Yall forgive me o. I want to reply your comments but there's a lot since I update frequently. I'll reply when I get time🙂

Enjoy❤️

VEILED: Not open or direct, but disguised.

ABUJA, NIGERIA.

7TH MAY, 2019.

A knock on the door had Rahma jumping slightly from the chair she's sitting on. She swiveled around just in time Grace, her assistant, poked her head in, "Rahma, it's been thirty minutes already! You're late, let's go"

Rahma stood up from the chair, fixing her veil in the process she offered Grace a sheepish smile. "Sorry Grace. I got lost while thinking of something" She avoided telling Grace that she was thinking about her past, and the hardships she went through before reaching this position. Though that was the reason she's making a very important decision today. It's a well-known saying that 'Our past craves us into being who we are today'. And that defines her at the moment.

Grace simply shook her head and waited for Rahma to go out, before she followed after her. Together, they made their way over to the conference room where the reporters were waiting already, seated on various chairs along with their recording devices.

Rahma with chin up and shoulder squared headed to the podium just as someone announced that she had arrived. She offered the man a small smile and stood in front of the stand situated amidst the podium. She then smiled at the reporters. "Assalamu alaikum" She started, her lips curling into a small grin. "Hello everyone. My name is Rahma Abdullahi Saraki..." Her lips stretched into a full blown grin. Sure enough, she kept her alias name. However, she only kept the first name. She changed the second name to Saraki after Saminu told her that it's her father last name too.

Her late father, Abdullahi Saraki and her late mother, Amina Saraki are related. They weren't close relatives, but they all use the same last name. So, for the first time in her life, Rahma was elated to be using her father's name as her surname. After spending her life without knowing their names at least, she was glad to finally know it.

She continued her speech. "...and I am the owner of Tallafi Foundation NG. We're glad to have you all here with us, as I announce the opening of our new branch in the sovereign state of Northern Nigeria, Kano"

The reporters, along with the other people there clapped.

Rahma waited till it died down before she continued. "Today also marks the beginning of a very important journey in our lives. I am proud to announce that Tallafi Foundation will not only help women in need, but everyone—whether male or female; adults or children. We all need help at one point in our lives and we are here for you. Granted, we will not be able to change the world. However, with every person that we help, I'd like to believe that we changed that person's world. So, we are letting the general public known that we are here, ready to help everyone in need. Whether a victim of violence of any sort, or a person wrongfully accused, we are willing and ready to help for a better and brighter future for everyone"

The people clapped again, louder than before.

This made her grin as she sighed in relief. "Any questions?" She asked, when the applaud died down.

~*~

A woman sighed, a grin plastered on her face as she watched the live broadcast of Rahma Saraki. She sighed, feeling immense pride in her as she watched her soar higher than ever.

"Attorney Zarah!"

Zarah swiveled around, only for her gaze to fall on her assistant who stood behind her. "Yes"

"You have a meeting scheduled in five minutes" The woman reminded her Zarah.

Zarah nodded, sighing in the process. After winning Rahma's case, she had gotten more clients. And with the years that passed by, the more her clients increased. She even got a promotion at work. She turned around, sparing Rahma's broadcast a last glance before returning her gaze to her assistant, "Let's go then" She walked away with her assistant which she had gotten due to the promotion trailing behind.

She didn't want to waste time before meeting the guest, she knows it's a friend of hers, a lawyer, Attorney Nufaisa Rashidi. The two had gotten close considering they both have remarkable success when it comes to their jobs.

With the way things are going for her, she's sure she'll be able to open her own law firm in a couple of years. What more could she ask for? Alhamdulillah.

~*~

"Doctor! Doctor!" A couple exclaimed, approaching the doctor that stepped out of the operation room, "Doctor...How is he?"

The doctor took off her face mask, offering the couple a smile. "Your son is safe. There was internal bleeding which was why we had to perform an emergency surgery, but he's out of danger now. He's safe and will be moved to the ICU"

The couple sighed in relief.

"Thank you so much doctor. Can we see him now?"

"Once he's moved to the ICU, you can. But please, do not make too much noise"

They both nodded, before walking away to wait outside the ICU.

Once the two were out of sight, the doctor sighed.

"Good job Doctor Ameerah. We even perform surgery together now" Noah teased, stepping out of the operation room as he took off his own face mask.

Ameerah turned around to look at him, offering him a chuckle. "I handled the surgery, you merely assisted"

Noah shook his head, "I only let you have the lead this time. I'm the senior doctor, remember" He joked, and they both laughed at it. "You are the fellow here"

"We better keep this to ourselves then. If Juwy hears about it, she'd take over the next one" Ameerah said, as the two walked away from the OR.

Noah shrugged, "She already did. She did the last surgery"

"What?" Ameerah snapped her gaze to Noah who shrugged, then laughed. She simply shook her head, "You two are always ganging up against me. Let me just transfer to another hospital"

"Come on now--"

"Let me be please. I rather go and call my husband" She rolled her eyes playfully then walked away, chuckling once she's away from him.

