The other woman's DAUGHTER

Chapter 37

Maryam sat on her bed, tired and hungry. The day had been the most stressful for her and her family. All she wanted to do was to eat and lay down, she even casted Iman aside, telling herself she would sleep first, the call him tomorrow. The events of the day had been draining. Like police in action, Maryam and her family had roamed around the streets of Abuja searching for Noorie. As if she would be dumb enough to roam freely waiting for them to see her.

Maryam had thought against the idea, but was scared if she opposed, her mother would call her out on it.

When the information about the car crash got to them, her mother had hopped up and clapped her hands multiple times. She had literally stood beside Alhaji Matazu, urging him to tell her what the person on the phone was saying. Alhaji Matazu had to turn away from her because she was distracting him. Ofcourse Mommy had moved again, standing in his front. She stood there watching his eyes and his expressions, until he ended the call.

"They can not find Noorie" he had said. "Go and get me my key Tahir" he added. The living room remained quiet for some seconds because they were all trying to make sense of what Alhaji Matazu had said.

"What do you mean by they could not find her? Is she hurt? Did something happen to her?" She had asked all at once waiting for Alhaji Matazu to answer.

He turned to his wife with an annoyed expression, but who could blame her. Her precious Noorie was in danger. She stared at him expectantly, waiting for a reply which did not come. Soon afterwards, Tahir came with the keys. Alhaji snatched it and urged him to follow.

"O Allahu!" Mommy had exclaimed, clapping her hands loudly. She then went to her room, locked her self up and her sobs could be heard from there to the living room where Maryam and the others remained.

Maryam felt her heart ache, she wondered if her mother would ever  miss her enough to shed a tear. Mama had tried lightening the mood, she asked how school was and how they were coping. Zarah and Maryam gave chorus answers and then the living room went quiet again.

After waiting for what felt like eternity, Alhaji Matazu had called, demanding they get Noorie's phone, so they could call and check with all her friends, in case she went to any one of them looking for coverage. He also instructed that his older children be called, so they could join the search party.

Mommy came out of her room frantically, on over hearing the on going discussion on how to share themselves to go in search of her in her friend's house. She demanded to be allowed to look too. She kept asking a million questions. Aliyah had tried to calm her down, but it did not work.

Alhaji Matazu and his son Tahir stood around the deserted area, checking if Noorie might be around the accident scene. Both knew she would have fled the scene, but they decided to check hoping they were wrong.
"I cannot believe she could be so callous" Alhaji Matazu had grumbled, as he looked around. "Why on earth would she grab the steering wheel. That's suicide. I will make sure I deal with her when I see her. What nonsense!" He seethed.

Tahir was checking around the bush too, and he knew deep down if Noorie was smart enough to get out of the accident unscathed, then she must be far away from the scene.

After checking, and calling home to know if she was at her friends house. Alhaji Matazu demanded for more policemen, to help search for his daughter. Soon they were roaming the streets of Abuja looking for a fair girl wearing a blue lace material and a head tie. Apparently, her mother had packed up all her things last night and had gave it to one of the men who had come to pick her up. Alhaji Matazu had stayed up over night, filled the necessary documents online, and had decided he would come check up on her later in the day.

By 4pm, they've found nothing. Alhaji Matazu had asked the policemen to continue their search while he and his family went back home to deliberate on the matter. Maryam had been very hungry, because apart from the icecream she had taken in the early hours of the day, she hadn't eaten anything. She dared not mention it, scared she might piss off her mother who has been at the peak of her mean character today.