Mrs Mahmud, Mrs Mas'ood

39

The Sufyans – and one Dantata (Amal) – fought over who Hauwa would stay with while in Abuja. Hauwa wanted to rent an apartment the same way Hanan did during the service year but they all had one argument. She was to get married to Mahmud in roughly less than a year so there was no need spending money on an apartment she was going to move out of before the rent expired.

With all of them against her, Hauwa dropped the idea and allowed them decide her fate.

Hanan pulled the sister card and she was backed up by Amal. Zayd knew better than to get involved. Hanan stated that Hauwa would be more than comfortable in Sunrise Hills and that she was bonding well with the twins so it'll be a win-win for all of them. Linda scoffed and asked Hanan if she wanted to make Hauwa an unofficial nanny. Hanan and Amal could only sputter.

Linda's younger sister, Muminat, asked Hauwa to come and stay with her at Thuja Ville Estate in Utako. Hauwa, who had not seen the woman in years or ever met her husband and kids, politely declined. The last thing she wanted was being uncomfortable with people she wasn't used to. Besides, Muminat had cats in her house and Hauwa did not fare well with cats at all.

Salatu decided to play dirty. She pulled the "longest person Hauwa has known" card. She argued that she and Jimoh had the best place for Hauwa in their house at Wuse and that it was already Hauwa's second home. She also argued that she was there when Hauwa was born, she was the one who raised Hauwa whenever she was in town and that Hauwa was more than familiar with every one of her kids.

Jimoh supported his wife's every argument. The other Sufyans who were based in Abuja tried to argue but Salatu was not having it. One by one, they gave up and she grinned.

Hanan folded her arms, sulking. "It's not fair, Aunty Salatu. Hauwa should stay here with me and Amal."

Salatu blew Hanan a kiss through the screen. "Life is not fair, my dear. Live with it."

Every development was communicated with Mahmud. When he went to drop Hauwa off at the house on Kigoma Street so she and Salatu could go shopping for necessities, Jimoh glared at him.

"If you want to ever take her out, you will go through me." He said as sternly as he could. He even pointed a finger for emphasis. "And if I say no, you better listen."

Mahmud nodded; the obedient future in-law. "Yes sir."

Hauwa rolled her eyes. "God abeg. If this is how you want to act, Uncle Jimoh, let me go back to Hanan's house."

Jimoh instantly changed tactics. He grinned at Mahmud. "You can take her out, my dear. Just have her back early enough. You know how Nigeria is."

Mahmud nodded again, barely stifling a chuckle. "Yes sir."

Hauwa returned to Ekpoma on Saturday December 17th. Not wanting Linda and Yusuf to stress themselves although they told her there was nothing stressful about going to pick her up, she found her way home. When she walked through the pedestrian gate, she found them both standing behind the X-terra, smiles on their faces.

She smiled back and closed the gate. "I'm back!"

When Linda opened her arms, Hauwa wasted no time in running into the embrace. Yusuf hugged both women. They stayed in that position for a long moment before they broke apart.

Hauwa grinned. "You will help me pack abi? I feel like I will run mad."

Yusuf nodded. "Of course, Hauwa. We will. We always will."

She opened the iron door that gave access to the staircase and was about to head in when she noticed the new vehicle parked between Yusuf's Tundra and Linda's X-terra. She dropped her small bag and rushed to the side of the car.