J U S T I C E

14

Single, ati searching, you want to mingle?
Ko le marry?

YA ABBATI

Today's the big day.

I woke up extra early to get ready because of how excited I was. I couldn't even sleep well, I just kept tossing and turning.

"Hello babeee,"

"Huh?" she said in her overly cute sleepy voice.

"I need breakfast like ASAP,"

"Ka sha kwaya Ko? Are you out of your mind? Ina cikin bacci na mai dadi. You're calling me to cook for you..... Laaaa Abbati ba kada mutunci, it's just 7 in the morning fa,"

"Ke kina damu na," I hear in the background.

"Tashi ma kawai. I can't suffer alone,"

"Thank you baby. I'll be over in 30 minutes, " I say and cut the call immediately, before she descends on me again.

I get fully dressed in my uniform, pick up my hat and suitcase then I head out the door and straight to Abduls room.

"Kai zo muje muci breakfast wajen su Rabiah,"

On hearing that he stumbled up and went to the bathroom. 15 minutes later, he emerged looking clean and fresh.

"Since you heard Rabiahs name ko? In da haka nan na tashe ka, you wouldn't wake up, shege kawai,"

He ignored me and went out the room. I followed him and we didn't say anything to each other until we got to the girls' apartment.

"Come in," We heard before we could even knock.

"How'd you know we were there?" I asked when we got inside.

"Rabiah has been standing by the peep hole waiting for her prince charming,"

"Awwnn baby, it's nice to know you love me like that," Abdul coos.

"Oh please shut up," she says smiling.

Abdul and I sat on the island and waited to be served.

"Ba ma kuda kunya. Get up and get your plates," Rabiah shouted.

"Haba dai...." I started until Rukayya turned around with a hand on her hip.

"What were you about to say?" she says glaring at me. I immediately got the idea and stood up to get my plate.

She served us her delicious food and we ate like lightning.

"Bye," I said standing up with my plate to put in the sink. I had checked my watch and I was going to be late if I waited any longer.

Rukayya walked me to the door while Abdul sat in the kitchen waiting for his babe to finish the dishes.

"Make sure you don't even look at any girl in the office," Rukayya says politely "Or I'll cut her up into pieces for you to eat in a soup,"

"Kema kin san you're the only one," I say smiling.

"Ohon ma dai. I've warned you,"

"Sai na dawo," I say suggestively, raising my eyebrows for effect.

Blushing she comes forward and gives a hug. As she goes to move back I give her a firm squeeze feeling her against me. God I love this girl.

"Bye," she waves and closes the door hard.

"Bye," I whisper into the wind smiling like a loon.

*****************************************

I arrived at the office right on time and headed straight to the receptionist.

"Good morning," I greeted politely.

"Morning. How may I help you?" she replied in a bored tone.

"I'm new here, I was wondering where the managers office is?"

"Go straight on that corridor, the third door on your right,"

"Thank you," I said, even though she didn't look the least bit interested.

I followed her directions an sure enough, there was a door that said Management. I knocked even though I could hear voices inside.

"Come in," a masculine voice called out.

"Good morning, take a seat. I might as well just brief you both,"

"Morning sir,"

"Nonsense, just call me Alex. I will be your manager in Nigeria for the rest of your stay at Emirates Airlines,"

"Alright Alex,"

He briefed us on everything that we needed to know.

"Now go straight to your locker rooms and get ready, your flight will be in two hours. Oh and this is Labeeba, a fellow pilot,"

I turned and looked at her, only for my eyes to widen.

"Labeeba??!!"

"I was wondering when you'd look at me," she says casually.

"Where have you been all this while? Baba was worried sick about you,"

"Just here and there,"

"I take it it didn't work out with lover boy eh?"

"That's a story for another day. Let's go get ready, even though we're not on the same flight,"

"Alright, see you later,"

Wow, just wow. I can't believe that was Labeeba. She's my cousin from my dad's side. Let me tell you what happened.

Labeeba and I were dating back then in school. We were one of the most recognized couples on campus. My dad got to know about it and was very happy so he tried to get us married. Neither of us actually loved the other so when dad was coming for a visit, we devised a plan. She would pretend to date an Arab friend of ours, this way Abba would approve since he was Muslim.

What she didn't tell me was that she had been seeing that friend of ours behind my back. I was shocked yet somehow relieved when she told me. She said she was in love with him and wanted to get married to him, but Abba forbade it. Instead of listening she eloped with the guy. About a month later she sent a letter home saying he had betrayed her and left her. In the letter she wrote that she would only return after she had finished her education. I guess she stayed true to her words.

I rushed to the car that would take me to the plane. When we got close enough I and my Co-pilot, Abdulrahman, got out and went straight to the cockpit.

We would be flying to India. I smiled as I remembered how my baby helped me pack for the warm weather out there. Even though I was only going to be there a day, she insisted saying anything could happen.

Sometimes she surprises me with the way she cares for me.

"Ay man," Abdulrahman calls.

"Yeah,"

"Our flight's about to take off, you need to make the announcement,"

"Oh right, thank you," I say surprised about how much time I spent thinking about her.

Today I must look for her trouble when we land. I'll tell her that I met a girl on the plane. Hahahahahahhahaha. I can even use Labeebas name.

Mtseww like that's ever gonna happen. Abeggg.

LABEEBA

Finally I've seen Abbati. My, my he's still as handsome as ever. I don't know why I turned down Abba's proposal before. He looks so dashing in his uniform.

That useless Azeez, he dumped me when his parents refused to accept me. After I ran away from home for him. To be honest I think it was just lust I felt for him. Anyways the past is the past.

Now I'm back to claim Abbati as my own and from the look of things no one is going to stop me. I mean how hard can it be to get him to fall for me?