ARE YOU READY TO BE SHOCKED?!!!!! READ FURTHER!

ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA.

Betsy threw away the dandelion maxi dress on the floor and rushed to the room in panic. She found Fatima lying on the bed and beside her is a phone still on call, she picked it up with fearful fingers just in case if one of the many rumors she sees and disregard from Facebook about someone calling and sucking away your soul from is true. Both her and Fatima collapse on the bed -she is going to fall on the floor if hers happen actually- won't be a good picture for Adda mama downstairs. She'd panic before springing into action.

She picked the phone tentatively and place it to her left ear then thought about it and tap on speaker. "Who's this and what are you talking about?"

It was quiet from the other end before the person decided to talk as if finally understanding who is talking. A name is actually sprawled on the screen and it says Boo bear so this is the cousin she keeps talking about. Betsy thought, what could her cousin tell her that will get her to react with such ear piercing sound and lost consciousness all together? Fatima is the strongest person she knows so how could something, whatever bad news is get her faint in fear? Did someone die? Or is it her father? Betsy shook her head, that man shouldn't die soon.

Her attention was brought back to the phone when the cousin spoke. "I just got a call that her husband was shoot and might not make it. Help me get her to the hospital. I'll forward you the address, tell my mom about it cause I'm driving and too worried to tell her." He hung up the phone to concentrate on driving.

He spoke to Ahmad few hours before the call asking whether they could catch up in some restaurant and he can show him around the state but he declined the offer and said they were going to some bush to capture some kidnappers they heard about disturbing a small village close by. Raheeb would've stopped him but whenever Ahmad set out to do his work, nothing in the world could stop him. Besides, he doesn't have the right to stop him from doing his work because his safety is endangered. He knew what he's gotten himself into by pledging to serve the country.

They probably called him and told him about the accident because he might be the last person he spoke to. Tension gripped Raheeb's guts as he drove to the hospital. He doesn't know how his mother will handle the matter if Fatima fainted. He gulped, he's got to be strong today for two women or even more because he knew the other part of Ahmad's family will also come for him. Sigh, he is the only man too that will be there. He bit his lower lip, Ahmad need to fight this and wake up. He needs to make through or shatter many people.

Betsy went to the bathroom and filled her hands with water, she didn't close the faucet as she left the en-suite with her hands cupped to keep the water from falling. When she successfully reached Fatima, she sprinkled a bit on her face but she didn't react so she added some more from the other hand that elicited a reaction from Fatima, she stirred and blinked her eyes. Betsy cleaned her hands on her jeans and sat down beside Fatima, watching with keen concern as she surveyed her surrounding and shielded her eyes away from the bite of lights on her eyes. When she finally regained full consciousness, she clutched her head and grimaced.

"What the heck happened to m-" She trailed off, her eyes widened so large that Betsy could imagine them coming off their sockets. It dawned on her that what she's heard before she lost consciousness is true and that Ahmad has been shoot and he might be dead.

Betsy saw the myriad emotions surfing through her face and she hurriedly move to keep Fatima down by her shoulders and seize all movements from her. She's seen it in her eyes, she is about to become hysterical and that shouldn't happen or her headache will double. At the moment, Betsy is clueless on what to do and she's forgotten to call Adda mama to aid her. She won't be able to handle Fatima alone but she will just have to do since leaving her to call the older woman downstairs will only stir more trouble from this energetic girl. She didn't let her go even as Fatima squirmed under the pressure.

"You need to get a grip on yourself, Tims. This is not time for you to be hysterical on the matter. Calm down and take deep breaths before we take our next step." She encouraged from above her, removed one hand when she concluded that Fatima is trying to get a grip on her head, placed the hand on her head and massaged it like she knew Fatima liked.

Few minutes later, Fatima is feeling better and her breath is back to normal. She stared at Betsy with blank eyes before the emotions rushed like herd enthusiastic rats coming out of their hole for mischief. She saw fear, anguish, pain, panic and above all, Fatima is going to be completely shattered if Ahmad doesn't make it. Betsy almost smiled when she concluded something, her friend is too attached to her husband now that maybe even if she is asked to leave him, she won't do so.

Fatima closed her eyes tightly when she felt tears trying to tickle down her cheeks, she held them at bay. Her lips and chin trembled, betraying her facade of strength. Her face is ashen, shoulders bunched and tight, her breaths coming out in bursting trembles. She noticed that she is actually shaking uncontrollably, beads of sweat on her forehead and upper lips. When she started gasping as though she is in pain, Betsy moved forward and wrap her arms around her, lying her head on her thigh and her palms go up and down Fatima's back in an emollient gesture.

