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Thirty One
Last Updated:
2022-09-11 22:30:34Related chapters
Misfortunate Thirty Two
Just as Labeebah 'died', Abdul walked out of the room, into the elevator and while the elevator slid down the levels, he transferred the video from his watch to his phone and sent it to Yaana.All within about two minutes. When the elevator doors swished open at the ground floor, he shut his eyes and summoned tears, chuckling to himself when immediately, two tears trickled down his eyes."Labeebah isn't the only one who knows how to act." He took off his cap and walked out of the elevator, looking very listless and quite grief stricken. The nurses at the reception looked at him as he walked away and shook their heads.When the doors of Diezemane slid shut behind him, he put his cap back on his head and picked his already ringing phone."Check your account. I've sent your money. One hundred and fifty million naira paid in full. Disappear immediately Abdullahi Babagana. I don't want to find you in Abuja or even Nigeria anymore in this lifetime.Is that clear?" Abdul chuckled and turned
Last Updated : 2022-09-12Misfortunate Thirty Three
The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes was that everywhere was blurry. I blink, feeling tears rush down my eyes due to the pain of trying to clear my eyes.I blink again and the ceiling comes into focus, it's a hammered glass that houses several florescent bulbs. The hammered glass is surrounded by a white pop ceiling that hurts my eyes. I shut my eyes and try to think of where I could be.I open my eyes again and find out that I cannot look around the room unless I move my body, and just as I try to move my body, the door opens. It feels like I'm thirteen again and trying to let Ma know I'm annoyed so I quickly shut my eyes again, but the person comes close and leans over me, her breathing lingering with incense reaches me and I am forced to open my eyes."Upstairs neighbor." I croak, when I see who is standing over me. My throat is dry, feels like brittle paper. So I try to produce saliva to whet my mouth.She laughs, then tears roll down her eyes. "You don't even know my n
Last Updated : 2022-09-14Misfortunate Thirty Four
Four Months Later"Amina of Zazzau is out on Netflix." I wheeled myself to the living room to meet Huda turning on the television and getting ready to connect the laptop to the television. She made a pillow fort near the huge one hundred and thirty inch television and just as the first opening sequence came on, she leapt up, paused the movie and helped me out of the wheel chair."I wonder why you didn't let us go watch it at the cinema. It was so successful at the cinemas. It stayed in the box office for six weeks. Six weeks!" She lamented as she helped me to the floor and put the largest pillow behind my back.I held her just as she got up to get the remote. I swallowed before saying; "Huda." She turned to me with soft eyes and pushed the pillow a little more. I smiled, she's been so caring. I really didn't know anyone could be so genuine, so pure at heart and so beautifully made."Thank you for these past few months. You've put more light in my life than I've had in my twenty four y
Last Updated : 2022-09-16Misfortunate Thirty Five
I lift my head to look at the wall around me, now filled with affirmative words and actions phrases. Words like 'You can do it!' 'You're enough!' 'You're going to win!' made me sigh and lean back in the wheel chair I was sitting in.My therapist, Ms Williams, a beautiful mix of Nigerian and British sat right there in front of me clasping a bound notebook. I wanted to face the wall like I was used to but she had told Kaka, my grandmother, and Kaka asked that the wall be plastered with affirmative words to make me talk.But today, I was willing to talk. I had seen a video on YouTube on Huda's phone and I could not stop thinking about it. I saw how beaten a woman was and it triggered the pain I felt when I woke. It reminded me of the time I could not even move my neck and how I had so many loved ones around me.Ma, Kawu, Rabiah, Zainab, now Huda, Kaka, my many cousins, even the head maid, Iyamé. They reminded me everyday that my body fought the battle against death and won with plenty of
Last Updated : 2022-09-17Misfortunate Thirty six
"Wear that boubou." Huda carefully handed me a navy blue silk adire that had been made into a plain boubou and a white turban to wear it with."You're just hell bent on making me go to this party aren't you? Who's going to push me around ehn?" I asked with mock exasperation in hopes of letting her leave me at home. She turned to me as she was already leaving my room with anger on her face and her hands on her hips."Muhammad, Imran, Hussein, Oladayo. They've all offered to push you around. The Dambazzau-Sambo's understand familial relations, we stand up for our own, we keep our own safe so get it out of your head that you're not going to be liked, worry about being smothered in love from women who look exactly like your mother!" She exclaimed at the end and walked out of the room. I sighed and let Iyamé who had been waiting help me to the bathroom.I'm still not allowed to do my own bathing so she's here to help me bathe and dress. In the beginning, it was very disconcerting and I cal
Last Updated : 2022-09-19Misfortunate Thirty Seven
"Try getting up again."I sigh and moved to get up, disregarding the gargantuan pain in my back and sweat dripping from my face and hair, infact everywhere. I was trying to take my first steps for the first time in nearly five months.Apparently, the physiotherapist was waiting for my bones go become stronger before forcing me into starting to get more feeling in my legs. For about two weeks, my only exercise was letting an expensive bike like physiotherapy machine turn my legs continuously. It hurt so much and I do not ever want to go back to it."Jibike, I'm trying. I'm trying but it's so hard. My back hurts like a bitch." She nodded knowingly and reached out to pat my shoulder. Tears sprung to my sweaty eyes and I blinked to keep them back."You can do it Beebah. You can do it so let out your tears, screams and get walking. Do it for those of us who cheer you on, but, do it for yourself the most. You can do it." The very tears I was trying to hold back spilled down and I said a dua
