Chapter 27

After they were done with shopping. they took their shopping bag to the car and left afterward. They both got into the car and drove to a nice restaurant.

They went in and sat down. A waiter came up to them immediately after there arrival with there restaurant content and hand it over to them.

After going through the whole content deejah still couldn't place a hand on what she want and asked Mina to choose for the both of them.

"Can we just have chips and sausage meat? Mina asked after going through the menu.

*Yes ma'am at your service he said smiling with his side dimple radiating" He bold his head slightly and left.

Her heart started beating, she close are eyes for a brief so she could pulled herself together. But his bloodshot eyes, his dimple and how pity he look that day keep appearing to her anytime she close her eyes like a nightmare. She didn't not want to feel remorseful of what she did. Not just yet but forever!" she was still deep in thought when Mina tap her lightly.

"What wrong with you?"She asked immediately she saw how deejah Jerk away.

"Nothing really I'm fine, just a little bit tired that why I slept of unknowingly" She said and fought a smile out.

"Oh so sorry! I forgot our sweet grandma is around!" She teased and laugh at her.

"Whatever! Please stop laughing is not funny being around that woman. I wish you will come visit soon and see how she behaved.

'Don't worry, you will soon be seeing me in your house frequently after today' She thought to herself, a sarcastic smile beam her face before responding " I will be coming over don't worry."

"I hope you're not gonna missed Barbeque night?" She asked.

"Oh shit! Honestly have forgotten about it" She massage her forehead gently.

"What? How could you forget about it? Well is not late there starting by 7pm." A frown etch her forehead.

"Seriously I didn't plan for it, because I never knew it was suppose to be today that why I even forgot about it."

"But you know we already gave them our word that we will be there and even persuade Hafsat too since fatima refuse to, claiming she don't go out in the night." She was persistent

'If only she knew what await her!'she gnash the air in fury.

"Oh is true! But I feel like not going anymore" she said scrunching up her face.

"Okay, I will just go myself. Excuse me let me call my driver to pick up" With that been said, she stood up and was about to go and make a call when deejah draw her back on her seat.

"Are you angry?" She asked; worriedly.

"I'm not" She said sternly.

"Common is showing on your face. Okay I will be going, so put on a smile face please" She said and Mina smile widely.

"Is okay, if you don't feel comfortable about going, you can leave it I understand. " She said her face lace with pretend.

"I'm going so just shut up and eat up" deejah said jocularly.

After they were done. They stood up and walk out of the restaurant and heard to the barbeque night. they were invited for, by there colleague.

On there arrival, they park at the packing space that was design. The surrounding was serene, with different hut surrounding the place. A fireplace for grilling fish and meat, employing hot charcoal as the heating medium was situated at the center of all the Hut. Mina dial Hafsat number and she pick immediately" Hello, where are you guys? have been waiting for you guys for what seem like forever!" She yelled at them immediately she pick the call.

"We are sorry, we can't make it anymore" Mina said trying to hold back her laughter.

"What?" She shouted on the phone making people around her to look at her.

"Oh yes," deejah collected the phone from Mina and respond.

"You both won't kill me before my time Allah, walahi you better make yourself visible here or else I won't take it likely, remember is both of you that even convince me on coming if not I won't." You better start coming now she shouted through the phone angrily and ended the call at them.

"Hafsat is angry fa!" Deejah exclaimed.

"Yeah exactly, she even end call on me" Mina reply.

"Just call and tell her we are here, we only joking please," Deejah beseech.

Mina was about to call her, when deejah sighted her coming out of the hut angrily even though it was getting late she could still figure how she look from a far. She tapped Mina shoulder and pointed toward Hafsat.

"Mina we are in trouble, Hafsat is about to leave." She said starring at her.

"I'm even calling her but she's not picking" Mina complain and gape surprisedly when she saw her coming.

"Let just wait for her here since her car is also park beside ours" Deejah suggested.

She unlocked her car and was almost close to the it when she saw them leaning on her car. She was surprised at first and then compose herself feigning to still be angry at them for making her angry.

"Idiot we were only joking you know we can never missed this barbeque night." Mina remark.

"Yeah we can't, so cheer up we we were only pulling your leg" deejah added in and winked at her.

"You better don't try it again" Hafsat warn and relock her car by pressing the remote bottom.

"Yes ma'am! So shall we go in." Deejah asked teasingly.

_______

They were having a feast and enjoying each other company with colleagues. With music blazing around different hut surrounding the barbeque.

A Phone was ringing inside deejah clutch bag and she open the bag and brought the phone out only to discover the caller ID was sheriff. So she stood up and left the Hut since she can't here him from inside because of the music that was blasting around.

"Hello, Sheriff I will call you back when I get home I can't here you clearly due to the loud volume of the music" She explained.

"Where are you like this" He asked sternly.

But deejah couldn't here him clearly so she walk down to the parking lot were the sound was less.

"Hello!" She didn't get any reply so she check the phone only to discover Sheriff has already hung the call on her.

"Why is sheriff so mean for God sake, why always judgemental over everything at least wait for me to explain before getting jealous or angry and ending the call on me anyhow" She scrunch her face in annoyance and hissed loudly.

On her way returning back to the Hut, she heard a footsteps behind her and when she turn she saw nobody. She clutched her purse tightly and walk nervously.

