Let Me Be Yours

CHAPTER SIX

The journey to Minna had been good but tiring. She'd arrived home by the late hours of the afternoon and received a warm welcoming.

Uncle Dawud was her favourite uncle, she could say he was the only uncle she recognised of all her uncle's, paternal inclusive. Well, except Uncle Yahya. He's the one taking care of her needs, plus her education. Studying in Yola was his idea.

She gave him much respect and saw him more as a father than an uncle. Practically, he's the father she never had.

Yusuf called her immediately after her arrival yesterday and they haven't talked since then. Unlike him. He might be avoiding the explanation he promised but she didn't mind, Yusuf's as good as his words, so, she just gave him space.

Surprisingly, she met Nabeelah and Na'eemah there. What's the occasion? She thought, and all of a sudden, something felt fishy there too. She had the same feeling she'd been having back at Yola.

Just what on earth is wrong with all of 'em?!

She saw right through their acts. She asked none of them because as much as it excited her, she was also scared.

If it wasn't bad, they'd have told me a long time ago.

But she was still curious and that increased when Uncle Dawud told her yesterday after dinner that they had something to talk about but she should rest first.

She had mixed feelings about this. She couldn't even sleep the night before. She fretted what life beheld for her that day. Only Al-Aleem knows.

She stretched on the bed before peeping at Na'eemah who was still fast asleep.

Lazy bones.

She hit her hard on the butt making her flinch.

"Subhanallah!"

"Wetin?" Amira feigned ignorant.

"Haba Amira, you wan kill me neh?" She mumbled sleepily.

"It's past eight."

"And is that how you wake people?" Her voice cracked.

"Lazy people, yes."

"Wallahi you no get mutunci. I wake up by ten in Jos. Why did I even come here in the first place?" She grumped, burying herself under the sheets once more.

"Get up now!" Amira commanded, hitting her with a pillow.

"Please naaah." She dragged.

"I'll call Sis..."

"No no no. I'm up yikes." She yawned before slouching to the toilet.

"Couch potato."

Amira had had her bath so she just put on a purple kimono over her leggings then headed out.

Just as she walked towards the kitchen, she bumped into Suwaiba; Uncle Dawud's ninth child and fourth daughter. She was a year older than her.

"Daddy's calling you." She said.

Amira instantly felt her belly rumble. This early?

"He's in his parlour." She added.

"Ok. Thanks." And she left.

Why am I having a bad feeling about this?

* * *

She walked into the airy room and found him sitting on his usual two-seater couch. His buba lay on the arm of the couch with a steaming cup of coffee on the table in front of him. He looks so much like her mum, more of twins but he's three years older. The faultless fair skin, round russet eyes, flat nose, wavy black hair, supple body, name it.