CHAPTER TWO

What? Did you heard what he said, Fadee or am I imagining it?"

"I heard him too, Mom." Fadila replied, obviously surprised too.

"I think you didn't heard me well, I just said I'm going back to my house, together with Khair and mind you she's going to live with me and take care of me. Is there anything wrong with my choice?" Aryan asked.

"There's everything wrong with it. I purposely brought Fadee to that job. Khair is my personal maid not yours, you can't take her away. I can't let a mere maid take care of you." Hajia said.

"Why are so biased? What grudge do you hold against Khair? You said she's your personal maid, but yet you treat her coldly and treat Fadee as if you are her biological Mother.You find fault in everything she did. You can't let a mere maid take care of me, then why are you letting this little white lotus to? She's also a MERE MAID."

Hajia Maryam was so angry that she blurted out that Fadila is her friend's daughter and not a maid. And that she wanted him to marry her, that's why she can't let Khair live with him.

He turned to Fadila, because he saw she didn't say anything to make what his Mom said looks like a joke.

"Then why didn't you say anything earlier? Why act likea maid?"

"That's because most of the novels I read, the protagonist usually marries their maid." His Mom explained.

"Oh," he said uninterested, scratching his head.

"Well, not me. Atleast, I wouldn't marry her for now, because I don't love her. And I vow to marry only out of true love. Also for your information, I'm going back to my apartment tomorrow, no today, along with Khair, hence!"

Hajiya Maryam rained abuses on Khair, and vow to make her life miserable. Together with Fadila, they abuse her, her parents and grandparents, including her forefathers and unborn offspring. Khair cried her heart out, as nobody have ever abused her before, and Aryan is not there to console her.

Just then, Hajia's niece entered the house, followed by Aryan. Khair heard her voice and noticed her, when she said

"Peace be upon you."

'Wait, isn't this my Unnie's voice?'

Khair said silently in her heart, she raised up her head and saw Ummul Khair exchanging greetings with Hajiya and Fadila.

'How comes she's here? How did she come to know about this house?'

She ran to her and hugged her.

"Unnie." she said as she burst into tears again.

أنا مسرورة جدا بلقاءك لأننى لم أرك منذفترة طويلة

'I'm very happy to see you, because I haven't seen you for a long time.'

هل أنت على مايرام؟

'Are you Okay?' asked Ummu.

نعم، أنا بخير

'Yes, I'm okay.'

هل تعرفها يا أم الخير؟

'Did you know her, Ummul Khair?' Hajiya asked.

أجل، أعرفها جدا. هى جارتنا فى السعودية

'Yes, I know her very well. She's our neighbor in Saudi." replied Ummu, as she turned her attention to Khair. Khair switched to Korean language, when she heard Hajiya speaking Arabic.

"Did you know her?" asked Khair.

"Of course, she's my Aunty and Aryan is my only cousin."

Aryan turned and looked at them when he heard his name but he couldn't understand a single word as they're speaking Korean Language.

"I missed you to, Unnie." Ummu said as she disengaged herself from Khair and patted her back.

"I'm here now, tell me why are you crying?"

Khair told her everything, without leaving out even a comma or full stop.

"Wipe your tears, my dear Sis. Don't worry, Aryan will take care of everything.

"Please, I'm begging you, stop speaking this strange language of yours and speak the normal English." said Aryan.

"Okay, my lovely Cousin."

تعل يا أختى. إجلسى هنا. ماذا تريد أن تشربى؟ هل تريد الماء؟

'Come, my sister. Sit down here. What do you want to drink? Do you want to drink water?'

لا، تعال واجلس معى. أنت التى يجب عليك أن تشرب الماء

'No, come and sit with me. You are the one that is supposed to drink water.' replied Ummu.

"No, I'm fine." Khair added.

All this while, Hajiya and Fadila stood there rooted, watching them. Especially Faded, she flabbergasted to hear Khair speaking Arabic and the other strange language, fluently.

*

"Aryan," called Hajiya.

