8~Digging the past
"Why are you here?" Abdul demanded as he hurried out of his car, finding Najib waiting outside the gate.
Najib frowned.
"Do I need a reason to visit my best friend?" He asked with a chuckle. "Besides, you ignored all my calls and messages I sent. What's going on?"
"I was busy."
Abdul's reply was short.
"So... why are you here?"
Najib raised an eyebrow. "Won't you at least invite me into your new house before interrogating me?"
"Maybe another time."
"Not tonight."
Najib studied him carefully.
"You don't look okay."
"I'm just exhausted from work."
"Hmm..."
Najib wasn't convinced, but he let it slide.
"Anyway, I came to give you Amina's wedding invitation."
He handed Abdul an elegant envelope.
"As my best man, don't even think about showing up late."
"The wedding is this Saturday by ten in the morning. Reception starts at six."
Abdul forced a small smile.
"Thanks."
He accepted the invitation but made no move to open it.
"If that's all, you should head home. It's getting late."
Najib blinked.
"Abdul..."
He laughed awkwardly.
"Since when did you become this formal?"
"I'm serious. It's dangerous driving around this late."
Najib stared at him for a long moment before shaking his head.
"Now I know something is definitely wrong."
"You've never cared whether I drove at midnight or dawn, so stop pretending this is about my safety."
Abdul sighed heavily.
"Najib..."
"We'll talk tomorrow."
"For now, just go home."
Without waiting for a reply, Abdul walked back to his car, drove into the compound, and shut the gate behind him.
Najib remained standing outside for a few seconds.
"Wow..."
He let out a dry laugh.
"I would really love to know what crime I committed."
Shaking his head, he got back into his car and drove away.
The moment Abdul entered the house, he rushed upstairs.
He unlocked the safe hidden inside his wardrobe and carefully slipped Amina's wedding invitation inside before locking it again.
Just as he shut the safe, the bedroom door burst open.
"Where did you disappear to?"
Nanny Ann marched in, clearly upset.
"You left me alone with her."
"I'm sorry."
Abdul exhaled.
"Where's Hanan?"
"I locked her inside her room."
Nanny Ann folded her arms.
"She's been banging on the door nonstop, demanding that I let her out."
Her expression softened.
"What exactly happened between the two of you?"
Abdul closed his eyes briefly.
"We argued."
"I said things I shouldn't have."
"I drove her away."
"You what?" Nanny Ann exclaimed.
"Abdul!"
"I know." He lowered his head.
"I didn't mean any of it."
"But she has to return to America."
"It's what's best for her."
Nanny Ann stared at him in disbelief.
"Best for her?"
"Abdul, she's twenty one years old."
"She isn't a child anymore."
"You can't keep making decisions for her."
"I have to." His voice came out almost as a whisper.
"I can't let her destroy herself."
"And what if this is what she wants?"
"She wants revenge."
His jaw tightened.
"You know exactly where that road leads."
"It will only destroy her."
"The safest place for her is America."
"She needs more time."
"More time to heal."
Nanny Ann sighed. "If three years couldn't heal her..."
She looked him straight in the eye.
"What makes you think three more will?"
Silence filled the room.
"I think..." She continued quietly.
"It's time."
Abdul looked up.
"...Time to tell her the truth."
He remained silent for several seconds before nodding slowly.
"You really think she's ready?"
"I think keeping the truth from her is hurting her more than telling will."
A guilty smile crossed Abdul's face.
"You may be right. We'll tell her tomorrow."
"For tonight..."
He glanced toward Hanan's room, where faint banging could still be heard.
"What about her?" Nanny Ann asked.
"She still wants to leave."
Abdul swallowed.
"Ignore her."
"If you open that door, she'll walk straight out of this house."
"Eventually she'll get tired."
Nanny Ann wasn't convinced. "I don't like this."
"Neither do I." Abdul rubbed his tired eyes.
"But it's all I can do for now."
She let out a helpless sigh. "Good night, Abdul."
"Good night, Nanny Ann."
Outside, the house fell quiet.
But behind one locked door...
A broken heart still refused to rest.
"Open the door, Nanny Ann!"
"Abdul!"
"Samira!"
Hanan pounded on the door repeatedly, but the only response was silence.
No one answered.
Her frustration slowly gave way to something far more painful.
Disappointment.
Abdul was the only person she trusted after the world shattered her faith in people.
And now...
He had broken that trust too.
She wiped away the tears threatening to fall.
I'm leaving tonight.
She had nowhere planned, no destination in mind.
A hotel room would do.
Anywhere was better than staying in a house where she no longer felt welcome.
Their argument had opened her eyes.
For years, she depended on Abdul for everything, her home, her education, her feeding, her identity.
