"Assalam 'Alaikum sir."

"Wa'alaikun Sallam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh my dear, how's everything?"

"Fine, Alhamdulillah. I'm pushing through."
"Masha Allah, it's good to know. Doctor Ibrahim smiled over the phone."

"Hope no problem?"

"No... Not at all sir. I was just wondering if it's possible I change Hadee's therapist."

"What? Did anything happen? Did he do something wrong?"

"No... Not at all. I just think Hadee deserves someone better."

"Okay, that's good but... As of now, I don't know if any other AS therapist and ummm... They're really hard to find especially in a country like Nigeria."

"Why is that Doctor Ibrahim?"

"It's because these cases are rare. And even when it happens, people don't know. They lack awareness so they don't take it serious. Most people would mistake it for madness or spiritual attack. So... I'll advise you go back to Doctor Frank. Finding sensory interogation therapist are rare."

"Okay sir... I'll do just that."

"Good. My regards to Hadee and your friend."

"Okay sir.. bye." She sounded in a low and sober tune but she knew, definitely, she had no choice than to continue the therapy with Doctor Frank. Humaira cuts the call and let out and heavy sigh.

"We'll have to book an appointment with that terrible man again." She muttered, turning back to look at Hadee's sleeping face.

***

"Buy your sweet meal here! Your delicious rice and beans is here!! Everyone's favorite is her!!!" Humaira called as she paraded the street with a big silver tray on her head.

"Heyyyy! Anty come and give me food! One carpenter called. He bought for himself and two of his employees, paying her #700 out of #2,000."

"What about the remaining balance?" She asked him.

"Tunde! What about the money that that my customer promised to bring yesterday evening. Didn't bring it?!" He asked with so much seriousness.

"No he didn't sir." Tunde, his worker answered.

"Oh! You see why I don't rendering free -"

"Where is my balance sir. Please, give me my money."

"I'm so sorry young lady but it's from that money I'll pay you from and the man haven't paid me as promised. Is it possible you came back in the evening or tomorrow morning, maybe. I'll definitely pay you your money."

"I don't want to hear stories o. She warned and left in anger. How faustrating?"

Most times, she don't even get any gain at all. After all the stress and hard work, all she gets is lost, lost and lost. There's no gain in the business. Upon the whole, they use her as a laughing stock and touching her body.
The level of anger and fraustration in her heart was raising, making her eyes red as she she more tears but she was on the middle of the road. She didn't want anyone to see her crying so she held it in.

"If I don't collect my remaining balance tomorrow morning? If I don't get my remaining payment tomorrow morning..." She hissed and murmured as she walked down the street, disappointedly.

She wanted to go home when two young guys called her. She had to attend to them.

"What do you want to buy?" She asked them with a stern face.

"Which one do you have?"

"There's rice, beans and fried plantain."

"Okay, bring two plates with two meat each."

"There's no meat, it's only fish."

"Okay, bring two pieces of fish." One of the guys ordered and she served both of them.

"Nawa o, Anty. This one that your face strong like this... Hope no problem?" The other asked.

Faustrated about everything about the food hawking  business. She rolled her eyes at him and hissed.

After eating, they ordered another plate from her saying her food tastes like heaven.

After eating, she calculated their payment to be #3,500.

"What did we eat?"One of them questioned.

"Are you asking me that?" She answered. "Pay me my money and I'll gently leave this place. Don't try to act smart because I'll collect my payment no matter what."

"C'mon, Danlami. Don't bother her." The other guy smile and called his second to a corner, whispering something in his ears. They both smiled as if they had a better plan for her.

Salis, the other walked to her and looked into her eyes confidently with an annoying smirk while the second was unnecessarily flashing a dazzling smile at her.

"We don't have anything at hand now but we can pay you back, anyhow."

"What do you mean by that. She rolled her eyes at them disgustingly.

"Don't be dramatic now, you're old enough and you're a lady. You should understand all of these by now."

"What do you mean? Just give me any amount you have at hand and I'll leave."

"Don't tell us a beautiful lady like you don't have a boyfriend or... Are you still a virgin?"

"You guys are idiots! I don't have your time." She muttered nervously, carrying the tray on her head. "I'll come back tomorrow for my payment."

"Come and collect it now..."Danlami muttered and suddenly grabbed her breast, fullfist.

'Twack!' Her hand whizzed a hot slap on his ugly face.
What? You slapped me?! His eyes fired as he angrily poured her remaining food way, making the tray sing around the scattered grains of rice on the floor.

Humaira looked at the in disbelief. "You poured my food away? Pay me my money!"

"Oh, I see you're not yet satisfied you crazy bitch. If you make an more noise, we would force you inside and satisfy you right now. You'll be so satisfied, you won't ever think of selling food ever again." They hissed and walked into the building that supposed to be their house.

String of tears lingered down Humaira's eyes as Humaira couldn't fathom how all of these happened. Humaira's mouth suddenly turned gale- bitter. She swallowed hard and packed the cooler and leather on the tray. It's so obvious that these boys were the worst she had ever met and today was the worst day she'd also experienced hawking food.

Sad and heartbroken, Humaira placed the tray on her head and walked home as uncontrollable tears trickled down her cheeks.

Star puzzled eyes x-rayed Humaira's pathetic body.
"What's up, Humaira. Why are you crying?" Star asked trying to understand what might have happened.

"I was just insulted. I'm never ever going to hawk food again." Humaira muttered weakly. She just couldn't handle it
"I'll find a better work doing, hopefully tomorrow." She said to Star, going into her room.