The motor park is busier than I expected, and it's just 10:00A.M. Although it's partly my fault for not coming out as early as I planned. But what other choice did I have? I love to sleep.

Unfortunately, due to my lateness, the driver has moved my load to the park store, situated at the far corner, blocked by over a dozen new luxurious buses, meaning I have to trek all the way down the muddy road.

What nonsense.

Huffing and grunting, I lift the end of my beautiful pink abaya and trudge down the slimy path. By the time I reach the office door, my pink strappy heels are already caked in brown mud. Uggh.

As I am about to enter the office, I bump into something hard that almost sends me flying backward. But I manage to catch myself. "Ba ka gani ne?" I shout at the hulking form before me.

The bespectacled man adjusts his cap and smiles, as he's about to speak, a tall man in a suit appears from behind him. "Kina hauka ne?"

I gape at him. Me? Mad? How dare he? "Uwarka ce mahaukaciya." I tell him, widening my finger for emphasis. This is the insult that earns me a hot slap from Habib, especially as his mother is late. As for this idiot in a suit, he raises his hand, ready to slap me. But I don't care. I'm not a coward.

But the Ismila holds his hand, shaking his head. He turns to the man, then me. Even with the dark shades covering his eyes, I can tell that he's glaring at me. I glare back.

"My apologies, hajiya." Ismila says, bowing his head. I blink in surprise. "I didn't see you coming."

Without waiting for my reply, he walks away, the suit man following, but not before throwing one last glance at me.

"Nonsense." I hiss at the fourth rickshaw rider as it zooms past me. This is the motor park driver's fault. We had agreed that he would get me a bus to take my load all the way home, only for the driver to start listing out the things in need of repair that I would have to pay for.

Quickly, I gave him a piece of my mind, hoping that he would relent and accept my price, only for the fool to start raining curses on me, calling me karuwa.

I shake my head to get rid of the memory, the hurt. Me? Aisha Kabiru, a prostitute? I shouldn't be bothered by such insult. But I am, as it was my former life, a life I gladly left after meeting Habib. But with him gone, does that mean I would go back?

Just then, a black Range Rover parks in front of me. Surprised, I move back, clutching my leather purse. I look around. The park is a few meters behind me, and beside it is a bank with no one going in or out.

The front door opens and the suit man comes out. I move backward again. Am I going to get kidnapped?

He opens the door at the back, revealing the bespectacled man from earlier, sitting, facing me with a smile. "Sannu, hajiya." Ismila greets.

I eye them, "Yauwa, sannu dai."

"Where are you going with so much boxes?" He asks, titling his head at my things.

I fold my arms, "Home."

He laughs, "get in let me drop you. This sun is not good for your skin."

I hold back a smile. "No, thank you."

He shakes his head. "Foul-mouthed and stubborn, I like that." His eyes scan me from head to toe. I hide a smile. I've missed this.

A phone rings from inside the car. Ismila picks, smiling as though the person is right in front of him. "Your excellency, sir."

My ears perk up at that. He must be a very big man to be talking to an excellency, or maybe it's just a nickname. I eye the suit man. But why have an escort?

Just then, a man appears from behind me. He bows before open car door, "Ranka ya dade." I blink at him, then at Ismila, who is, as usual, smiling.

With a nod, he ends the call and faces the man. "Sannu Bawa."

Bawa bows some more, "I didn't know you were coming today. I could've organised the boys to welcome you properly."

Really? Interesting.

Ismila laughs, "That's not a problem. I just came to see how my buses are doing."

Buses? My eyes widen. Does he mean that all those shiny buses are his?

Bawa smiles, "They're all doing fine and ready to start work."

Ismila nods, "Good." He sees me staring and smiles, "I just got an important call so we have to leave." Without waiting for my reply, he nods at the suit man who grabs two of my trolley bags and opens the boot.

I stand, speechless, and very impressed.

"Shiga mana, hajiya. Ba a bata wa Alhaji Mai Sujjada lokaci. Go in, hajiya. Nobody wastes Alhaji Mai Sujjada's time."

