Muhammad's chauffeur arrived in a Mercedes Benz to take them to Muhammad's house first, where they would eat lunch before Adeelah would be taken to aunt Siddiqah's house.
The car felt like some osmotic environment, each of them absorbed in their own thoughts. Adeelah didn't know she was so nervous until she felt her palms turning sweaty. She heaved a sigh. She's alone at the back seat while Muhammad was in the front seat.
When she got tired, and her thoughts we're not decreasing, she turned on her phone and texted aunt Siddiqah. Luckily, aunt Siddiqah was near and she replied her almost immediately. The chat between them, swayed the nervousness she had been feeling.
She wasn't cognizant when the car pulled inside the mansion till the brake was hit.
Adeelah looked through the window. It was twelve noon, the sun round and orange on the dome of the blue sky. She looked at the house, so beautiful but medium in size. It wasn't a very big house. It had tall coconut trees standing like a pole. There was a medium parking space too. The flowers in the compound were scanty but Adeelah sighted a swimming pool. She wondered who must be using it.
She was scanning it when Muhammad walked out and opened the door for her. Adeelah was little bit embarrassed with his gesture because he found her assessing his parent's house. And she was so carried away that she didn't even see his shadaw till the door was opened.
She smiled and thanked him. His small gestures were seriously getting into her head. He's so sweet in his own way even though he acted like he didn't like her. Whatever feelings of her, he had in his heart, she didn't care because he's kind to her.
They walked side by side but Adeelah reduced her pace to let him lead her to the entrance. When they reached the door she assumed to be his mother's side, she stopped in her track. Her breathe began to diffuse into the air as a heave.
"Come on, in." He spoke, locking his eyes with hers, as if assuring her all would be fine. She shook her head and followed him like a cub following it's mother.
Adeelah felt like holding his hands as they walked into the parlor.
He asked her to sit on the cushion but she sat on the carpet. He didn't insist, instead he went in, in a low voice calling Ammi.
From the adorable way he was calling Ammi, Adeelah knew there were so close. Just like she's close to her Oum. She could remember singing out Oum's name whenever she's looking for her about the house. Someday Oum would even play hide and seek with her when she was very young. They would often dance together. Just the way he called Ammi, reminded her of that memory.
She was fidgeting her fingers when she was alerted by Ammi's perfume. Adeelah could detect that it was a designer perfume. She raised her head and stole a glance at her. She's the total opposite of Muhammad in terms of looks. Maybe Muhammad was a replica of his father since he in no way looked like his mother.
"Salam alaikum." Ammi annouced her presence. Her voice sounded different from his own too. She had a pure Hausa accent unlike him.
"Waalaikumus salam." Adeelah made an attempt to stand up. She didn't even know what to do to show that she's a good daughter in-law. The old Adeelah wouldn't care whether she's accepted or not but now, she wanted Ammi to have a good impression of her. She wouldn't press much though but at least she would try to be accepted.
Ammi smiled. "Please sit."
Adeelah sat down on the carpet.
"Here please." She patted next to her.
Adeelah was confused. Should she, or she shouldn't? She remembered Hajiya Safiya told her that sitting on the same chair was disrespectful.
So Adeelah chose the carpet, still.
"Good afternoon Ammi." Ammi raised an eyebrow. Adeelah did noticed it. Was that an acceptance or a denial? Adeelah didn't know.
"I hope you had a nice journey." Adeelah only smiled in reply, her eyes on the ground.
"Alhamdulillah. I hope we met you in sound health." She added in case Ammi didn't see her smile.
Adeelah raised her head to find that Muhammad has left the parlor. She sat for few minutes, with Ammi still there. She could feel Ammi's stare threatening to burn her skin, she dared not to look up. Adeelah was thinking whether she was supposed to talk or no.
Ammi cleared her voice. Muhammad must have learnt it from her. "The maid will serve you lunch."
A whistle of thin air passed Adeelah, emanating that Ammi has left the parlor.
Adeelah sighed for the plethora time. That was so tense and intense. It wasn't so bad though. She was sitting all alone, thinking when the maid brought lunch to her with a drink.
Not to appear rude, Adeelah took the drink only.
*****
Ammi bounced within her room as she waited for Muhammad to enter. Her fingers were interlaced with their counterparts as she waited. She just couldn't wait any longer.
"She's welcome on one condition!" She announced the moment he walked in. The way she said it upon his entrance, scared him. He heaved a sigh, studying her facial expressions. Unsatisfied, Muhammad prayed in his mind. He sat by the periphery of her bed, his hand brushing his chin. He saw this coming but he was a bit thankful that Ammi didn't pull any drama.
"Okay Ammi." Muhammad had no other answer than this.
"Either you relocate to Abuja and stay in this house or you leave her in Kano and only visit her on Saturdays."
Muhammad was held in stillness. Why would Ammi lay such condition?
"Alright Ammi, i will ta..." he realized he was about to blunder so he quickly changed his tenses. "I will think about which suits most."
Ammi's face was still hard. "There's another condition. One year from now, you will marry my cousin, Jaleelah."
