C5 Five

The room is quiet like a grave yard, no one wants to be the giver of bad news though we all know too well that there must be someone who will happily answer such question in a situation like this.Mansir is seriously enjoying this moment. He cleared his throat like someone who was about to tell a long story.

" Dear sister " he walks to her side and put his left hand around her shoulder

" what is it you guys aren't telling me, don't tell me Ya sadiq is dead,please don't" she pleaded almost at the verge of tears.

Hajiya Maimuna and Mansir wished he had died, it would have been more better. As they are the only people who hates sadiq to the extent that if they were given poison to put in his food they would.

" well, unfortunately he isn't dead"

" then where is he? God, you guys should just go straight to the point, I'm not a little girl anymore " she was frustrated already with their silent.

" well, our prodigal brother left home. He disowned us as his family. He doesn't even care for you that he didn't even think twice before leaving this house. Who knows where he might be, it doesn't concern us and you either.it's a choice he made on his own, dear sister "

" I don't believe you " she look at each one of them as if they were lying

" I don't believe what you just said. He would never leave just like that. One thing I know about ya sadiq is that he value his family even if he wasn't treated like one. I know you guys did something to hi__

" SHUT UP!.stupid girl. So what you meant was we, your parents are lying ba?you don't even have respect for us again. " Hajiya Maimuna angrily shouted, she then turn to look at her husband " you see what I've been telling you Alhaji, that prodigal son of yours is a bad influence on my daughter. See how she is insulting us and if I talk now, you will say I talk too much."

She then looked at her daughter " and you, don't think because you studied abroad that now gives you the right to talk to your parents anyhow. Because I won't let you, zanci qaniyar ki (I will deal with you). And lastly if I find out that you went looking for him ,then classify yourself disowned . That moment, I will never consider you my daughter " that been said, hajiya Maimuna left the living room to her room.

Badiyya couldn't believe what her mum just utter. She was totally speechless to the core. Why is mum so harsh and wicked

She turn to look at her dad and he turn to the other side, " even you dad? "betrayer

" Dear, your mum have said it all so please just stand by it" she now wonders if her mum is using some kind of charm to control her dad because of how he now supports any decision she made. He wasn't like that before.

She turn to the last person, Mansir . He just shrugged at her, indicating that she should also stick to their mum's warning.

" I can't believe how wicked all of you have become, I just can't " she ran to her room in tears

Alhaji Ringim cast his head down in shame. What kind of father am I? How come I've changed over the years?. Maybe it sign of old age that is beginning to hit me, he had thought.

A very happy Mansir ,without a care, whistles as he marched to his room.To him, what just happened calls for celebration and he sure will celebrate it.

He took his phone from his nightstand and dial the number of this particular person that always fill in his pleasure

" Hello honey" the lady's sugary voice came through

" meet me at hotel Seventeen "

" I'll be there in a minute love, I'm always available for you. "

He hanged up with a smirk. He took his car key and left for hotel seventeen.

He was about to open his car when he heard his name being called " Mansir"

He turn to look at his dad " what is it again father" he exhale in frustration.

" Where do you think you're going to, at this time of the night?"

Mansir rub the bridge of his nose in frustration " dad I have a business meeting right now and I wouldn't want to be late"

Alhaji Ringim knew he can't win this argument so he let it rest

" well I won't argue with you. But Mansir I hope you know that you aren't getting any younger, please find yourself a wife. You're almost thirty, son"

At the mention of this, Mansir's mind went back to Alhaji Dabo's daughter. The beautiful damsel, as he loves to call her. He almost forgot that he wanted to tell his dad about her.

A smile graze his lips and that didn't go unnoticed by Alhaji Ringim. He knew that smile meant something .

" I've found a woman dad"

Alhaji ringim was so happy at this revelation . He was happy that at least he will soon have grandkids of his own. Most of his mates already have grandchildren but he hasn't.

" who is she son? Is it someone we know?"

" yes she is dad. When I told you about the new partnership with Alhaji Dabo ,I forgot to make mention of his daughter who got introduced to me "

Alhaji Ringim's joy knew no bound. He and Alhaji Dabo once talked about getting their children married to each other but he wasn't in support of arrange marriage so they ended the talk. But now that the two have already met each other and from what he notice, his son already likes the girl so he need to have a talk with Alhaji Dabo as soon as possible. I have to give him a call

" I'm so happy at this revelation son, this is why I cherish you so much. Why can't your brother be like you" that boy is just

something else, thought Alhaji

" that's why I'm your first son dad, I will always do things to make you happy" lies

Alhaji was almost in tears " thank you son. Don't let me keep you waiting, go to wherever it is you're going to"

He hug his dad like the good son he claim he was and left for hotel seventeen.

