"What brings you here?"

Tucking his hands in his trouser pockets he looked down at her, "Now I need a reason to see my fiance?"

"Under normal circumstances? Yes, you do, it was either about the house finishing or an outing or medical check-ups, you know? All the usual pre-wedding stop points."

"Are you complaining? What is your point exactly?"

"Are you going to stand there while we talk?" She regarded his protective stance.

"Perhaps we should go somewhere private, your office?"

"I will soon leave for my call at the TH."

"The car will do then, apparently you are too busy for me." He said, regarding the set of cutleries they just finished using with Sa'eed. Now she swallowed hard.

"Your car or mine?"

"Let's take mine, I will get yours to you I can pick you up after your call tomorrow."

They silently moved towards his car, each a dozen of thought filling their heads.

"Remind me how one becomes so attached to a patient they start having lunch with them? The doctors are right you get too attached."

He brought Sa'eed up again. "Did I say, patient? I meant patient relative, he was here for some advice regarding his ward."

That was what brought him that first day and the other night that led to this tale telling, right? Alright, she was not only fooling him but herself as well but what was a girl to do?

"Hmm, the patient relative that called out of office hours. Mind sharing his 'ward's' case? Maybe I can help, you know sometimes professionals miss things in their fields."

"That is confidential. You still haven't told me the reason for your visit."

He glanced at the dashboard to the time. "Ah! you still have time before your call begins, do you mind? We have to make a detour."

He took his left turn without waiting for her permission, his voice sounded cold... distant.

****

It was Thursday morning, and they all stood outside the emergency waiting lounge of the hospital waiting to hear about her condition. Ammie was so busy she didn't have time to spare them with a second look.

She only rested when she was sure her daughter's life was out of danger. When they were all calm Abbie went into the room Zeenah was admitted.

"Zeenah, tell us what happened?"

The girl turned away and looked out the window. Ahmad, who came as soon as he heard the news that Zeenah was admitted, gave Abbie a signal to let him handle her.

Abbie nodded.

They all left the room, Ahmad sat by her bed and held her hand. "Haba! My full option yau ba hira ne? Won't you tell me all about your holiday?"

She started to turn the other side, but her neck gave a protest and she winced.

His brows furrowed, "Are you still in pain?"

She shook her head no, this time more gently. "Tell me what happened," he placated.

"You don't care about me anymore, you don't come and see me, you promised to come every week. I will not tell you anything!"

She said, tears flowing from her eyes. "I am really sorry Habibty, sorry I was out at work, and I missed you so much I wanted to come too, but I had no choice. Will you tell me now?"

"She tried to kill me."

He was stunned to silence for a while, before he blinked, "Who... who tried to kill you?"

"She held my neck with her hands till I couldn't breath that was what cause the attack." And Ahmad quickly moved, asking her to remove her sweater. And even though Zeenah was not as fair as her Sudanese mother, or her Fulani father, there under the sweater were subtle marks.

They weren't prominent and noticeable because there wasn't direct contact of skin to skin the cloth served as a barrier. That was why nobody noticed.

"Who did it Zeenah?" He asked, his voice very calm.

"She came to my room at night and asked me to come out, I was getting down from my bed when she slapped me an.. and she said I was bad and she will not let me stay in the house... then she.. she held my neck so tight..."

"Who did it?" This time around the question came so forcefully, Zeenah flinched, "Aunty Lubna..." She blinked when the door was closed shut.

When he went out, he stood in front of Abbie. He was seething with rage, "I am going to get away for a while, Abbie. My fear has come true, do something with your wife before something terrible happens."

"What do you mean, Ahmad are you insane? It's my wife you are talking about, talk with respect!"

"That woman there will take you to ruins, she is no wife of yours. Or at least she won't be for long if she dares so much as looks at Zeenah with contempt again"

An astounding sound vibrated in the hallway. And everyone's attention was now on them, Ahmad held his cheeks where Abbie had just slapped him.

"Ask her what she did." He breathed before he left the room. Leaving the hospital premises. When Abbie's gaze fell on his second wife, she was trembling with fear. And he knew something terrible had happened.

****

TWO YEARS LATER

Zeenah was awakened by a bright light that shone through the dormitory window, she placed her hand on her face defensively, she was disoriented for a while, the room felt drafty and she tasted zinc in her mouth, all her body ached. The bright light did nothing but aggravate her splitting headache, she tried to change her position on the bed but couldn't move her legs, they were sore.

Where was everybody? She managed to push up and lean on the pillow, positioning herself on the tiny bunk bed where she lay on the upper bunk, a senior student occupied the lower bunk. She was a stern person, Gaitabiu.

Zeenah tried as much as possible to avoid her territory, when coming down from the bunk she wasn't allowed to touch the lower bed, she had to match her locker for support since she wasn't a jumper, with her size she would keep breaking her bones in the process, so her locker was her climbing step.

But this morning she couldn't bring herself to come down the bed via the locker, she was so weak. There was no one was in sight, the hostel was too quiet, that was when she realized it was morning, and everybody was in the classroom, she must have overslept, and because she was not feeling good, no one woke her up.

