through."

"You're right. How is Mama's health?" Tehzeeb asked out of concern

"Alhamdulillah, she's getting better. When will you visit us?"

"Soon In Sha Allah"

"Good because I don't want to come to that mansion, I won't be comfortable."

"Don't worry, we will soon be back home,"

"I can't wait," Khady replied enthusiastically. Tehzeeb couldn't tell Khady what happened, so she lied to her that they were leaving with Hajiya Kaltumi now. The same way, she told them she's leaving with there Khady. Umma said she didn't want them spending unnecessarily on them. After the lectures, they both departed and went on there different ways, since they no longer take the same route

"I have a husband house but was chased away because the child I have is not for my husband." A woman sang a song when she saw Umma sweeping her frontage. Umma knows very well she's talking to her but decided not to say anything "there's nothing we don't know about, unless we decided to keep quiet" the woman continues to rant till Tehzeeb entered the compound with Tasleem "what a pity. A child without a father. I wonder how she's coping, " the same woman said immediately when she saw Tehzeeb.

"Umma am back," Tehzeeb said to her mother, collecting the broom in her hand

"Go and freshen up dear, you're just coming back." Umma collected the broom back from Tehzeeb hand.

"No wonder they were chased out, I heard she's not Mallam Audu's biological daughter," another woman said

"So I heard, and that's the reason Mallam Audu brother sent them packing." The both women continue to talk

"Umma, let's go inside. The sweeping is okay like that, " Tehzeeb said, helping her Umma with the broom and packer because she doesn't know how long she can endure their talks without retaliating.

"Tehzeeb don't be angry with what they were saying, they are just some jobless house wives who go about looking for trouble" said Umma immediately they entered the safety of there room because she knows it's because of there talks that Tehzeeb asked them to go inside

"Don't worry, Umma, I will try not to get offended by their talks, but you know I can't just keep quiet all the time,Cox blood runs in my veins too,"

"I know, but don't you know that's what they want?" Asked Umma

"Humm, I know, but I will try not to retaliate,"

"May Allah bless you, my child,"

"Ameen" thus Tehzeeb went to a bath before changing her clothes.

Tehzeeb was reading when an unknown number called her she check it but didn't pick, when the call was too much she picked "hello" she said but she could not hear anything, so she was about to hang up when the person speaks

"Tehzeeb" comes the voice from the other side of the phone, which Tehzeeb did not know who it is

"Please, who is on the line?"

"Bashir," he said shortly

"Oh!"Tehzeeb exclaimed, surprised to see his call by now "sorry did not know the number. That's why. "

"It's okay. I just called to check on you,"

"Thank you so much,"

"You're welcome. What of Umma?"

"She's fine,"

"Good my regards to her,"

"In Sha Allah. Bye"

"Wait," Bashir said before Tehzeeb could hang up the call on him. "I have something to tell you,and I will be glad to see you so that we could talk."

"Am sorry, but since you have called, you can just say it already."

"Okay. Tehzeeb" Dr Bashir called her name

"Yes."

"I know you're not a child anymore and I don't want to bit around the bush" said Bashir waiting for Tehzeeb respond,when he got none he continues "Tehzeeb I love you and will like to marry you" he said waiting for her to reply which he got no reply. He checked his phone, and the call was still on

"Tehzeeb," he called again

"Yes."

"Did you not hear what I just said?"

"I heard and am sorry to say I am not ready for any relationship yet."

"Give me a chance,"

"Am sorry. Goodnight, " and she ended the call before he could say anything else. Tehzeeb holds the phone staring at it like it's the first time she's seeing it in her life. She can't believe that's how they confess to someone you love them or was it because it's her first time experiencing it.

"Where are you coming from in this middle of the night?"

"Am not going back to that house again. I am done with him. He can keep his child,"

"Are you out of your senses or what? And why did you travel by this time of the night? what if something happened to you?"

"What did he do to you?"

"He raised his hand and slapped me."

"What? Who did he think he his? Allah, he will pay, no one dares touch my sister and go Scot free. "

"Dan Allah, keep quiet. Your case is always different. Did you know what she did? "

"Even though,but he don't have the right to slap her just like that or is he an animal"

"Oh, so you know it's only animals that raised their hands on ladies or behaved like that."

"Am not leaving him,"

"Will you just keep quiet?" She shouted snapping on him

**********

Sorry for the late update

I know you're confused about what's happening or who are the people talking. Well, guessed are allowed.

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DANI KIKE....... An Hausa Novel