Chapter 80 — A Mawkish Goodbye

Both Adyan and Dad stood up, terrified at the last words Mom uttered before she dragged her crying sister out of the living room. Kassim sat there unshaken, he couldn't believe these words could ever come out of his Mother's lips. He thought she loved him. Albeit he knew that she loves Adyan more, but he couldn't imagine himself being disowned by his mother.

He felt a thread of sweat forming on his forehead despite the chilly morning wind and the air conditioner that's softly blowing on their skins. He could feel the wrath of the almighty slowly seeping into his heart and, at the same time, the fear of the yaumul kiyamah! He made his mother cried and she was helpless that he forced her to utter those words to him through his actions.

He stood up and scavenged for his phone in his breast pocket. Dad wrapped his hand around Adyan's shoulders, and they left the living room without sparing him another glance. He still loved Hayfah, but he feared the loss of his family, especially his mother's blessings.

"Bullet!" His hoarse voice echoed through the walls of the room, and he kept pacing to and fro, unable to sit down.

"Oga Kassim, good morning. I haven't received the alert yet." He slurred with a sleepy and slightly inebriated voice, which Kassim shove away with another roar.

"I sent the money last night. Make sure you bring her back to our house without leaving a trace before 7:30 am. My family found out you spoke to my Dad last night. You don't want to be tracked!" His voice was on alarm, he feared the worst Dad could do about this, he might be taken to court because of his, and to jail he shall root for years.

"Oga Kassim how would that happen? You told us there would never be a problem! Send us the balance for our work, and she shall be there by 7:00 am, I promise! I'm leaving for Enugu this morning, I can't risk my life." And Kassim heard some shuffling as bullets kept entering the rooms hosting his apprentice in thug-ship, and they all woke up.

"That would've been better." Kassim said and ended the call. He moved to his room and started putting his things into the luggage he came with. He knew this house would be worse than a fire for him henceforth. Initially, his relationship with Mum wasn't worth a scoop of a spoon, and now everything had been damaged.

What of Hayfah? The thought that halted him from zipping the zipper of his bag. He slumped down into his bed and palmed his face with both hands. How he wished he was nice to her the first day she reported to the company, he would've married her long before Adyan came back. She told him. She told him that a day would come when he would regret his every action, and here he was, the greatest of them all, Kassim Aliyu Ardo, shedding tears for the lady he thought was just a man in the slender body of a woman.

He looked up and felt the salty liquid of his tears on his lips, and that's when it finally registered in him, and the painful acceptance hugged his soul; he has lost Hayfah. She's Adyan's wife, Adyan, the forever lucky one.

He sluggishly stood up and trudged to the bathroom, he finished his bath with the thought of Hayfah wrapped at every angle of his soul. He came out and clad himself into a blue jeans with a milk denim shirt. He looked dangerously handsome and took a lot of time writing a letter for his dear Mom; he knew it would be years before he can be back to this house he destroyed.

He gazed over at his wall clock, and it read 7:23 am. He didn't know he spent so much time doing nothing and everything, he cleared off the strand of tear that refused to obey his command of staying in the confines of his eyes. He walked out of his room down to the empty living room and finally to the corridor leading to the main entrance door of the house.

Dad, Mom, Mama and Abida the maid, were all standing before the door, their eyes fixed on the sight that was yet to reach Kassim's eyes. The women had tears running down their cheeks, and Kassim knew it before his eyes even caught the sight of Adyan and Hayfah being hugged like a tape and tyre. Hayfah had her face facing him, and she closed her eyes with tears rolling down her cheeks, completely oblivious to the fact that their parents were standing before them.

The sight, it broke his heart completely. He looked back and gulped down his tears, ego and remorse feeling before he cleared his throat and walked forward. Mom looked away from the sight of him, completely disgusted. Mama shot him a thankful glance and looked away herself, Dad doesn't even spare him a glance, and his mien made the couple know that they weren't alone.

Hayfah quickly hide behind Adyan's back the moment she saw Kassim standing before them, for she heard it numerously as Bullet converse with him on phone. She knew it was him. And Adyan confirmed her instinct the moment he hugged her and broke into tears, stating, "I never knew he could do this to me. I still love him as a brother, Rania. But not anymore."

Kassim looked down, pain pierced his heart when he saw Hayfah hiding behind Adyan when she saw him as if she had seen a ghost. Well you are more than that to her, a voice in him reminded. He quickly shoved the thought aside and walked over Dad, pressing his sweaty palms on his jeans.

"I'm sorry Dad for the pain I've instilled on you, please do forgive me. I'll be leaving now, and I might not come back anytime soon. Thank you for being my father for the years of my miserable life." Dad didn't look his way. He stood for a few minutes and walked over to Mom. Abida had long vanished, sensing the tension between the family.