They both know she was bluffing. She wouldn't leave the hospital unless she was forced to considering she works alongside Juwy, and Noah. What more could she ask for? Albeit, they annoy her most of the times, but she wouldn't trade them for anything.

~*~

ABUJA, NIGERIA.

2nd FEBRUARY, 2020.

Rahma brought out a couple of plates from the cupboard. Placing it on the counter, her phone rang. She turned around and picked it up, brows drawing in when she saw who the caller is. She looked away, sighing slightly she swiped across the screen and brought the phone to her ear. "Assalamu alaikum"

"Wa'alaikissalam. Mrs. Rahma?"

She inhaled sharply, there was something wrong. She could tell from the tone. "Yes. What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, I tried to contact Mrs. Zarah but I couldn't get a hold of her. You are the only option left" The caregiver said.

She nodded though he couldn't see her. "What happened?"

"I'm sorry to say ma'am but he...he passed away"

She sighed loudly, blinking furiously. "When?"

"Last night"

She nodded again, still aware that he couldn't see her but still, she couldn't help it. She placed her free hand on the counter as she turned around and glanced at the backyard, where the others are. "Alright" She exhaled lowly. "I'll let her know. Thank you for contacting me" She brought the phone down, ending the call.

Tilting her head down, she buried her face between her palms and simply let it rest there. A couple of seconds passed as she gathered her thoughts. Turning around to pick up the plates, she spoke without looking back, "How are you?"

Zarah who walked in while Rahma was on the call shrugged. "I don't know what to feel honestly" She sighed, making her friend turn around to look at her. "I don't know if I should be relieved or sad" She chuckled humorlessly, "I mean the man killed my mother. Yet, despite the hatred I feel towards him I still took him to the hospital because he's my father at the end of the day"

She never wondered about the situation her birth father would be in. Not once. The man gave her enough bad memories for her to hate him for life. She made a promise to herself when she left their village that day, she promised to come back for him and make him pay for the things he did to her mothers.

However, when she and Rahma returned to Miya after eleven years, things weren't as they expected. Rahma didn't want to go, because the memories she had there weren't the best. However, Zarah assured her that it was the last thing they needed to do before they completely move on. She believed that there's no way they could move on without facing their past and overcoming it.

And that was what happened, they went back to Miya.

So much had happened since they left, it took them a while of asking around before they were able to track the people they knew back then down.

The first person they found was Anty Maryama. Zarah was barely able to recognize her. Rahma on the other hand, recognized her at first glance despite how much she had changed. The woman she knew from back then who made her life unbearable now lives by the street, begging the people passing around for food and money. She looked all bones and barely any flesh.

Zarah knew that it was something Rahma had to face alone, so she stood at a safe distance giving the woman privacy.

Both of Anty Maryama's legs had been cut off, as she had been involved in an accident eight years ago that broke both legs. She had no option but to have it cut off, else it would've affected her more. Unfortunately for her, she and her husband, Rahma's paternal uncle, Baffa Dalha Mai Teburin Shayi, got divorced a year before that.

For some reason, her family had abandoned her, so she had no one to help her. Not even her son, Tasiu, who had become an alcoholic.

She simply had no one.

Rahma couldn't help but shed tears at the sight. After everything she had been through, she hadn't thought of how her aunt and uncle were doing. However, seeing her aunt in that sight teared her up.

Anty Maryama didn't recognize Rahma, she could barely recognize anyone apart from her son. So, when Rahma came, she pleaded with her to help her with anything.

Rahma held the woman's hand and handed her money and left, unable to bear the sight anymore. She didn't want to return to the place or watch the woman ever again, it would be too much for her to handle.

She and Zarah headed to their next destination. Malam Dalha's house. It wasn't that hard to find him considering he still lived in the same house he Rahma grew up in. He made no attempt to renovate the house in the slightest bit. The two didn't get to enter the house though, because everyone warned them of his new wife, the one he married after divorcing Anty Maryama. Apparently, she's way worse than Anty Maryama ever was.

And from where they stood by the door, they agreed with the fact. Anyone who passes by the man's house at the time could hear the yelling and insult coming from the house. It wasn't Malam Dalha that was yelling though, it was his wife. And because he had turned to 'mijin hajiya' he simply listened and did everything she asked him to.

The girls overheard her yelling at him for buying her something when she didn't ask him to. Shortly after, Malam Dalha came out with 100 Naira change in his hand, heading for an errand she sent him to. He had his head down when he walked out, so he didn't notice them.

The women made no effort to talk to him too. They simply watched him leave.

Rahma flickered her eyes shut and shook her head. The man she saw resembled nothing like the uncle she knew back then. The man she saw at the moment looked like a lost puppy, following the instruction of his master. His greying hair and squeezed outfit are proof that life hadn't been good to him.