Of course I'm going to enter. He doesn't need to tell me twice. And that name sounds familiar, where have I heard it before?

"Kai, Alhaji Mujitaba mai Sujjada?" Adda Rabi bellows, her veil loosing around her shoulders, revealing a faded looking blouse. Doesn't she have any new clothes in her life?

"Ke, Alhaji Mustapha ne." mama corrects her before turning to me, eyes hungry for more information. "So, what did he say?"

I flick at my fingers, enjoying the attention, especially from Adda Rabi's mother, Anna Sabuwa, who I'm sure came with the intention to rub my failed marriage in my face. "He didn't say much, just that he'll be visiting again soon."

All three women gasp. And I smile, then scrunch my face. "But I don't know him that well. Who is he?"

"Chabdi," Adda Rabi says, looking away. "Babban attajiri ne, in fada miki." She says, widening her arms.

I shrug, but inside, I'm reeling. See how God just dropped a big man on my lap.

"He's a business man and philanthropist." Mama adds, and I nod.

"And he stays here?" I ask.

Mama shakes her head, "Abuja, but he comes here a lot to see his mother."

I nod, already getting more curious about him, and interested too. Although I didn't show any sign in the car. And funny enough, he didn't say much either, until we reached our house, where he just asked for my name and phone number.

"But have you informed your father?" asks Anna Sabuwa, leaning forward as though she expects me to answer her alone.

Mama hisses, "It's not a marriage proposal."

"Hmm umm," Adda Rabi pipes in across from me, a pillow on her lap. "So if he tells you to marry him, you will agree?"

I glare at her. "Is there a problem?"

She clears her throat, then rolls her eyes. "Aure sake ne fa. He has a reputation for marrying and divorcing a lot."

A slow and long hiss escape from my lips. But before I could give put her in her place, mama jumps in, "How is that our business? Or even your business? Do you know his wives?"

"Wives?" I frown. He didn't look polygamous to me, especially with the way he smiles and focuses his attention on one person. I imagine someone like that won't need a second wife.

"Eh mana, he has two wives." Anna Sabuwa says.

"It's one now. The other wife has left." Adda Rabi adds.

"How did you know?" I ask, narrowing my eyes.

"Everybody knows. She posted it on TikTok."

Mama and I exchange glances. So this illiterate knows about TikTok? Wonderful.

I yawn, "Toh, let me go and rest." I stand.

"Ah," Adda Rabi says and I turn. "Kayan fa? What of the clothes?" She asks, pointing at my boxes arranged at the corner of the sitting room. So this is why they came. Smiling sweetly at her, I leave the room and go into the next one.

Minutes later, I hear Adda Rabi and Anna Sabuwa leaving. That shameless Adda Rabi still has the guts to call out my name from the window.

"Ke, she's sleeping." Mama says.

"Toh, kayan fa?" She still asks again, as the idiot that cannot take a hint. Since I'm facing away from the window, I open my eyes and hiss.

Mama opens the door and comes inside, as I turn and sit up. She smiles, "Did you see the look on their faces? Ikon Allah."

I hiss, "who even told them I was going to get my things today?"

"Your father, who else?"

I eye her, "and who told him?"

"Toh, you're under his roof. He has to know what's happening." She shrugs.

"Okay then, I will be cutting your share."

Her eyes widen, "Saboda me? Why?

"Saboda gulma. Because of gossip." I say, "Now they will just be putting eye on me." I hiss.

"And so? Why should it bother you? Especially now that you have gotten Alhaji Mai Sujjada's attention. They will talk and tire."

"But I would have preferred for it to remain a secret before anyone casts evil eye on me."

Mama glares at me, her lips twitching. "Ba su isa ba. They wouldn't dare." She pulls me toward her and I rest my head on her lap.

"So now, what will you do about Ahaji?"

I shrug, "Nothing. Let him call first, then we see."

"Good, I don't want you showing any sign of desperation."

"Chabdi." I say. "I'm not like that. Besides, if I can catch the attention of someone like him, imagine how much more bigger and better men will come my way." I say, but I know deep inside that I want Alhaji Mai Sujjada, and I hope he will call.

•••
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