Muhammad felt surges of anger forming in his chest. Ammi's rule were too much for him. She should rather be careful in how protective she's because he knew who his real mother was. If Ammi, disturb too much, he would be left with no option than to tell her, he knew since. She wasn't his mother. Ammi had thought that since he was young when she adopted him, he wouldn't remember anything anymore. But actually he did. He's only being easy on things because Ammi had taken good care of him. She had nurtured him into a gentleman. He would never be an ingrate.
"Alright Ammi." He managed to say.
She giggled. "God bless."
"Forever grateful Ammi." He ducked his head low in respect and left the room.
Ammi looked as his shadow fade. She wouldn't allow anyone to snatch him away from her. If she let him stay in Kano with Adeelah, eventually he would forsake her. Even if It's in Abuja, he still wouldn't be close to her. So she would rather have him in the same house.
The reason why she wanted him to marry Jaleelah was to make their relation stronger. In case some day he found out about his family, he would still be with her ties. She loved him so much like her own child. She didn't have the gift of a child of her own womb, but she had Muhammad whom she was immensely proud of. And her husband too, loved him so much. In Muhammad's favor, she had received alot from her husband.
But if Adeelah was to be his wife, gradually Ammi knew she would begin to lose him.
*****
Muhammad watched Adeelah jump on aunt Siddiqah's body as soon as they pulled before the gate. She had called and explained the location. For easy recognition, she came out to receive them.
Muhammad had heard about how much she loved aunt Siddiqah but he never knew it was this much. With hands dipped in his pocket, a smile on his face, he enjoyed the view. He saw in her eyes, a kindred love. The same type of look he would often look at his baby brother then.
"Let's go in." Adeelah turned to him. Her spirit was different since she saw her aunt Siddiqah. He just wished he grew up with his brother too, together with his parents. He normally had that thought whenever he saw Adeelah with her father.
He had Ammi and Baba but since in his mind he knew they weren't his real parents even though he was successful in his acting game to show them that he's forgotten his past, they didn't make a perfect family. He had feigned a memory loss the time they found him on the streets. Later, he had a diary which he moved about with, everywhere. Ammi had never found the diary. For the first time, he carelessly left it at home.
He wanted Adeelah to find it.
"Hi, good afternoon."
He bent his head. "Good afternoon our aunt." Aunt Siddiqah laughed as they walked in. She served them all she had cooked before their arrival and brought the baby for Adeelah.
Muhammad only stared with astonishment. Adeelah was hyperactive. She acted so free that she removed her veil the moment they entered and yet, she didn't have it back.
He ate to his satisfaction, glad of aunt Siddiqah's warm reception.
"I will leave. Your flight is in three days."
When they walked him out, as aunt Siddiqah turned he decided to tease her. "I have borrowed her to you for just three days." He winked at Adeelah.
Adeelah would lie to say he didn't impress her. Aunt Siddiqah excused herself with a smile.
"You love her more than i heard."
With less attention to his last words Adeelah smiled. "Thank you so much!" She was nearly dancing.
"You're welcome. Have a nice stay."
"Thank you."
******
The night fell deeper but the duo were still awake.
Aunt Siddiqah held Adeelah's hand.
"So tell me what happened? Ameer?"
Adeelah wanted to keep that a secret. She knew the more she tell people, the more she would tell some people more. It's no longer a secret. She didn't want her mother's side of the family to have a bad impression on her father even though they were so easygoing.
Adeelah hummed. "Ameer is my half brother. From Abba's first wife. She's late. But Ameer's foster mother is Abba's schoolmate so that's why investigation wasn't deep till the wedding day. My new husband is Ya Fadil's friend."
Aunt Siddiqah knew something was off but not to burst Adeelah's bubbles she shook her head. "What a fate!"
"Indeed. Bizarre fate."
"He looks like a kind person though."
"He is." Adeelah replied, stretching her legs.
"I met his mother too. Quite warm."
"Glad. But..." aunt Siddiqah stopped.
Adeelah didn't want any question from aunt Siddiqah because if she lied, she would figure out easily. She wanted to excuse herself to sleep but it would be suspicious.
"Salisu?" Adeelah's heart dropped. She may be lying to herself to say she's forgotten about him. It would also be a self torture to think about him so often. Salisu was hundredth of thousands inches away from her. Somewhere beyond her reach. There's no point thinking about him.
If only she knew! He was as close as she couldn't imagine.
"I thought you're team ElMustapha. You were even talking about his marriage. What happened?"
Adeelah quickly diverted the topic. Her heart was still thumping.
"Hmm. His, Nawwarah's and the wedding pages disappeared. An arewa gist blogger said the wedding was cancelled due to a family feud. You know all this billionaire families."
Adeelah found it interesting.
"For real?"
"So i read."
Aunt Siddiqah yawned. "Baby is still sleeping. I should be sleeping too because once she wakes up, I'm done for."
Adeelah agreed with her. They drew the duvet to their necks. Thirty minutes later, aunt Siddiqah was snoring but Adeelah was there widely awake.
Her mind thinking of him.
Her chauffeur.
*****