TEXAS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

"Everything is packed?" Ruwaidha Muneer asked her son who stared at the boxes filled with their stuff waiting to be shifted to Nigeria with that blank stare of his that he gives criminals, it scares her sometimes too. The guy literally changed from a sweet boy into a man at the age of seventeen, she understand why he became so stern.

"Yes, Ma. You still didn't say anything about the houses I showed you earlier. Where do you plan to stay if you can't chose any?" He sat down comfortably on the sofa still in his blue American police officer's uniform. His arms bulged beside him while his legs hang on the center table completing his sturdy and tall physique he maintained for his profession.

"Your Aunt, Adeela wants us to live with her for the time being since her husband is hardly home. She wants to spend sometime with me, I want that too. I hope it's okay for you?" Her eyes are searching his, trying to gouge out his reaction to the new answer she has been hiding from him till the last minute. She knew how protective and proud he is so those words wouldn't have worked a day before.

"Why didn't you tell me about it earlier? I can just stay in an apartment till you guys finish 'catching up' then we get a house. You did this on purpose didn't you?" He narrowed his eyes, sarcasm dripping off his words. His mother knows how to bend his rules and principles like no other. She is just too much, he loves her from the deepest core of his heart, she knows that and takes full advantage of it.

"I'm clever, aren't I?" She gave him a sheepish grin, he only smiled at her while she does so. She manage to look exactly like a movie he's watched mistakenly in his colleague's MacBook, so mischievous and beautiful.

"Not really." He shrugged when her smile suddenly yawed to a glare, this could get to her for the time being. Her happiness is all that matters to him, he needs to keep that smile on her face intact or he lost himself too. She is amongst the only two things keeping him sane, he would've been long gone into the pits of insanity.

"I am done packing too!" Another reason for his sanity none other than his stepbrother of five, Zafar came bounding into the room with his bumblebee backpack in hand. He thinks his toys are the only things he needs to pack to leave the country. Children are so innocent and bundles of joy, they make life worth living.

"Really? You did that all by yourself?" He took him in his arms, raising him up above eliciting a loud giggle from the child. A smile took over his face again too at the precious sight of his little brother's smile.

"Yes, Nana didn't help me with anything." He proudly stated that his nanny didn't help him pack. The nanny actually just left the room with his many luggage to fill in the SUV he rented for this special trip. Their things are going to be shipped to Nigeria before they arrive, the next day.

"Wow, I'm so proud of you." He beamed at the kid who wouldn't stop smiling then started wiggling around his arms, wanting to gain freedom which he gave him. He is probably going to disturb his mother about his toys or something.

"Maaa, I don't want those toys anymore, they are old. Have you seen the ones Uncle Oliver bought for Kyle? They are so strong and could fight all the ghosts at night but mine are mostly old and tired. They are not as strong as Kyle's." He complained to their mother as if she is the one who buys them for him, Ahmad does all that himself. He shook his head, the guy is very smart.

If he had told him that with his own mouth, he wouldn't have given him a second glance and tell him to appreciate what he has not because they are not wealthy for they are wealthier than wealthy with the amount of money their father left for them but because he needs to stop seeing other people's lives and comparing it with his. That is inappropriate which he needs to put an end to at that very young age. He wants to disciple the little boy like he would his son so that is the first step of telling him to keep his high expectations low, life doesn't work like this. Expectation and comparison ruins lots of lives, he should change that at this young age.

"Hey, Bud, you coming over before your departure?" The same Oliver his little brother is speaking of called him to ask. And he thought the guys have already seen enough of him to not call and ask him again.

Oliver is a friend of his who happens to be a police officer like himself, a very high ranked one too. Kyle is Oliver's son and they live just across the street so they are practically tight friends with Zafar. Oliver is a one austere police officer but not even close to how stern everyone complained he could be. Maybe because they were trained in different places and he learned the hard way that smiling and being extra friendly isn't for them, it should be for the waitresses in restaurants. If not for his brother and mother, he would've forgotten what smiling means.