With one last glance at his disappearing figure, the two headed to their next destination. On the way, they stumbled across Dan Liti Sanda talking to his friends at their new Majalisa. He looked older than they thought he would, yet he was still able to maintain his good looks.

From what they heard, he's still amongst the richest people in the village. However, the number of women he had married and divorced was more than fingers could count. That's why he has more children than he could think of. Some of his children, he doesn't even know their names.

Rahma thanked Allah again for not ending up as his wife. Who knows what her life would've turned out?

The last person they met was Malam Saleh, Zarah's father who had apparently run insane. He simply went around with bottles tied around his ragged cloth body. Children followed after him, singing him songs while he danced. Despite the hatred Zarah had towards him, she still had him taken to a psychiatry hospital where he been receiving treatment for months before he finally passed away, last night.

Rahma doesn't blame Zarah for feeling conflicted, even she would've felt the same if she was in her shoes. So, she offered her a small smile, "The caregiver said he couldn't get a hold of you"

"Someone else called me last night when he passed away. I went there. I turned my off because I didn't want them to call me again today. I don't want to hear about him ever"

"Have you forgiven him?"

Zarah exhaled deeply, "Honestly Rahma, no. Maybe in the future I would but it takes time for a person to heal. I mean, he has done despicable things"

"It's okay" Rahma smiled, "Take your time. But at the end of the day Zarah, remember, do heal"

Zarah stared at her friend for a while before she nodded. "Thank you" She whispered, "For always being a good friend, thank you"

Rahma's smile turned into a grin, "I should say the same to you" She gestured to the backyard, "Now come, let's head back before the others start wondering where we are"

Zarah helped her pick up the plates, and together they headed out where the others were. They were having a barbecue, so everyone came over to Rahma and her husband, Fyserl's house, as they are the ones hosting it. The two got married on the same day, Zarah and her husband, another lawyer, Hisham, five months ago. They simply had a duo wedding and everyone was ecstatic especially the two of them.

They couldn't think of a better way than to celebrate the most important day of their lives than together.

While Rahma and Fyserl met a while after she found out the truth about her uncle, Zarah and Hisham met way before that. He helped her get Rahma out of prison as they stumbled across each other a while after she woke up from her coma.

The men were by the grill while the ladies were on the other side, chatting and preparing the place for them to eat later. The minute they reached the girls, Zarah laughed seeing Ameerah with a plate of food already, munching on it. "You won't even wait for us koh?" She teased making the other laugh.

"Leave me alone please" Ameerah narrowed her eyes at Zarah playfully, "I'm eating for two. I can't wait for you all"

Juwy rolled her eyes, cradling her five months old baby girl in her arms, "Tell that to them who don't have a child"

Aisha, Zarah and Rahma chuckled. After the years that had passed by, Juwy and Ameerah still bicker all the time just like Mubarak and Rahma do.

Rahma and Zarah placed the plates aside, and help the others in setting up the place. When the men finished, they joined the ladies. Laughter filled up the place, the happiness surrounding them was contagious.

Once they were done eating, Rahma stood up with her tumbler of cold Peps in hand. "Everyone" She spoke up, gaining their attention. She smiled when they all kept quiet, wanting to hear what she has to say. "Ladies, Gentlemen, human beings and well, Mubarak who I'm not sure which category he belongs to..." They all chuckled after she said that, including Mubarak who shook his head.

The girl would never let him rest with her teasing.

Rahma grinned, before she continued. "I'd like to thank you all for being here today. In the past couple of years, we had all been through so much. And albeit our pasts weren't the best, we still made the best out of it since we're all here together. We had our friends to stand by us through the toughest time. Zarah..." She turned around to look at her best friend, "Or should I say, Rahma, I'd forever be grateful for everything you'd done for me in life, ever since the day we met, 19 years ago. I'd like you to know I'd always looked up to you no matter what, because you were and still are the strongest woman I've ever met. You made me who I am today. Without you, I don't know what I would do. So, thank you. I'll forever be eternally grateful to have a friend like you"

Zarah smiled back, muttering her a 'you're welcome'.

Rahma turned around to face the others, "We all had a part of our past veiled away from us. Yet, we found a way to unveil it. And despite the fact that the some of the truth about it hurt us in the most unexplainable way" Her eyes met that of Noah's, who sat next to his wife, Amina, who he married sometime early 2019. He offered her a small smile. He knew she meant the truth about Maria being his mother.

He took her advice and read the letter eventually. And just as she assured him, Maria wrote forgiven him and would always love him despite everything. She also asked for his forgiveness.

Rahma offered him a reassuring smile, "The fact that we're all here, means that we have forgiven the people who had wronged us back then" This time her eyes met Ameerah who shared a look with Tahir. She smiled at him. She had forgiven him long ago and vice versa. The two had eventually become close. After all, her adoptive mother is his birth mother.

"So, I'd like to make a toast to us. To the people that had been with us from the beginning, to the people that had made us who we are today, and the people who had helped us become who we are right now" She raised the tumbler, "Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

THE END.