Last Updated : 2022-09-19Misfortunate Thirty Eight
"Ten."Jibike cheered very hard and helped me back into my wheel chair happily. I smiled up at her and she smiled back, echoing my happy sentiment. Huda who was sitting in the corner was making a video of me."How do you feel today Ms Labeebah?" I smiled at the camera, the small hand held camera that looked nothing like a camera but the film that came from it was clear as day."Excited. Grateful. Alhamdulillah." I replied with all my teeth out in a wide smile. Jibike patted me and pushed me to a corner before taking out the clipboard to note down some things.Huda turned off the camera and hugged me, sweaty body and all and I leaned in on her in comfort. She ruffled my scarf and after I finished my formalities with Jibike, she pushed me out of the room. I got to know a two weeks back that my father, I still haven't gotten used to saying and giving him that title, bought those machines and each one cost at least thirty million. They're supposed to be in hospitals and are going to be so
Last Updated : 2022-09-20Misfortunate Thirty Nine
Cardi B- Be careful"Let's get this photoshoot out of the way first."I shook my head and walked back to the arranged set to sit in a swing, while dressed in a black, long sleeved turtle neck top, a cream rain pleated skirt, heels and a full turban, my second outfit. The first was a mustard sleeveless suit that I wore a long sleeve white turtle necked top with white heels.The photographer calling my attention took me out of the reverie I was in.Bashir Bakura wants to meet me? I need a break first to think."Smile please." I automatically widened my lips into a beautiful spread. She gave me a thumbs up and snapped away. Huda went to the stereo in the corner and fiddled with it, Brown skin girl by Beyoncé flowed out of the speakers prompting me into a smile, my skin is one of those things I'm grateful to Allah for the most, beautiful, dark as chocolate, supple skin.I blushed, letting an even wider smile frame my face as I heard Beyoncé croon on and on about how beautiful my skin is a
Last Updated : 2022-09-20
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Misfortunate Fifty Three
Song of the chapter; Halo by Beyonce."Why did you do that? You really shouldn't have. Honestly you shouldn't." I said to Bashir the moment I found him in the house after my interview. I've moved partly to stay with Baaba only going home to get important documents and food from Iyamé that I miss.He didn't reply, only walking slowly in his hoodie, shorts, socks and slides ensemble to a sofa placed for random talks like this one. I used to think there were far too many sofas in this house until now, this pastel green sofa in this white room, is as important as our discussion."Yaya?" Bashir called and watched my face till I replied with a Na'am. He nodded and yawned, trying to get his concentration going."You need to understand one thing. You are my sister, my eldest sibling, my older sister and an example for us all. If I let some gutter urchin speak to you anyhow because he is a scholar, then even my friends can tomorrow say rubbish about you and I'll not be able to caution them." I
Misfortunate Fifty Two
"What would you say defined you this year, seeing as you've accomplished so much in one year." I looked in the direction of the huge lights set up in a corner for this interview, trying to get my thoughts together."I spent last year in recovery. Literally all of last year was spent reinventing the brand that is myself, just basically dealing with the emotions that came out of being in one of the worst things anyone could ever be in. I think it defined me, it pushed me to be a better person, what gave me my best push though, was knowing that my family is on my side." She nodded and I exhaled. I'd been talking in one breath without stopping."Is being Labeebah Bakura in any way detrimental to you?" She asked with a smile. This host is one of those people who know how to draw out information from her guests by asking too much. In a bid to want to explain yourself, you give the whole thing or yourself away, so I paced myself for a few seconds before replying her."No. Asides the fact tha
Misfortunate Fifty One
"…Married?" I asked with a stutter that came due to a lack of words to say. Marriage? Am I ready? Are we ready?"If you're not ready, it's fine. You can take all the time you need." I nodded and found a seat, he sat two seats away. I didn't think us getting married would come into the picture so early, or even at all. Especially with the way people troll you when pictures of us on a date surfaces." He shut his eyes and leaned back into the chair."I've told you, Labeebah. I don't care. I've never been one to care about what people say to me, how they react to me taking a decision is none of my business. If I didn't know you deeply, I'd be worried about stumbling on the way. But with you in my corner and Allah? They can say all they want, they'll never have the gem I have."My nose suddenly turned sour with the weight of unshed tears and I muttered a quiet Alhamdulillah for Allah's grace. I couldn't have searched through the world for someone like this and found him all by myself, Alla
Misfortunate Fifty
