Handsome Devil ✅

Thirty-One

ZARIA

It has been 95 days since Layla's disappearance and with each day passing Baba could feel a part of him going. Layla had not just gone but had went away with his vitality and literally, his life. He had recoiled in a self made emotional shell where there in he lament his failure as a father. He had lost considerable weight and shrunk into merely just bones and almost no flesh. Every effort was futile and if anything Hadiza was oblivious to his misery. She had centered her life around her remaining kids never mentioning Layla or anything. She had successfully made it seemed like she has never been there.

Baba had woke fasting. He hardly eat and had resolved to fasting frequently. It was after Zuhr and it was a time when he come back home leaving the small shop to his son to sell the traditional medicine he was selling.

He was nodding from lack of sleep when he heard an engine sound in front of him. He opened his eyes to see a big black car. It looked nice and expensive and he wondered who was having visitors. Seeing he has no one who would come visit him, he reclined to the wall and close his eyes again.

"Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah." An elderly man extended his hand at Baba. He wore a white kaftan and had sprayed a perfume that immediately announced his presence. He dominated the whole place and Baba could almost touch his influence yet he was humble.

Standing behind him was the driver whom he came along with. The driver was eager to please his master one could see it.

He greeted Baba who even after then was still sure he wasn't the person the man wanted to see.

Out of good gesture Baba went into the house and came back with water in a plastic jug.

"I'm sure you don't know me and neither do I know you. If not for my driver, I wouldn't know this house. I was directed to you by a man sitting under that shade." He took a moment of silence with Baba hanging on every word, praying that everything was fine and he wasn't in trouble.

"My name is Hussein Tofa. I'm from Kano. I live with some of my family in Kano while the other in Abuja."

The mention of Abuja alone made Baba fidgeted from where he sat. Are they having any news on Layla?

"My family in Abuja is where your daughter Layla works."

Alhaji Hussein could see the abrupt change in Baba's mood. He wondered what was wrong. He nonetheless continued.

" I know she came to see home and didn't know why she hasn't been back. While she was there, my wife had convinced me to get her into school as she is an intelligent girl. So I come to ask if it's okay that she goes back and work then continue school."

Baba waited till the visitor had finished stating the reason of his visit. By then a lone tear had streamed his cheeks. For a moment, he thought they were going to give him news on Layla but it was apparent they didn't even know she was missing or gone.

Silence stretched between them as Abba kept looking at Layla's father whose mood had completely changed. He prayed silently it wasn't the news he brought.

Unknown to them, Rahama had entered the house chanting a big car has come to visit Baba.

On an impulse, Innah wrapped a veil inside out and came out uninvited. She knew whoever they were, they had something to do with Layla's house of work. Besides, who do they know that has big car?

"Oh after giving her out to prostitution you still follow her here to do what to her? You don't have fear of Allah." She pointed at Alhaji Hussein who was older looking and from her analysis was definitely the husband of Layla's employer.