Shadow of Doubt

Chapter 5

Chapter 5
Sa'ad's POV

I didn't hang around Baffah Sadiq's. I gave back the key to the car at the security room and immediately strolled down to where I usually get a cab. I would've ordered for a cab on taxify but my phone was dead due to pressing it too much as I waited for Iram all day.

My heart skipped at the thought of her. She was everything beyond my expectations, I'd thought she would be a normal senator's child, bratty and outgoing but she was the exact opposite. In fact she had taken upon her responsibilities that eighty percent of teenagers didn't go through in this city, especially with her social status.

The love she had for her little brother warmed me up in ways I didn't want to feel for her or anyone in her family but it was too late, even if I didn't like her that much, I loved Saif. He was just a child with a pure heart and he loved me too, we got along immediately after we met.

He had just been dropped from school when he saw me praying in the mosque inside the house and he took off his shoes and joined me. When we finished he asked me "Sir, are you new?"

"Yes." I'd answered him.

"Please don't let daddy fire Badamasi, Badamasi's son is my friend, yana zuwa Islamiyyan mu during the weekend and yace min gidansu ba wuta ma."

"I'm not here to replace Badamasi." I had told him. I realised he was so wise for his age too. "I'm working with Hafsat."

"We don't have Hafsat in this house." He said, completely puzzled and I laughed. "Adda fa sunan ta Iram, her name is not Hafsat."

He looked pretty sure of what he was saying so I sighed and took his hands in mine. "My real name is Muhammad, but everyone calls me Sa'ad. That's the same with your aunt?" He looked young enough, maybe he was her nephew or something but he called her Adda.

"Na gane. But she's my sister and my mummy." He had told me. "She is the best."

Yesterday after I'd gone back home, I'd met Sadiq and Hauwa sitting in the compound. They were conversing and happy to be around each other, Hauwa had gotten up quickly upon my arrival to bring me food which I devoured carelessly because of how hungry I was. My body has been running on maltina alone all day.

Today as I walked inside the house, Sadiq was nowhere to be found but Hauwa was sitting on a mat in the compound and when she saw me, her face lit up and she got up from her sitting position to go and bring me a chair. She knew I prefer sitting on something a bit high.

We exchanged pleasantries as I plugged my phone there on the socket outside beside Hauwa to charge. As soon as it turned itself on, the phone started ringing and Hauwa stretched it out for me. Her expression was neutral as she handed me the phone and I saw Hafsat's name. My first thought was to ignore it but if I ignored her today, would I be able to ignore or avoid her tomorrow? I wondered what she wanted though.

I kept quiet as I put it on speakerphone because it was still connected to power and it might die if I unplugged it. "Uncle Sa'ad?" Saif's tiny voice said and I sighed as I moved closer to the phone, getting comfortable.

"Uncle Saif." I said back to him. "Does Adda know that you have her phone?"

"No." He giggled and I laughed. I could tell he was sneaking with the way he was speaking in a little voice. "She went to make pancakes for us," I wondered what Iram's pancakes tasted like, I couldn't believe she even knew how to cook but then again, she looked like she knew her way around the kitchen the other day when she met me there. "i was playing with her phone and I remembered you didn't say goodbye today."

"I'm sorry, I was in haste and my phone was dead."

"But I'll see you tomorrow, right?" He asked rather adorably and I was about to answer when another voice joined Saif in the background.