Strangled

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Let It Go

  Maigoro family were having dinner on the dinning table,  Alhaji Hashim Maigoro was sitting at his usual spot,  this way he had a view of whatever everyone was doing at the table.  He smiled to ease the mood but when his eyes caught the empty space between Abdallah they turned gloomy once more.  His heart was heavy and it was obvious he missed his daughter maybe he shouldn't have been too hard on her perhaps she may have been here with them having dinner like they used to as a family he thought.
Junaid noticed his uncles gloomy eyes and decided to start a conversation “Abba,  we concluded the contract I was telling you about the other day and alhamdulilah it went well ” Ammi had a proud smile plastered on her face “I'm proud of you son,  you know our family business had always been trading, back then we had lots of kolanut trees in our farm.  Your father , I and your grandfather always made more than enough profit every market day , that was how we were named after our most valuable commodity, Maigoro” he had a smile on his face reminiscing about the past and how lively life Was when he was younger,  Alhaji Hashim was an influential business man and he was successful and had different companies within Nigeria.
  Silence was heard all through as each member had a problem of their own lingering on their minds .
Slowly  swiping over his phone looking and thinking about the beautiful memories those  pictures must have left. Exiting the app he tried calling her but it wasn't reachable this is the tenth thousand time he'd dialled her number. He dropped his phone on the table in his studio and walked out to grab a drink “ she got divorced two days ago and she's staying at the Royal suites hotel” Ammi voiced out as low as she could “Hmmmmmm, how about Hameed? ” Alhaji Hashim asked “Hannah said he left for Cameroon immediately after the incident,  he's been diagnosed with cancer of the liver”  shock was evident on everyones face as Junaid walks into the kitchen,  both parties knew this was a huge secret, gazes were exchanged and lips trempled “I'll just go from here” Ammi walks off.  This was the only way she could escape the predicament , times without number she'd lied that she knows nothing about her daughters where about and it's quite embarrassing to admit the truth in front of Junaid.
   Junaid poured himself  a cup of water and was leaving when his uncles voice stopped him “once you're done, I want to see you ” he left almost immediately and this made the curiosity in him to dive deep. He didn't know what to expect and this made the water he was drinking hard to go down his throat,  maybe he's about to hear the truth he's been yearning for or something better but his hopes were thrown out the window when he heard His uncle talk.
“Junaid, I called you here today because I think it's high time we talk about something very important ” he started.  Trying with every fiber in him to concentrate on the console far in front of him but his capabilities was failing him,  “Junaid it's been seven good years and up until today I have never considered you as a  nephew,  Ivve always seen you as a son and  Alhamdulilah not even for once have you treated me like your uncle.  You accepted me as a father figure and I accepted you as my son.  I want you to have in mind that what decision  I make is for your own benefits for I'll never cheat my own flesh”  these words had a heavy impact and he knew that whatever was coming was really big,  this were one of those days he wished he had superpowers to speed up the rate of time and he was sure he won't feel the burden of this moment, his uncles voice brought him back to reality “I think it's high time you get a life partner,  and it won't be a problem if you have no one in mind. My very good friend Dr. Bello has a daughter he'll  like to marry off this year, I'm sure you know about that? ” he asked “yes I do ”he replied surprised to the fact that he wants to set him up with someone who's way out of his league “father,  please give me more time, I'll bring her home soon ” it took all the courage he had in him to come up with this sentence with a nod from his uncle he convinced himself that it was the end of the discussion.
Shutting the door behind him he thought of going back in to confirm if what he heard was right,  why were they pretending like he's heard nothing?
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   Orange shades of Sunlight peaked in through the glass panes and she peeped through like a shy child in front of visitors.  If it was at home when she was married to Hameed she'ld would have been making breakfast, but here she was unable to fall asleep like she's planned but sleep has deserted her.
Sitting at the edge of the bed she cried her eyes out for hours not even for once had she thought she'll ever be in an abusive marriage,she wasn't only abused physically but emotionally and mentally as well, nor lost her most cherished jewel, Noor and now she's divorced and ashamed to face her parents. With all these on her mind she doesn't know what to do next but one thing was for sure she was  letting it go and never going back.
She let the tears fall slowly,  wondering if they were tears if joy or sadness, life Sure has a way of turning us into something we never thought we'ld be, it has a way of taking us to places where we never thought we will ever be, it has a way of gracing us with good as well as bad moments that will forever remain memories.  One thing we must all know Is that no mater how hard the going gets we must stay strong and strive towards being a better human. “Alhamdulilah,  alhamdulilah ” she whispered only to her hearing with the thoughts that Allah must have kept her alive all this while to make things right, and she was grabbing the opportunity with both hands.
Rubbing her wet hair with a towel, she picks up the blow dryer and dies it of,  rolled her hijab neatly and looked at her reflection on the full length mirror her eyes were sunken and her skin pale, dry lips will her father even recognize her?  She pushed these thoughts to the back of her mind and picks up her car keys and drove to a restaurant, she needs enough energy uber able to face her father but she knew deep within her that she needed courage more.
An hour passed and she was still looking at her plate of food it looked just as perfect as it was when she was served , she watched as a couple feed themselves from each others plate at the far end of the restaurant“that was the type of love I never got ” she whispered to herself letting the years that  welled up in her eyes flow . The crying soothes and relives her heart from the burden she feels and she thought that by now whatever was producing her tears must feel numb and tired, she was tired to.
Parked in front of her father's office building, sweaty palms and throbbing heart , she rubs her hands on her gown over and over again looking out her window pundering weather to go in OR return to the hotel. Deep in thoughts she was caught unaware by a tap on her window.
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A/N: I am not going to start by apologizing but eventually I will.  This book is almost over and I'll really like it if you'll take  some time to tell me what you think . Oya let me apologize “I'm sorry 😪😪😥🤧, I don't have anything to say my only excuse is just school”.
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