Bound ✅

Au-Pair

October, 2015.

Halima pulled on her black hijab at the sight of the man entering the shop with his two young daughters.  She quickly alerted the others who did the same.

It was out of character for them to pull off their hijabs at work but the heat that had enveloped Abuja was unbelievable and even air-conditioning couldn't do it for them.

She watched as the receptionist greeted the man and directed his daughters further into the shop area, leaving the man standing at the reception. She observed that the receptionist was going to bring the two girls to her tab.

"Halima. They're here for you." She nodded and finished the end of the cornrow she was plaiting for the middle-aged woman in front of her. The two girls walked in and sat, the older one staring in wonder at all the activities in the shop. Halima figured that would keep her busy till she finished.

"What are your names?" The older one stopped looking around and replied her with a smile that made Halima smile too inspite of herself.

"I'm Jariyah. She's Lubna." Everyone in the shop had at that point put their attention on the girls. Even though they didn't let it show, they stared at them very much. Probably their skin and hair texture taht made them stand out a little.

"They're so beautiful, Ma Sha Allah." Halima nodded at  her customer in the mirror, echoing her words. They were Ma Sha Allah alright.

A few hours later, they were done. Their hair was long enough to be adorned with little beads, especially those of Jariyah's that reached her shoulders at such a young age.

Halima kept looking over her shoulder to see the  hair again and again. It seemed like a dream to see her work so beautifully displayed. Customers came in, took a look at the hairstyle and booked Halima for their little kids. She knew she'd be busy later.

*****

When Magrib prayer time came, Halima stretched her neck as far as she could to find their father. He hadn't shown up since he left them there in the morning.

"Did your dad tell you when he'd be here?" Jariyah's beads beat a staccato as she shook her head, rousing little Lubna who was on Halima's shoulder. They were standing on the steps outside the salon and everyone had gone home since six pm. Halima had volunteered to wait back since she was used to parents dumping their children from early morning only to come back with excuses.

"Do you know his phone number?" Halima stretched her neck again and stood on tiptoes to look around again, but the street the salon was on was empty and Magrib prayer was being called in the mosque across the road.

"Yes." Jariyah recited ber father's phone number like a poem while Halima uncomfortably imputed it into her phone. She lifted it to her ear but heard the beep of an unconnecting phone number.

"Your Daddy's phone number isn't going. Who else can I call?" Halima watched as Jariyah thought carefully before shaking her head again.

"Your house address? Your mommy?" She nearly face-palmed herself, children this big, would they not have a mother?

"My mommy passed away." Halima's mouth dropped and her head began to throb. She shook her head and mouthed a sorry. Feeling some pain herself. Would this have been the way Salisu would have treated her children if she had died? Would he have forgotten them like this? Would he have been this negligent?

"I know my grandmother's address if we take Uber." Halima nodded and pulled out her play store to download the cab app. Thank Allah for smart children.

When the price of the ride came up, Halima gasped. It was half of what was in her little account. She linked it to her savings account and finally called a cab. A few minutes later, the cab came and they got in.

"Jariyah, please stay awake kinji?" Jariyah nodded fiercely and fastened her seatbelt with so much authority. She shifted Lubna and made the small girl more comfortable on her laps and put their bags on the floor between them.

As the car moved, Halima smiled to herself. She looked at herself, taking charge already and looking like a mother. Only if. And she refused to think of those things.

Jariyah began talking, opening up as they moved. Apparently she had her daddy, her grandmother and grandfather, her two 'beariful' aunties and Lubnana.

"Daddy is so forgetful these days. Grandma says she'll make him stop being a CEO is he doesn't stop being so forgetful. He deserves it, he has forgotten us three times since Sunday." Halima held her laughter in.

She looked at the map as the driver crawled up the beautiful, quiet, well laid street. She imagined living here, just having no money troubles and having other things to think of other than money.

"That's Grandma's house." Jariyah pointed excitedly at the black gate on the closed street and the driver slowly drove all the way to the gate, parked and ended the trip.

"We're here ma'am." Halima nodded and gingerly got down from the vehicle, beckoning on Jariyah to do the same. Jariyah alighted and brought down all the bags she'd put on the floor of the vehicle. Halima shook her head and bent to help her.

Once they were done, Jariyah went to the large gate and began to hammer on it. Seconds later, the gate was opened by a uniformed man who allowed Jariyah to bundle into the gated house.

"Good evening ma'am? Your name and occupation, and some form of identity?" Halima raised an eyebrow in amusement, she had not mistakenly picked up the president's children, had she?

"Ma'am?" She set down her bag and transferred Lubna gently from her shoulders to her back, she cautiously opened her bag and fished out her national identity card and handed it to him.

He went in and came out later with a scanned copy of the card and motioned for her to sign. She signed and returned the pen to him, only to raise her head to see Jariyah skipping back with three people rushing behind her.

"My babies. I'm so sorry Miss." The older woman with a scarf hazardly around her head and neck. She delicately removed Lubna from Halima's back.

"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. Wallahi, I'm so sorry for your trouble." Halima whose hands had finally freed up shook her head and hands in reply.

"It's fine. I'm sorry we didn't reach you earlier, making you worry." The older woman held her hands and thanked her profusely again and again.

"How can I repay you?"

Halima shook her head and when she looked further, she saw a little enclosed space with a crescent on it. She asked to be let pray there. The older woman agreed and they began the walk into large courtyard.

Halima was pointed off in the direction of the small room where she performed ablution and prayed her missed prayers. When done, she stepped out into the compound again, refreshed and ready to go, she met Jariyah skipping about in front of the door she just exited.

"Grandma says you should please come up into the house."

*******

I'm not going to start today's A/N just as usual, but here's a new chapter.

I sincerely hope you liked it. Please leave a comment on the chapter if you liked it. I'd love that very much.

Also my baby LeemaLiyu started a new book this morning 💃🏿💃🏿💃🏿💃🏿. My Wattpad gist partner is back and we'll be updating parte after parte😘🙅🏿‍♀️😂😂

Have fun y'all. Enjoy your week.

TheOmoope.