Chapter 11: Fortuitous Union

Months passed by, the two lovebirds were enjoying the fruit of their patience until about 6 month later when Yusrah's dad called her for a discussion. He told her his friend's family will be coming in a week time for a proper introduction.

Yusrah looked at her dad and wished she had another dad other than him. He asked why she was staring at him and she told him she thought they have concluded the discussion and she can never be interested in his friend.

Her dad looked at her telling her in as much as he gave birth to her, he have all the right to give her out to whom he wished without anyone questioning him.

As he was talking to her, Abubsy and their mum came in. Abubsy sat close to Yusrah and held her hand in a mode to comfort her seeing how sad she was.

Their dad ask Abubsy to excuse them but he insist of staying because he had the right to any discussion in the family. He later told the dad that the happiness of his sister is as important as his and nobody, not even his dad's friend can trample on his sister's happiness.

The dad became angry telling Abubsy that time and again, he had continue to take insult from him since his early years that his it had gotten to this level, he thank God he is now a man and already fending for himself that he should leave his house early in the morning the next day and never to return.

Abubsy looked at his dad then his mum and told her it was a nice thing that her dad said this in her presence and so she shouldn't come begging him. He left to his room and Yusrah followed him.

Yusrah met him sitting on his bed. She knelt down putting her head on his kneels, she pleaded he shouldn't leave her alone in the house but he refused and she told him she was leaving with him.

He told her to stay behind because of their mum but she insisted. The following morning, he got dressed and was about leaving with his bag when his mum stopped him telling not to go. As she was begging him, the dad shouted from his room that she should allow him to go that his decision is final.

The mum continue pleading, Yusrah joined him with her bag. The mum broke into tears and went down on her kneels begging the duo.

They kept telling her they are not going finally that they just want the father to understand certain things. The dad came downstairs and shouted at the mum to allow them, they both left.

The mum became furious and told the dad he should bring back her children else, she is also leaving with her children. The dad kept mute and went back to upstairs.

As they were leaving to a nearby hotel before making arrangement for a house, they saw Ayo, his car was faulty.

They stopped by and he saw in there face that something was wrong, he asked them and after insisting not to tell him, they finally agreed and told him everything and that they were on their way to a hostel before making arrangement for a house.

Ayo smiled and told them his friend salim just travelled for a 3 month course and they could use his house before getting theirs. He apologised for the inconveniences he had caused them.

The mum called Abubsy later in the day asking him were he was and he told her not to worry about him and his sister that they are fine. The mum broke into tears pleading with him that she want to see her children, he promised to see her the next day at home when the dad had gone to work.

She became relieved and ended the call. They went the next day to see her and told her they just want him to miss their presence small. They left and after about a week, the dad went to the police station that one Abubakar (Abubsy) kidnapped his daughter Yusrah.

He gave the police Abubsy's details including his picture. Abubsy's picture now appears in newspapers and TV stations broadcasts for alleged kidnap.

The trio; Ayo, Abubsy and Yusrah seeing this agreed on going to the station to wash themselves off the dirt. They went to the station and introduced themselves and told the DPO what brought them.

The DPO was surprised how an elderly man could cook up a story like this and promised to deal with the case his own way. They all left and the DPO called their father.

He came and the DPO told him he was disappointed and their father told him how dare he talk to him in that manner that he had already disowned the so called Abubakar of a son and as far as he was concern, he was not his son and he is keeping his daughter.

He left threatening the DPO that he will deal with him if he don't produce his daughter for him in the next few days.

Ayo was in his office the next day attending to the files on his table when he heard a knock on his door, it was Yusrah's dad.

He came in and was offered a seat but refused sitting telling him he is not here to sit. He warned him to stare clear of his daughter else, he will be playing a game he will sure loss.

Yusrah's mum kept disturbing the dad to bring back her children for her, he agreed to do so though with his own conditions. He called them back them back to the house. Abubsy refused and it took the tears of his mum to bring him back.

Back to the house, he knew he was living under the same roof with a man that hates him so he tried all he could to avoid any form of confrontation. Yusrah on the other hand was placed on restrictions; she only goes out when the father confirm the authenticity of where she was going to.

Ayo was attending to files in his office when his secretary called him, some men were here to see him. He asked her to allow them in. When they entered, he offered them a sit but they refused telling him they had better things to attend to.

They went straight telling him they were members of the gang of Spicy that he and his sisters had bitten more than they could chew that they gave him an ultimatum of 24hours to have her released else they will have him and his sister beheaded. They left leaving him with fear.

Ayo picked his phone and called his sister that she should relocate to the village immediately that he will tell her why later. He told his secretary about it.

On his way home, he was ambushed and taken away at gun point to an unknown destination. The news got to his office and the secretary told the police what her boss told her before leaving the office. Using the CCTV footage in the office, the guys that came to threaten him in the office were arrested.

These guys were tortured for weeks without them saying anything that could lead to Ayo been found. They kept saying;

"We go em office but no be we hide am."

Two months went by without any news from Ayo. Yusrah became so disturbed that sorrow became synonymous with her mood always.

The dad came one night and told her his friend family people will becoming in two days and she should behave herself well. To avoid any form of problem, she kept mute. She left the house the day they were to come.

Even with her absence, they fixed the wedding date to the next month saying they want to finish everything as soon as possible that money isn't their problem.

Yusrah returned in the night only to be told her wedding date with the old man is next month. She felt like strangling her dad to death. She vow in her mind to make life miserable for the man if they succeeded in marrying her out to him.

Days passed by and preparation for the wedding continues without Yusrah participating. They even went as far as taking her old cloths and measuring it length to sow cloths for her wedding. Even her mum joined the bandwagon, only Abubsy stood by her.

A day worth mentioning was the day the old man came to her house with his friend. After the men were received by Yusrah dad and mum, Yusrah was called into the sitting room. She entered without greeting anyone and the old man called her my wife.

She hissed at him and told him to cut his coat according to his size. The dad stood up and slapped her twice. She looked at him then her mum before leaving them.

It was the day of the wedding. Everyone were happy except Yusrah and Abubsy. People were gathered in the front of the house and the imam was about pronouncing them husband and wife when Abubsy raised an alarm that the imam shouldn't be part of people that will aid a failed marriage that his sister wasn't in love with the old man.

The imam called Yusrah and asked her and she told him everything that had been happening. The imam said his duty was to join two consenting male and female and To discourage forced marriage. The gathering of people dispersed leaving only the two families.

The family of the old man told the man that they were disappointed at him and that he have to return everything they did for the supposed marriage.

The imam admonished the dad on the consequence of a forced marriage and the happiness of his daughter should be his priority and not keeping a tie with his friend.

The dad accepted Yusrah back and apologised for the pains he had caused her. He even went as far as asking her where is Ayo but she told him he had been kidnapped by an unknown gunmen for some months now. The dad felt bad and promised to give his consent if he was found again based on some conditions.