Handsome Devil ✅

Eighteen

Things have taken quite a turn in Layla's household and it was impressive. Baba had gotten the realm of the house. It was nothing to write home about but it was commendable.
Innah had been picking fights with the smallest of things. She was on edge with everyone.

Yesterday, she intentionally refused to cook and when Baba asked, she reproached him with what had he given for the meal. He knew she was on a time bomb and needed just a slight reason.

Baba was seated on his mat and his radio was playing. He heard Innah entered the room but he was not ready for her tantrums. Sometimes he wondered if she ever grow since the 18 years that he knew her.

"Malam, you haven't made any statement about Layla and her going back. What do you mean?"

Baba didn't talk nor move. He was more interested in the report playing from the radio than the tantrums seeking child in form of a wife.

She got riled up and switched the radio set leaving him with no option but to look at her.
"Is everything okay?"
She wanted to strangle him for casually asking if all was well. All was not well for God sake!!! How did she end up marrying this man?

"It's regarding your daughter Layla. You know right that I cannot fend for this house alone. I'm not a machine. Since you cannot provide anything but children, you wouldn't expect me to feed you and then carry your child. Be human and think about what you're doing. So better tell her to go back soon if not I don't know how to cater for this household!!!"

Surprisingly, Baba was not provoked. This was something he had gotten used to tolerating for the past years. Mocking him for his poverty and illness as though he called it on himself. He smiled and it riled her up the more. The fact had not changed. Layla was staying back and no stunt Innah will make would shake his resolve. She was in for a big surprise.

He finally made to talk in his low tone.
" Hadiza, you were right when you referred to Layla as my daughter. Yes she is. A proud one for that matter. Whether you can or cannot feed this household is not my problem because when I had I lived to your expectations. If the change in situation has not make you adjust your obsession with life, I'm sorry then nothing will. Everyone has his understanding of life and no one will enrich me except Allah. Alhamdulillah I feel better now and I'll go out to seek for something to provide you. I've slacked while I was sick but not anymore. The choice remain yours to stay or not. And before I forget, Layla is going nowhere anymore. She will stay with the rest of my children as she is."

He then picked up his siwaak and left like he wasn't the one that literally released a bomb and fired Innah's world leaving her rooted along with the radio set in case she wanted to change stereo.

Meanwhile, Layla was vomiting out the little breakfast she had taken earlier.

After Zuhr, Innah took her veil and left to meet Ladidi. Everything was getting too much for her. Firstly, it was Layla that refused to go back and now Malam was surprisingly macho man.

Ladidi listened as she narrated her said misery. She was loosing hold of the house and it was exasperating.

Ladidi laughed out and wheezed at her friend then hissed. "Is that why you wore your veil inside out? Hadiza why are you worrying yourself on something as unimportant as this? Look I've got it all figured out. Let me get my veil we're going somewhere."
**********
KANO
Zayyad was casually eating his breakfast of indomie which he personally made oblivious to his father's hard glare. He had greeted him and was surprised that he actually answered which sounds fishy.