3

The day she had been dreading was finally here. All the zeal and happiness of going back to school disappeared when she realized she was really leaving her mother behind. She had tried every possible way to get out of it but Amina was serious about her decision. 

She stood there by the wall in her room, staring at her mother packing her clothes as she shedded tears. "I don't know what has gotten into you this morning that you're behaving this way. I thought we've talked about it, what's with the tears now?" Amina asked as she continued arranging Dalia's belongings in her suitcase. "Mama, I don't want to leave you here alone. I know how you over think and what if I leave? What will happen?" She lamented. Amina raised her head and looked at her daughter. 

She slightly smiled and shook her head. "Didn't I tell you your cousin will move here? I have already spoken with your uncle and he agreed, she's coming here tomorrow in sha Allah. Don't worry, I promise you I'll take good care of myself as long as you do the same for me, okay?" Dalia slowly nodded while wiping her tears. Amina smiled and continued packing her stuff till she was done. She pushed her to eat her breakfast as they waited for the driver to come pick her up. 

Meanwhile, in Alhaji's house, Amira and her mother kept insisting that they were traveling to kaduna for a naming ceremony with daddy's driver. "Hajiya I thought I told you that I was going to send him to Kuje to go pick up Dalia this morning," he spoke a little bit infuriated. 

"I know alhaji but you can postpone it till tomorrow since we're coming back today and you're not going to work tomorrow, right?" Amira's mom suggested. He looked at her in disbelief. One thing she's good is arguing with him and not obeying what he wants whenever she doesn't feel like. 

"Yes daddy he can go pick her up tomorrow. Daddy you know the woman that gave birth is my closest friend and her mother is mommy's friend too. Please daddy, just this time." Amira pleaded. He sighed and shook his head. He gave them the car keys and they gladly took it and left. 

He stared at them and sighed. After they left, he picked up his phone and summoned Muhsin to come meet him at home. Immediately he came, daddy ushered him in. Muhsin settled down on the soft carpet as he waited to hear what his in law has to say. 

"Again, I'm so sorry I called you just like that it's an emergency. You remember Dalia right? The girl that her father died a month ago." Muhsin hesitated before replying, he had totally forgotten about the girl. "Yes daddy, remember her. The one in Kuje." Daddy nodded smiling. 

"I want you to go there and pick her up. Amira and her mother has traveled to kaduna with the driver and I have somewhere to be right now. I hope that will not be a problem." Muhsin looked up quickly in shock as he heard what daddy said. She was going to kaduna without his permission. What does amira takes him as? He swiftly ducked his head back to avoid daddy from suspecting anything unusual. 

Muhsin smiled a little and shook his head, "not at all daddy, it won't be a problem. I will be on my way now," he spoke gently, his head ducked. Daddy smiled and nodded. "I hope you still remember their house." Muhsin nodded gently. "Good, you should be on your way now then. We will talk when you’re on your way there or when you’re coming back.”

He stood up, headed out to his car and set the road to Kuje local government. After thirty minutes, he was in front of Dalia's house waiting for the boy he sent in to announce his arrival to come out. The boy came back and told him Amina's message that he was asked to come in. 

He entered the house and met her mother outside, a weaved mat spread for him already. He greeted her before he settled down on the weaved mat. "Please you should eat before you guys leave," she offered but Muhsin rejected politely. He had to take water before amina finally allowed them to leave. They branched at her uncle’s house to bid them farewell before the left Kuje. 

They were half way through the journey when he stopped at the gas station to top up his fuel. She grimaced and looked at him but he never noticed it. He excused himself without glancing her way and stepped out of the car to top up his fuel. She covered her nose with her hijab as the smell of the petrol filled her nostrils even though she covered up her nose and the windows were closed. One thing she hated was the smell of petrol, it always made her dizzy and throw up. 

He came back shortly and they continued their journey. Her stomach lurched again as she covered her mouth. She was paler than a sheet of paper and lathered in sweat. "Please could you park by the roadside, I'm about to...." Chunks of digested rice spewed put of her coughing, choking mouth. Her stomach was contracting violently and forcing everything up and out. 

"Subahanallah," he muttered as he parked by the road side. He came down the car and walked over to her side and opened the door for her. "I'm so so sorry I spoilt your car, I couldn't hold it, the smell of the petrol irritates me and makes me to throw up whenever I smell it...."

"Are you okay? Let me get some water," he cuts her off and opened his car trunk and brought out three bottles of water. He handed her one to gulp it down her clean her hijab while he used the other two to clean up where she threw up. 

She knelt down there after taking the water and cleaning where she threw up on her hijab. He heard her low wails as he finished cleaning up the mess. He turned to see her hugging her knees, head in buried in her knees as she slowly shook her head and cried. "What's wrong? Why are you crying? Do you still feel nausea? Or you feel pain?” He asked as he knelt down before her. 