"Sure, why not since you are asking so nicely." And they say his sarcasm will definitely land him in trouble someday. He just likes making his friends feel like he is much more friendlier than he is given credit to. He isn't at all that bad, or so he thought.

"Shut your trap and come down fast." Oliver hung up the phone after that light comment and he pocketed his phone. He should really go to the station to see his friends one last time, he might never come back. Only Allah knows.

"Ma, I'll be at the station but I'll be back an hour before our flight." He stood up and left the room in a hurry, he has only fifty minutes to spend there and be back since the flight is in one hour fifty minutes. Going to the station takes ten whole minutes, leaving forty for him.

"I'm surely going to miss seeing such stern face around. Why do you have to go?" Alexa, one of the officers there commented with an exaggerated pout. Who would've thought she was ever going to stand his presence?

When Alexa was transfered to their station, she was a snotty woman that has a huge stick stuck up her ass. She wouldn't let them work without trying to dictate what they are doing or act like a leader since she is a rank higher than them. The detectives were not fond of her and three of them quitted because she acts like that is her job instead of theirs. But Ahmad has it bad, he is hardly seen where she is and she hated him because he was too proud. She acts like a commissioner and he does so too. So whenever they are in the same place, everyone will just hold their breathe waiting for the worse to happen like always.

One day, they don't actually know how or who made the move but they worked on a drug case together and were successful, ever since, they were close friends. Not only were they surprise, their colleagues were more surprised. Some think they were reincarnated while the others say they have doppelgangers acting like them or they've hit their heads in an accident together then awoke in the same room. He is a connoisseur in his profession and she is a cognoscente.

"It's hard not to miss you." Ashley flirted, like the coquette she's always been. She is a divorcée but that is never a drag down in her career, it made her more determined and passionate.

Her ex-husband is a multimillionaire running many chains of businesses around Texas but he wasn't loyal. When she caught him red handed while working on a case in some hotel, she almost shot him dead with her revolver in a fit of rage but stopped at the last minute. So when the divorce was processing, she took half his wealth from him saying she won't be faithful for the disloyal dog then suffer without his money. He liked that though, he supported her through the whole divorce and now she only works for fun. She is good at what she does, she didn't quit.

"Stop flattering and boosting his ego. You have me to look at everyday, I won't ask for tax too." Lincoln, the clown in the station stated from afar whilst dealing with some hysterical woman claiming her husband did nothing wrong. She was the one who brought him in her state of drunkenness that he beats her but now she is suddenly crying to release him.

There is no case you won't see in the station.

"I don't want to hurt your ego but can you just face your work? We won't want to look at your face even for the sake of heaven, concentrate." Alexa's comment might sound harsh but everyone just laughed, they are used to each other.

Ahmad stared at them one after the other, he is surely going to miss his crazy colleagues. They are all like family having worked together for almost eight or less years in the same place. From beings neophytes and growing up together, it makes them so used to having one another around. Apart from being colleagues, they are friends outside of work and hang out together during their free time. They all have their echelons.

"Take care, man. You can count on us anytime." Oliver gave him a hard pat on the back and he won't lie, it hurts. The man's hand could be made with steel, Ahmad won't doubt that for a second.

"I will." He gave that manly hug and move away staring far ahead at the aeroplane that will take them to their new home. It has a gargantuan spelling of emirate written in bold red.

All his colleagues decide to accompany him to the airport with three police cars, he was surprised when the ones he don't talk to also join. They are next to go, his mother is waiting anxiously while Zafar is trying to go to where the planes are, he is so excited to try out the plane for the first time. What was he doing to the child keeping him scooped at home? He just realised that he has never taken him out of Texas, he will definitely try to change that in Nigeria. While trying to disciple him, he shouldn't be too gaudy.

"Goodbye, Sir." Everyone saluted him earning attention from the people nearby, they don't care since they are meant for the attention. With a grateful smile, he saluted back at them like he usually does after successful missions. They are separating on good terms, it makes him happy too.

