Hadiza in Lagos(Unedited)

CHAPTER 20

It was 2pm in the afternoon when I got to where I was going.The flats were silent when I entered the compound.I saw a lady coming out of her own flat.

"Good afternoon",I greeted the lady.

"Good afternoon",she replied looking at me like where did she know me from.

"Sorry to disturb you please I am going to Flat B3".

"Ok but I don't know this face".

"I dont live here actually but I came to see my aunty and she stays in Flat B3".

"That is Flat B3 but my friend that stays there has gone to work so I don't know maybe she's the one you are looking for",she said pointing to the next flat beside where she came out from.

"As my mother described,she is dark,of average height and not too fat..she is Aunty Aminat".

"Ahh that is definitely my friend,welcome ehn".

"Thank you ma".

"I was going out before but I can't allow you to stay outside since she's not around".

I just smiled and thanked her.

"So how is everybody back home because I can tell you are from the North".

"They are fine ma thank you".

The lady offered me some biscuits and drink but so as not to seem like a glutton I took only the drink and rejected the food.We sat together outside the balcony until she stood up after she checked the time.

"I will be back later in the evening because I have somewhere important I should be now ehn but if you want to rest,you can sleep on this rocking chair".

"Ok ma".

"Later now ehm ...",she said waiting for me to say my name.

"Hadiza".

"Ok Hadiza,I will see you later and I will buy recharge card to call your aunty on my way so that she will come early".

"Ok ma".

She carried her handbag and nylon with an umbrella and strode towards the gate.I breathed a sigh of relief as she left because I was very shy around her.I was bored just sitting so I opened my bag and picked one of my novels to read to while away time."Things fall apart" by the Late Chinua Achebe is the novel my hand found first.

   As I got to one part of the novel,my mind wondered to my mother and how she must be feeling considering that she was alone doing everything.Hauwa too must be feeling betrayed but I know she will understand.I miss them and everything I left behind.

     How will my mother deal with the aftermath of my father's family if they find out she helped me run away?I just kept praying within me that nothing happens to my mother.I just kept asking myself so many questions.I continued reading to distract myself from my thoughts but I couldn't concentrate again.

"Ekasan oo",a man of average height said to me.

"Ehnn I dont understand".

"Ahh sorry Good afternoon,I have been calling aunty aunty but you didnt hear me".

"Good afternoon,I didnt hear you...I was lost in thoughts".

"Ehnehn ok I am here to drop these clothes for Aunty Lisa that's why".

"The aunty that stays here?",I asked.

"Yes now abi she didn't tell you I was coming",he said as he was sounding angry already.

"Sorry maybe she forgot".

"Ehnehn boya please tell her that the money remains #500",he said as he handed over the nylon bag to me.

"I will tell her".

"Ehnehn better oo because she fit forget like that sey she wan give me money",he said as he was going.

"This compound is too silent haha,if that's how that man wanted to kidnap me and put in the sack he is holding nobody will know ehh.This Aunty lisa and Aunty aminat should quickly come oo before another person comes again",I said to myself as I flipped over another page.

Let me just rest small before they come...

"Hadiza!Hadiza!",a female voice woke me up from my slumber.

"Yes",I opened my eyes and wiped my face with my hands because the person I saw looked so much like my mother.

"You are Hadiza?"she asked.

"Yes Aunty Aminat".

"Come,come,come and hug me",she said with tears almost dropping from her eyes.

"You have grown bigger oo since the last time I saw you ehh",she checked me out.

I just smiled at her since I was just seeing her for the first time in like 10 years.

"Who is the owner of that nylon you left",she asked eying the nylon the man that came earlier dropped for me.

"The aunty that allowed me stay here till you came,someone came here to drop it for her while she was away".

"Ahh Lisa,please bring it in for her".

Finally after all the struggles I got to meet my aunty.My joy knew no bounds at that point in time.