Chapter 8

After the waiter brought their food, he dug into his food while she stared at him wondering how he was comfortable with eating in public. She looked around and sighed. All the wanted to do was lay down and rest. He was half way through his meal when he noticed she hasn't even touched hers. "Why aren't you eating?" He asked, dropping his spoon and focused on her face. "I told you I wasn't hungry," she murmured but he heard her. He sighed, massaging the back of his head. After he finished eating, he asked the waiter to package her food before he paid the bill and they left. On his way to Alhaji's house, he received a call from him. "Oh you're already in abuja with her?" Daddy asked and muhsin responded with the right answer. "Please you should take her to your parents house because I'm not home now and amira and her mother won't be back till later in the evening." After they were done with the phone call, he did as daddy told him to. He took her to his parents house. He only met his mother in the house. He led the way to his mother's living room. "Salamu alaikum,  en nyali jam aunty (good afternoon)." He settled down beside his mother on the sofa. "Muhsin, toi a ifti? A wari be kodo,(where are you coming from? You came with a visitor,)" aunty said as she looked at Dalia with a smile. Dalia ducked her head wondering what they were saying. She squatted and greeted muhsin's mother. "How are you my dear? Please come sit," she offered. Dalia walked over to the sofa aunty pointed at and settled down. "Muhsin, Hanko on esirawo am kesum man na? (is she my new in law?)" Aunty asked teasingly as she picked up the intercom. Muhsin scratched the back of his head smiling. "Bingel sobajo daddy on hanko on hosi alkawar jugogu mo. (She is daddy's daughter's friend. She lost her father and daddy decided to take responsibilities of her,)" he explained. Aunty shook her head in pity. "What is your name dear?" Aunty asked her. She raised her head a little. "My name is Dalia," she responded sheepishly. Aunty smiled at her again, "nice to meet you Dalia. How are you doing? Ya karin hakuri? May Allah grant him the highest rank in Jannah," aunty prayed. Whenever someone prays for her daughter, it always made her to cry. She missed him so bad. "Alhamdulillah. Ameen ameen, Thank you so much." The maid came in with refreshments and kept it in front of Dalia like aunty asked her to. "Please feel free and eat, okay?" Aunty soothed. Dalia smiled a little and nodded. Her head was ducked all the while. She took the water bottle and opened it before she poured it in a glass cup. She took few sips and kept the cup. She peered her eyes on the TV as she listened to them talking even though she doesn't understand anything they were saying but she knew it was Fulfulde and she admired the language and she always wanted to learn. Aunty glanced at dalia and smiled. "Bengel mai fitting am, mi do Lara o wade hakilo (I'm really impressed by her behaviour, she's definitely humble.)" Muhsin shrugged his shoulders and continued to try calling Amira but she never picked any of the calls. He hissed slightly and excused himself. Aunty turned her head to Dalia and tried to conversed with her but she was too shy and uncomfortable to speak much. After few hours, he took her home when daddy called him to. He dropped her home and left to his own house while he waited for the return of his nonchalant queen. All day long he has been sitting at the desk, paper work piling higher and higher but he never cared because he had nothing exciting to do after work. He sipped his cup of coffee and flipped the page over before signing. He heard a soft knock from the door before it squeaked open. He raised his head to see who dared to enter his office without permission. He sighed closing his eyes and opening it. "Isn't your manager supposed to be the one doing all this paperwork?" He asked looking at the pile of papers in front of muhsin before he settled down on the visitor's chair. "I know, but what would I do if I give it all to him? I don't have anything to do besides work," he responded while he continued with his work. "Well how about you go home and talk things through with your wife?" He suggested. Muhsin threw his head back laughing and looked at his friend who is also his cousin. "Talk? Talk things through? Like what exactly are you talking about, Doctor Yusuf?" He spoke nonchalantly. He never takes things seriously when it comes to Amira now. "You should sit her down and speak to her calmly. Yelling at her all the time will not solve anything, muhsin. It will just worsen things." Muhsin hissed softly and dropped the pen together with the file he was holding. He rests his back on his office chair and sighed. "Look, Yusuf, I have tried every possible thing to make her change but it is not working. What do you want me to do? I don't love her anyways..." Yusuf shook his head in disbelief. "Please you should stop saying that. I understand she isn't willing to change but saying you don't love her with so much confidence isn't just right, especially to her." Muhsin continued his work and shrugged off his shoulder.