Chapter Three

A day later...

Alhaji Abdulkareem Lateef managed to sit comfortably on a wretched arm chair in his palour. Some three to four year old kids were sprawling on the bare floor with their mother's nine months crawling babies. Their mothers must have gone to the market. He took a huge breath and adjusted to settle comfortably on his less comfortable old wooden chat.

Aminat could have been there to cater for them, but she was at their helpers house helping her with some chores. He had no problem with that though, as long as it brings out something positive as usual.

The morning breeze haunt his scaly old body as he tries to comprehend his thoughts. Aminat must get married as soon as possible. His dim grieved eyes stared at the broken holed floor as he tries to protect his leg from the cold hands of morning by stiffening them to his buggy trousers.

He had warned her to stop going to the dancing tutorial where she usually waste her reasonable time at. Besides Alhaji Abdulrahman said he he dislikes a wayward wife. So he must discipline his daughter very well so that she would meet up to his friend moral standard.

Aminat must marry Alhaji Abdulrahman, he insists. He rested his old, stressed back on the wooden sofa. His friend is quite rich, he has a house in ijesha and one too in their village. He's planning to build another one in Lagos as soon as possible.

Moreover, he has three wives already, Aminat would be the fourth and the youngest. So...she would be the one to enjoy a great deal of his wealth. He's just doing this for her sake. But she wouldn't know because she's a kid and the education he gave her has been taking a negative thinking on her thinking faculty.

The only problem left to deal with again is Mofe, a young boy whom Aminat schooled together with. Alhaji Abdulrahman Mustafa had complained about people saying his supposed wife, Aminat, is meeting him privately. He threatened not to marry Aminat if their friendship persist and that mustn't happen. And he doesn't want that, his plans would be shattered plans.

The door creaked and Kafayat, one of his daughter from his first wife creeped in. Her face was rumpled in annoyance and she fold in protest at her father.

"Yes, why are you here?" He asked throwing his arms to the air.

"Alhaji, when are you going to bless Ibrahim and I. Are we not going to get married anymore?"

"Of course you would get married. But you know I can't bless your marriage except if Aminat, your sister would have to get married first. Calm down, I'm already preparing for Alhaji to bring the rest of bride items ..so maybe this weekend. Insallah Aminat would get married." He consoled Kafayat, whose marriage is been detained because of Aminat.

"Please Alhaji, make it fast oo. I'm supposed to be in my husband's house by now. I'm supposed to be having his kids by now." She grumbled, thrusting her lips out.

"I'll do. Now take these kids out and bathe them together" he instructed.

It was barely five minutes that Kafayat laid her complaint before taking taking the kids out when Azeez, his first son from the second wife barged in with fury.

"Alhaji, where is Olamide?"

Olamide was Aminat's Yoruba name. Some people like him prefer calling her Olamide to Aminat.

"What's the problem? Why are you like this?" A confused Alhaji demanded looking up at him. He was than taller than his father despite the fact that he's standing and his father was sitting.

"Aminat has gone wayward. She virtually sleeps around with all men in the village...."

"Why didn't you tell me this earlier!" He cut him short. "SubhanAllah! Is this true?" He asked.

"I'm sure of what I'm saying. I was covering up for her initially because I don't want my sister to be disgraced. But now, I can't even go around the village without people pointing fingers at me saying I'm a brother to the village slut." He said. He kept trying to sound real and make Alhaji more furious.

This would make Alhaji to throw her out tonight. And he would give her to his boys to devour . Then all her dignity of being beautiful would sink away. Good strategy Azeez! He remarked in his mind.

"Okay I know what to do" Alhaji assured a lying and pretentious Azeez.

"But wait Azeez, have you said your morning prayers?" Alhaji inquired.

"Of course Alhaji" he lied. It was not something abominable to him to lie. That was how he runs his daily life.

What else would he say?. Aminat would be done tonight, that's okay by him.