He looked at her angry face, how she still pouted made him know she was still angry. This is the woman he loved all his life, how could he? "Let me use his words for only today; Sorella, I love you." And she looked up abruptly, but quickly turned away, the sight of Rakaia kneeling down beside him flashing back into her mind.

He continued, "I know he's the lucky one amongst us, he showed you the love I've always had in my heart but failed to show. From the name you call him, Mi Amore, to the smile you have for him, and everything, I know he excelled in the world of your heart. But I love you, and I know you love me too.

I had been a horrible son since from the start, but today I'm apologizing for all I've done. Hayfah has once told me that she didn't know my parents, but she knew they aren't as bad as me, and if they would have to know the monster I am, they'd be utterly disappointed in me. And you proved her words right today.

Take this letter, do read it the day you find it in your heart to forgive me, I know I'm not worthy of your forgiveness. I'm a bad son that my our Sorella's Ruru Am dropped onto her knees." She still didn't look his way, and he felt he couldn't hold his tears anymore.

He pinched her cheeks, "Adyan had always told you you're beautiful, but I bet he's wrong today. My mother is the cutest woman on earth, and she's gorgeous when she wears on a pout, just like today." He didn't wait before he hugged her, but she didn't hug him back. That made him know that his mother had really disowned him, and he cried harder!

He broke their hug and looked at Mama before he looked away. "I don't have a memory of you Aunty, but I know she loves you so much to disown her son for you. Take care of her for me, I love you too." He took her hand placed a kiss on her palms. Mama shed some tears and patted his shoulder in assurance, he smiled and walked towards the couple; the source of all this!

He stood over them for some minutes and none of them looked his way. He smiled; a rueful smile that etched into his heart and made him bleed. "Little brother hates his older brother, Bro Kassim is sorry! I know you love me too much not to forgive me, it won't be soon, but I trust my brother that he will. Keep it in there; this monster of your brother loves you a lot!" And he fondled the surface enclosing Adyan's heart before he gave him a manly hug. Adyan didn't budge or even looked at him.

He looked at Hayfah, "Can I see my niece please?" He asked, his eyes fixed on the baby being held firmly by her arms.

She obliged and lifted her hijab over Mysha's face, who was sleeping peacefully as though she had no worries on earth.

"Masha Allah, she's too beautiful to be hurt by such cruel person she has as an uncle. I pray she forgives me before she grows up. Hayfah, you too should forgive me for all I've done to you, I know they're much, but please. I told me a day like this would come, and here we are." He looked at his family once again and walked over the parking lot, as no one has spoken a word to him.

The driver collected the luggage and put it in the car's trunk before he went to open Kassim's door but got astounded when Kassim told him to just leave it he can open for himself! This was the man that would rather spend ten minutes waiting for his door to be opened than open it himself. Amazing!

The driver ignited on the car and Dad stopped them, he went to Kassim's side and the window was slide down "If anything happens to her again, you'll be held accountable." And off he walked, leaving Kassim with a train if thoughts.

They drove out of the compound and he could still see the huge iron gate of their huge. They were on the road when a car bumped into theirs, if it was before; Kassim would have walked out of the car and insulted whoever it is driving the other car, but he didn't.

The driver went out and came back, telling him that the person needs to see him. He winded down the glass and a lady wearing an Arabian gown came over the class, she smiled apologetically.

"I'm so sorry sir, I crashed into your car, please." There was a tone in her words that screamed fear of humiliation. She'd known him from somewhere!

He looked at her again and recalled! The receptionist; Muntasra! "Oh Muntasra, it's really not a problem, you should get to work, though I doubt your CEO might be there today." He smiled and the driver hit the wheel.

He has changed! This is surely a dream! Muntasra screamed within her and went back to her car.

***

"Mama, I'm full wallahi," Hayfah whined, turning her head away from the handful of Mama's food. They circled her in the living room after she had her bath, Mom and Mama feeding her from every angle, and Adyan couldn't move an inch without Mysha in his arms.

"Hayfah you have to eat well, you gave birth. Unless you want my handsome nephew to get in another wife!" Mama jested and watched as Hayfah pouted before she opened her mouth again. She would've left for Sokoto, but she needed to spend as much time as possible with her Hayfah.

Abida entered the living room and looked at Hayfah and Adyan that were seated adjacent to each other. "Hajia Hayfah you have a visitor; Stephen said the man said his name is Tahir Talhah Muhammad!" Both Hayfah and Mama stood up at the same time! Hayfah almost screamed, Hamma Tahir came here for her!