Chapter 38
The bright morning sun crept into the room, through the curtain, flashing into her eyes. She stretch her limp figure and smile heartily knowing everything have been resolve between her and Mubarak.
She unwrapped the duvet around her body and lazily walk into her bathroom and brush her teeth. Smile couldn't skip her beautiful face. She stare at her reflection in mirror, above basin hand wash, and everything that happened few days ago flow back to her memory like a breeze.
~~~
She lock herself inside her room, threaten her parent to either help her look for Mubarak or she won't open the door until she lost her breath. They were freak because it been two day's and she's was still adamant with her word. Her father especially, couldn't take it after knowing his daughter just survived from a coma las month.
He higher private investigators to help him track Mubarak where about. And luckily in just two days everything he wanted to know was given to him.
He rush to his daughter to open the door but still she refuse until he told her the good news and she swiftly open the door. Starring at her figure, her dad had pity her, she as indeed became so lean and could even fall down as any minute.
Her dad also threaten her to eat first before they go to his house and without objecting she did just as he said.
After she was done, her dad drive her him self to the house and park beside the gate. After several knock on the door, the gateman open the door slightly and asked who they were looking for? They told him and he excuse him self to be back in a jiffy.
Second minute later, he came back and ushered them in to the house. At the sight of seeing them Mubarak was shock. He compose his self and walk toward her father and greeted him in his known manners. He gesture for them to come inside and have a seat.
After a while of silent Alhaji break it. "Mubarak I don't exactly know how you will feel about it honestly, believe me I didn't know when it happen and when I do I asked her to let it go immediately, I never knew she still has hand in it. I'm really sorry we have to let you go through that all alone. She herself regret it too, please forgive us." Alhaji begged on behalf of his family.
"Sir you don't have to apologies for nothing please,is okay." He reply.
"Thank you Mubarak you don't know how this surely means to me."
Nusaiba stood up and move forward to where Mubarak was sitting with his leg cross. She knelt down in front of him." I'm sorry! I know I don't have the right to still face you and apologized for all have done with a mere sorry but yet is the only word I can fathom out of my lips. Have done a lot of terrible things to you in the past all in the name to be love back, I never knew I was only been selfish by doing so. Even when I was bedridden I couldn't stop regretting my action toward you, perhaps is the reason why I was unconscious for so long. Mubarak I'm sorry, I never should have gone out that way but believe me, my heart was on fire without a water to quench it. But have realise my mistake now. please find it in your heart to forgive me one day" And she kept crying non stopping. Her tears make Mubarak to pity her and he lifted her up and hug her just the way they were before, he rock her back gently." Is okay Nusaiba everything is in the past, can we let go of it and move on" He asked and she nodded her head and their life became normal again. Just how they were in last five years ago. He only saw her as his sister and she learn to let go of the feelings too.
~~~
She brush her teeth and saunter into the dinning room. After greeting are dad she walk to her usual position and sat down. She serve herself some chips with fry egg and tea.
"Dad did you read the news headline yesterday? She asked curiously.
"Not really, have been having trouble with my eyes sight of lately." He complained.
"Sorry dad, I hope you feeling better? She asked worriedly.
"Yes am feeling better, so what the news about? Is it something special?" He asked.
"Yes dad, the famous Agogo heiress was sue to court by one guy like that. His name was not display on the news since his not someone from powerful background too.
"Oh I see, and who won the case?" He asked again.
"Of course is the guy that won the case, she admitted it to be her fault, I was surprised because I know her then in BUK she's so rude. I can't even stand her face even for a minute.
"So was she prosecuted?"
"Not yet, but she was given one week to pay for the damages she cause him." She explain
"Only?
"Yes dad. And I know it will be very difficult for her to pay it off in this situation of her."
"And why will it be difficult for her when she has it at the tips of her finger" Her dad said.
"But dad I heard her fathers goods has been ceased by the custom and he as invested a lot into it including loads taking.
"What? I never knew about it, anyway that good for him. He deserve to learn his lesson the hard way" her dad declare in satisfaction.
"Does that me their like father like daughter?" She asked and her father reply her with a nod.