A hand grip her tightly around her waist, and before she could shout or comprehend what was happening to her, a strings was already injected into her shoulder making her vision to become black, while her body become numb.

At the barbeque they were busy enjoying the grill fish and meat serve, while Hafsat kept making fun of everyone making them to laugh at her jokes.

After an hour the music was stop and everyone start leaving. Deejah was still not back from her phone call. So they left the Hut and search for her around the barbeque but she was not found. Hafsat was very worried and almost teary when she search and search and still couldn't found her.

She almost slap herself when she remember she haven't try her number or even check the parking lot maybe she has left. She dial her number and it was switch off, she hurriedly rush to where there car were park and saw her car still there just the way they left it some hours ago.

"Innalilahi wa'ina illahi rajiu'n!" Hafsat exclaimed and Mina quickly ran toward her.

"Hafsat what happened" She asked looking everywhere to see what make her to shout like that.

I...I..think Khadijah has been kidnapped" She voice out quietly falling down on the sand with her hand place on her head, tears streaming down her face.

"What! You can't just assume that yet please, let just keep searching, who knows maybe she's even with sheriff at this moment that you're crying. Common get up and let go" Mina said and they both went ahead with the searching.

"Did you have sheriff number?" Hafsat asked after searching for a while.

"No, I don't have his number" Mina was quick to answer.

* * *

At the dinning table. Hajiya asked about deejah and was told she's inside her room.

What! She exclaimed loudly.

Did you mean she didn't join in preparing any meal today sumaiyah" She asked surprisedly.

Hajiya she came and met me cooking lunch with the maid, so she left immediately telling me she can't be cooking together with the maid." Sumaiyah said folding her hand swiftly afraid of how hajiya will react with Khadijah this night.

Why?" Hajiya asked.

That they disgust her.

What? A human being disgust her," Hajiya boom loudly.

Rukkayah did you heard what sumaiyah said? She asked her mum and she just nodded not surprised anymore. __After all deejah is still deejah she can even say something even worst than this." Her mum thought.

Sumaiyah go and called her here now" Aunty bilkisu summoned for her.

Sumaiyah went upstairs and knocked on her door but got no respond. She used that at a clue and fling the door open. She said her salam and enter inside since she did not get any responds back. The spacious room was empty and quiet. She knock on the bathroom and still didn't get any reply or heard anything like tap been open, She open it too after hesitating for a while and saw it empty too.

She hurriedly went back to the dinning and inform them.

What? Hajiya Rukayyah asked surprisedly.

Everyone turn at her immediately she yelled. What happened Ya Rukkayya" Aunty Amina asked.

This is past 10pm and you said Khadijah is not around? She asked Sumaiyah.

Yes Aunty have search everywhere including her bathroom.

Uhm this is serious, Khadijah never left home unnoticed. By the way who saw her when she was leaving? She asked after calling out the whole maid.

Everyone nod there head in a No gesture.

Hajiya the last I saw her was when she left the kitchen"Maijidah one of the maid voice out.

You can all go back to your room." And they left each of them whispering to one another.

Maryam go and call mallam Umar for me." She said after dismissing others.

After a short while Mallam Umar came into the living room and they all went to the living room to meet him since he can't come to the dinning section.

Good evening Hajiya," Mallam Umar greeted.

Evening Mallam Umar, how are you doing.

Alhamdullilah, I'm fine Hajiya."He reply calmly.

Mallam have you seen Khadijah today? She asked quickly.

Yes Hajiya, she asked me to open the gate for her around 3pm and ever since then I haven't seen her again." He said sincerely.

And this is past 10pm, Let me inform his dad" She said and left the leaving room and saunter to Alhaji Muhammad Agogo apartment to inform him on what going on.

She said her salam and enter into his private living room. She sighted him so engross on TV watching news. She went close to him and sat down beside him.

Alhaji did deejah tell you she was going out this afternoon? Hajiya Rukkayya asked.

He dropped the glass of water he was drinking and turn to his wife unable to gulp down the remaining water." What did you just said Rukkayya? He asked again surprised.

What type of question is this? She didn't tell me and by the way I only saw her this morning." He explained.

Innalilahi!" Rukkayya exclaimed and rest her back on the chair tapping her foot on the floor.

Did you confirm her where about from her friend already? Her husband asked.

She was about to go and get her phone when Maryam came in and inform them Mina was in the main apartment.

Without thinking twice they both practically ran toward the main apartment were everybody was already present.

From their swollen faces, the mother could already perceive that something was wrong with her child. And she asked __Amina where is Khadijah?" She asked immediately they saw her.

And she boom into a series of cry making Alhaji to grip his hand tightly on his cloth.

Amina could you just hold yourself back, and tell us what going on please." Hajiya Rukkayya asked.

Aunty" She called fiddling with her finger, unable to speak.

Talk to us" deejah father yelled.

We can't find deejah whereabout." Hafsat voice out after invigorating some strength.

What???" Her father exclaimed in disbelief.

Innalilahi wa'ina illahi rajiu'n" everyone including her mum said in bewildered.

Since when was she missing? Hajiya Balkisu asked.

Pass 8pm" Mina said.

Where did you people went to? Hajiya asked after observing everybody for a while.

We went to a shopping complex and after that we went to a restaurant and later went to a barbeque night which we were invited by our colleagues."Mina answer.

Alhaji ran absentmindedly out of the house to the parking space and drove out of the mansion like a lunatic.