Chapter 62

Daddy dropped down from the car and headed into the house. He walked up the stairs as he called mommy's name. She rushed out from her room thinking it was an emergency. "Alhaji? What's wrong? What happened that you are calling me nonstop?" She asked, panicked but his facial expression said otherwise. She followed him into his room as she impatiently waited to hear why he was calling car. He removed his Babban Riga first and kept it aside. She offered him water from his fridge and he thanked her before gulping it down. She sat beside him on the bed. "Alhaji, you haven't said why you were calling me," she spoke when he kept the glass cup on the side drawer. "It's something to be joyous about so calm down, hajiya. Your daughter has finally found a husband, it's time to rejoice." He happily spoke looking at her. "My daughter? Which of my daughter, alhaji?" She gave him a confused look. "Dalia, of course. Which daughter do you have now that isn't married if not her?" Mommy smiled at him, "really? This is great news. Yusuf has finally approached you about her." She grinned from ear to ear. He chuckled a bit. "Not him, hajiya. Muhsin, amira's husband came to my office this morning and asked for her hand in marriage and I agreed...." She scrambled up from the bed as her heart did a loud throb. "Alhaji? It's like I didn't hear you well, you said muhsin? Muhsin? My daughter's husband? and you agreed? No that cannot be. Never! I am the only wife in my husband's house and my daughter also has to be the only one in her husband's house!" She stormed out of the room and headed to dalia's room. Dalia read the message again. 'Whatever you're going to hear from daddy, I hope you're going to understand.' She stared at the screen as she thought of what he meant. First Yusuf with his weird accusations and questions now Muhsin with a confusing text. She heard the door bang open which made her to drop the phone on the marbled tiles. She quickly rose to her feet when her eyes caught sight of Mommy. She was in deep waters, mommy has seen the phone. Mommy looked at her to the phone on the floor, mouth wide open. She moved further into the room and picked up the phone before she read the messages he sent her. "Dalia?" She spoke with a hint of betrayal in it. Dalia stuttered guiltily. She had no excuses for hiding the phone from her. "So it's true. So you've been betraying me, dalia? After all I have done for you, took you as my own child you idiot, useless child." Mommy's hand hit and she fell with the force of it. The second slap had been much more worse than the first. She hadn't expected mummy's beating to be that painful with so much force. She screamed as loud as she could, yelping for help. She felt the pain from every part of her body. Daddy finally came to her aid and dragged her away from mommy. "You better stay out of this let me deal with the stupid girl here. So he bought you phone? And that's why you often come home late while you're there hanging around till you succeeded in stealing my daughter's husband? I will hit you to the extent that you wouldn't move a limb." She tried to attack her again but daddy's loud voice stopped her. "Dalia, go downstairs and wait for me, everything will be fine, just go, now." She quickly ran out without another thought. Mommy also stormed out of the room the moment dalia left. "Where do you think you're going? Get back here, Hajiya. You want to kill someone's daughter because of your selfish interest?" Mommy walked into her room and closed the door before she locked it. She picked up her phone from the dressing mirror before she searched for amira's number. Few rings, she picked up. "Where were you when your husband went to your father and asked for that stupid girl's hand in marriage? Where were you?" Mommy clamoured. She was beyond angry. She had warned her before about that but Amira played deaf ear now what her mother was afraid of was happening. "I don't understand you mommy, he did what? Which girl are you talking about?" Amira asked her mother, perplexed. "Your husband, Muhsin went to your father's office this morning and asked for dalia's hand in marriage and your father agreed. Do you understand now, dumb head? You don't know anything but roaming around the city with your stupid friends." Her mother thundered. The phone almost slipped from amira's hand as she rise up from her bed. "Mommy tell me you're joking please. Marriage? With dalia? No please..." Her whole body trembled as she started her water works. She placed her hand on her head while she held with phone to her ear with the other one. "You better get yourself in this house right now to fight for your right before it's too late." Mommy ended the call and headed to the door when alhaji hadn't stopped knocking. Amira threw the phone on her bed before she ran to her drawer, grabbed her car keys before she headed out. She hadn't even thought of taking any veil with her. She rushed to her car and entered before she killed the engine and reversed and left the compound after the gate man had opened the gate. She dropped out of the car and ran into the house. She caught sight of dalia in the living room and paused. She let out a dry laugh all out of anger. "You!" She launched towards her and before Dalia could run, she grabbed her by the arm and slapped her across her cheek before she started hitting her mercilessly. "You traitor, you betrayed me! You have been coming to my house all this while just to snatch my husband away." She punched her again for the umpteenth time and all dalia could do was scream and begged for mercy.