*****************

Ayonitemi Akinsolu (nee Fashola) slammed her office door behind her before locking it. She walked towards the surgery department maybe she would see if Zainab would be around. Unfortunately, she wasn't, Temmie decided to keep the paper till tomorrow morning.

"Doctor Temmie!" Someone called from the surgery department where she was just coming from. It was Dr. Annie Robert, a British surgeon.

"Annie, could you please give this to Zainab, I heard the both of you would be available for night shift" Temmie said, drawing out a paper from her bag to Annie.

"Ohhhh, that was I was going to ask you, she told me to collect it." Annie replied collecting the paper before bading Temmie goodbye.

Temmie opened her black SUV Chevrolet Camaro SS and settled in. The car was a birthday gift from her one and only star brother in January. She started the car before drawing her neck to and fro to ensure a drive safe from the hospital's compound.

She took a minimum speed of 180km/h once she was out of the hospital. An average volume of Taki Taki by DJ snake ft Ozuna, Cardi B and Selena Gomez was blasting from the car.

She turned the volume down down when she saw an incoming call. It was the one and only Ayo of lala. She guess it must be because of the drastic step their mum would be taking which Ayoola told her about yesterday before going to bed. It was shocking as Ayoola claimed but it was funny for her.

So the Lagos vibe would be forced to marry a decent girl from the village. And Ayoola told her their mum called that evening to say Ayo agreed to marry the girl. That's where Temmie was greatly confused.

"What's up!" Temmie blushed with smiles as she imagined what he was going.

"Girl I'm not okay!" He complained from the phone. Hissing to and fro.

"Why na?" She asked, pretending as if she doesn't know about what's going on.

"Mummy is acting weird oo! I'm even confused maybe she was the same woman who called me yesterday." He groaned and Temmie burst into an hilarious laughter.

"What's funny?" He hissed.

"... why won't I laugh, after all you've agreed to marry the girl" Temmie said.

"What else do you want me to say. You need to see how she was trying to make me feel guilty over what's not right. All these 'Ayo why are you doing this to me' "Ayo said, trying to mimic Yemisi's voice.

Temmie hit the steering twice, trying to contain her laughter.

"To make the matter worst, Ayoola supported mummy. I felt like knocking her head through the phone yesterday"

He spat.

"Abeg no kill me with laughter" Temmie said resting her head on the driver's seat.

"But something is telling me Ayoola and mummy is responsible for this. One thing is that, if they're planning something, I'm the master planner." Ayo bragged.

"My friend go and sit down" Temmie mocked. "You'll get married and probably all that smoking would stop"

"Wait...are you supporting them?"

"Before nkọ yìí" She replied.

"Bye" he said before hanging up.

Ayo mocked Ayoola's and Temmie's belief of his agreement to marry the 'decent girl' . They should till he disappoints them all. If they don't want to hurt the girl, they should cancel their plan because he's planning ahead of them.

Things would turn out and they would be all shocked. He smirked to himself as he poured himself a shot. He poured it quickly down to his throat and his eyes came down red.

Temmie drove in to her house and took a huge breath. She prayed for him not to be at home.

She calmed herself again before bending the door handle. She stared around the sitting room, luckily he wasn't there. She quickly moved towards the bedroom when his voice stopped her.

"Where the hell are you coming from?"

"Where the hell did I dressed up for this morning?" She answered back with a question.

"Who knows maybe you branched at his house?" He smirked slumping on the puffy sofa.

"Whose house are you talking about George...but George why?! Why are you doing this to us"

She cried. Covering her mouth with an handkerchief.

"I don't trust you Temmie" George said.

"Then find somewhere to crash and die with your insecurities. Don't haunt me with it!" She barked back before rushing upstairs to their bedroom, slamming the door nosily behind her.

Glossary

Before nko yii: Why not.

Inshallah: By God's grace.

SubhanAllah: an Islamic exclamation.

Abeg: please