It started two days ago with a headache. By evening she was shivering with fever, and the next day she couldn't get up from her bed, Jamila had to help her get ready, she spent the whole of that day in the sick bay, missing all her classes.

That explained why Jamila did not bother waking her up today. A sudden movement brought her back to the present.

When she looked towards the direction the noise came from, she saw the short plump woman in her forties, she was dark, she had her hair styled into thickly braided cornrows. That was when it registered it was the new matron, she came just three days ago after their previous matron had been transferred.

"Hey girl, what are you doing up there?"

Zeenah answered her but her voice was too weak to be heard. "I am talking to you, come down before I get to you."

Zeenah gestured at her to come, the woman now cautious came further into the dorm, where neat rows of freshly made beds with metal and rubber buckets tucked underneath them greeted her, towels and wrappers hung from most of the iron bunks.

It hit her hard she had to close her nose and mouth. "What is that stench? These girls are so unkempt. And when she reached Zeenah's bed, she realized the smell was coming from her.

"What the... How long have you been here?" She muttered through closed nose and mouth. She released her hand and came around the bed.

"You need to get up. I will be right back."

Some minutes later she walked in with a school cleaner who was waiting for her to finish her hostel round.

"I don't think they have reported this, we need to take her out she messed herself. Get me that bucket." And that was how Zeenah, watched helplessly as they moved her to the quadrangle and stripped her of her clothes, under normal circumstances no one would come near her now budding preteen body, but she sat helplessly, as the matron and the cleaner washed her waste off her.

Unknown to her she had missed two days off her calculations, the day she fell sick and the next day were the only days in her memory, she was unconscious for three days and kept coming through and out on the fourth day, she had not eaten for two days! That explained her inability to move her limbs, and her body burned like a hot coal.

She lost track of what the matron was doing, as she slipped again.

Later when she came through, she found out she was in the sick bay. A drip was nourishing her starved veins. She blinked twice, she still smelled like crap, literarily. When she looked up, Jamila surged forward. "How are you feeling?"

"Sick." She whispered almost inaudibly.

"I am sorry, I thought you went to class, I didn't check up on you." She looked like she was about to cry or she had been crying.

Zeenah just nodded at her and closed her eyes back it still ached like crazy, the pain was unbearable.

She kept shouting for someone to press her head, later on, she fainted again. Jamila was scared, she ran to the staff room to get Mr. Imam. "Sir, I need to use your phone, call Yaya Ahmad please, it's Zeenah. She is really sick he needs to come."

Jamila felt better when she relayed the message to Yaya Ahmad, but he didn't come that day, or the next and when two days had passed without a word from him, she called again. He said he would be on his way.

Those days were the most agonizing for Ahmad, he was out of the station on a job, and he had to complete it before he left, he finally went to the school after four days of Jamila's call. And when he saw his Zeenah, tears flowed freely on his face.

"Full option is that you?" He couldn't stand to look at the mass of bones that lay in front of him, he took her in his arms and back to his car where he stopped only at a hospital in Kano.

"Ya Ahmad I a...m sorry, can you p..le.ase c..all Amm.."

His heart was beating wildly, he felt as if all her pain should be transferred unto him.

"Don't you dare die on me. Nothing is going to happen to you, you're going to be alright, and you are going to study hard, and be My Dr. Zeenah you will be even better than Dr. Ajwa, so keep quiet and pray. Allah is with you."

From her mutterings and her nightmares, it was concluded that she was affected by the dreaded cult members, undoubtedly at the school.

Ahmad did not rest till he got all the necessary help she needed from trusted Islamic medical practitioners. She was down for more than three weeks, and this time around he stood his ground.

"She is not going back there." He had told Abbie.

And he won. They requested for her transfer letter, and she was transferred to Jigawa, where she began yet another journey.

Her only problem then was she saw less and less of Ahmad, but on every visiting day he visited her along with Ammie and her brothers, Ammie had finally cooled off and she was okay with the idea of boarding school.

Abbie had left Lubna after the strangling incidence. And now he spent his time trying to stitch up his torn relationship with Ammie.

****

"Zeenah Isma'il Azare!" Her eyes flew open, she was trying to catch the siesta break they got which didn't last an hour, when she heard her name being called. By this time everyone was used to this chorus because on every third or second Saturday of the month she received a visitor, the students knew, the nonacademic staff ranging from the Principal to the guardsman staying at the gate all knew about her very insisting, very convincing and very generous important visitor. Her classmates always flanked her to go and meet her beloved brother, who always showered them with some pocket monies or provisions.

There was nothing more beloved to a boarding student than an unexpected additional provision at the end of a term, when even the plain garri was considered a gem, and would only be found in the lockers of the creme de la creme of the school. Talk more of juice and milk, those were the most prized possessions, and you would soon make new friends, the senior students would almost be your bodyguards, your protectors trying to protect you from the leeches who terrorize unsuspecting girls into submitting all their provisions at their feet.

