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"Hayma kinsan Allah zaki sha duka Idan baki bari ba, if you like don't listen" Mimi warned again for the umpteenth time.
They were in her parlour all together watching a movie but Hayma keeps giving Mimi spoilers as she and Haifa had already watched the movie.
"Ai watching a movie with Hayma is tiring wallahi, she did the same thing to me yesterday, I had to send her away before I was able to finish it. Such a fun crusher" Haifa agreed. "Sorry Mimi, yanzu kam I'll not say anything" Hayma chuckled.
"That's what you said the last sixty six times" Haifa voiced with a hiss.
"Now I really mean it, if I talk send me away" Hayma said. "Good thing you mentioned it yourself" Mimi commented before taking her full attention back on the movie.
They all remained quiet after that and watched peacefully, Hayma didn't say anything henceforth. When the movie was almost ending, the door opened and Alhaji Nasir Dandawaki walked in.
"You're back?" Mimi asked when she noticed it was him. Hayma rushed with enthusiasm and hugged her father while Haifa stood up to welcome him back. "Welcome back Abbu" Haifa said with a smile.
Now that she was looking at her father up close, she saw how spoiled he'd become. He looked malnourished, weak and like he hadn't slept in a long while.
"Thank you my darlings" Abbu said with a smile, a genuine smile before Hayma jumped out of his embrace. "I'll bring some food to your room" Mimi said also standing up to go get the maids prepare something for him. He returned back home at an odd hour so they've not prepared anything for him.
"Let it be, I'm not that hungry" Abbu said and walked out of the room while Mimi followed him.
"Lafiya? Did you find him?" Mimi asked almost immediately they entered his living room. "No Khadija" Abbu replied. "Why?" Mimi asked again. "They don't have any lead that could help them find him, but I'm sure they're trying their best"
"Haba Nasir, where could he possibly go that they can't find him? We're not just talking days fa" Mimi said. She was tired of keeping it in and pretending to her kids that everything was okay. "They'll find our son Khadija, just give it some time"
"Will they? Will they really find him? I'm starting to get scared about this wallahi. What if he really is dead?" Mimi voiced, tears were already filling her eyes and waiting for the right second to fall.
"Don't say that please, he will be alright" Abbu said. "That is not the confirmation I need" Mimi said, letting the tears fall freely on her face as she sat on the sofa for support. She hated how she felt, she hated every second of it.
"I'm telling Haifa, she deserves to know" Mimi said after a while of silence. Alhaji Nasir didn't attempt to comfort her and she didn't bother caring because she knew how he was. That was how she lived with him all those years after all, she never got disappointed because she never had any expectations from him.
Indeed they loved each other at first, but as responsiblities of becoming rich increased, he let go of what they had. She would complain some days but alas, she got tired and learned to live with it.
"Don't tell her, it's just like snatching her happiness away" Abbu complied. "She would not like it if she finds out somewhere else and you know it. I'm telling her and that's that" Mimi sniffed wiping her tears away. "Stop being stub...."
Abbu's sentence was stopped by the sudden knock on the door and also the opening that followed it. It was Haifa, she held her mother's phone on one hand and hers in the other.
"Haifa your brother is missing" Mimi said. "Khadija!" Abbu shouted. "I told you I won't hide it from her again" Mimi said not bothered one bit about how she irked her husband. Because she'd made up her mind to tell her already, she saw no reason to delay it any further.
"Actually I know already" Haifa said in a low tone looking anywhere but her parent's face. "What?" Abbu asked unsure of what he heard.
"I know. I heard you telling Mimi the very first time, I'm sorry" Haifa said. She'd learned not to lie to her parents especially during situations like that particular one. "Don't be Haifa. It must have been hard to hide it considering we're all struggling about it" Mimi said in an attempt to comfort her.
"But why won't you involve the police, I'm sure if the news is spread worldwide then someone will know his whereabouts" Haifa reasoned, the question directed to her father.
"No Haifa. Daga ni har yayan ki are business men, news like this one is the perfect thing our enemies would want to use" Abbu replied. "We should keep our minds at ease. I believe he is alive and that he will surely return back to us" Abbu added and both nodded in agreement.
However Mimi felt about what happened, she believed her son was alive, she felt it. And she'd decided not to shrug off that feeling come what may.
