Beyond Desire

1-Be it as it may.

JALILA'S POV

Maitama, Abuja Nigeria.
11.24 am.

"What's up gem, great to have you here" I beamed at my phone, my finger lurking near the "end live" bottom at the top left corner of my phone, inclined toward ending it just in case my co-host decided to speak negatively.

"Hey Lilah, thanks a ton for approving my request. I have been following up from the onset and I just have a few queries to ask" She uttered, wandering erratically, presumably trying to find a suitable location to pose.

"Shoot" My response was curt as I had my attention on the questions popping up on the screen.

Despite the fact that I had filtered and blocked out some vile words, I could still make out questions that were in fact offensive.

"I am certain that you were opportune to have a glimpse of what is currently ongoing in the far north on the news. As far as everyone gathered under this live today is concerned, you are an advocate for justice and everything in its circle." She halted to breathe in greedily.

"I am of the opinion that as the daughter of a general and equally a minister of defense, you are not exercising this part of your responsibility as you should. The country is collapsing, you have an audience, and your father is tagged with the obligation of bringing the country to order. Call out to him as you call out to any form of injustice online." Dramatically, she whacked the armrest of the chair she was seated.

"Uhm....Abida53, I think you are getting this all wrong...." I started but was rudely interrupted.

"You have hundreds of Ks actively streaming this live and I am sure that more than half of us are interested in knowing why"

I breathed in silently, knowing it wasn't the right time to lose it.

"I have always expressed how my page has no political motives. Never have I come online and showcased any form of relationship with the minister of defense. My personal life is completely dissociated from what I do on here. My heart reaches out to everyone affected by the insurgency. Your words have their merit but be it as it may, I cannot ignore the contempt I feel from them. Thank you"

I have mastered the act of keeping my smile intact while addressing issues such as this. There are detrimental people online, waiting to make you the "talk of socials" for weeks on end. And right now, that isn't the kind of energy I want especially considering the fact that my father had his reputation in the mud already.

I canceled her request and addressed, "Thank you for tuning in guys. Confidential emergency I gotta go. See you all on the next stream. Real MVPs" I made a peace sign with my finger and hung up abruptly.

With a deep sigh, I released a breath I never knew I was holding in and toasted the phone carelessly on the bed.

Intending to make it to the loo, I ambled down from the bed and strolled toward the adjacent thick mahogany door facing my tremendous bed in an even more enormous room.

But that intention changed course the moment the shrill from the landline pierced the air. With a low hiss, I made it back toward the bedside armoir and answered the line.

"What?" I uttered in my typical moody state.

"Ma'am the smoothie you requested is ready, should I bring it up for you?"

"Don't sweat it, I will be down in a jiffy" I waved the maid away and put down the telephone.

By Allah, I have completely forgotten about requesting that. I went into the loo, did my business, and strolled out of the room, down the stairs, and straight into the kitchen.

"I thought you were going to spend the rest of your days in your bedroom" My overly sarcastic mom rolled her eyes the minute I footed into the kitchen.

I rested my back loosely on the kitchen island and faced her, carefully taking the glass of smoothie from "Camy" our kitchen staff. "I was just trying to round things up" I chuckled and took the first sip of my drink. "Ina Dada? Where is Dad?" I inquired.

"Have you thought of checking the time before trolling in here?" She never gives direct answers.

"Kai matannan, this woman. I am just asking, he might have changed his plans for all I know" I shrugged, genuine amusement playing on my face.

"He didn't" She shrugged too.

"What are you doing?" I inched toward her, lurking behind her and looking over her shoulder, my free hand placed on her back.

"Writing my will" She deadpanned like a dead pan at the funeral of a fellow dead pan.

"Allah ya baki hakuri, may God grant you patience." I beamed amusingly, moving away. She was going through the food timetable and making changes to it.

"Don't just stand there smiling like a shark that has no purpose in water, make yourself useful, fetch me some groceries" She responded, toasting a list beside me and pacing out of the kitchen.

"Hey, I have no plan of revealing my face to the sun today" I winced in displeasure as I galloped down the smoothie, emptying the cup and shoving it into the dishwasher.

"Oh really little Miss Butter. Make one or teleport to the store, I don't care" Her voice echoed around the house as she ascended the stairs. 

I shook my head, picked up the list dashed out of the kitchen, made a quick trip to my room, and slipped into something more reputable, I ended up outside for the first time in three days.

I smiled acknowledgibly at the vast amount of soldiers scattered around the exterior as I made it to my car. Slowly reversing, I drove out of the garage toward the gate. I made it just in time to see another car driving into the compound.

"Mahir Ina kaje? Where did you go to?" I stuck my head out through the window and questioned my brother.

"Practice" He responded curtly and threw me a dirty brotherly look. "Ke Ina zaki? Where are you going?"

"Hajiya Mama sent me to run some errands" I answered. He didn't bother honoring my words with a reply so I navigated my way out of the house and onto the highway of Maitama district, a security car trailing behind me.

Thankfully, the drive to the supermarket wasn't a lengthy one and I arrived in no time. Killing the car engine, I picked up my phone and was about to walk out onto the street but a particular notification caught my attention.

It wasn't a rare occurance for me to receive distinct messages from strangers daily and if anything, I have perfected the act of ignoring them. But for some reason, this looked too tempting for me to brush off.

"Your livestream was compromised, meet me at "A class restaurant" to discuss the details. at 2 pm"

Unlike other messages I received which were all through my social media, this came directly into my imassage and of course the number was hidden.

Since the restaurant was a few minute's drive away from here and I was bored at home, I might as well just check in to see who that was.

The nerve people have these days.