Chapter 23

Deejah POV

I wake up to the sound of my phone alarm, ringing non stop. I got irritated and open my eyes only to remember I was having a test by 6am. I pick my phone that was on top of the nightstand and check the time only to realized I will soon be late, this already 5:40 am.

I hurriedly enter bath room and and got a quick shower then change, and did some little make up. Not like I was in the mood for it but I have to do it in other to cover some reddish mark on my face after mum slapped. So I use a concealer to masked it up.

"Arhh! thinking about everything that happened yesterday really pissed me up, it make me feel terrible and so low of my self. I wish mum could just forgive me and let it go, Am so lost in my river of emotions and its flowing me out of my control, when I needed my mum to forgive me. I wipe away a string of tears on my cheeks and dash out of the room and walk pass the dinning.

* * *

"Babe did you know how lucky you were today?" Hafsat asked

I furrow my eyes brow like is she really referring to me. " And how I'm I demn lucky about anything again Hafsat?" I asked popping my eye out, not in the mood.

"Yeah you are, he was just about to lock the door when you came in" She said.

"So? What the lucky thing about that? will just knocked and enter as usual." I shrugged.

"Oh because you're his girlfriend or side chick or even his wife to enter boldly right? You could have carry over the course immediately he lock that door." She said and fold her hand akimbo.

"Oh!" I exclaim. Could not even fathom a word has I realized what she mean by that rather than to thank Allah for saving my life.

"So how was the test today? Mine was terrible because I couldn't read anything last night" I said trying to block away the image of yesterday as it still fresh in my memory. "Could it ever erase again?" I thought

"Walahi is even better that you were not able to read. I even regret wasting my precious time and having sleepless night for this test." Hafsat said disappointed.

"Seem like someone did not do well in her test today try to always attend his lecture rather than just coping his note and buying hand out, you don't know what he might have said during his lecture" Fatima tease and walking into their desk.

"All the way from your department." Mina chirp in.

"Whatever at least am graduating this year unlike you that have one extra year to spend" Hafsat mock and wink at her.

"Hey remember I'm a doctor that will come to your rescue when you're sick, so excuse me one year extra won't hurt much, and believed me the extra year really worth the wait," fatima said proudly has a medical students.

"OK. So Miss doctor, why are you here disturbing our peaceful moment when you should be there reading your tons of books," Mina asked sarcastically.

"Oh so I'm unwanted here?" fatima asked and feigned hurt.

"Please don't mind them, I'm also tired of there ranting, they can be so mean." I said

"I'm craving for ice cream and also tired of sitting here let go out out please at least kakaki ice cream place won't be bad." Mina said pleadingly.

We all agree and emerged out of the school building. Everyone inside there car except Mina who could not drive yet and her driver Mallam Abu travel this morning to his village.

"Babe when will you ever learn how to drive your own car? You better start driving that car of yours and let me be free of driving you about like Mallam Abu, I'm not your driver." I tongue out and I could feel a light tap on my shoulder.

"I will soon start, probably before our exam. So chill and be my driver for just sometimes more babe."

"You're so mean hope you know that." I asked.

"whatever! Now could you just hurry up and park this car of yours let me go and get my ice cream already." Mina squeeze at the sight of kakaki ice cream flow.

"Hey easy tigress if not because you're a maiden I could have think maybe you're preg...!" I said and I quickly left d car to her before she punch me.

"You're so mean Allah, don't let me catch you before my ice cream." She said and adjust her gown as we both head toward fatima and Hafsat.

"Let hurry up and leave here please I have a lot to deal with" I murmur

"Yeah I get it we will be fast about it" Hafsat said almost walking faster with Mina, while I and fatima just trail behind them.

As usual kakaki was booming with people trolling in and out.

Everywhere look very beautiful and spacious, with creamy wall.

"That why I hate coming here, it so crowdy with people" fatima complain, regretting ever coming with us. while to me it not a bad thing coming here, at least for a moment I can worried about everything less.

Everybody was busy with there ice cream including fatima who was regretting ever coming some minute ago. Were by I could not, I was just staring at it and turning the little spoon around "i hope it not obvious" I thought.

"I think I have an obsession with this kakaki ice cream already" fatima confessed.

"Says by who has a crowding phobia" Hafsat mock.

"You guys should keep reminding me to tell the school to give Hafsat award for the 'Best mocker' of the year." Fatima said with her lip tight, trying not to laugh hard.

"Unbelievable!" Hafsat exclaimed.

"That enough for the day please, I have to go I'm so exhausted." I said and stood up with my hand bag.

Almost at the car park when Mina came along with a bag of ice cream again while we wave the 'Cat and Rat' goodbye, though fatima still as a lectures so she was going back to school.

"What! are you kidding me Mina? you already take a tons of that inside, what are you going to do with this again?" I asked has I stretch my hand toward the bag she was holding tightly.

"I don't know, I'm just craving for it so excuse me" She said and sat in the car waiting for me to drive her home.

I sigh exasperatedly and got into the car and drove Mina.

* * *

"Don't tell me you're not coming in?" Mina asked narrowing her eyes at me.

"Must I?" I asked

"Oh yeah because it is a usual routine anytime you drop me so why not today." She said and walk toward my side door.

"I can sense it when you hide something from me Deejah, what wrong with you and all the moody today?" She asked worriedly.

"Nothing really I'm fine, I just need a rest" I said not so sure of my self anymore.

"Now tell me what wrong? You've been acting weird throughout today like something is really bothering you, can you imaging how you were down in school, how you said even your test was terrible because you couldn't read last night and how you were even turning your ice cream spoon on that table thinking it was not obvious. 'while it was' And what are the demn things you need to deal with?" She asked peering into my eyes suspiciously.

