Miya, Ganjuwa LGA,

Bauchi State,

Nigeria.

6th July, 2007.

Lami stepped on the brakes, glancing at the GPS when she realized she's getting closer to her destination. Her breathing came out loud and ragged as she tightened her hold around the steering wheel. The fact that it was extremely late at the moment, and that she's alone on the dark, empty road sends chills down her spine.

Yet, she kept driving.

For the sake of her son. She put the fear aside and focused on getting to him first. It was all the wanted at the moment.

She glanced at the time, which read out 4:21am in bold red figures. It made her gulp again, yet, she never slowed down.

The sound of her car on the empty road, driving at a speed she normally wouldn't go filled up the eerily quiet road. From a distance, she could hear faint cricket sounds. The headlight from her car and the moon were the only source she had to guide her in the dark pathway.

She noticed that she was getting extremely close to her location, so she sped up.

She knew she had to get to her son. He had never stayed out this late and she was worried to say the least. She and his father had yet another argument earlier that ended in them shouting at the top of their lungs. Tahir tried to stop them, yet he couldn't.

He stormed out when his father attempted to throw hot water from a kettle at her because she wouldn't shut up. That was all he could take. He couldn't take it anymore. Thankfully, she dodged it just in time. She wanted to leave at the moment, never wanting to look back at the house again. She was sure of one thing, if she doesn't leave, the man might kill her one day and she didn't want to wait till that time come.

So, instead of going after her son, she headed back to her room and packed her clothing which she could take with her. She stopped by Tahir's room and packed a bag for me. She was going to take him with her. She'd deal with the consequence later on but she wouldn't back down. The man can use his influence all he wants, she wouldn't give up her son to him.

After setting the bags in her car, ignoring her husband who stormed out and drove away, no doubt heading to his other wife's house; she went back in and waited for Tahir to return. She had tried to call him, but he wasn't picking up. So, she waited.

Minutes turn into hours and slowly, she became more worried than she was. It was two hours past midnight, and he was yet to return. She wanted to leave, desperately, but she couldn't leave without him. At the same time, she didn't want to spend another morning in that house.

Besides, her family already believes that she and Tahir's father had gotten a divorce years ago. She had to lie to them about that because it's better than making up excuses as to why he won't answer their calls, or why she hadn't visited in so long.

Obviously, they expected her to return home since it's been years according to her since they got divorced. But, she told them that she's staying in another house to try and get custody of Tahir because she filed a case for it.

She filed no case, but she had to tell her family that to stop them from asking questions.

Eventually, she couldn't wait any longer. She headed out and got into the car, bring out her phone in the process. She looked up his location using the tracking app she had him download a couple of years back when he started staying out. She didn't want to force him to stay home and deal with the problems his father and her had, so she opted for knowing his location instead.

And that brings us to why she was there, driving off to another local government area trying to reach her son. What he was doing there? She was yet to find out. Normally, he stays in town but this time seemed different.

From a certain distance, she spotted what seemed like his car. He was only 17 at the time, yet she gave him one because she loved him to the extent that she was willing to spoil him. And since his father was a governor at the time, money was never an issue.

The closer she got to the car the more she's convinced it belongs to him. However, the sight she met with had her eyes widening.

She hastily parked the car beside him, jumping out of it without caring whether she turned it off or not. She all but ran towards the car, but there was no one in there. The door was wide open, but there was no one there.

Sounds coming from the surrounding trees caught her attention. She brought her phone out and turned on the flashlight. Her face turned ashen, as cold sweats covered her forehead. She could feel the shakiness in her limbs, yet she forced her legs to move forward in the direction of the sound.

Slowly, and with cautious steps she walked towards the sound of footsteps which seemed to be approaching her. When she came in contact with the source, her eyes widened as the phone dropped from her hand.

She felt dizzy, yet she scrambled to the floor and picked the phone back up, mouth hung ajar. "Tahir..." Her voice was barely above a whisper going along with the whoosh of trees.

Tahir looked up, "Mama..." His voice held disbelief. He then glanced at the person in his arms, "Help me get her to the hospital please"

She took a step back. She couldn't believe her eyes. She blinked rapidly as she tried to comprehend the situation. Amidst of the silence she could swear she heard a faint gasp from somewhere in between the surrounding trees.

"Mama!" His voice snapped her out of her trance.

"Wh...what did you do Tahir?" Her voice came out clear, albeit shaky. "What did you do to this girl?"

His brows furrowed, "What?"

