Chapter 6

"You want to have better life, grow up and help me right?" She asked another question again and Dalia nodded again. "Mama, am I going back to school? You know my waec result was excellent and I would want to write jamb in the next few months." She muttered, excitedly. "Yes but only if you do what I ask you to do," she spoke and Dalia quickly nodded her head.  "I will do it mama, what is it?" She inquired. "You can clearly remember Alhaji Mubarak since you were eleven right? When we used to live in abuja and how close your father was with him. You remember when we always took you to his house for holidays and how he treats you as his own daughter, right?" Dalia smiled again and nodded. "Mama how could I ever forget what he has done for us? He's a very good man."

"You're right, Dalia," Amina said as she nodded in agreement. "When he came here earlier, he asked me if he could take you with him to his house so you could continue your education and I agreed."

Dalia looked at her mother, perplexed. She did what? How? Why would she do that. "Are you going with me?" Dalia asked but her mother shook her head. "I will be here praying for your success my dear, it's nothing to stress yourself about, okay?" She soothed but Dalia shook her head in disagreement. "If it means I have to leave you here all alone then I am not going and I give up on all my dreams as long as I will be with you, I don't care."

Amina smiled and pinched her nose, "why are you so stubborn. Zan kwade miki kai fa.(I will hit your head)" Dalia pouted and looked away. "This is for your own good Dalia, and this is a great opportunity and it only comes once, don't forget. You will have a better life there and you can always come here to visit, it's just a 20 minutes drive and I know he'll always bring you here whenever you want to see me."

Dalia was mute for a bit. She wanted to argue again but her mother cuts her off. "I want you to have a better life, Dalia." She looked into her mother's her eyes. She wanted to have that life too. She heaved a sigh and ducked her head. She was afraid to leave her mother all alone. "I promise, I will be fine here and I will always pray for you and besides, I will ask your cousin Amrah to move here, I know her father wouldn't say no." Amina tried to reason with her daughter. Dalia hesitated before nodding. "I pray this is the beginning of our happiness," Dalia prayed. Her mother smiled and enfold her in a hug. She would really miss her stubborn daughter being around.

The day she had been dreading was finally here. All the zeal and happiness of going back to school disappeared when she realized she was really leaving her mother behind. She had tried every possible way to get out of it but Amina was serious about her decision.

She stood there by the wall in her room, staring at her mother packing her clothes as she shedded tears. "I don't know what has gotten into you this morning that you're behaving this way. I thought we've talked about it, what's with the tears now?" Amina asked as she continued arranging Dalia's belongings in her suitcase. "Mama, I don't want to leave you here alone. I know how you over think and what if I leave? What will happen?" She lamented. Amina raised her head and looked at her daughter.

She slightly smiled and shook her head. "Didn't I tell you your cousin will move here? I have already spoken with your uncle and he agreed, she's coming here tomorrow in sha Allah. Don't worry, I promise you I'll take good care of myself as long as you do the same for me, okay?" Dalia slowly nodded while wiping her tears. Amina smiled and continued packing her stuff till she was done. She pushed her to eat her breakfast as they waited for the driver to come pick her up.

Meanwhile, in Alhaji's house, Amira and her mother kept insisting that they were traveling to kaduna for a naming ceremony with daddy's driver. "Hajiya I thought I told you that I was going to send him to Kuje to go pick up Dalia this morning," he spoke a little bit infuriated.

"I know alhaji but you can postpone it till tomorrow since we're coming back today and you're not going to work tomorrow, right?" Amira's mom suggested. He looked at her in disbelief. One thing she's good is arguing with him and not obeying what he wants whenever she doesn't feel like.

"Yes daddy he can go pick her up tomorrow. Daddy you know the woman that gave birth is my closest friend and her mother is mommy's friend too. Please daddy, just this time." Amira pleaded. He sighed and shook his head. He gave them the car keys and they gladly took it and left.

He stared at them and sighed. After they left, he picked up his phone and summoned Muhsin to come meet him at home. Immediately he came, daddy ushered him in. Muhsin settled down on the soft carpet as he waited to hear what his in law has to say.