"He's still resting. Your phone has been ringing continuously, maybe your appointment is important." I watched as Hamieydat Al Hassan pursed her lips in frustration, she acquiesced to Falmata's suggestion and told her to call immediately Baaba woke up. We both nodded and waved her goodbye as she left in a flurry of flowery Abaya and wide sweeping sleeves."I think she likes Baaba." I turned to Falmata and watched her face, the animosity I expected was not there. Just neutral excitement of the fact that someone liked Baaba, I chuckled but my chuckles died when I remembered Baaba had not yet woken since he fell asleep after waking from his surgery last night."Do you think she's good for him?" I asked, leaning back in the comfortable sofa I had sat on once we came into the room. I slept fitfully last night and this morning we rushed down here without breakfast."It's more like is Baaba going to be good for her. He's so busy with work already, would he have time for her? Would she not fe
Misfortunate Forty Nine
A month later"Where's she now?"I put my phone to my ear and asked Iyamé as the phone placed against my ear rang, calling the other end. The call was not picked and I sighed, Baaba must be busy. So I put my phone down and bent down to fasten the black boots I had worn earlier."Call her and ask her to come out now. If she doesn't, I'll leave her. I hate to be late." Iyamé nodded and motioned for the maid cleaning the dining table to tell Falmata to hasten up.Today is the premiere of the superhero movie I acted in some months ago and it's about to come out in the cinemas all over the world in four days. For me, I'm still in shock. I used to think my greatest achievement would be maybe a Cameo in a Hollywood movie set in Los Angeles and that would be all. But, a Hollywood set had come right to my doorstep here in Abuja and I'd acted in the lead role.If I had to choose, if i had to guess, I would plan to have this happen to me in about five years. Now that it's happening to me, I'm be
Misfortunate Forty Eight
"Did they really fight?"I stopped in the motions of laying out another skirt, adjusting my phone so Rabiah can hear me. "Wallah, they nearly fought. Falmata eventually told me they've been that way for nearly twenty years. Even before she was born, my uncle told my aunt not to marry her husband, she, being strong headed went ahead and married him, I don't see a problem in what has happened but my uncle has never forgiven her for not doing what he wanted."Rabiah laughed long and hard, making me chuckle too. I really don't see the problem in marrying who she married, she made good on her life goals from what I heard. I stan women who make their life dreams come true."Sha, when are the pictures coming out? Are you going to post them?" She asked me and i moved from the wardrobe where I was picking clothes to pick my iPad where Falmata sent the photos to."The pictures are beautiful, but I'm wondering, would it be somehow insensitive to post the pictures before my siblings?" I asked her
Misfortunate Forty Seven
"Check on the rice, ask them to serve it if it's ready." Bashir nodded, got up from where he was working on his laptop. He set it down on the dining table and I spied the drawing of a set of detached duplexes, I shook my head. Baba and Bilal are the same in the terms of work, they work until the very last minute. I've noticed the short time I've been here that Bashir's forms of entertainment are only designing houses and designing more houses."I've asked them to do as you said." He informed and picked up his MacBook that he had perched on the table beside me. He leaned into my side and dropped his laptop to pick up the Happy Birthday sticker I was cutting out the excess paper from. Munir, my second brother-its still a little confusing referring to him as that- designed it with paint, glitter and sticker paper.I looked at him, an exact copy of Baaba, complete with the straight as pin nose, dark skin and moderate sized forehead. He helped me cut carefully into a huge 'B' and laid it o
Misfortunate Forty Six
Sa'ad Lamido"Major major!" I laughed at Adnan who was saluting me and found my seat on the black mesh chair they had left for me."Major major!" Adnan hailed again and I felt a smidgen of irritation started to form in my lower belly, so I waved him off and picked up the menu. Putting it down a second later when I remembered with a jolt that I'm going out with Labeebah later and I can't be too full for it."Major? You're not eating?" I raised a brow at Muslim who had been watching me steadily since I came, not greeting nor saying a word. He and I haven't been seeing on the same wavelength since he beat his wife and I like it that way, if not for Adnan, I'd not be speaking to him ever again."I'm not. I'm going out with Labeebah later. I'm keeping my stomach empty so I'll be hungry later." I explained with a smile as the waiter left the drinks they'd ordered. Adnan was having something like a banana and strawberry smoothie, while Muslim was nursing a malt."Wow, you guys are serious?"
Misfortunate Forty Five
"You get it completely. They don't know these clerics sometimes welcome people knowing they're moneybags. They twist out several types of information out if you to the point where you think they're telling you the absolute truth, when your only truth should be the Qur'an and your total and unequivocal trust in Almighty Allah." She shrugged and shook her head, putting her attention back on driving.She turned on her blinkers, wound the steering and faced the road. Rabiah and I have video called several times but we haven't met in the past two weeks, she's been busy with her shop opening, while I've been trying to sort out my schedule."So what did your husband say?" I brought back the discussion to her, she turned to me with a smile that brightened her entire face."Baby just smiled and said that if my succeeding means I'm suing his glory or whatever? Then I better keep using it because he's not due for promotion at work until next year." I burst into loud spluttering laughter. Huda's
