"Come out into the open."
He said, "I came out, don't say I was being naughty."
I laughed and said, "I swear to God I won't say it again."
He said, "Don't you dare say it again, or I’ll tell Abba and Hajiya." I quickly covered my mouth and said "Now, for God’s sake, will you tell them?" He replied "I’m just scared you’ll go and tell them again."
It was a nice Lebanese-owned salon. They washed my hair and did a nice braiding for me. I felt a pleasant breeze that made me feel good, the hair plaiting wasn’t a problem for me since I used to do it.
From there we went into a boutique and he told me to pick anything I wanted. When we got home and I was showing off the clothes on me. I wore nice English wears and shoes from "MAKARI" and we went out with the three of us after paying.
On our way home he suddenly took a different route and headed straight to our house.
I was so happy I just laughed. Mami wasn’t at home, she had gone to visit her dear friend Baffanta at Bidda.
From Abba’s house, Yaya Suwaiba came in to work for us as if she was our guardian, and she was also giving me Abba’s facial features.
Seeing Abbana made me realize just how much joy was in him that we didn’t know about. I brought out the perfumes I bought on credit and gave them to him. He thanked me.
Yaya Suwaiba didn’t go to Mami’s super party, and I also prepared her body because Sabuwa told me she wasn’t feeling well.
Abba and I stayed behind after Mijin-Sakinah left. He looked at me with a strange look and said,
"Is there no problem, Sakinah?"
I said, "No Abba." I kept quiet, thinking about what I wanted to tell him.
He seemed like he wanted to talk but stayed quiet. He said, "You said there’s no problem, but I can see on your face that you’re hiding something."
I said, "Abba, have you still not gotten Maman’s address?"
He was quiet for a bit then said, "Last year when I came back from Qatar I also heard she was in town, but I didn’t get their house address. I’m looking for a way for you to meet, Insha Allah you will hug your mother like everyone else without delay."
I closed my eyes for a moment and a kind of joy ran through every part of my body.
He brought out some money and gave it to me. Abdulhakim also brought the gifts he bought for me, with lots of thanks and love.
We entered the house, my heart full of love for Abbana and with so much joy.
[9/15, 2:47 PM] Asmau: Washegari Abdulhakim said he was planning to go back to Lagos, but he first stopped to pay a visit to Kaduna at Abdallah’s place. The house was just me and Sabuwa, and Hajiya was coming in and out to check if we needed anything.
Abdulhakim Ribadu was at Abdallah Ribadu’s office, in a company that owns a 5-star hotel with DSTV and a coffee shop.
Abdallah said, "Satin, can’t you just let him go around, you have to follow him?"
I said, "Why should I, Abdallah? I want to marry again."
Abdallah gave me a look and said, "Marry? What kind of marriage again, my brother?"
He shook his head and said,
"To Farida!.
