ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA.

"I need a spouse for my daughter." Musa Babagana's eyes glazed over the path in front of them as if thinking what to do with his life but instead, it is all about his daughter. Which daughter though? Fatima or Aalia?

Ahmad's curiosity is more than his professionalism hence he dropped the formalities and inquired. "Your daughter?"

Musa Babagana nodded his head at the question as if expecting him to know which of them he is talking about. It's definitely going to be Fatima since she is the oldest and reckless one amongst the two. You'll hardly find Aalia causing trouble in the house neither does she seek attention from school so any sane person is supposed to know what a man with these sort of daughters wants to get one out of the way and off his shoulder.

"Fatima has come to age and if I will allow her, she won't get married now if ever. I want to take matters in my hand and get her married as soon as possible. Things are not okay with her and she needs the security of a spouse and shoulder to lean on." The man's words were discharged with the augmenting compassion and care for his daughter but they lack feelings in it's depth.

Ahmad now understand why Fatima wanted her father to come get her out of jail few days ago. The man has no feelings and the safest way to attract his attention is by becoming the person she is. He is not trying to excuse her attitude, she is still boorish and lacks any touch sympathy for anyone in her path. Most people don't understand that attention seeking won't get them the attention they want. It will be there but only for sometime.

If only she would hear what he has to say to her. He's been and still is in her shoes but the maturity within him won't allow him to seek unnecessary attention when it is not needed. This that she is doing is absolutely unnecessary, it makes no sense. If only she is one to listen, he'd suggest a therapist to her, that's what she needs in his opinion and not a husband.

A secret to happiness is letting every situation as it is instead of thinking what it should be and making the best of it. Albeit exposed to the world, Fatima still thinks and acts like a sheltered person. She's surrounded with friends but he could swear on his life that she is alone and keeps her secrets to herself. She might be a psychologist but he is also one because he chose that during his first year for more understanding of his job.

"Why do you think she needs a spouse because things are rough?" And more importantly, why are you telling me about your plans on your daughter? He wanted to season the last part but kept quiet, he wants to get to the bottom of this. And from years of experience, keeping quiet does the work.

Musa Babagana grinned at that, he heard the defense in his tone but to him, Ahmad is still a child. He might be good at his work but it doesn't mean he knows what is better for his daughter. Ahmad is thinking like an American, someone that didn't grow up in the Hausa society like he did. Their forefathers used to say whenever a girl is getting harder to bend, marriage is the best solution which is something he wants to do.

The emotions displayed -accidentally- in his daughter's eyes are things he cannot handle. She wants vengeance, she is tired of getting pushed away and growing up without love. All she's been doing will be primary to what she will plan for him, he needs to end that before it gets too late for him to do something about it. Seeing her only bring out the worst in him, that needs to stop.

She might think what he is about to do is the worst thing he's ever done to her but in the future, she will find out that it is not easy not being close to his own daughter not because he doesn't want to be, but because he cannot. By looking at her, his past and their little tragedy always exhibit itself in front of him. He even gets violent sometimes and acted on it once upon a time. He doesn't want a repeat of that or she'd be ruined forever by the last person that is supposed to cause her pain.

He wished she'd stayed abroad when he sent her away to study but instead, she rebelled and came back to Nigeria thinking that will bring them back close. That is a mistake she never should've made in the first place. He was doing that to protect her from the evil within him and around him. She didn't understand, she would've loved it there.

Grow up some more and get married to a great man someday there. Her life would've been much easier that way.

With the grin still intact across his face, he answered. "You won't see what I'm seeing now, you might later on when you have a daughter of your own. Both of you are young, you have the same mindset."

Ahmad shook his head in rejection to the whole situation. This man is old and wants to use geriatric ways on his daughter, she will hate him some more.

"It is not a mindset, the world doesn't work like that now. She might hate you after this. One thing you'll do to a daughter that she won't ever forget is forcing conjugation on her. Just my own thought on the matter." A shrug before he hit a pebble on the cobblestone with his feet, forgetting the respectable man beside him and the bodyguards heavily guarded.

Musa Babagana's face seasoned with an emotion Ahmad desperately want to call guilt but that is not it, he is acting it out. The word hate didn't sit well with him and he is not about to tell him the relationship between his daughter and him is strained.

"She might hate me now but later on, she will understand what I'm trying to do."

Ahmad let out a breath of exasperation, the man will not hear another word. "If you say so. How can I assist you?"

Musa Babagana's expression yawed back to how it was when he brought the matter up, stress free. He clearly cannot wait to get rid of Fatima from his household, Ahmad feels like vomiting. He is saluting to her strength honestly, the man is not worth being called a father no matter how many millions he is willing to spend on and for her. What is a man's money and that too a father without love? An empty vase with no roses or flowers to fill up.

"You are a police officer and an exquisite one too. I want you to browse through these young men you are associated with now and find the one that will want my daughter for who she is and not what I have. If she will hate me, she shouldn't hate her husband." Ahmad is now more perplexed than he's been.

He has no friends except the few ones that are trying to force him into their circle, the children of influential people around Nigeria. Some of them came to Abuja to spend some time alone but end up crashing with him in a bar he went to several days ago. They are not his friends but in most of the pictures they snapped, they make sure he is there in full. He knew what they are playing at and that is why he doesn't want to get too close.

So Musa Babagana already heard about that and want him to search out for someone his daughter could marry amongst them. To him, none of them will be able to understand what she is going through and they won't be able to tame her when they are not tamed themselves. He cannot help with this situation, he won't want Fatima's life getting ruined with his hands muddled inside.

"I really cannot help you with that, Sir. I don't know them well enough to judge them so this is something you should do yourself. She is your daughter after all, and you know what is best for her." He knew he's filled in words upon words but what else could he have done?