She raised her head a little and shook her head. "I just miss my father...." When the words stopped coming out, the tears did. She was beyond agitated and now she was separated from her only happiness, her mother, things got more worse than it was. 

He scratched the back of his head thinking of every soothing words that would make her feel better. Her wails has really touched him. He couldn't even imagine the pain she was going through. 

"Dalia, right?" He asked because her name was difficult to remember but he still managed to. "I can't even imagine the pain you're going through right now but I know it sometimes feels unbearable because losing someone that close to you at the time you least expected it is so hard. Your prayers is all he needs now and in sha Allah he's in a better place. You should stop the tears, okay? You might get a headache."

She nodded gently and wiped the unstopping tears. She stood up and entered the car as he asked her to and they continued their journey to Abuja. He looked at her from time to time to make sure she wasn't crying anymore. 

It was past 2pm when they finally arrived in Abuja. He stopped by a restaurant for them to eat lunch. "Come down let's head in and eat lunch, I know alhaji's wife isn't back yet," he spoke as he opened the door to step out. "But my hijab isn't dry yet and I'm not even hungry," she protested. He smiled and shook his head, "it is and you look okay. I know you are because you threw up few moments ago, so stop arguing, Dalia." He didn't wait for her reply and stepped out of the car. She hesitated before she also came down. 

They entered the restaurant together and settled down. He urged her to order anything she'd be comfortable to eat but she refused. He ordered something he knew she would be okay with. He looked at her a chuckled softly. "You should feel free please, I will take you home the moment we finish eating," he told her. She raised her head a bit for brief second and ducked her head again. 

After the waiter brought their food, he dug into his food while she stared at him wondering how he was comfortable with eating in public. She looked around and sighed. All the wanted to do was lay down and rest. He was half way through his meal when he noticed she hasn’t even touched hers. "Why aren't you eating?" He asked, dropping his spoon and focused on her face. "I told you I wasn't hungry," she murmured but he heard her. 

He sighed, massaging the back of his head. After he finished eating, he asked the waiter to package her food before he paid the bill and they left. 

On his way to Alhaji's house, he received a call from him. "Oh you're already in abuja with her?" Daddy asked and muhsin responded with the right answer. "Please you should take her to your parents house because I'm not home now and amira and her mother won't be back till later in the evening."

After they were done with the phone call, he did as daddy told him to. He took her to his parents house. He only met his mother in the house. He led the way to his mother's living room. "Salamu alaikum,  en nyali jam aunty (good afternoon)." He settled down beside his mother on the sofa. "Muhsin, toi a ifti? A wari be kodo,(where are you coming from? You came with a visitor,)" aunty said as she looked at Dalia with a smile. 

Dalia ducked her head wondering what they were saying. She squatted and greeted muhsin's mother. "How are you my dear? Please come sit," she offered. Dalia walked over to the sofa aunty pointed at and settled down. "Muhsin, Hanko on esirawo am kesum man na? (is she my new in law?)" Aunty asked teasingly as she picked up the intercom. 

Muhsin scratched the back of his head smiling. "Bingel sobajo daddy on hanko on hosi alkawar jugogu mo. (She is daddy's daughter's friend. She lost her father and daddy decided to take responsibilities of her,)" he explained. Aunty shook her head in pity. "What is your name dear?" Aunty asked her. She raised her head a little. "My name is Dalia," she responded sheepishly. Aunty smiled at her again, "nice to meet you Dalia. How are you doing? Ya karin hakuri? May Allah grant him the highest rank in Jannah," aunty prayed. Whenever someone prays for her daughter, it always made her to cry. She missed him so bad. "Alhamdulillah. Ameen ameen, Thank you so much."

The maid came in with refreshments and kept it in front of Dalia like aunty asked her to. "Please feel free and eat, okay?" Aunty soothed. Dalia smiled a little and nodded. Her head was ducked all the while. She took the water bottle and opened it before she poured it in a glass cup. She took few sips and kept the cup. She peered her eyes on the TV as she listened to them talking even though she doesn't understand anything they were saying but she knew it was Fulfulde and she admired the language and she always wanted to learn. 

 Aunty glanced at dalia and smiled. "Bengel mai fitting am, mi do Lara o wade hakilo (I'm really impressed by her behaviour, she’s definitely humble.)" 

Muhsin shrugged his shoulders and continued to try calling Amira but she never picked any of the calls. He hissed slightly and excused himself. Aunty turned her head to Dalia and tried to conversed with her but she was too shy and uncomfortable to speak much. 

After few hours, he took her home when daddy called him to. He dropped her home and left to his own house while he waited for the return of his nonchalant queen.