Chapter 7

"Again, I'm so sorry I called you just like that it's an emergency. You remember Dalia right? The girl that her father died a month ago." Muhsin hesitated before replying, he had totally forgotten about the girl. "Yes daddy, remember her. The one in Kuje." Daddy nodded smiling. "I want you to go there and pick her up. Amira and her mother has traveled to kaduna with the driver and I have somewhere to be right now. I hope that will not be a problem." Muhsin looked up quickly in shock as he heard what daddy said. She was going to kaduna without his permission. What does amira takes him as? He swiftly ducked his head back to avoid daddy from suspecting anything unusual. Muhsin smiled a little and shook his head, "not at all daddy, it won't be a problem. I will be on my way now," he spoke gently, his head ducked. Daddy smiled and nodded. "I hope you still remember their house." Muhsin nodded gently. "Good, you should be on your way now then. We will talk when you're on your way there or when you're coming back." He stood up, headed out to his car and set the road to Kuje local government. After thirty minutes, he was in front of Dalia's house waiting for the boy he sent in to announce his arrival to come out. The boy came back and told him Amina's message that he was asked to come in. He entered the house and met her mother outside, a weaved mat spread for him already. He greeted her before he settled down on the weaved mat. "Please you should eat before you guys leave," she offered but Muhsin rejected politely. He had to take water before amina finally allowed them to leave. They branched at her uncle's house to bid them farewell before the left Kuje. They were half way through the journey when he stopped at the gas station to top up his fuel. She grimaced and looked at him but he never noticed it. He excused himself without glancing her way and stepped out of the car to top up his fuel. She covered her nose with her hijab as the smell of the petrol filled her nostrils even though she covered up her nose and the windows were closed. One thing she hated was the smell of petrol, it always made her dizzy and throw up. He came back shortly and they continued their journey. Her stomach lurched again as she covered her mouth. She was paler than a sheet of paper and lathered in sweat. "Please could you park by the roadside, I'm about to...." Chunks of digested rice spewed put of her coughing, choking mouth. Her stomach was contracting violently and forcing everything up and out. "Subahanallah," he muttered as he parked by the road side. He came down the car and walked over to her side and opened the door for her. "I'm so so sorry I spoilt your car, I couldn't hold it, the smell of the petrol irritates me and makes me to throw up whenever I smell it...." "Are you okay? Let me get some water," he cuts her off and opened his car trunk and brought out three bottles of water. He handed her one to gulp it down her clean her hijab while he used the other two to clean up where she threw up. She knelt down there after taking the water and cleaning where she threw up on her hijab. He heard her low wails as he finished cleaning up the mess. He turned to see her hugging her knees, head in buried in her knees as she slowly shook her head and cried. "What's wrong? Why are you crying? Do you still feel nausea? Or you feel pain?" He asked as he knelt down before her. She raised her head a little and shook her head. "I just miss my father...." When the words stopped coming out, the tears did. She was beyond agitated and now she was separated from her only happiness, her mother, things got more worse than it was. He scratched the back of his head thinking of every soothing words that would make her feel better. Her wails has really touched him. He couldn't even imagine the pain she was going through. "Dalia, right?" He asked because her name was difficult to remember but he still managed to. "I can't even imagine the pain you're going through right now but I know it sometimes feels unbearable because losing someone that close to you at the time you least expected it is so hard. Your prayers is all he needs now and in sha Allah he's in a better place. You should stop the tears, okay? You might get a headache." She nodded gently and wiped the unstopping tears. She stood up and entered the car as he asked her to and they continued their journey to Abuja. He looked at her from time to time to make sure she wasn't crying anymore. It was past 2pm when they finally arrived in Abuja. He stopped by a restaurant for them to eat lunch. "Come down let's head in and eat lunch, I know alhaji's wife isn't back yet," he spoke as he opened the door to step out. "But my hijab isn't dry yet and I'm not even hungry," she protested. He smiled and shook his head, "it is and you look okay. I know you are because you threw up few moments ago, so stop arguing, Dalia." He didn't wait for her reply and stepped out of the car. She hesitated before she also came down. They entered the restaurant together and settled down. He urged her to order anything she'd be comfortable to eat but she refused. He ordered something he knew she would be okay with. He looked at her a chuckled softly. "You should feel free please, I will take you home the moment we finish eating," he told her. She raised her head a bit for brief second and ducked her head again.