Finding Mufeeda

Revelations

Chapter Six

Tricia watched her husband take his morning cereal silently. She knew there was something on his mind. He had often appeared absent-minded lately. She could only guess it had to do with his new job. They returned to Nigeria from the Netherlands with their two sons when he was appointed Director of the National Agency for Satellite Communications.
She pats his back lovingly. "It's all going to be ok, Akay." She said.
Akay looked at his wife and gave a faint smile. He understood she worried about him and wanted to know what was on his mind, but he wasn't sure he was ready to share just yet.
He gave her a peck on the forehead, "Nour," he said, "this is for always being by my side."
"I have to attend to one or two things here in Lagos before we leave for Abuja."

Akay was in the chauffeur-driven car when he opened his mail. He had been expecting the reply and now it was here he was filled with a strange feeling, a mixture of fear and excitement.
The mail was from Mr Akin Roberts the professional investigator he had employed to help him gather all the information he could about Muti'at and her family.

Dear Mr A.K. Salako,
Attached are details of our findings for your attention.
Find attached; pictures to support.
Thank you.
Akin-Roberts.

Akay was tempted to open the attached files. He declined, he knew such personal things shouldn't be done in the car with a chauffeur he had only just met. He asked to be taken to Dolphin Estate. His maternal cousin Derinsola lived there and they had agreed to meet that morning. Derinsola, must have been about eighteen when they had last met before his marriage to Muti'at.
He found her on Facebook, after so many years. He had been searching for someone he could trust to give him any information about his family in Nigeria. Someone he could call family.
He looked out of the window trying to absorb all the changes he could notice.
Lagos had indeed been transformed into a mega-city. What hadn't changed was the traffic hold-up. He had been away from the country for over twenty years and the changes were obvious. He closed his eyes for a brief moment as the images of the past came rushing into his mind.

They had been very much in love. He and Muti'at. The kind of love that blinded one to reality and made lovers live in a different world. Muti'at would do anything to be with him and he was ready to sacrifice his dreams to make her his. To him, she was perhaps the most beautiful, intelligent and witty girl he had ever met. She had made him break his resolve not to pay attention to girls until he had a master's degree. Her Aunt won't allow her to marry him. She wouldn't even allow him near their front door. Although she had often said it was because she wanted Muti'at to pursue her dreams, he had felt it was because both of his parents were late and he was aware he didn't quite make the criteria of potential in law to a Lagos business mogul. He'd tried his best to explain to her he wouldn't allow anything to come between them and their dreams.

Before their death, his parents were both academicians. His dad was an Associate professor and his mum had a PhD. They had died in a fatal air crash in Jeddah the year before he graduated from university. It had left him empty and blank. His fears had always been being alone. Growing up as an only child had made him have insecurities. He had never liked them travelling together for the fear of losing them both. They were his world, not having any siblings to relate with except a few cousins and distant relatives who visited occasionally.

In Muti'at he found someone he always wanted to be with, she understood his moods and she also mirrored his crave for success. He wanted so much to be a space engineer and this had been the dreams he shared with his parents.
She seemed to understand just how much he wanted to do great things. He smiled, remembering how she would insist he said inshaAllah after every wish. "Nothing happens except as Allah wills," she would say.
He had found Muti'at and he hadn't been ready to let go.
Akay had been surprised when Alhaja Amu finally welcomed him into the family. One of the conditions was that he left foaster's programme. She would join him in August for the fall admissions. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted, returning him to reality.