I rest my head on the headrest and sigh as if to answer her questions from earlier. I rubbed my forehead in exasperation.

"You need to come with me" She said and dragged me out of the car to her room.

"Now remove the cat from his cage, Spill it out all." Mina said after we sat down on her bed.

I raises my head up, hoping to swallow all the pain. When it came dripping from the side of my eyes, I wipe it away with my finger." It mum." I finally speak up.

She narrow her eyes at me, what happened to mum? Is she sick? She asked blinking her eyes severally at me.

"Calm down Mina, she's not sick but the truth has been reveal even before I get to amend for my wrong." I said like someone who has just been defeated.

"Can you please just stop running around the bush and explain everything to me, and stop that tears too? You're really scaring me seeing the vulnerable side of you which is very rare, you need to let it out." She was teary too and also feel tired of the suspend.

"Okay I'm sorry! you're actually right I can't do it alone, I need to let it out at least to feel better.

"The guy came to our house yesterday, I mean the guy I arrested, and mum came out immediately she heard us exchange harsh word to each other. She asked what going on and for a moment we both kept quiet."

"And did he reveal what happened?" Mina asked, shocked

"Yeah he did after several pleading from Mum. He told her everything that inspired between us and even told my mum his sister lost her womb too, due to a lot of depression when she ran into a car. And should I tell you the worst of it all?" I asked if she's really ready to here it.

"Yeah please go on" She said and wipe her tears too.

"Mum slapped me for him, not just once but twice Mina, could you believed it too? Has I'm still trying to figure it like is it for real?" I asked and Mina almost lost her balance from the bed.

"This is really unbelievable just like you said it earlier. I'm also finding it hard to believe Mum slapped you for that wretched soul? Please tell me it one of your usual prank, because right now everything is really hard for me to digest" She said wiping her tear while she stare at me.

"I wish is a prank too Mina, but this really the bitter truth." I said, and she hug me soothing my back.

She break the hugged and asked.

"But how did he get into your house? When you could have stop him. The security man did not inform you about it?" She asked

"Yeah he did, but I was too lost in my river of emotions that I forgot to even asked who it was. I thought it was sheriff so I just stood up and drape my veil on, asking him to go on and let him in. And even when the gate was reveal I still couldn't sight him because he was driving a different car, very expensive. until he park just in front of me and not where Sheriff usual park. He came out of the car and walk toward me, that was when I realised it was that guy and it was almost too late. So could you blame me?" I asked.

"Ya Allah, Mina you need to see how he was looking so dashing, I was almost drown for a moment." I said covering my face forgetting everything around me for a moment.

"Don't let that deceive you Deejah, he might only borrow it just to come and 'trapped you in a jungle of his wretched life and penury.' Come did he even worth a thousand check talk more of having an expensive car worth some millions? And here you are already dwelling in a borrow car you can even get at every tips of your finger" She said the fact and I could sense every pure truth in her word even though it came harshly.

"Mina easy, that too hurt I get the truth, the pure truth but is too harsh." I said and closed my eyes trying to absorb all she said.

"Okay I'm really sorry, about it but believed me is the truth. So what about Mum? I can't believed she slapped you for him, and even trust him more than you. How could she even believed all the guy said especially about his sister womb that a pure lie" she purse her lips and jutted are chin up.

"Yeah and should I even tell you the worst of it all, the must Excruciating part of it?" I asked, as tears keep blinding my vision.

Mina shook her head, her tears now also mixed with her running nose, she took a tissue to clean up.

"She asked me to go and look for them anywhere I could and apologized for everything. " I said closing my eyes for it, so hurt revealing Mum condition.

"What? Apologize for those fools? C'mon did you even here yourself out, how will you even apologise, as in Khadijah Muhammad Agogo, the whole of Agogo heiress to be in future, beg a wretched soul? Oh no this is surely a repugnant." She said disgusted

"Yes Mina, believed me that what she said and the only way she could forgive me too" I shrugged sighing so loudly, just tired of everything and feel so low of my self.

"That not so gonna ever happened you know, has fact as I'm still alive and still breathing in this earth. Did you even know how it sound, how it felt to beg a penury soul? It felt like crawling on the Street begging for your next meal." She said irritatedly.

"What about dad, how did he even react on this issue?" She asked with her hand on her hips.

"I shove him away, thinking Mum is already dealing with a lot."

"Tell me you did not do that to dad? That so bad and so uncalled for. You need to apologized to dad his the only man that truly love you in your whole family. I don't really know why Mum always show her hatred for you, and make you feel unwanted" She said and wipe my tears.

"Deejah you must stand on your feet and walk with your head up above your shoulder, stop trying to pleased her and pleased dad only, his the only man that can give you everything and anything you want just to see your happiness, not Mum that always want to see your sadness and downfall." She said assuring me everything is gonna be fine.

"Mina I truly don't know what to do without you, you're my back bone and a true friend to lean on, I will forever be indebted to you. I love you so much thanks for everything a lot have been lifted off my shoulder and I felt really good." I said and hugged her

"Don't be silly" She chuckled. "You hold me absolutely nothing, C'mon what are friends for to share everything together, be it good or bad."

"Yeah thank you I will be on my way now bye." I said and saunter to my car and drove out.

Mina was right I can't keep pleasing mum just to have her love, dad is more than enough for me, whatever she think from now on is left for her. I can't keep burdening my self with her issue everyday.

My mission is only to apologized to dad and move on with my life.