***

The self-contain room sadiq and Jafar lives in needs lots of repair. Their ceiling for example is leaking,epecially now which is rain season and they've repaired it for almost five times but still the leaking just won't stop. The carpenter adviced them to change all the zinc. But how can they even waste money on a house that isn't their's? so they came to a conclusion to complained to the landlord and all he told them was , he has no money to repair anything and if they can't cope with it then they should leave. Since then ,they never brought the conversation up again and the Two friend came with the decision to put a plastic bowl under the direction where the water is dripping from .

" seriously, if it isn't because of condition , we would have pack to another house. This dripping water isn't allowing me to even sleep with the way it sound. " a frustrated jafar said while sadiq chuckled .

Sadiq has gotten used to the sound already but for Jafar, there isn't any day that passes when he doesn't complain. He isn't to be blame anyways. If it wasn't because of all the problems the two friends have at home, they would have been living like the rich kids they where. Don't get surprised, Jafar came from a rich home too, he also have daddy issues which led to him been disowned too. His was caused by his wayward act but he is a changed person now.

No need to keep reminiscing on the past. It best they proof all of them wrong, all the people that think they can't make it on their own, they will show them that they can, thought sadiq.

But first they will have to bare with whatever suffering they pass through.

" something got me thinking" Jafar blurt out all of a sudden . Sadiq turn to look at him"what is that? "

" I have always wanted to ask you for the reason why you don't want to work for your dad"

Sadiq sigh " Actually, the truth is that I just don't want to work in the same company as my brother. It isn't like I don't like business, of course I love business. I mean who wouldn't love something that will bring in lots of money, that was just an excuse not to work for dad. You know how dad is too fond of Mansir and each days that passes, Mansir never stops rubbing it in my face. "

He drop the newspaper in his hand"How do you expect me to be comfortable with that? No matter how hard I try to overlook it, it's just too much. I don't need them.The only person I need is already gone so why would i waste my time in a house where I'm not needed?. I don't regret leaving the house anyways, I'm happy to be around the people who cares for me. Like the garage guys, they are now my family "

Jafar looked at him teasingly " those people that can't do without smoking and drugs are your family? "

Sadiq threw the pillow at him" you know what I meant. Not the smoking and drug part of course, at least they stand by me when I needed help. "

" I got what you mean man, you don't need to throw pillows at me. Phew,my nose is now hurting"

Sadie shakes his head at Jafar's silliness " next time you shouldn't make jokes like that "

Jafar stood up from where he fell flat on the floor, he pouted and went back to sit on the bed. A ringing of phone interrupt them.

It was sadiq's phone. Since Jafar was closer to where the phone was, he took it and read the caller ID, it turn out to be__

" Badiyya"

" WHAT?! " sadiq's eye were wide open at this .

Badiyya

He ran to his friend's side and grab the phone from him. He hasn't call or received any calls from badiyya since she left for abroad and now that she is calling, that means she is back in Nigeria.

" Ya Allah, what am I going to tell her" he look up the ceiling as if seeking for an answer.

" just answer the call already " scolded Jafar, he hates it when ones call is been delayed .

Sadiq glares at him" can't you see that I'm thinking of what to tell her"

" what's there to think about, it best she knows the truth. After all she isn't a small child" said jafar

Sadiq decided to answer the call " hello, ya sadiq" came badiyya's worried voice

" hello"

" Alhamdulillah, I thought you might have change your number already. Why did you delay before picking the call? What sin have I committed yaya? You don't even call or even send text messages and I thought you promise to always call me. Does our bond mean nothing to you? Please answer me yaya" badiyya rambles on and on.

Sadiq chuckle, he missed her so much. He almost forgot that she was a talkative . Old habits never changevafter all.

" please answer me ya sadiq. " she was frustrated already

" my one and only sister, how do you expect me to forget you. You are always in my heart dear sister "

" then why haven't you been call me? "

" I'm so sorry for that, I had a problem with my phone and I was also choked up with alot of things " he explained

" but still" sigh "Anyways, let's leave that aside. Yaya?" her voice turn to a concerned one.

" yes? "

" is it true you left the house? Please don't leave me alone. I need you here yaya, please come home" almost at the verge of tears

" I wish I can but I can't dear sister. I can't step foot into that house again"

" but why yaya? is it mom?, or is it dad? or Mansir?. Please tell me yaya?" her voice cracked as she asked, she miss him so much and now that he isn't living with them really breaks her heart. He is her most cherish Yaya in the whole world.

" I don't even know where to start from but the only thing I can tell you is , I want to find myself, I need space from all dramas and don't worry, I'll come for you when I get answers to all my problems "

" please don't do this to me, let me come leave with you then. "

" you can't, where I live isn't a place I'd want you to live in. Please badiyya, don't ask for more from me. We would meet again"

" please don't push me away, I promise to find you. I swear I'll always stand by you coz to me you're one in a million and I wouldn't want to lose you from my life. Till we talk again"

He hung up after the call. My baby sis. I've hurted her badly with my decision . He thought about calling her back but later decided against it. They shall meet again.