Musa Babagana didn't like that, it is said all over his face. "You should know the bad and the good from just looking at them, ACP. This is my daughter we are talking about. If I have them investigated, I might still not get something enough to define their character and compare it to my daughter's."

Ahmad mulled over it for a second, it still doesn't make any sense to him. "I won't be able to point out the bad and good, Sir. That is not my field but I promise to get the best private investigator I've met so far. It is all I can do."

Musa Babagana isn't satisfied still but he grunted in agreement.

Ahmad still didn't find the private investigator, he is busy and his phone is switched off. When he is working, he keeps his phones off and work efficiently without any distraction. Ahmad met him only once and that was it. He just knew that the man is the best in his field and there is no skeleton he won't be able to rip out if ready to work.

Galvanized off his reverie, Ahmad raise his head to find his Aunt and her husband trailing in front of armed bodyguards. He doesn't like such life. Why mustn't they have privacy without those men matching behind their backs? You cannot be rich in peace? Even he refused the officers given to him to guard where he stays and where he goes. For what reason?

His Aunt looks extremely worried, as though Fatima is her child and she is on the verge of dying.

Upon reaching him, they halted and so did the guards behind them -standing few feet away- she sat down restlessly beside him. "What did the doctors say?"

Ahmad sighed. After reading about that endometriosis, he is off balance and moving in right circles. Our mothers are really not to be played with. They've gone through so much to get us where we are. Women are way more powerful than they are given credit. Monthly circle will lead to hospital visits, it is not trivial.

"They just ask me to get you. The doctor should be out by now. They've been in there for about an hour already. . ." He trailed off when he heard the soft click of the snow door beside them at the far end of the corridor where Fatima was lead to.

The three of them quickly marched to where the doctor is, their pace hurried and quick. The woman gave a slight smile after taking down her nose mask to inhale and exhale deeply. Ahmad hates that look on her face, even concluded in his mind that he wants to turn around and leave the hospital to the station but he cannot. He needs to find out whether Fatima is alright or not. He won't be able to work without that confirmation.

"I need to talk to you for a few minutes, Alhaji." Were her words. Ahmad don't understand the look they shared but it is there.

"How's she?" The question slipped out before he could stop them, not that he would've kept quiet.

The woman turned to him and nodded in acknowledgment. "She is fine. Thank you for bringing her here when you did, it was a slight chance."

He cleared his throat, she looks familiar but not familiar. He has never met her or has he? He cannot remember and she didn't show any sign of recognition. With a nod at the trio, he pivoted around and left the hospital to his car outside the emergency side. He didn't even park the car well, he is blocking a few cars from getting the right position for their cars but no one came to ask him to adjust his car. Why? Because of the plate number his car has?

Nigerian will forever be different. The security have the right to call out on him to adjust his car even if he is the president himself!

Back in the doctor's office, the doctor and Musa Babagana sat comfortable on the sofa. He sipped the tea served to them and tapped his finger on his luxurious getzner while waiting for her to finish arranging his daughter's file across her lap. "What is wrong?"

Dr. Mujida cleared her throat and lick the seam of her lips with rouge tongue. "Her condition is getting critical." She paused to adjust her bifocals across her nose.

He caught her breath before she could continue by sitting down straighter while asking. "What does that mean?"

"It means we need to do something before it is too late. Fatima needs surgery!" His eyes widened because he never liked the word surgery when it comes to health.

"Why does she need surgery now? She's been going through this for years and you never suggested something like this. Why now?" He uncrossed his ankle from one other, face screwed.

"I did pelvic exams to her earlier and found some abnormalities. There is cysts on her reproductive organ and scars behind her uterus. I also did ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging to make sure of what I saw. I'd like to suggest something other than the surgery if you'd like to listen." She opened her pen to start writing down some things again.

Blinking off the haze of fear, he answered. "Suggest anything helpful other than surgery. I cannot lose my only heir."

Dr. Mujida smiled slightly as if pitying Fatima and not him. "Marriage."

A flummoxed smile took over his face. Is this a coincidence or some sort of twisted fate? He just talked about it with someone and now the doctor suggested the same thing? Fatima's single life is actually over for real now. He might not have been too serious before but now, he will go through with it whether she likes it or not.

"Marriage will help how?"

Dr. Mujida's eyes glazed. "The surgery won't do any good to Fatima because we are going to ruin her forever by taking out her ovaries, oophorectomy and the uterus, hysterectomy which usually relieves pain for a few years before it takes over again. Even with the surgery, it does not terminate the pain forever. Hormone therapy or taking out tissue with laparoscopic surgery can ease pain too. If we remove her ovaries and uterus, she will become infertile forever. As it is, we are not sure about her fertility. Anyone with endometriosis have fifty fifty chance of giving birth. We shouldn't ruin her some more so I think marriage is better.

"I'm seeing some symptoms I don't like. She is gaining weight, her hair is not growing at all which I know frustrates her. Marriage is the easiest way to ease the pain and sometimes it disappears since it doesn't have any cure.

"Vasopressin, the hormone released during intercourse, also plays a great role in strengthening feelings of romance and long-term commitment. Endorphins, known as 'happy hormones' endorphins create a feeling of overall wellbeing, and are also considered natural pain relievers that reduce cramping. That should work for Fatima also even though she will stand strongly against the marriage, it is for her own good."

Musa Babagana felt a bit shy at the way the woman talked about sex and intercourse with his daughter but this is medical issue.

"You mean to say, I should get Fatima married before her next cycle?"

The woman nodded with all seriousness. "There are lines of gentlemen waiting for her hand in marriage, she is a nice and beautiful girl after all. Get her married as soon as you can before the next cycle or we might end up going through the surgery and you won't have a grandchild!"

"Fatima will get married before the sun rises..."