Bound ✅

Back to Basics

Jamal wheeled his chair back and braced his hands on the table before saying, "Gentlemen, we'll discuss this further on Monday afternoon. Please see Salim Oter for more details."

The recipients of his words began packing their papers when Jamal left the room. They had no idea what had prompted him to end the meeting halfway as Jamal Abubakar was never known to end things half way, he would see it all to the very end.

The man in question pulled at his tightly knotted tie as he walked to his office. His babies were on their way to him after a whole two years, he would see his father walk again. He walked to the mirror that stood behind his door and shrugged off his suit jacket, leaving on his grey waistcoat that matched the suit trousers and complemented the white shirt he underneath  it.

He posed this way and that, checking whether his neck looked nice with two buttons popped open or whether Halima would like three. He looked again and buttoned the offending third button back.

When his friends asked him what fascinated him about Halima. He had many things to tell them, but most of all, he loved how she never stopped trying to get to the top. Especially since Summayah told him she was starting her own salon in Abuja. He admired her for it.

Most of all, he liked that she loved Jariyah and Lubna like hers. That was her Trump card.

"Salim?" He called softly when he heard the door open.

"Sir, I've scheduled them for Monday afternoon after seeing the chairman." Jamal nodded and walked to his table, pulling out the bag underneath it. He handed it to Salim who held it with the laptop bag.

"The bus?" Salim nodded as the phone in his hand rang. The bus was waiting.

"It's waiting downstairs." Jamal pulled at the collar of his white shirt again. Show time.

*****

Once the plane door wound open, Jariyah was screaming to be let out of her seatbelt, she just wanted to go to her daddy. Halima calmly unhooked the offending seatbelt and Jariyah jumped out of the plane into her father's arms.

"My Daddy!" Jamal held his first daughter into himself and ruffled her hair affectionately. He pulled at the soft curls that Halima had packed in the center of her head.

"I missed you." Jariyah nodded in his broad chest.

Halima pulled Lubna down the stairs carefully taking care not to trip on the hem of her gown. Jamal's mother followed behind.

"Mummy, Baba.  Sannu da Zuwa" He crouched down right there on the hot tarmac making Halima smile at him. A man that respects his elders ticked boxes for her.

His father smiled at him and was about to speak when a black sleek car parked behind the bus and out of the car stepped an older man.

Halima fanned herself gently with the hem of her hijab, it was so hot and uncomfortable to be standing in the sun.

"Kawuuuu." A shrill voice made them all look in that direction. And for a split second, Halima thought she saw Jamal roll his eyes. She nearly laughed.

"Kawu. Aunty. Sannu Da Zuwa. Ya Hanya?" Welcome. How was the journey? Jamal's parents smiled at the lady and answered her greetings.

"How have you been?" She answered fine with a low voice betraying the shrill one she had earlier used. Afterwards, Halima watched her toy with her veil and greet Jamal.

Jamal gruffly replied, making Halima scoff. "Hello, you're the nanny right?" Halima nodded. "Can I have Lubna?" She moved to collect Lubna from Halima.

Lubna watched her from under her lashes suspiciously before sniffing and looking away. One thing with both Jariyah and Lubna was, they could both be divas at the drop of a hat.

"She's shy." The lady stated before moving to collect her aunt's bag. Her aunt refused to let go of her bag.

"Let's move. I still have to drop Halima off." This seemed to prompt everyone into action. They piled into the silver bus parked right in front of the plane.

Halima looked back and saw that Jamal's uncle was following in his car and a police escort behind them.

"So, Jamal. When are we going public?" Jamal who was sitting next to Halima clenched his hands and cleared his throat to speak when his mother shushed him.

"Ibrahim, we had an agreement, didn't we?" The old man coughed lowly and all conversation was ended.

When they arrived at the house, the security men held their hands up in happiness, making Halima shake her head. That was their own way of expressing their joy.

"Halima, let Jamal drop you off at home." Jamal's mother said once the bus stopped.

"Okay ma." She nodded and stepped off the bus. Stepping off to take Lubna from Halima.

"Aunty, won't the Nanny help you? What's her job description of she won't help you with the kids." Jamal's mother stopped and covered Lubna's head with her large veil from the harsh sun before replying.

"Zeeya. Please don't start." Zeeya pouted and collected her aunt's bag, Jamal's mother allowed her this time.

The staff carried Halima's boxes into another car that Jamal collected it's keys from one of them and cranked up the engine.

"Ma? I'll be back soon. Jariyah, say bye to Halima." Halima couldn't move due to Jariyah's strong hold. She clutched Halima's skirt so hard.

"Don't go." Halima crouched to Jariyah's level and smoothed her hair lovingly before saying. "I'll be here to take you out soon. Okay?" Jariyah nodded mournfully and walked inside with her grandma.

Jamal honked, jolting Halima. She adjusted her hijab and walked off to the car, opening the passenger door to slide in.

After a few minutes, and a tense atmosphere. Jamal cleared his throat. "Why are you so pensive?"

Halima looked at Jamal sharply. Did he notice that much? She turned and stopped looking outside.

"I miss your sister." Jamal chuckled.

"You both surprised me. One minute, mom said you didn't let Summayah in, the next minute, you both are bffs. " Halima smiled at his words and the memory.

"Your sister found a place in my heart. I guess we're kindred spirits." Jamal laughed out loud.

"But you won't even open your heart to a widower like me." He stated. Halima froze and didn't reply until he had removed her cases from his car outside the gate and was ready to leave.

"You're far from poor Jamal. You don't need me to open my heart, i see your cousin's heart is all open."

With that, she walked into her father's compound.

*****

Gbas gbos!

That's the name of what Halima did.

Anyways, hello. How was your weekend? Thank you all for 11k reads. Like, I'm super thankful.

God bless you all.

This chapter is for Maymunatu_bukar, Harunafaree and AeshaKabir(who's my Hausa language Consult). God bless you three.

See y'all soon.

TheOmoope.