She exhaled loudly, feeling a deep ache form at the back of her head. As if something in her snapped, she quickly headed towards him, taking the girl out of his arms and into hers. She looked around them, wanting to make sure no one else was there. When she looked back at him, a look of determination masked her features. "Tahir listen to me, go back to your car and drive back him. Don't ever look back, do you hear me?" She gritted her teeth.

"Mama what are you talking about? We have to take her to the hospital"

Lami glanced at the girl in her arms, seeing her eyes faintly flick open, then close again. "I will take her to the hospital" She whispered, in case the girl is conscious and might hear their conversation. "If we go together, I can't help you when the police get there"

"But I didn't—"

She clenched her eyes shut, not wanting to hear his reply. She should've listened to her husband for one and stopped Tahir from going out when she still had the chance. She should've done something when he told her that Tahir does all sort of bad things whenever he stayed out. But she didn't. And she was to blame for what happened to the girl because of her son.

When she opened her eyes, tears slip out of it.

That was when Tahir understood what she was thinking of. He wanted to speak up, and explain that it wasn't what she was thinking. But he was in too much shock and hurt to do so. He was hurt by the simple thought that his mother believed he could do such a heinous thing.

He knew he should've opened up. He should've told her his side of the story. He should've followed her to the hospital and told the police what he knew no matter what they'd say, but he couldn't. You know those situations where you end up being in too much shock that you just end up not being able to do or say anything? That was what he felt at the moment.

So instead of clearing his name back then, starting with his mother, he did no such thing. Wordlessly accepting a crime, he did not commit.

"Just go back home please Tahir. This is all I can do for you" She turned around and headed back to her car, placing the girl in the backseat before she headed over to the driver's side. She noticed that Tahir was yet to leave the place, yet she ignored him and started the car. She knew if she headed back there one more time, she might not be able to bear the confidence to leave him at the moment.

To her, that was the only thing she could do to him at the moment. As a mother that is.

So, she took Ameerah away, and raised her as her own child, hoping that will slowly take away the guilt she feels every time she stare at the girl.

Yet, it never worked. Every day she wakes up and see Ameerah, the guilt was always there slowly eating her up.

"That's why I can't testify Ameerah" Lami stared at the girl, her eyes welling up by simply reminiscing the past. "How can I testify against something I didn't witness? You know, looking back, I wish I let him explain himself, maybe it would've changed this anger you feel towards him"

Ameerah clenched her teeth as she tried to hold the tears back. They weren't tears of pain or sadness. They were tears of anger. Pure, intense anger. She had no idea who the anger was directed to, maybe herself? She couldn't tell.

She couldn't think clearly at the moment to be honest.

She looked away, clenching her eyes shut so as to stop the tears. When some slipped, she quickly wiped them away with her hands. She inhaled deeply, then turned around and stared at her adoptive mother. "How sure are you that he didn't do it?"

She felt conflicted honestly. How does everyone expect her to react when the mans he spent a whole decade hating might turn out to be innocent? Should she feel remorseful for blaming an innocent person? Or should she be angry at herself for wasting ten years blaming the wrong person instead of finding the real criminal. One thing she felt the most prominent at the moment though was hurt.

If what Rahma and her mother told her is the truth, then the truth hurts.

Then again, if he is innocent of the crime against her, then what about the girl? What about her mother that he hit? How would he defend himself then?

She wouldn't believe he is innocent until she has a concrete evidence for such. Until then, she wouldn't believe any of their words.

Lami shrugged. "I was in too much shock at the moment to realize it. But now, I had a whole decade to think about it. I didn't know why I didn't trust my son back then but I do now. However, I can't force you to do that" She sighed, seeing the storm behind Ameerah's orbs. "Ameerah I won't stop you from fighting for justice. You deserve it"

Another treacherous tears slipped and cascaded down her face.

Lami blinked back her won tears. "But you can't use me to get my son. Please, don't do that to me" She sniffed, clearing her throat. "I know I probably don't deserve what I'm asking you, but I want you to know that not once in all these years that I've raised you did I ever feel like you weren't my real daughter"

Ameerah could feel her strong façade slowly breaking down, yet she held onto it the best that she can.

"I don't know when you regained your memories, and I'm sorry for not telling you when the time came. I just believed that it was better for you to not remember than relive through those dreadful memories" She stood up from the couch, and sat on the one Ameerah is sitting on. She reached out and held her hands, "I should've been there for you, but I couldn't. I'm sorry for that. But believe me when I say I was simply too scared. I didn't want to lose another child Ameerah. I didn't want to lose you as a daughter" She pulled Ameerah on for a hug, and cried in her arms.