"God... this feels awful. I'm afraid for no reason. I don't know-why I'm so overwhelmed with emotions. Is-is it normal after receiving the news of someone's death?" Fatima stuttered, feeling weak and helpless in arms of her friend. Her limbs are shaky like her voice, she is trying to desperately hold back a scream, dizziness trying to swallow her into unconsciousness.

Betsy didn't stop caressing her back as she answered in a light tone. "Tims, seems like you didn't hear your cousin correctly. He said ACP was shoot and might not make it but he didn't say he is dead." Her words are soothing and ethereal, it placated Fatima in an odd way that she feels a bit more oriented.

Fatima pulled back away from Betsy with a trembling and shivering laugh that sounded so hollow and empty, eerie and unfathomable. "The man is really headstrong, he might make it out alive. Let's go and check out whether his resolve is as strong as he gloat about." She stood up on wobbly legs, hold onto the beds headboard to steady herself as she felt Betsy's hands behind her.

When she is steady enough to walk, she made it to her closet and took the veil closest to her which luckily happens to be the hijab Adda mama use to pray. They slowly walked downstairs, Betsy holding Fatima's shoulders just in case her emotions get the better of her again. Fatima didn't acknowledge that she is being handled like an egg or bottle because she is drained of energy and the last bit she has is stored for when she gets any news about Ahmad's condition. She placed her legs one after the other in leisure moves to avoid jerking down and tumbling off the stairs unceremoniously.

Adda mama is still sitting in the living room where Fatima and Betsy had left her, she glanced up from where she is sitting and surveyed the two girls then stood up instantly knowing something is wrong from the way Fatima looks, how she walks and then the arms supporting her movement. She thought Fatima sprained her leg at first but when she didn't see any sign of her wincing or jumping from one leg to the other, she frowned and waited with forced patience for them to come to the landing. She crossed her arms beneath her bosom, face as stern as ever but marred with concern.

"What happened to her? Why is she limping?" She fused as soon as they reached the landing, took Fatima away from Betsy and tried escorting her to the living room but Fatima shook her head weakly enervated.

Fatima gestured to Betsy to tell her what her son had told them when he called and she took the privilege.

"Raheeb called few minutes earlier to tell her that the ACP has been shoot and might not make it out alive. We are just about to leave for the hospital now. If you are ready-" Betsy was forced to discontinue her professional speech when Adda mama's eyes frighteningly yaw to a red hue that scared both Fatima and Betsy. What the heck?

The older woman was quiet for what seems like hours but it was only a few seconds then she opened her trembling lips, a view Betsy would've relished on had it not been for the situation they are in. "H-he was shoot?"

Betsy nodded a little, watching another episode of fear taking over the ice queen's face. She held her breath, her stomach feeling rock hard with worry. Adda mama felt sudden dizziness that swayed her off her feet, Betsy had to hold her from behind and stood close just in case she will fall. Adda mama could hear the sounds of her heartbeat in her ears, nearly exploding. She swept a hand across her forehead to get rid of the perspiration that's suddenly perched itself there. She held onto Fatima's arms, her eyes wide before she blew into hysterics.

"Maah, he cannot die. My son cannot die! Can you hear me? He cannot die now! Not when we are finally united after many years, he just can't! Tell me he won't die. Tell me." Her words shook, hands trembling around Fatima's biceps who is now too galvanized to move, utter a word or even blink her eyes.

Betsy also frowned from behind at the way the woman is regarding Ahmad her son. Is she talking about him being her son-in-law or she thought they were talking about Raheeb? Whatever it is, Betsy knew there is a huge secret that is about to be unraveled that day and she is more than curious to find out what that is. Ahmad and Adda mama are hiding something and from her psychological mind, she's already perceived where the secret is going to burst out from but before she could voice out encouragement to help Adda mama say her secret out in the open for them to hear, Fatima beat her to it.

Fatima didn't know where she found her voice from but she knew she had to talk. The pieces and puzzles she's been trying to solve is going to be revealed and she'd be damned if anything comes in and ruin it. "What are you talking about? We are talking about the ACP and not Raheeb, Adda mama."

The woman still didn't stop staring at Fatima with wife frightened eyes. She's heard why Fatima had just said but that is what is making her more apprehensive and hysterical. Ahmad, she knew they were talking about Ahmad and that was why she's acknowledged him as the son she got reunited to after many years.