Nusaiba allow your dad to finish his breakfast before you feed him with all the news headline of Nigerian." Her mother tease immediately she walk into the dinning. And they all laugh.
* * *
After praying Asr, he remain still on the praying mat, and raise his both hand and pray for the best and Allah's guidance in everything. Immediately he finish he left the mosque, and headed to the main building, Because he was hungry.
He went inside the parlour and saw it empty. Then toward the kitchen and was surprise to see everyone excluding Khalid, busy with one thing or the other.
"Hey ladies, what going on here, you all having special guess or perhaps family get to gather? Or is someone getting married? "He asked teasingly. Has he saw different variety of food and baking.
"Yes, just as you said earlier, we are having family get together tonight. So you're free to invite who so ever you wish though is still a small gathering trust me" Fatima smile sheepishly.
"Wow, okay! Which one should I Start with?" He asked, raising the sleeve of his cloth.
"No, thank you! Ya Yushraf, we don't want the kitchen to burn down on this special day" Hawwy smirk.
"I get it, you telling me indirectly that I can't cook right" He asked feigning to be serious making everyone to laugh including Hajiya that just walk in at the moment.
"Hajiya..." He called.
"Can you trust me enough to hand over this baking to me? Let me surprise this ladies that think I can't do anything please" He beseech, making Hajiya to only agreed to what he said.
"Mummy, trust him, his very good in all that aspect of baking he inherited that from our mum" Reedah finally speak and smile at the image of how they do back then when her parent were still alive.
"Wow that nice, I can't wait to taste it then" Hajiya said.
"Awwwn Ya Yushraf, so you talk freely like this" Halima asked.
"Trust him to be a parrot when his free with people." And that make Yushraf to glare at his twins sister.
"I thought his just much of an observant" Fatima said.
"Yeah he his at first sight. "Reedah respond.
Yushraf went closer to Hajiya and plead with her" Hajiya can you please warn this ladies to stop making my stay uncomfortable here" He asked teasingly.
"Sure why not! You all should better let my boy be and concentrate on your cooking let him bake different cake for us." Hajiya warn them, feigning to be serious.
"Ya Yushraf you need to see ya Khalid in kitchen, wallahi, his worst, he almost burn down our kitchen the last time he step in to help us." Halima said. And everyone laugh including Reedah too.
30minute later when everyone was still busy, Khalid walk in and was speechless when he saw Yushraf more serious with full concentration on baking." Yushraf you kidding me right? What are doing there?" He asked.
"Khalid you think everyone is like you who can't even light a gas? " Hajiya asked mockingly.
"Hajiya you're embarrassing me, I'm hungry" He said trying to change the topic.
"Because fareedah is here right" She asked. And Reedah cheek became red, she felt like just disappearing out of the kitchen.
"When are you going to make it official please, I can't wait to have my daughter back as my daughter in law, please you're getting old, hurry up and settle down.
"Hajiya, she's still not done with her school" He said, trying to use that as his clue.
"Well you can't give me that crab as an excuse, right fareedah? She asked, facing her while she turn her back at her, She will continue with her school even after marriage.
"Hajiya can we talk about this later I'm hungry, right Yushraf? You are hungry too right" He asked, pleading with Yushraf to say yes so they can just escape.
* * *
She was still not sure of herself, whether to honour the invitation given to her by Fatima or not. "She has been telling me a lot about this particular guy there throwing a get to gather for,__for it successful convocation they were not able to attend last week. But still I can't make a choice." She mutter inwardly to herself.
She sighed exasperatedly, and throw herself back on the bed confused of a answer.
Her mum walk into the room and saw her contemplating" khadijah what wrong with you? Are mum asked quietly placing her hand on her left shoulder.
"Mum I'm confused, I don't feel like going their" She said.
"But why? After she cane here and told you herself about it. Won't it look somehow to reject her invitation khadijah are you not friends anymore" She asked.
"Mum, I'm just worried, I have a lot going on my mind, and this is just least of them, I have just 5 days left to get one million naira. How can pI get that mum? " She asked, not able to control her tears as it thread down her cheek. She cried in pain and clutch her hand onto her chest.