"Take care." He said to them one last time then turn around to follow his mother who gave them another smile, she has always been close to them. She never goes a week without going there to give him some homemade food, he both appreciate and don't appreciate it sometimes. She makes it extravagant so everyone in the station can have a bite.

"Welcome and thank you for flying Emirate Airline, this is your captain speaking. The skies are sunny and beautiful and we are anticipating a smooth flight all the way. Please direct your eyes to the front of the cabin where the airline attendants will go through the safety procedures are we taxi out of the runway. And I'd like to extend my special welcome to you all. Welcome!"

"I hope what awaits us in Nigeria is better than what we have been through here. Nigeria is my home, America is your father's, don't expect everything to be like the life here. With the help of Adeela's husband, you are the assistant commissioner of police, a rank higher than the one back in America which I think is better. I mean, here in America, the rank should be two ranks higher but I told him to just leave it a rank up knowing you won't like it. You're uniform is there waiting for you at Adeela's and also, they plan a small gathering for you there at your new station..." His mother keep filling him on what she has planned for them in Nigeria and it doesn't sound that bad. Only that he will miss his work because she's heard a lot about how corrupted Nigerian police are.

"You really have planned so well, Ma. Now I'm afraid to ever think of going against you." He gave an exaggerated bow that makes her grin in triumph for if her son complimented her like that, she was sure she planned flawlessly. The guy gets borrowed by the military to plan out war strategies, this sure is a compliment.

"Ah, you never plan to go against me, do you? For I will have my leash tightened around you neck, you never know when the embers will get aflame." She giggled when he gave her his famous incredulous look whenever he don't understand where she is going with her words which is like every time.

"Never." He shook his head before yawing his attention to his little brother giving a bittersweet smile at the memory behind him, it was tragic.

"Don't go down the memory lane, dear. I'm going to meet my sister so don't make me sad right now." His mother scolded in her calm voice that yanked him out from his reverie before he could dive too deep inside.

She was right, they don't need to be so sad about the past all the time.

"I won't, Ma. Besides, I have already planned his life there in Nigeria ahead of you this time. He will start going to school next tomorrow at one of the most prestigious schools in Adamawa." He gave a smile of triumph when his mother's loving smile fell, he's got her now. They like to compete on things like that to see who has the sharper brain than the other.

"You, brat! I am still waiting for Adee to send me copies of the best schools there but guess you won this time around, it's okay. I know I'm going to win next time, chill!" She patted his chest and he laughed, his Mom is very dramatic but he loves her a lot, more than anyone in the entire world.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Local Time is 02:30pm and the temperature and 23 degree Fahrenheit. For your own safety, please remain seated with your seatbelt fastened till the seat belt sign is turned off. This will indicate that we have parked at the gate and is safe for you to move about. At this time, you may use your cellular phones if you wish.

Please check around your seat for any personal belongings you may have brought on board with you. And please use cautions when you are opening the overhead bins as heavy articles may have shifted around during the flight.

On behalf of Emirate Airline and the entire crew, I'd like to welcome you for joining us on this trip and we are looking forward to seeing you on board again in the near future. And for the Nigerians, welcome home." They heard the announcement then woke Zafar from his sleep.

"It's been thirteen years since I last visited Nigeria, I'm so glad to be back home! You are definitely going to enjoy it here in my hometown, it's amazing. Just don't think too hard with their system of work, focus on what you want to do." She advised, her words echoing in his head before she held her stepson in her arms.

"Thanks for flying with Emirate Airline, Sir, Ma'am!" The airline steward gave them a small souvenir and she scrunched her brows but Ahmad was there to nod his head that she should just accept it. It's either the airline is celebrating something or they knew about him leaving America to Nigeria. He is good friends with the owner so all of it could be possible.

And they were the only ones given a souvenir.

"Thank you." Together they leave the plane to board another Emirate that will take them to Adamawa since they have to stop in Abuja, not planned but it has to work.