"I know you are talking about Ahmad. Maah, he is my first son. I gave birth to him after carrying him in my womb for nine whole months." Adda mama confirmed their suspicion, her eyes glazing at the far end of the living room where the electric fireplace continue to spurt out fire to warm the house.

Both Betsy and Fatima's mouths fell open in open astonishment and shock. Fatima's reaction is far worse, her hand flew to her chest to stop her heart from beating at its painful rhyme. She staggered back with two steps, Adda mama's hand falling from her arm and releasing her bruising grip on it. She shook her head in denial, from left to right more times than she could count. She wants the picture and truth out of her head but sadly, she cannot do that since it's right there in front of her. A shaky hand closed her mouth, she doesn't want to ask more questions than necessary.

Adda mama slumped her shoulders when she's realized what she's done. She's just uttered the truth she's been hiding from everyone her entire life. There is no place to start the story of how she gave birth to Ahmad and how they got separated and what has happened all those years ago. Where could she start explaining why Ahmad hates the mere mention of her name? She became uncomfortable in her own skin, swallowing excessively like a criminal ready to be arrested. Oh, she is filled with dread and what is to come after this truth that she's let out mistakenly. Or is it not by mistake?

She knew she wouldn't have been able to hold it any for much longer. She wants the world to know that she gave birth to Ahmad because if that does not happen, he won't allow her to come any closer to him. She wants to be there for him, love him and support him in everything he does like she should have done years ago. Things weren't going the way they should all those years, it was so wrong to ruin so many lives because of her own selfish needs. She avoided eye contact with Fatima, watched the floor with great interest as she wrapped her arms around herself.

She rocked herself slightly, still a bit lost and out of place. Ahmad is shoot and he might die. Oh God please, don't take him away from me so soon, I need him. She prayed quietly inside her head, jerked her head to the side when she saw Fatima's regained attention. Her eyes fell back to the floor again, Fatima probably feels betrayed by both her husband and her aunt but most importantly, by her aunt. Ahmad could escape this betrayal because they are not deep into personal affairs, only physical ones but Adda mama? Her own aunt? She has no doubt Raheeb knows something about it too. She shook her head, she feels betrayed by her own family!

"If you are ready, we are leaving for the hospital now." Fatima cleared her throat before she strutted outside the house with Betsy whose head is just about to burst into fragment.

Betsy made her way to her Peugeot 206 but Fatima halted her and gestured to her pink G-wagon. Betsy's car will slow them down and they are already late as it is. She hopes Ahmad is faring well, if not for her sake then for his biological mother. It makes her wonder who is that woman in his home and who the heck is that little kid he claim to be his younger brother? There is more to Ahmad than meets the eye and Fatima is more than a little curious about him now.

They waited for Adda mama who sauntered out of the house and lock it behind her. Her strides are brisk and hurried as if she cannot wait to meet her son and tell him she is ready to face the world with whatever baggage that it has with it after she's told everyone the truth. It doesn't matter where the story goes, she will blackmail him if she has to.

"A man was brought here few minutes or hours ago. He is a police officer and was shoot by some kidnappers. Where is he?" Betsy demanded from the young nurse sitting behind the large desk in the reception of the hospital. They just arrived, too many wails from relatives and teary faces is weakening Fatima's knees yet again.

The lady regarded them with curious eyes before it settled on Fatima, she knew instantly that there is no telling them off so she searched her computer to get the man's information. He was brought here by a bunch of disheveled police men in their uniforms. They just left the hospital premises to change their outfit and come back for their senior. From the way they had shown worry and shooed away the media outside, the girl knew the man is someone powerful in the police force and he's done something quiet brave to get them this protective of him and his privacy.

"He is still in the OT, ma'am. You can wait outside the OT, a waiting chair is placed there."

The three women didn't waste any second and rushed to the operation theater where a red light blinked at them as they arrive but then it was off before they could sit down which forestalled the movement. They stood nervously and waited for the doctors or nurses, anyone of them to come out and give them the news. They didn't notice Raheeb sitting further closer to the door till the door opened and he unfolded his long figure to a stand. Two doctors walked out wearing an austere expression that disarmed all the four audience waiting for the news with forced patience.

Fatima gulped down a thick gob of saliva that feels too painful against her parched throat. It seems like they don't have any good news to tell them. All Fatima wants to do is throttle the words out of them and get it over with.