KANO STATE, NIGERIA.

"Well, you look a little fine." Said Afaf whilst hiding her grin when Amirah rolled her eyes. She knows from her comment that she looks beautiful, Afaf is not one to throw unnecessary words without meaning to it.

"What I'm I going to use to close my head or I'm I going like this?" Her question was sarcastic but she needs to know what they intend to do with that hair of hers that looks no less than an old bird's nest.

"Yeah, I've brought this small baby hijab from my drawer." Husna gave her a black hijab which she knew will match her sailor pants, they are already told she should match her clothes or she looks like a homeless fellow in the place, they don't want that.

"Thank you." She beamed when she slipped on the small hijab that only closed the hills on her chest, stopping at her upper abdomen, just perfect for her not to feel insecure about the buttons removing mistakenly.

"No, you won't go out like this. Let's pack your hair in a bun so it will make the hijab look more beautiful on you. You look like you tossed a plate of tuwo on your head." Husna laughed when Amirah's hands flew to touch her head, true to Husna's words, it feels like she dumped some hair on her head to make it that full. Gosh, she feels like she is not a woman knowing her head is like that.

"Ya Salam! I don't want to touch this hair. I haven't combed it since six months ago when Najla poured pap on my head." She stomped her feet like always before going to bring a comb from their broken drawer and water so she can dampen it first, she won't get that hair combed without it being saturated a little.

It is going to be hell for her!

Husna took the comb and ask her to sit between her legs so she can help her with it. She will cut a minimal amount of hair then dampen it before combing it through gently but Amirah still winced while massaging her scalp. After thirty minutes of her whines, winces and massage of scalp, they were finally done. She sprung to her feet immediately like the place she was sitting on yawed hot.

The girls were laughing at her while she could only glare but felt good. It feels like she is finally out of those nests and is now fresh. She can't remember the last time she felt fresh air gushing through her hairs, maybe since the time she was married to Imad but after that, she felt that there was no one she needs to do that to so she stopped all together.

Her hair is now in a bun, who would've thought she could ever have those hairs weaved through. She sighed, taking care of body is good but very very hard in her own terms. She hopes to never go through that torture ever again in this lifetime, she won't let it get tangled. And the worst of this, her hair became so short for that it only stand a bun not a sock one which she is used to, she needs relaxer. She don't want her natural curls now, it is a disaster.

"It's quarter after seven, be on your way." Afaf smiled showing her own support to her sister, her younger sister, her rock, her blood, her supporter, her inspirer and most of all, her role model.

Though to some, younger sisters can't be role models or even anyone younger than them but to her, her younger sister is her role model. Not even their older sister could surpass what the younger one did to them. She is the pillar of that family right from the beginning, the bringer of of hope, love and happiness in their home. She ruined her marriage because of something attached to her family, can anyone do that? Definitely not!

"I will just get something to eat from the woman outside. Take the two hundred for you and Najla, I can walk there." She pass the money she wanted to use as transport and gave her sister. The place is just twenty five minutes walk, she can manage that.

"What about shoes? Here!" Husna gave her some black loafers and from the looks of it, it's one of the ones she wears to school. She hates taking favours but it's not like she could do anything about it, she has no good shoes to wear.

"You are a lifesaver, you know that?" Amirah beamed, staring at her feet in those comfortable shoes, they look so beautiful there that she could only hope for a rich life soon.

"I know."

"Allah ya bada sa'a diyannan. Husna ta gaya mana abin alhairin; Good luck, dear. Husna has told us the good news." It was Husna and Mukhtar's grandma that wished her when she was about to leave the house, her heart beating really fast not knowing what she will meet there in the place.

"Nagode, Kaka. Thank you, grandma." And she left in a hurry when they reassure her about giving some food to her sister and niece for the afternoon. She loves those people, they are really supportive except that she don't want to seem like charity case.

If only she knows what is about to hit her!

..

KILISHI ENTERPRISES.
07:43AM.

Amirah gulped and stared at the ten storey building staring right back at her. She felt intimidated by the building but it also held this cozy vibe that makes her feel comfortable even before she steps inside. Taking in the building right in front of her with brown coloured shiny windows that has the sun rays hitting them like the sun came out only to shine them. It shines too brightly that she will make sure to ask who cleans them this neat. They are literally burnishing.

She could see the people walking in and out of the office from where she stood. There are at least fifteen flight of flat stairs she needs to climb before getting to the glass doors that could help you see what goes on inside. She could see people in professional clothes of black and white mostly and she would've died in embarrassment if she's worn the ankara she said she wanted to wear, thanks to Husna and Afaf for stopping her from make that grievous mistake.

She would've gone back home crying, literally!

With a deep sigh, she moved her loafers clasped legs and made her way onto the stairs that looks like it's holding onto her destiny. She said some prayers along with ayatul kursiyu while still walking on those stairs. She held tightly onto her CV in her hands, Mukhtar saved her with a brown envelope to put them inside. She wanted to put them in a leather and come but now she is way more grateful about having her sister, Mukhtar and Husna with her.

Why do they even need to see her certificates and records, she thought she is only going to replace her brother in-law? Well, all that goes well to her since she wants to secure a place there too.

Finally, her legs landed in the office and it seems like everyone stopped whatever they were doing to stare at her, not because they stare at everyone that walks in but because of the new face they are seeing. This is the type of attention she always hates, she would have gladly accepted it Mukhtar had offered to accompany her. She is never one to do everything alone even with her independence, she find it hard.

