Chapter 32

"Sorry, my wife will be out in a minute." He smiled apologetically to Anwar. "No problem sir, I will waiting at the car," he excused himself and stepped out of the living room. Muhsin headed upstairs to his room. He brought out his suitcase and descend down the stairs with it. A call came through and he answered without hesitation. "Where are you now? I am already on my way to the airport," Yusuf spoke from the other side of the phone. "I thought we were leaving together?" Muhsin spoke, left open-mouthed. "Just meet me there." Yusuf ended the call. Muhsin shrugged and continued walking down the stairs to the living room. He went out to Anwar's car and gave hime the suitcase to load it into the car trunk while he walked to where the gateman was sitting. "Malam Haruna, we're going to travel for three to four days. Take this and use it before we're back." He counted a bunch of money and handed it to him. He always does that whenever he was traveling. The gateman thanked him before he left to go check if she was ready. He was about to enter the house when she came out pulling her own suitcase. He took it without uttering a word to her and they entered the car. Muhsin conversed with his manager while she listened to them. From time to time she looked at Anwar as she wondered where she knew him. She discarded the thought after many fails of remembering where she knew him. He dropped them off at the airport and left. They had only twenty minutes left till the time to board the flight. They met Yusuf already seated in the departure. After they have exchanged pleasantries with Yusuf, she settled down beside muhsin. They waited till they heard the announcement. ** Yola, Adamawa. The house already filled with friends and family. Everyone walking about some, catching up on what they've missed, some were eating while some were just looking around the big house of The Saraki. The entire house buzzed with excitement and elite chatter. Some kids ran around the large house compound in a good natured game of tag. "So because you all are married that's I am not the centre of today's news, right?" Yusuf spoke jokingly. "Damn right you are. Ahmad is getting married to Hadiza in two days. I already have a kid. Muhsin is also married and you're here pushing all our cousins that shows the slightest interest in you." Yusuf shrugged his shoulder because if there was anything he needn't to speak about was him being their eldest and still not married. "Hey guys, everything is time and his own definitely come sooner or later," muhsin defended him. "You see the reason why I love this guy?" Yusuf tapped him on the shoulder as he grinned. "Keep playing with me, the thing you'll hear is I've told Hajiya Mama you like Salmah but you're shy to confront her. Just dare, Yusuf." Ibrahim threatened him. "Let's not go there, my lovely brother. C'mon it haven't reached to the point. And besides, everyone knows that Salmah has a huge crush on muhsin. I mean cmon, you guys are always flirting with each other. And the day amira will catch you guys..." Yusuf paused as he laughed heartily. "Exactly what I told him earlier. Your wife is just.... Unique," Ibrahim spoke awkward. He remembered when they arrived, how she barely greeted his aunties and uncles plus some of the elders. She held a humourless face expression that no one dared to speak to her left alone joke around with her. Muhsin hissed annoyingly. For a moment he had forgotten about all his worries, amira included. "Nothing is what she can do. Salmah is my cousin, she happens to be the one I'm closer to, so what if we joke around. And speaking about her having a crush on me is what I don't believe. It's already time for Maghrib, we should get going to the Mosque before Alhaji comes out." The men ended the conversation there and headed to the masjid. They didn't come back till after Isha. Muhsin let them at the poolside of the house while he went inside the house to their room. He met her pacing around the room, clearly fuming about something. She stopped walking when she heard the door shot close. "Where have you been, muhsin? I called you but you never picked or returned any of my calls." She kicked up the fuss. He rubbed the space between his eyes as he sighed. "What happened? Why are you roaming back and forth?" He asked knowing she would still tell him even if he never asked. "I asked your cousin, Fauzah to get me a bottle of water but this girl glared at me and hissed before she walked out on me. Now if I had done something to her you'd start raining the blame on me alone." She ranted nonstop. "Okay, okay please that's enough," he mouthed as he came closer to her. He head her shoulders and looked at her fuming eyes. "Calm down please. I will go deal with her right now. But before that, are you sure you asked her in a polite way?" He asked. Her eyes widened as she opened her mouth. "You see exactly what I am saying right? You'll blame me and leave her go scot-free." She lamented.