"Why are you even here?" Mimi asked Haifa. "Oh, it's aunt Reshma. Her health deteriorated earlier and she has been transferred to the hospital, you got the call after you came here" Haifa explained. "Inna lillahi wa'inna ilaihi raji'un" Mimi chanted. "What's happening to us?" She asked no one in particular. "Don't be hard on yourself Mimi, she'll be fine"
"Go change while I do the same, let's go together" Abbu said and they nodded before walking out of the living room.
Each one of them headed to their rooms and changed into a better outing clothing. Haifa then went and ordered Hayma's nanny to get her change too. When they were all ready, two cars with different drivers drove them to the hospital, Zaeem's hospital.
They were directed to the room she was kept by Cassie and they wasted no time in going there. Mimi was the first to enter and she froze the moment she did, not giving space for someone else to walk into the room. That until Abbu saw him too.
"Inna lillahi wa'inna ilaihi raji'un. How are you here Raoul?" Mimi asked. "Good thing you still remember me Aunt Louis" Raoul smirked.
"Don't call her that!" Haifa voiced in a raised tone. "What the hell do you think you're doing near her again?" Haifa asked walking into the room. "Same reason as you, she's still my Madre" Raoul shrugged.
"She'll freak out the moment she wakes up, leave!" Mimi ordered. "Not a chance!" Raoul chuckled. He made up his mind not to leave until he saw his mother's expression once she's awake. He loved her frightened self.
"Haifa get security" Abbu ordered. "Will do" Haifa said glaring at him before turning to leave the room. "I wouldn't do that if I am you" Raoul said making Haifa to turn, also because she heard gasps from two of the others in the room. He was pointing a gun at Hayma.
"Are you in your right senses?" Haifa shouted. "Come here princess" Raoul gestured to Hayma without sparing the rest a look. "Don't do anything stupid Raoul I'm warning you" Mimi voiced.
"I never do anything stupid Aunt Louis, just gotta do what I want and scaring you is giving me unending joy" Raoul smirked. "Now come here!" He added, that time around with a dangerous and venomous tone that got chills running through each of their bodies.
Hayma got scared at the voice too, and the way he was looking at her was no joke either so she moved from her mother's side to his side and he held her hand. Haifa was scared but not in a million years would she show it. "Let her go Raoul"
"Uff baby girl, the way my name rolls off your lips makes me wanna ki..."
"Say it Raoul, I dare you!" Haifa stopped him before he could finish his sentence. "There we go again, your fierce nature" Raoul smirked. "Mimi" Hayma cried, she was very scared not to have.
"My rule is simple, obey and no one gets hurt. I haven't actually killed anyone in a while have I Raajih?" Raoul asked. "You killed Sufi yesterday Shadow" Raajih replied making Raoul's laugh to resonate in the room.
Before he could realise, he heard a pain strung underneath his facial skin as the gasps of five people followed it. Haifa slapped him! She slapped Shadow.
Raajih wasted no time to punch her in the face making her to fall on the ground. Then a kick followed and another making her parents to start screaming. "Why are you so fast Raajih, stop hurting my girl" Raoul smiled. Haifa was already bleeding from the punch she got on the face.
"Amore mio, how does it feel to slap me. I certainly feel good"
"Let's go Raajih, I've gained more than enough entertainment" He added before the two majestically walked out of the room leaving behind a startled father, a crying mother, a hurting daughter and a scared one.
Mimi was quick to rush to Haifa's side. "Why did you slap him Haifa, he is dangerous" Mimi asked and stated. "Don't worry Mimi, I'm okay and why should we show him that we're scared? That's what makes him do as he likes"
"Still I insist, don't ever do something impulsive again. Now we all cannot be sure of your safety, he's cruel" Mimi said. "Your mother is right, avoid him from now on, stay away from him please" Abbu added. "I will Abbu" Haifa said.
"Promise you'll stay away from him" Mimi said again, she wasn't assured by the way Haifa answered her father.
Instead of replying, Haifa turned to look at her mother. The fact that everyone kept making her promise because of him got her curious, what is that guy made of?
"What are you waiting for? Promise me you'll stay away from Raoul, promise me" Mimi repeated again after noticing the look on Haifa's face. She was curious but she had to promise for her parent's assurance, a promise she knew she would fulfill.
"I promise Mimi, I promise I'll stay away from him"
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Your updates as promised.
I wanted to update till the 20th chapter but I really can't do it today.
So, how was the chapter?
Do you like it?
This particular one is a bit short as I wanted to stop at that particular promise. But I'm sure I made a point.
Question of the day: Your favourite character in this book so far?
Lots of love,
Deedi--❤️