"Khadijah you don't have to cry, you're not just the only one in pain, we are too, and we won't pray for you to be prosecuted insha Allah. Who knows you might even find him right at your eyes today, after all you said you saw his sister together with Khalid last time. They might be friend too remember, Khalid might knows him.
"But mum how will I face him when I still don't have the money to pay off?" She asked.
"Did you think is money that young man eyes is desperate for? did you think that unshed tears in his eyes crave for the money? Did you think he just sue you to court for a revenged? When he knows you have everything at the tips of your finger to pay off if not this condition, did you think the vacancy, grinding and resentment in his eyes is only a dislike toward you? No khadijah, he hated you only because of a single word that refused to come out of your lips. A sincere apology is what that man crave for the most khadijah, he don't care if you gave him money, he will still hate you more he think you're still your usual self, a strong headed and a spoilt brat who don't value peoples feeling.
"But "I'm sorry" will wipe everything off his heart, it will reduce the weight of pain in his heart, I'm sorry is the only thing they desperately wanted from you only. No matter how you think or feel when you saw him, kneel down in their front and apologized for your wrong please for the sake of Allah do it" Her mother pleaded with her and tears find their way out of exist.
"Mum I promised you by Allah I will do just as you said when I find them, I will kneel down and apologized. After all there is noting to lose again when have lost it all" She said and her mum engulfed her in to a bear hug.
At the far corner of the room Stand her father with red bloodshed eyes, witnessing the must agony sight of his family in pain.
* * *
"Shafiu can you just drive me to my destination peacefully without stirring my mood up please" She beseech trying to control her anger.
"Believe me I also don't want to have anything to do with her but again but my instinct just keep pushing me through something I never plan before. I know she betray us both but still we can't just fold our arms and wrap things up like nothing happened at least let get to the root of everything.
"And how did you want us to do that again? When I saw everything with my own very eyes. What did you want me to investigate on again" She asked in a high pitch voice.
"If you can calm down and think of everything I said earlier then trust me you will know who stab you the most at back when you were at the edge of a blazed. " Shafi'u stated. Try so hard to still convince her.
"So what did you want me to do?" She asked calmly.
"Answer some few questions sincerely first, before I tell you the next step" He respond.
"Okay I'm hearing you, please I'm getting late make it fast" She beseech.
*Did you think sheriff loves you so much? He asked, getting a glare from her. If only look could kill.
"Yes" she reply curtly.
"And did you had any misunderstanding before everything that came up?
"No" she answer and continue starring through the tinted car glass.
"Good. That explain why I'm more curious and determine to find out more about it. Now what you have to do is to confront sheriff about what happened.
"And why should I exactly do that? Did you think because I'm so broken to pieces will make me throw away the remaining dignity and self esteem I have? Do you think I can stand that humiliation again?She asked in anger.
"You are getting it wrong please, khadijah just do as I said please I beg you"He beseech.
"And how do I get to confront him? " She asked clueless.
"You visit him and do that please "
"Okay, can you kindly drive me to my destination peacefully now? She asked calmly.
"Of course her Highness! "And that made her smile at his joke.
She's forever indebted to him!
* * *
He was preparing all the documents needed to be signed on before finally handling it over to Alhaji Bala who he has promise tomorrow to be the last day.
He was so busy searching for the documents that he never knew his phone was ringing on the the table. Until he finally saw the document in the last cabinet. He withdraw it out and dust it away, his phone rang again only him to discover it was anonymous. He hesitated at first, after 2 missed called he motion some courage and pick the call.
"Are you easily fool to just be handing over the documents, did you even search for them to be sure if their not still alive? How much exactly could he have given you or perhaps threaten you with to betrayed your loyal ship to Alhaji sufyaan imam? Is 3 years so long to still hold onto" The latter asked Barr bello, who was visibly shivering by the shocking realization.
"For your information Yushraf sufyaan imam and his twin sister Fareedah sufyaan imam are both alive, living healthy after the long suffering because of your mere negligence. Don't you dare hand over that document to Alhaji Bala no matter how he threaten your life, we will protect you to the end I promised. You don't believe my word then you go through your state news and see for yourself what happened yesterday" The latter said and ended the called leaving Barr bello render speechless for a while.
