18: wild, whirlwind

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Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Abdullah was shell shocked inside the car wondering what the hell happened. His mind must be playing tricks on him. She was definitely trying to search for something and not kiss his cheek.

Then her next words blew up but her expression the next second made him a bit amused. He has been anxious about this meeting because a huge deal is at stake and they have just a forty percent chance of getting it.

Life had been about constant vigilance, about making sure everything stayed on track, about avoiding the pitfalls that could take it all away. There was never a time he wasn't wound tight.

But something about this little stranger that he felt familiar with even though he doesn't know her name makes him amused. Hardly anything could make his nerves settle when a business is looming but her expression? Wild.

Here he was, grappling with the absurdity of the situation. This girl –this wild, unpredictable stranger– had somehow slipped under his skin.

It seems like every time he meets her a side of him that he didn't know existed just emerged for a split second before it shuttered. Like a phantom he didn't know existed. And right now he is fighting a very much amused smile but couldn't.

His facial muscles felt strained because they haven't worked naturally in a long time. Work does that to you and worrying constantly that everything might be taken away and you will be back to square one.

She had exited the car, rushing toward her house without a backward glance, clearly pleased with herself, or maybe just glad to escape. He watched her retreat, still caught somewhere between bewilderment and a strange, reluctant amusement.

His fingers flexed on the wheel as he finally allowed himself a brief, almost imperceptible grin. Maybe he'd remember her after all, but not for the reason she might have hoped.

He watched the door to her home waiting to see if she would come out and get her stuff from his boot but she didn't for the next twenty minutes and he is going to be late if he sits there for more than another ten minutes.

Abdullah got out of the car when he saw a young boy of around fifteen years walking past. He called the boy who eyed him and his car with reluctance but went anyway. Clearly everyone is cautious these days but that Whirlwind.

"Can you enter this house?" Abdullah asked, pointing at the rusty brown metal door at his back.

"Yes." The boy answered, still looking skeptical but his eyes were mostly on the vehicle Abdullah was leaning on.

"Good." Abdullah opened his boot and brought out the three leathers.

There is this distinct smell of the fish very strong and might not leave his car boot for many days if he doesn't have it washed. He is not a fan of fish and right now he is already nauseous.

"Who should I take it to?" The boy asked when Abdullah passed him the leathers.

"Uh, I don't know her." Then he realized that the house is most likely for rent. "How many people are in the house?"

"Four."

"Hmm. I don't know her name but she is young. Maybe a bit older than you are." Abdullah tried to explain with a deep frown of concentration.

That Whirlwind doesn't look older than seventeen or highest eighteen. Very much a child. With the childish antics she just displayed minutes ago, she might even be younger. Still in her prime.

He cannot even describe her facial features because he doesn't know where to start placing the color of her eyes, her skin or even her height. She was just... young and unpredictable and incredibly heavy on self destruction it seems.

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