She has little makeup done and some might recognise her while some won't even without it. She's become more petite and thin, even more darker if she would say so herself. Half, she won't bother about them but she will also bother seeing that if one person knows, everyone will do as well. It's an office, news spread around like wild fire or so she's read in most of the books.

With her mind set straight, she stared ahead at the receptionist desk that sat in front of her, a woman is sitting behind while two other men stand in front of her. She waited for awhile for them to finish before she trudged her legs to where she is, this is her chance.

"Hello, can you help me please?" She was so nervous that she could feel her legs shaking underneath her. She would've buckled down if not that she is pressing her hands hard on the receptionist desk whom she is asking the nervous question.

"Sure." The woman replied looking up from her laptop, she is not one to stare at what people talk about. She minds her business so maybe Amirah should befriend her for the time being even though she doesn't welcome friends.

"Where can I see Mallam Murtala?" She inclined her head, reading the name tag on the woman's white baby hijab. The name read Rabi'a Yusuf, nice name.

She looks to be around her early twenties with her light brown skin, lighter than hers, long thin nose. Her lips are slightly too big for her heart shaped face then her small eyes in a slit. It looks like she has her eyebrows plucked which irked Amirah to talk to her about it. She wants to tell her that plucking brows is haram and that she shouldn't do it but not now, maybe when she is comfortable with her. She can't afford having an enemy in her first thirty minutes of work.

"He will be here in-" she trailed off looking at the entrance as a man ambled in straight to where she is looking good and different in his kaftan unlike the others in separate outfits, "He is here." She gestured with her face at the entrance.

"Good morning, Rabi'a. Has the said Amirah Ibrahim Adam arrive?" He asked hastily knowing he is a little late than he has instructed the poor girl to come. He hates waiting and letting others wait for him, hence his hastiness.

"Yes, right to your left, Mallam Murtala." Rabi'a grinned at him when he immediately turn to glance at Amirah. She kept shuffling on her feet as she glance at her closed feet on the well marbled spice coloured floor. It looks to be more shiny when staring at the floor.

"You are Amirah right? Come with me please and good morning." She nodded and mumbled back a good morning before following him fast in long strides since she can't wait to disappear from those stares she is getting. She hates having the attention on her, she wish to disappear as soon as possible.

He lead her to what looked to be an elevator by their left, people are still staring at her but none with recognition but questioning what the new person is doing there. It's been so long since before they got any new person roaming around the company, they are all used to each other. They don't know how to stare discretely and everyone has work to go to but they stayed in the first floor instead of going to their working floors.

They stepped inside and waited for three other people, one male two females before they rode stopping every now and then. They stopped at the ninth floor where he ask her to continue following him, she did like a lost puppy. They kept moving while she stare secretly at the many cubicles surrounding the whole room. The room stretches from every end, the countless cubicles half filled with people while some are yet to arrive. Everyone around look to be very busy to stare at them as they walk down the pathway in the middle. Both her left and right is filled with the cubicles, it makes her feel giddy seeing she is definitely going to work in one of those.

They arrived at a room, he opened the oak brown door for her and ask her to get inside which she did. The air conditioner in the room is in full blast like the one she stepped out from but this one is more chilly. It has brown furniture of desk, book shelves, chairs and sofas. She likes the ambiance in the room, the lights casting from the windows giving it a soft glow. She looks around and noticed the other set of smaller table and one chair.

"Your boss will be here very soon and he is also new here so you guys can work well. He will be here for just six months or maybe less since he is only here to start his work as a boss." Mallam Murtala told her then look around the room they are standing in. It looks like he is coming for the first time or the room has been renovated and he is seeing it for the first time after it was.

"Yes, sir. Where I'm I going to work and what is my work here?" She asked, not wanting to keep quite any longer and would want to start working as soon as possible. Her fingers are itching to start tapping down on her own keyboard like any other employee.

"Your boss will be here soon and will want to tell you everything himself. I actually don't know anything about it, I'm just the one that leads the new employees. My job here is done and I hope you will like it here." He smiled at her, making his way out of the room then peeped back in to show her her new chair.

"There is your own chair by the end. Always stand up to greet your boss when he comes." With that, he closed the door with a soft click and she sat down on the desk eagerly.

She let her hands wander off the smooth hickory desk made from oak. Her chair is swivel so she moved around it, wandering around and likes the way it moved. She stared around the room again in awe, does life look so beautiful from up there? Amirah could only sigh in happiness when she saw the coffee machine from the side, a mini fridge with a bar that has a lot of alcohol.

There are alcohols?! Is he a Muslim or a Christian? Can she work in the same room with someone who is not in her religion? She can't work like that knowing he might do something to her since she is always against staying in a room with a man, something happened from the past that she can't stomach the thought. Her thoughts were running wild were she doesn't want to stop it from, it should make her more conscious of it. She needs to be more careful.

But she is no racist.

Shortly, the door to the room clicked open and she closed her eyes in silent prayer. She wants to see who this person is but is afraid of what to see knowing she can't afford working for a Christian. She is not a racist, but she is afraid that a Muslim will be more careful of crossing the line while Christians won't really understand her much She is dead afraid, her past is something she is not ready to reminisce.

Well, before she opened her eyes.

Sup?!
How have you been? I just thought I could update for you guys to enjoy cause the next update is coming soon and I promise you, the hot drama is about to start wafting around the air.
RQ; Would you rather work in a company or a shop in the market? Whichever that pays much more and respects me more, you!

Aishatu.
Xoxo...