HUSNA

Chapter12

GRIFFON AVIATION CYPRUS LIMITED
"The room was dimly lit, the hum of the ceiling fan the only sound cutting through the silence.

Abdulhameed sat hunched over his desk, his brows knitted in concentration as he scribbled on a sheet of paper. His pilot  jacket hung loosely over his chair, the badge on the shoulder gleaming under the weak bulb.

"Captain, what the hell are you doing?" Faisal's voice broke the silence.

He  didn't look up. "I need to go home, Faisal. I can't stay here for another week. Wallahi, I'm done. I miss my family."

"You've been restless all day," Faisal muttered, folding his arms. "But writing a fake letter? That's risky, bro."

He  sighed deeply, rereading the letter before signing it.

Dear Sir,
I am writing to inform you that I need a leave for one month, starting from today, 25th April 2021.
As I explained earlier, my father is ill, and I need to be with him to take care of his needs.
I will be back next month.
Thank you for your understanding.

Yours sincerely,
Abdulhameed Aliyu Danbatta

Faisal frowned. "Captain, you shouldn't have lied. What if he asks about your siblings? Are you the only one that can take care of your father?"

Abdulhameed chuckled softly. "I'll say something. Don't worry. I've handled worse."

"Hmm. Until they catch you," Faisal replied, shaking his head. "You know this could affect your record."

Abdulhameed pushed the chair back and stood up, stretching. "Then let it affect it. I'm tired of sleeping with my boots on and eating in tents. I need real food. I need home."

Before Faisal could respond, their co pilot  appeared at the door. "Captain, Team Coordinator on the line, sir."

Abdulhameed took the phone immediately. "Yes, sir?"

"Captain Danbatta, I've seen your request. I can only approve two weeks, not one month."

He exhaled sharply. "Thank you, sir. That's more than enough. I appreciate it."

"Send my regards to your father. I pray he recovers soon."

"Yes, sir," Abdulhameed replied, ending the call. The lie weighed on him for a moment, but the thought of home made his heart light again.

Faisal raised an eyebrow. "Two weeks, huh?"

Abdulhameed smirked. "Two weeks on paper. But wallahi, I'm not going back anytime soon."

Within hours, he packed a small bag and left the base. The journey from the camp to Lagos felt longer than usual. When his plane finally touched down, the city lights of Victoria Island welcomed him like old friends.

*****

Victoria Island, Lagos...1004 Estate
The house was alive with laughter, the kitchen filled with a mix of sizzling sounds and the rich aroma of spices. Oil popped from a frying pan where bell peppers danced in color...red, yellow, and green. The air smelled of ginger, curry, and fried chicken.

In the middle of the chaos stood Munira, the family's self-appointed chef, scooping rice into a large pot while teasing her sister Bahijja, who was frying chicken.

"Munira, you're burning the rice again o!" Bahijja teased.

"God forbid! You think I'm like you?" she shot back, laughing.

Their mother, entered the kitchen, her hijab wrapped neatly as always. "Girls, be careful. You know Abdulhameed doesn't like oily food."

Munira grinned. "Mummy, he'll eat whatever we give him today. After all, our captain is coming home!"

As if on cue, the front door opened.

"Mmm, the aroma in here is killing me already!" Abdulhameed's voice filled the house, He walked in with a big smile, tall and confident in his white kaftan, Who missed me?"

"Yaya Hameed!" the girls screamed, rushing to hug him.

He wrapped his arms around them, inhaling the scent of home. "Ah, my mommy's twins! Where's my first love?" he said, moving to hug his mother from behind.

"Leave me alone, you this pilot ," Hajiya laughed, swatting his arm lightly. "You're not my husband."

He grinned. "Daddy, you heard that? Your wife just broke my heart."

His father,, entered with a newspaper in hand. "Leave my wife, go and find your own," he said with mock seriousness, earning laughter from everyone.

Dinner was filled with jokes, stories, and teasing. Abdulhameed's plate was piled high, and his sisters kept adding more.

"Yaya, taste my chicken," Bahijja insisted.

"Ah, this one tastes like peace after war," he joked, making everyone laugh.

Then the conversation turned serious when his mother mentioned Fadila, their cousin.

"Fadila has been asking of you," she said softly. "She calls me almost every day."

Abdulhameed sighed. "Mummy, please, not marriage talk tonight. I just came back."

His father chuckled. "Let my son rest,. Maybe he already has someone."

"Who told you I don't?" Abdulhameed replied mischievously.

Everyone froze for a second. "Wallahi?" Munira shouted.

"Who is she?" Bahijja leaned closer, curious.

He smiled . "That's top secret. Classified pilot information."

They all burst into laughter, even his father shaking his head. "This your mouth will land you in trouble one day."

Before going to bed, his father mentioned, "Tomorrow, we're going to Kaduna. Yusuf has been asking about you, and now that the whole family is together, it's time."

Munira squealed, "Yes! Kaduna, finally!"

****

The Next Morning
The call for Fajr echoed softly from the nearby mosque. After prayers, Abdulhameed read a few verses of the Qur'an, then dozed off again.

A loud knock startled him awake. "Yaya Hameed! Are you not ready?" Munira's voice pierced through the door.

He groaned. "Leave that door before I slap you!"
"I'll tell Daddy o!" she shouted.

He jumped up instantly. "I'm awake! See, I'm not even sleeping!"

He hurried through his morning routine...shower, kaftan, perfume...and emerged looking sharp and fresh. The family gathered at the living room, luggage neatly arranged.

"Daddy, let's take a picture before we go!" Bahijja said, holding her phone.

Abdulhameed rolled his eyes. "Pictures again? You people won't rest."

"Wallahi, just one!" she begged.

He finally gave in, standing between his sisters as his mother smiled behind the camera. The click of the shutter captured more than a picture...it captured warmth, love, and a moment of peace that had been missing for too long.

Moments later, their private jet hummed to life. As the plane lifted off toward Kaduna, he gazed through the window, a small smile forming on his lips.

For once, the pilot was just a son, going home.

Hameed yazo kaduna fah...
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