"Can I have a moment?"

Aryan was reluctant to stand up, because he was already fed up.

"Just say it here, let everyone hear it." he said.

She tried to persuade him, in the end he refuse to go alone, he insisted on having Khair there. Hajiya didn't expect that, but she agrees.

She then told him that Fadila is the president's niece, and that Hajiya Amina, the first lady and Fadila's mother has vowed to impeach both her and Aryan's Dad if Aryan refuses to marry Fadila. She begged him to marry Fadila and if he wish to marry three more wives, nobody would stop him. She also apologized to Khair.

"I didn't mean to be harsh on you, but I'm forced to do so. You see, I and Aryan's Dad are not rich, it's because of the first lady that we are what we are today. She's also the one who sponsored Aryan through medical school of Harvard University."

"How much did she spend on us?" Aryan asked.

"I've been keeping record of what she's spend on us. I'm glad it'll help, let me get the record book."

She brought out the book, and together they calculated the numbers.

Aryan's medical school tuition cost about Six Hundred Fifty-Seven million, Three Hundred Forty-Five Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twelve (657, 345, 912) billion naira, plus other expenses, it's about 100 trillion naira.

"I've some money in my bank account, I think it is up to 50 trillion naira. We can use it to start paying the debt, because I wouldn't marry Fadila." said Aryan.

"I have 20 trillion in my own account, making 70 trillion, where can we get the remaining 30 trillion?" asked Hajiya.

"Can't we ask Daddy for it?" asked Aryan.

"Oh no! You Dad didn't know anything about this, so he'll be angry at me for hiding such a thing. We've got to get it on our own. And please, don't say anything to your Dad about this, till we settle it."

"Can I say something?" Khair asked.

"Yes, my dear." replied Hajiya.

"Don't worry about the remaining money, I'll pay it!" she replied.

Aryan turned his head rather sharply and stared at her asking;

"You'll what?"

"Pay it." she replied with a straight face.

Hajiya was looking at her, speechless, before realizing what was happening.

"My dear, where will you get such a huge amount of money?"

"From my Dad."

"Your Dad?" they chorused.

"Yes, my Dad." she replied and looked at Aryan before she continued speaking.

"Right now, I've 16 trillion naira, so I'll ask my Dad to send me 20 trillion and the additional 6 trillion would be used to start up something, so that we wouldn't be left stranded."

"Who is your Dad?" Hajiya couldn't help but ask.

"My Dad is the Arabian Ambassador to Nigeria, Sayyid Qatadah bn Shaddad. An Uncle to cousin Ummul Khair and of course, a friend of yours."

Hajiya burst into tears, saying;

أنا أسفة جدا لأنني طننت أنك فقيرة ولكن..... هل أنت تمزح؟ هل أنت حق بنت أخى قتادة؟

'I'm really sorry, I thought you're poor, but... are you kidding me? Are you really brother Qatadah's daughter?'

Khair sat by her side, consolling her.

أجل يا عمتي. أنا حقا بنته.

'Yes aunt, I'm really his daughter.'

"Don't call me Aunt. I'm also a Mom to you, because your Dad, is like a brother to me, as we grew up together in the same neighborhood. He later became a member of our house, when your grandfather died, and your Grandmom returned to Nigeria, because he refused to tag along. You....can you forgive me for being harsh to you?"

"Of course,yes. To err is human and to forgive is divine. I've already forgiven you. Now wipe your tears, Mom. I'll inform Noona immediately." she said and left.

Aryan followed her quickly.

"Wait!" he said.

"Tell what is your mission in this house?"

She studied him in surprise.

"Let me tell you something, I have no mission."

"Then what brought you here? Working as a maid? When you can live a life of a wealthy heiress?"

She then told him about her phobia, she's suffering from Xenophobia and how her therapist suggests she suggests she live in a more lively place, so that she'll interact with more people, so as to get rid of it, and she's been on monthly Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and also has some antidepressants and antianxiety medications prescribed, in case of emergencies.

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