Chapter 55

Just then she heard a knock from the door before it gets opened. She swiftly hid the phone under her pillow before the intruder could come in. "Sorry," she mouthed when she saw the frightened expression on dalia's face. Dalia smiled and nodded. "You have a visitor." She informed dalia. She raised her brows. "Again? Who is it?" She asked. "I don't know. Mommy came to the kitchen and asked me to call you. He's in Alhaji's living room." She excused herself and closed the door. Dalia sighed wondering if it was that man that came a couple of days ago. She checked the phone to see muhsin had called her again. The phone started ringing and she picked up. "Sorry the maid came in and I had to drop the phone. I have to go now cause mommy is looking for me." He responded and made her to promise she would call when she was done before they ended the call. She got off her bed and slipped into her full length hijab. She stepped out of the room and started walking to the living room to hear what he had to say. And why he came again. She stepped into the living room as she muttered a Salam. He looked up at her and answered her greetings as he smiled. "Good evening," she mouthed, head ducked. She was already seated on the one seater. "How are you today? How's school?" He asked and she nodded before speaking. Then it turned into an awkward silence. He cleared his throat, "Dalia... uhh... sorry I came unannounced, again. If I had your number I would've called before coming. I hope I'm not disturbing." He looked at her with his desperate eyes. She glanced at him and smiled, the one he'd been daydreaming of for the past few months. "Oh no, not at all. It's fine." He nodded his head as he beamed. "Uh well, I know you must be wondering who this man is and why is he bothering me with his unwelcomed visits. My name is Yusuf Abdulmutallab Saraki. I am a medical doctor, and... what else? Oh I'm Muhsin's cousin, you know him right?" She smiled a little and nodded. "Good." He mouthed as he smiled. "Is there anything you'd like to know about me?" He asked. She looked up wondering why he would ask such question. What was with the introduction? What was her business with who he is or what he does? He helped, and she would be forever grateful but why is he dragging things now? "Uh... pretty much that's it I need to know." They sat there, talking, her and him. Only interested in keeping the conversation going is what he wants. Heaven forbid there be a pause... He says something, followed by her pretendedly interested response. She says something and he politely chuckles. He could tell she was getting uncomfortable every minute that passed. How would she react then if he confessed? He needn't to waste her time. He had to be straight forward with her. No lies, just the truth. "Can I have your number please?" He asks the question politely and smoothly, the baritone of his deep voice ringing in her ears. "My number?" she looked at him, he nodded slowly. She wanted to ask why but thought it would sound rude to say that to him. Not after everything he had done for her. "Let me go get my phone first." She stood up and left the living room. She came back few minutes later together with the phone. She could remember going through her contact list. She saw the number of the sim in the phone in her contact list. She gave him the number before he announced he was leaving. She accompanied him out to the door before he went back in. On her way to her room, she met mommy by the stairs. She stood still, head ducked as her heart beat accelerated. She tightened her grip on the phone in her hijab. "Why are you looking like you committed a sin?" Mommy spat looking at her. "Anyway, meet me in my room right now." She turned and walked up the stairs without a back glance. She rushed to her room upstairs and hid the phone under her pillow before she walked to mommy's room. She settled down on the carpet while she waited for mommy to finish with her phone call. Every sort of thought swirled in her mind. Why was mommy calling her now? She had done something wrong? Or mommy had find out about the phone she had been hiding for weeks now? Or they were tired of her living with them? "What did Yusuf tell you?" Dalia heard mommy asked. She took a brisk glimpse at mommy before she lowered her gaze. "Nothing mommy, he just told me he came to check up on me to see how I was doing after what had happened in Yola. And the he came today introducing himself, that's all." Mommy stared at her for some seconds before she dismissed her. Dalia stood up and left at that moment. She heaved a sigh of relief the moment she left the room. That was a close call, she mused to herself. Much later in the night, she felt a vibration coming from under her pillow. She heaved a sigh when she remembered she hadn't called muhsin like she promised. She fetched the phone from under her pillow and looked at it. It was a new number, definitely Yusuf, she declared. She picked up the phone and placed it on her ear. "Salamu alaikum," he beat her to it. "Wa'alaikumus Salam, good evening," she greeted him in her sleepy voice even though she wasn't asleep. "Oh my, I'm so sorry for waking you up," he apologized to her. "No, no I was awake. I'm not asleep yet," she briskly spoke. He heaved a sigh, "I wouldn't forgive myself if I had woken you up." She giggled at the cheesy line. Was he trying to flirt?