Now all she could see was herself living off him.
She hated the feeling.
She hated feeling like a burden.
"Locked in or not..."
She clenched her jaw.
"I'm leaving."
She grabbed her phone and dialed Faruk's number.
He answered almost immediately.
"Hello?"
"I've made up my mind."
There was a brief pause.
"I'm ready to work for you."
"And... is the staff accommodation you mentioned still available?"
"It is."
Fatuk's tone brightened.
"Good."
"Can you come pick me up?"
"Now?"
"Yes."
"It's almost midnight, Hanan. I just dropped you off."
"I know."
She closed her eyes.
"Please."
There was a short silence.
"...I'll be there."
"Thank you."
She ended the call and searched her vanity drawer until she found a hairpin.
After several frustrating attempts...
Click.
The lock finally gave way.
The door slowly creaked open.
"Aunty?" Samira gasped.
She had been sitting outside the room as instructed.
"You opened it?"
"Shh..." Hanan placed a finger over her lips.
"Please don't make any noise."
Samira nodded nervously.
"I need your help."
She pointed at her suitcase.
"Can you help me carry it downstairs?"
Samira's eyes widened.
"But Sir Abdul told me not to let you leave."
"I know."
Hanan gave her a tired smile.
"If you can't help me... then just pretend you never saw me."
She reached for the suitcase herself.
"Wait."
Samira quickly grabbed the handle.
"I'll help."
A few minutes later...
The two of them quietly slipped through the sleeping house.
No one noticed.
Faruk arrived shortly afterward.
The moment he saw Hanan standing outside the gate with two suitcases, his expression changed completely.
He hurried out of the car.
"Hanan..."
"What happened?"
She smiled weakly.
"Thanks for coming."
"Hanan."
He looked from her face to the luggage.
"Why are you standing outside with your bags?"
"You completely confused me with that phone call."
"I'll explain on the way."
She handed him one suitcase.
"Help me put these in the boot."
He silently loaded the luggage before turning back to her.
Hanan smiled at Samira.
"Thank you."
"And please..."
"If Abdul asks, tell him you don't know where I went."
Samira hesitated. "...Yes, ma."
"Thank you."
The young housemaid watched sadly as Hanan climbed into the car.
The drive was unusually quiet.
Faruk stole several glances at her.
She stared out of the window the entire time.
Finally...
"What happened?"
He couldn't hold back anymore.
She let out a slow breath.
"Abdul and I had a heated argument."
"And you decided to run away?" He asked with a small smile.
She shook her head.
"No."
"Our argument made me realize something."
"What?"
"I've been depending on him for everything."
She looked down at her hands.
"I don't want to live like that anymore."
"I want to stand on my own."
Faruk nodded thoughtfully.
"So... I've decided to accept your job offer."
"And if the staff accommodation is still available..."
"I would like to move in."
"It is."
He smiled.
"But not tonight."
She frowned. "Why?"
"Because you still have to attend the interview."
He laughed softly.
"And officially become an employee first."
"So..."
She turned to him.
"Where exactly are we going?"
"I don't even have money at the moment for a hotel."
"The ATM card I use belongs to Abdul."
"So does every naira inside it."
"And I can no longer spend money that isn't mine, but I have my savings account, I'll get an ATM and use the money there from now on... And also once I start earning, I will save up and pay him back every dime he has spent on me, even if it takes me years."
Faruk couldn't help smiling. "You're really serious about becoming independent."
"I am, so where are we heading to?"
"My place."
She blinked. "Your house?"
"Yes."
"Where else would I take you?"
She hesitated.
"Won't your family mind?"
"They will probably wonder why you brought a girl home in the middle of the night."
He laughed.
"First..."
"You're not a stranger."
"And second..."
"I live alone."
"You do?"
She looked surprised.
"What about your parents?"
"We all have our own houses."
He shrugged.
"We visit each other often."
"Oh..."
She nodded slowly.
"I wasn't expecting that."
He smiled.
"Relax."
"My house is probably the safest place you could be tonight."
"The only person I'm worried about..."
"...is Abdul."
She sighed.
"He'll probably skin me alive for helping you escape."
Despite everything, Hanan laughed.
"He might."
Then she looked at him seriously. "I won't stay for free."
"I'll pay you."
Faruk burst into laughter.
"Pay me?"
"When I start working."
She smiled. "I'll pay my rent with my first salary."
He shook his head in amusement. "You really are something else."
"So... I'll expect my rent fee."
She smiled for the first time that night.
"Deal." Faruk smiled back.
A few minutes later, the car slowed to a stop in front of a luxurious studio apartment.
Hanan stared through the windshield.