A Peaceful Chaos

✓✓APC--22✓✓

MUHAMMAD'S POV

January 5th, 2020

Shams dropped me off with their mini delivery van at the airport as early as 4am.

With a stern warning he said, "Fulfill your promise," Although the grip on my hands were as strong as that of a man willing to do the needful when necessary, his brown eyes carried vulnerability, and I understand why because he was the immediate brother of my mother-in-law.

I replied with a curt nod and boarded my flight.

~~~~~

Abuja, Nigeria

11:50 AM

I dialed Abdallah's number while sitting at the airport lounge for our layover.

"Don land?" His voice came through.

"Common pidgin is hard to get and you want to try hausa, It's 'you don land'?"

"Do you have to insult me?"

"My flight will land by 1:40 PM maximum, please don't make me wait, I have things to take care of immediately." I urged.

"Or you mean, your senses have finally kicked in and you remember you have a wife."

"Have I ev- just be there." I said and cut the call.

~~~~~

Kano, Nigeria

1:55 PM

"So Babangida, that quiet guy is corrupt?" Abdallah asked, bewildered by the sudden recap of my whole trip while driving.

"Allah ya jiqanshi, but it was unfortunate he was the same lead we had and found out had been dead in a graveyard." I assured.

"You still haven't found out who the whole lead is in this mess?"

"Not yet, it is in fact the only thing disturbing my realm."

"You'll get there man, In Sha Allah." He said tapping my shoulder.

His phone's ringtone shrilled after a moment, startling me.

"This una ringtone fit make pesin faint,"

"No una concern," He replied with his crippled pidgin English answering the phone.

"Yes,"

Pause.

"When?" His eyebrows furrowed.

More pause.

"Where?" His right hand tightened around the steering wheel.

A shorter pause.

"I am around there, will catch up soon, in the meantime eyes on the road, uhm?" He ended the call.

"What's going on?" I asked wondering why he's looking out of it, he is never like this except if there's a critical emergency patient.

"Just an emergency," He replied without taking his eyes off his phone.

"Hey, call her?" He said to his phone.

"Abdallah me ya faru ne?" I asked worry creeping to my chest.

"It's just an emergency." He confirmed.

"Allah ya kiyaye." I prayed.

"Ameen," He responded, taking a left to Ring Road.

I busied myself going through my calendar and email one at a time, seeing how meetings had piled up, how some board of the directors had tried to reach me, probably to know why I had been absent at the company, then a crowd of people from my peripheral vision caught my attention.