Though Ameerah made no move to hug her back, she couldn't stop the tears too.

Mubarak knew at the moment that the mother and daughter needed privacy. So, he stood up and quietly slipped out of the room, leaving the two alone.

None of them said a word afterwards, they simply cried.

After bottling up the emotions and keeping the secret for ten years, they finally let it all out. For that was the only thing they could do. The past is in the past. No one can change it.

~*~

9th MARCH, 2017.

ABUJA, NIGERIA.

Stares. Whispers. Pointing fingers.

It was all that filled the courtroom. The judge was yet to arrive and so the only people there were the people who wanted to attend the hearing. On the left side sat the people supporting Tahir, of which Noah and Mubarak occupied the first two seats. On the right side were people supporting Ameerah, of which Rahma occupied the first seat.

She exchanged a quick glance with Mubarak when she arrived, then moved her gaze to Noah who offered her a smile. She smiled back at him. Noah obviously didn't notice her exchange with Mubarak. If he did, he chose to ignore it.

He had been extremely helpful the day before. After what happened to her apartment, she turned her phone off the day before and decided on staying in Noah's place all day. Noah showed up at a point, asking if there's anything she needs to which she replied with a no. He stayed for a while before he left.

When she turned her phone on for the first time that day, she called Mr. Sagir and told him what happened. He offered to have someone clean up the apartment although Noah offered already, but she declined Noah's offer not wanting to burden him more. He obviously insisted, but she declined it. If there's one thing the siblings have in common is their stubbornness.

She also told Mr. Sagir about the files and recording she recorded and hid. She told him of the place she hid it in case of an emergency. After what happened, they don't have assurance on anything. They both agreed that it would be better if she stayed in the day before, and that was what she did.

Beside her in the courtroom sat a person she didn't recognize, then again, she barely knew anyone in the place. From her position, she could see Ameerah who offered her a small smile. Sitting next to her must be her lawyer, another woman Rahma didn't know. However, from what Mr. Sagir told her about the case, the woman worked with Zarah.

And opposite Ameerah and her lawyer sat Tahir, with his lawyer. A male.

She glanced at the time on her wristwatch, then sighed and crossed her legs. Sitting in a courtroom, albeit a different one, reminded her of the day she was sentenced to prison ten years ago. And that thought alone suffocated her, yet she managed to hide it under her stoic expression. She couldn't let anyone see that.

"All rise!"

Everyone stood up, as the judge walked in along with two other people behind him. He sat down on the chair first, then gave them the go ahead to do so.

Rahma zoned out as someone read out the reason why the hearing is in the place and all. It all felt surreal. Just as it did that day. It would've been the feeling of déjà vu had she been the one with a lawyer by her side.

When Ameerah was asked to present her witness, the door opened and a woman walked in accompanied by a policewoman. Rahma flicked her gaze to watch the elderly woman. Judging by the look on Tahir's face she'd say that the woman is without a doubt his mother.

The woman gave her statement, all the while Tahir couldn't take his gaze off of her. And he made no move to hide it. Gasps resonated round the room when the woman was introduced as Tahir's mother.

A mother testifying against her son? Seemed almost unvanquishable.

There was one thing that Rahma realized from the woman's statement though, there's no part of her story that pointed out the fact that Tahir is guilty of the charges. And she was sure everyone saw it too. It simply left them all conflicted.

After her statement, Tahir was asked to present his evidence. He and his lawyer shared a look before the lawyer spoke up. "Your Honor, we have no--"

He was cut off by the sound of the door opening again. This time, it gained everyone's attention as another person walked in, accompanied by a police officer. Rahma's brows drew in confusion when her gaze moved from Tahir to the person. Tahir looked as if he saw a ghost. His mouth hung open, as his eyes widened. There was no fear in his expression though. Only surprise.

But it wasn't just Tahir. Everyone else that she knows had their mouths hung open. Who could the person be to have gain this much attention? She wondered, watching the person up close with eyes slightly narrowed. Something she does when she's in deep thought.

The person stood at the witness stand.

"Who are you?"

"I am Tahir's witness"

"Name?"

The person swallowed discreetly, though Rahma noticed it. She also noticed how the person refused to meet Tahir's gaze. "My name is Aisha Saraki and I am here to testify that Tahir didn't kill the victim's mother" She paused. "I did"

~*~

Bet you didn't see that coming! Like, Mubarak's sister😂😂😂

We're about to round up the book sha.

Should I drop another update tonight?

I want to hurry and round this up sha😂😂😂

Love, Jannah.