Yaya Ahmad had bought her that freedom, and most of the senior girls were crushing on him, some treated her well just so she could open a door for them, and be in his good books. Sometimes when he visited his posh car would be the talk of the hostel till the next day, Sometimes his sense of style. Some declared their love for beard because of the Azare Bachelor that stole their dreams.

Zeenah would always giggle when she heard them talking about her brother in all the funny ways grown up girls did.

"You said he isn't married. introduce us." Some would say, but a countless number of times, Ahmad scolded her about those approaches and forbade her from talking about him in such a way.

Now she scrambled out of her boring bed and took her plumpy heeled rubber slippers, running out of the hostel, she didn't stop till she was face to face with him, and she covered the gap the way she came, hugging him like she used to.

Ahmad, smiled holding her at arm's length. "Full option, I told you to stop hugging me now, you have passed that stage, you've grown up. Okay?"

She was suddenly shy, closing her face with her palms she nodded at him. Then as if she remembered, she folded her hands across her chest and turned grudgingly away.

"Ahmad ka ga ta kanka, now what have I done?"

"Handsome, you refused to come last week, and you didn't call. You made me cry."

"Full option cry-cry. Why didn't you call me when you didn't hear from me?"

She turned a bit facing him. "You were supposed to come, whether I called or I don't."

"Okay, I am sorry, I was sick last week. But now I am feeling much better."

She immediately let her hands fell to her side and went closer to him, inspecting him. "But you still look fresh."

Ahmad laughed hard. "Bakinki ne fresh din ai. You won't even say hard luck, you are busy challenging the validity of my statement."

"How will I know you are not teasing me like you did when you said you would come visiting every day at my former school, and you left me there to die."

Ahmad let out a breath, he didn't want to remember that incident. So he changed the subject. "I went to see Mamma yesterday, she sends her regards and she made you something."

Zeenah started peeking into his car.

"Whoah, let me land, I am not giving it to you till you tell me about your school. How are you coping? I can see you've made new friends," He stated, referring to the two girls that escorted her and were now standing in a tree shade near the school masjid.

"They are my classmates, but we are getting along alright, I miss Jamila."

"I know she misses you too. What about me, don't you miss me?"

"Why will I miss you? I see you every two weeks!"

"Oh, now because I come every two weeks, that is a crime? I will stop coming so that you will start missing me too."

"No, no please don't, you see Yaya Na'im has already left for Leicester, only you and him come to visit me regularly, if you stop how will I cope? Abbie is now busy with his farm, and Ammie with the hospital, they don't have time for me, I have only you. Please don't stop coming."

She was in tears, Ahmad's jaw dropped, he didn't know what to say again.

"Alright, now wipe your tears away, I won't stop coming. Madam Cry-cry. Faruk says, hi, and that I should tell you his wedding is coming up next month and you are invited."

She shrieked and jumped, overjoyed with the news.

"Hey, calm your horses, you aren't going anywhere you will be in school then, have you forgotten? And you need to stop doing that, people are watching." He said, looking around, either because the little people there were regulars, they were used to Zeenah's madness whenever he visited, or they pretended not to notice but everyone minded their business.

"I need to go."

"Soon? We have not even talked, how is work?"

His brows shot up, "Zeenah you want me to gist with you?"

"Yes, you always do that, you didn't even tell me about Muhammad your friend this time around, and Aunty Hamama."

"They are all fine, and they send their regards too."

She bowed at him, "Thank you, now I feel much better. Aha Yaya Ahmad, this new math teacher I don't understand him woo, he just keeps dumping things on us, here I don't have you to teach me, I don't think I can make it."

"Don't worry, do your best and leave the rest. You can do it, I have my confidence in you, just don't overthink it."

"Can you please talk to Abbie so that I can come with you to Aunty Hamama's house?" The plea was clearly written in her eyes.

Ahmad's heart almost stopped beating at that instant, and he felt blood thumping in his ears. Zeenah had never expressed the need to be near him, no matter what, she would cry if he was leaving and she would do all her crazy stuff around him, but she never uttered to him, her need to be near him.

He cleared his voice, "No, I think you will be okay here, and I have good feelings in sha Allah, you will soon get this new math teacher. When you come on break, we will work something out."

She nodded, but he could clearly see the disappointment in her eyes.

"Do you want to have a look at what Mamma have sent to you?"

She danced on her feet, "Oh yes, yes!" Her face lit up immediately, and they went to the booth of his Mercedes Benz. Where he off loaded a box of cake, a beautiful leather bag, and some cartons.

"The box is from Mamma, the cartons are from Ammie and the bag is yours."

She thanked him for everything and started towards him for their usual hug, but he stopped her.

"Oh, sorry I forgot." She gave him a dazzling smile "Thank you, and miss you in advance."

"Is that a bribe for a fortnight visit?"

"No, I know you won't ditch me for the world."

"Yes, you bet on it."

"Ya Ahmad?"

"Yes?"

"Why am I not allowed to touch you now? You are also my brother, right?" She asked the million dollar question that he dreaded for ages.

*****

Dan dan dan

An ritsa Ahmadu 😜

And where were Zeenah and Hisham?🤔

Umm Yasmeen. 😘