CHAPTER FIVE

PRESENT DAY

July 30th

Ahmad locked his car and made his way to his office. The sun was very bright and there seemed to be no clouds to offer any protection. It was eight in the morning and Ahmad was perfectly on time. FRIS was written in bold letters on the top front part of the building. He worked in a government organization that dealt mostly with payment of taxes. It was an all sought out job, and to get it you just had to be highly connected. Ahmad got a job there when he was just twenty three, almost six years ago. He had just finished his masters degree in the UK. Mustapha Yazar, his father whom everyone called Abba was a highly connected man who had a lot of friends in high governmental offices. Ahmad knew getting a job wouldn't be that difficult for him which was something many Nigerians couldn't relate to.

In Nigeria, to get a job, in most cases you just had to be well connected. Especially high paying jobs like FRIS, you just couldn't walk up to the manager with your A's and spotless credentials. You had to also have the connects, and most people that did were the rich so the rich put the rich in positions were the poor could have benefited.

That was life Ahmad thought, he was very glad he was born with if anything a silver spoon.

He remembered clearly the day he was told he had gotten a job because it was the same day Lolo found out he had been talking to Amal. He felt like the worst human when he got home, he couldn't even concentrate on his prayers and kept remembering how she left the car and entered her home without heeding to any of his pleas.

It was after Isha prayer, the final prayer of the day that his father had broken the news. He faked a smile and thanked his father whilst promising to prepare for his first day. He had gone into his room and called Lolo 20 times. She did not even give him the pleasure of rejecting the call. The phone just kept ringing like there was no one alive on the other side until it died out. He wished that day that she had picked, because above anyone he knew she would have been the most happiest for him.

Ahmad had to find his bosses secretary, he needed her to file some paper work and set up a meeting with his boss, Alhaji Garba. Aliya was hired just a week ago. Musa, the old secretary had found a better job so he resigned. He missed Musa, along with the fact that they had formed a close bond during the few years they've worked together. Musa was always ready to listen and get you what you needed, he would give you precise details. He was always helpful and above all not a flirt unlike the new secretary.

Ahmad hated the fact that he had to call up Aliya, she always behaved weird around him and he didn't like it at all. He remembered their first encounter, it was around six in the evening and Ahmad was about to enter his car and leave for the day. She had noticed him and shouted hello all the way from the other side of the parking lot. He had smiled and waved which unfortunately encouraged her because she immediately sprinted towards him. Aliya tried chatting him up and Ahmad didn't think much of it until she asked if he was married. He had initially thought that she just loved talking non stop but her question made him double check. Ahmad immediately said he had to leave and he was in a hurry, he hated uncomfortable situations and nosy questions. Aliya however wasn't ready to give up, she asked him the question again. Ahmad thought it very strange, how can someone be so nosy and prodding.

Ahmad told her had a wife and a beautiful daughter. She had left him alone then, and watched as he drove out of the parking lot.

Of course she later came to find out he was lying about his wife. Ahmad didn't care, she had been in his business after all.

Ahmad was on his way to Aliya's office when he coincidentally met her in the lobby. He called her name to catch her attention, he was very glad he didn't have to go to her office, she always made him feel uncomfortable. He had asked her to please set up an impromptu meeting with their boss, he had an important matter to discuss. He also asked her to file up some important paperwork.

Aliya being Aliya had to touch his arm to let him know "he shouldn't worry he can trust her on that". Ahmad had felt like yanking his hands away but she would've made his life more difficult by using the urgent meeting to toy with him. He hated her unprofessionalism but he stood there smiling with gritted teeth until she finished talking, and walked away rather too confidently. Ahmad took a deep breath to calm himself, her perfume was also very suffocating. Ahmad prayed that she would be sacked, he just wanted peace at work.

Ahmad arrived home late, the meeting with Alhaji Garba turned out to be longer than expected. He honked at the gate and Obinna their gateman opened up the gate to let his car into the compound. Ahmad knocked on the main door, he could hear baby Habiba crying. He missed his daughter so much, Aisha their house help opened the door, he had asked her why Lolo was crying and she said it was because she had just been fed her dinner. He chuckled, his daughter just hated eating almost anything except his charger. He dashed upstairs to save his daughter from her stepmother that force fed her. On arriving upstairs he entered the sitting room and saw his mother and daughter already done with their food fight. Hajiya Umma was just cleaning of the rest of the baby food from Habiba's mouth. Habiba immediatly noticed her father and stretched her arms out for him, she was still getting over her after crying hiccups. He immediately picked her up and she placed her head on his shoulder. It gave the impression that she trusted him and she felt she was finally safe. He loved her so much, Ahmad didn't know what he would've done if Lolo had left with her too.