Hidden Sun

chapter four

Chapter four
Aunty Bilkisu was really tensed when Laylah told her about her father’s decision to get her married and what happened the last time she visited her that led to the decision her father made.
“Aunty, my only concern is that I want to study and also daddy would not allow me to study what I want, for me that was not a serious problem but marriage, aunty I would rather die than get married at this age”
“Laylah, I really don’t know what to do now, your father only listens to his wife, but what if we ask her to talk to him”
“No aunty, we would not do anything of that sort, he is my father I cannot beg anyone to talk to my father, it is an insult and what will she think and she will also try to control us because she has the power”.
“Oh my dear, I feel so bad for you, but just keep praying, no condition is permanent, God will see us through and had your mum been here all this will not be happening because she would not allow it” hearing this, Laylah thought of her mother and burst into tears and bilkisu tried to console her,
“It’s ok my child, take heart may her sole rest in perfect peace”
“Ameen” Laylah said as she continue to cry
“Now get up, I will take you home myself”. They both got up and bilkisu took her home, Alhaji Ibrahim was at home when they arrived, and bilkisu tried to talk to him about his decision but instead, he took offence in it and said Laylah had reported him to her mother’s family members but bilkisu explained everything to him in a manner he understood because she does not want to put Laylah in trouble but despite her efforts, Alhaji Ibrahim was not ready to change his decision so she had to leave and Laylah was more worried now because she has no one left to talk to so she decided to leave the house, but her father did not allow her so she thought of another way.
It was night and everybody was sleeping except Laylah who was planning on how to leave the house’ she planned to use the kitchen door because it will be more secret and far from the rooms this way no one will hear any sound, Laylah took her school bag and put not more than five cloths in it, and left, she was almost caught by aunty Salma who went to drink water in the kitchen by that time but God saved her, no one saw her leaving the house. Laylah went directly to bilkisu’s house.
“Laylah, what are you doing here this night, and this school bag?”
“Aunty I am very tired of staying in that house with Aunty Salma that is why I decided to run away”
“But you know that when your father finds out, he will come here first”
“Yes I know, that is why I came here, because I don’t have anyone except you, please help me look for somewhere to stay for the mean time before I think of somewhere to go”
“Ok, but this night?”
“Aunty, just think of anything and anywhere, I really need your help now, please Aunty I promise I will do anything to help myself but for now I need to leave this place”
“Ok I have a friend in Garki, but I don’t know if you can stay there because it is very far from here, it is in Abuja”
“I can stay there, it will be better than staying in my father’s house, so which time am I leaving”
“What is the time now?”
“It is past twelve”
“You cannot leave now but as early as five a.m. tomorrow you will be on your way but please take care of yourself I will call her to inform her”
“Thank you so much aunty, I promise I will not let you down I will try my best”
“Ok go and sleep now”. Laylah was happy she was going to leave her father and all the problems but was sad because she would miss her aunt,
“Aunty, thank you so much, without you I would have died”
“Don’t worry, no harm will ever come to you that is why I am here for you and besides if I don’t help you then God Himself will ask me because when I needed someone it was Dalilah who was with me so now if I don’t do it for you I will never forgive myself, so go and get some sleep now”
Laylah went to sleep and bilkisu locked the door and joined her.
Bilkisu woke up by four a.m. and cooked breakfast for Laylah then she woke her up to take her bath, eat and get ready to go, she also gave her some money and one of her spare phones for communication, she gave Laylah her friend’s phone number too and she told her to call her when she reaches. Laylah was all set to go
“Aunty I will miss you very much”
“Laylah I will miss you too, but I will always call to know how you are doing and anyways it is for the better”
“Yes aunty, I wish I don’t have to leave but I need too”
“Ok, I wish you all the best, Laylah go and follow your dreams, God is there for you and He will guide you through thick and thin and also make me proud of you” Laylah started crying as they both left to go to the car park, as soon as they arrived, Laylah boarded a bus and left.
She safely reached at about eight thirty a.m. she called bilkisu and informed her about her arrival, bilkisu was happy and thanked God for her save arrival.
Back in Zaria, her father was looking for her and the first place he went was aunty bilkisu’s house, when she told him Laylah was not with her, he thought she was lying so she told him to search the house, and when he did so and did not see her he thought for a while “where could she have gone to”
“are you asking me, if only you did not pressurize her so much then she wouldn’t have left, it is now that you will understand what she has been saying, you and your wife have made her life hell, go and tell your wife that what she has wanted has happened, now let’s see who she blames for her mistakes”
“Who are you to say such things about my wife?”
“Go on keep supporting her; a day will come that you will regret it and it will be too late by then and let me tell you something I am giving you three days to find my niece or else you and your wife will prefer dying so go and tell her, if she has used her for rituals then she should get ready for me”
Alhaji was restless since he could not find his only daughter and gets angry for any small mistake his wife makes, she started becoming angry with his behavior and they always end up fighting, Salma told Alhaji to divorce her if he would not change his attitude. Alhaji did not divorce her but things started becoming out of hand for Salma that she left the house for a while saying she needed to take a break from his constant nagging but was made to return after two days. Alhaji who was so worried about his daughter announced on radio and television stations that whoever finds her will get five million as reward from him, when Salma heard this she met him to talk to him
“Are you really giving five million to whoever finds her?”
“Yes I am and why did you ask?”
“So because of this useless girl, you want to waste your life and money, if she had any love or respect for you then she wouldn’t have ran away, and you are here wasting your time looking for her”
“Salma did I beg you to give me the money, hope it is not your money? Then let me do what I want with it, if only I had not listened to you that day then my daughter wouldn’t have left today “
“So now you want to blame me for your daughter’s disappearance, God is wonderful, now that she has proven what I have been saying, you want to blame me”
“I am not blaming you I am just telling you what you have to know”
“So now I have become a bad person by just saying the truth”
Alhaji did not respond to what she said, instead he continued with what he was doing, then he turned to her and said “But just remember that if I don’t see my child in a week, then you will be in for it ,and you should have yourself to blame”.

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