DAULAH

Show Me Your Friend: 2

Ya Allah distance us and our family from shame and failure, destroy every evil plan against us and our loved ones, protect us from known & unknown enemies, Oh Allah support us and our family with your Love, Kindness, Mercy, Blessings and Forgiveness, Amin.
Juma'ah Mubaraq

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MUKHTAR

~~~

An unidentified silence befalls the atmosphere when I return to sit back with the men and when their inquisitive gazes pass through me while they send them to each other, I got a hang of the reason for that. They were curious, wondering about the short dialogue that just took place in that car. I feigned ignorance to their curiosity because I am not about to satisfy it for the simple reason that they have no business with whatever it is.

Malan Lawan attempted to steer the conversation back to its original topic before the minor distraction, which had revolved around the challenges of inflation making life difficult. The men grappled with their curiosity but managed to refocus on the conversation, and just in the nick of time, Imran arrived, rescuing everyone from an awkward moment.

His black Toyota Camry pulled over in front of us. I turn up my phone to check the time and see just how much of my time he wasted. I was about to head out to the office when he called and asked me to wait for him to go together as he was just around the corner. Forty minutes later and he hadn't arrived. I have a cause now to believe he had just gotten out of bed when he told me that.

A guilt-ridden expression played across his face, accompanied by a mischievous smile as he stepped out of the car, his eyes hidden behind a pair of designer shades. Imran was certainly cleaning up nicely, prospering, and living well, and I couldn't be happier for him. Every time I reflect on this, my mind wanders back to two years ago, and I thanked the Almighty first and then Mamman Marna for providing us with jobs.

I raise my wrist to show him my watch, and he knows what I am trying to indicate.

" I am sorry man," He apologized smirking, "Too much hold up..."

"I thought you said you were around the corner,"

"Yeah...well...,"

"Let's go," I said, dismissing his nonexistent reason for excuses.

He exchanges greetings with the men, offering individual handshakes and while I wait for him to get done, the gates of the Villa opens and the car drove out. Karima waves bye from the car and I reciprocate the gesture just as Imran returns to the car. He witnesses that and his gaze alternates between them and me, his expression questioning.

He stands in front of me, wearing an expectant expression, awaiting an explanation. What is people with having this entitlement to information that does not concern them?

Imran knows me too well to know that I am not offering one, and he took matters into his own hands,

"Already friendly with the golden girl I see," He said with a sly grin, and I would say a bit of excitement.

I am lost from what he is talking about so I ask

"What are you talking about"?

"You just waved at Daulah, or is she not the person in the car?"

I let out a small sigh to deflate my exasperation.

Ever since we got associated with Mamman Marna, Imran has made it his thing to keep tabs on his daughter on social media and I am often subjected to hearing about her activities from him, although, I mostly tune it out. Unlike him, I find no reason to have any interest in a girl who should have no significance to me, for all I care, she is merely my employer's daughter and another female I have nothing to do with, not when she was out of the country, and not now that she is back.