Chapter 28 Humairah

Days gone, the Niger State College Of Arts and Social Sciences did me good. I was now in my 3rd year in the school. It was a Degree issuing College so I had to add another year for my 400level and then another year for my NYSC program.

It was a dream come true! My uncle and his family were so happy for me, same as my parents back in the village. I had visited them fourteen times since I started school. My mother never knew her masturbating daughter would turn out to be such a great person in the future. I only smiled at her and told her masturbation was a disease I couldn't get rid of, it took me a lot of courage, prayer, sacrifices, and fasts to stop it. And when I went to a doctor to check if it hadn't done any harm to me, I was told I may have difficulty in mothering a child in my life although another doctor proved that wrong. But whatever the case may be, masturbation isn't really a good thing in Islam. And for men, it is unhealthy when it is done frequently.

I would not despair in my life. If Allah could bring an end to my masturbating habit, then there is absolutely nothing HE can not do. I just had to be patient, perhaps in my first year of marriage I would conceive for my husband. But marriage? Who cared about it anyways? In fact, love was the last thing on my mind right now. The person I once loved poured a handful of sand on my face. Right now, I was scared of even associating myself with men talk more of falling in love with them. Many have tried but rejection was what they faced. I practically disliked love right now.

Recently, I was posted to NAFDAC Zonal office in Minna for my I.T, and thus I was about to be sent for a special assignment in one of the branches of Zaki Company by the chairman of the agency. It was kind of a spying mission.

"Sir, I can't go there!" I protested folding my arms across my chest. "This is where I chose"

"You are naive" He shook his head smiling.

"I have my reasons sir, I can't go there!" I said.

"If you really want to do your I.T here then you must abide by our rules. We are only sending you to Zaki Company as an I.T student to get us some information. It is not spying!" He said.

"But why Zaki of all companies, sir?" I queried. "Why not Bulama Cooperation, Yargote Group, or DAF Limited?"

"Because Zaki is the only company that is not abiding by the rules. Take this..." He said handing over some files to me. "Everything about Zaki Company's acts of misconduct is there but we are yet to be sure about it. If you help us get some information about them, I promise to secure a job for you here after your school"

"Hmm!" I huffed.

"Think about it" He plastered a smile on his face. He knew there was no way I could ignore such a big offer. It means immediately after my Service I would get a job without stress.

"Okay then" I absentmindedly uttered.

"Good!" He smiled.

...

My first day at Zaki Beverage Factory was great. I was respectfully welcomed by Ahmad's secretary, Jemima and in my presence she called him over because he wasn't around.

"He's on his way coming" She anxiously said.

"Okay" I said swiping through my phone.

In few minutes time, Ahmad's voice came from the intercom that Jemima should meet him in his office with the new NAFDAC I.T student.

"Let's go" She said to me.

"Okay" I smiled as I stood to my feet and followed her to his office. It was very cold, the air-conditioniner was blowing awesomely.

I thought I didn't love Ahmad anymore but as soon as I saw him I knew he was still in my heart the fact that I felt him deep inside me. He was still the handsome Ahmad I knew years back.

"What the hell?" He wrinkled his brows with a dropped jaw, perhaps surprised of seeing his best cook becoming his I.T worker.

"Is everything okay, sir?" Jemima asked.

"Ye... yes" He stuttered. "Give me her file"

"Alright sir" She said and then handed the file to him before leaving.

"Come and have a sit, Humairah" He said to me.

"Okay" I gently walked over to one of the visitors' swivel chairs facing him and sat in it.

"I am not surprised" He said going through my file. "I actually know you would do something good with the money I've been sending you"

"What?" His words made me to scoff at him. Like seriously? He thought I would use his fucking money? The N40k he had been sending me monthly ever since I stopped working in his house? Well, I really think he needed some elaborations. "Ahmad Jaafar Zaki, thank you for all the money you've been sending me albeit I never used them for myself" I said and continued. "How do you expect me to use the money I didn't work for?" I giggled at him as he paid attention to me. "My savings from the legitimate salaries I got from you while working in your house was sufficient to get me another job in the town and to also enrol me into school. As for the money you've been sending me, I've been transferring them to the account of Minna Orphanage Home. That way, the both of us would be rewarded abundantly by Allah. You can stop sending if you wish, that is none of my business!"

My words seemed to have hurt him badly. It was obvious that he was angry, he couldn't hide it from me – I knew him so very much!

"Why are you here?" He asked dropping my file on his desk. "To spy on our activities?"

Wait, did he just guessed it right? Well I think the last NAFDAC agent had left some traces behind, I shouldn't be so dumb to repeat such mistake. I shouldn't let Ahmad or anyone in the company know my secret. Everything should be quick and confidential, after all I only had six months for my I.T.

"I am not here to spy on you. I am only here to do my I.T and I will leave soon, so don't you worry" I lied with a broad smile on my face.

"I don't trust you, Humairah" He said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because all I.T students are fearful not bold but you, you are acting as if NAFDAC sent you here to supervise our activities" He uttered.

"You are wrong!" I protested.

"Okay then" He said with a sigh. "Welcome to Zaki Beverage Factory! As you already know, I am the son of the sole owner of the Zaki Group. We have many branches and affiliations in Africa and few in Asia, this one here is one of the topmost in Nigeria and I am the one incharge..."