Thursday 11:30 am
"Salamat, how can you claim you are a virgin? Why are you complicating issues for us?" Her mother practically shouted at her in frustration.
"He was putting words in my mouth. I didn't mean to say that", Salamat replied.
"This is becoming too much for me to bear", Mrs. Ade grumbled, putting two of her fingers on her forehead to calm her nerves.
"What if they find out about what happened in Abeokuta?" Mr. Ade stared at his wife.
"That is exactly my point", she agreed. "About the rape too."
"But we've already gotten rid of the social media mess" her husband commented.
"They can still find out", she insisted.
Her father sighed. "Maybe you should just tell him the truth, princess. Telling lies in situations like this will only complicate things" Her father said softly, putting his hand over hers.
"Dad, I can't. He will become doubtful of everything I say" Salamat declared.
"You shouldn't have lied in the first place. When did you become like this?" He scolded. "You should have also told your mum the truth about where you were going that morning. If you had done that, things would have been different. Despite the warning,s I gave about that boy and his family."
Salamat withdrew her hand from her father's hold as his words cut through her deeply, making her feel guilty.
She felt bad for lying.
That was the consequence of lying. She was getting punished for lying.
It is very easy to get addicted to lying because a lie is usually used to cover up another lie. The more you lie, the harder it becomes to say the truth.
Salamat wrapped her arms around her as she felt cold all of a sudden.
"Ade, this is not the right time to give blames." Her mother said, referring to her husband.
"I can't help it. This is the fifth day and no good news is forthcoming. Brother Jamiu won't forgive us for this because he believes the worst of Salamat." He uttered.
"May Allah see us through. Are you praying regularly Wumi?" Her mother demanded bringing out a food flask from her tote bag and dropped it in front of her daughter.
"No", Salamat blurted out.
"What?" Her mother exclaimed and looked up at her.
"Why?" Her father asked.
"Nothing."
"What? Don't you know this is the right time to be more prayerful? You can ask one of the policemen for water to perform ablution. I'm sure they won't deprive you of worshipping your Lord." He advised.
"Ok, dad."
"Come on, princess. This is just a trying time. You will come out of it alive and stronger. Your mother and I are doing all we can to make sure you are out of here as soon as possible. Promise me you will pray."
"I promise."
"Good. Eat your food before it gets cold", her mother pushed the food flask towards her.
"Not now, mum", Salamat whined, resting her hand on her jaw.
"That was the same thing you said yesterday and you ended up not eating. Or do you want me to feed you?" Her mother grinned.
Salamat smiled and took the spoon from her mother, as she attempted to feed her.
"Where is Saleem?" She asked as she dug her spoon into the food.
"I sent him on an errand. He will join us shortly. Do you miss him already?"
"Mum!", she called out and her mother chuckled.
"You are blushing. You don't need to hide the fact that you miss him" her mother said.
"I don't" Salamat muttered with a smile.
"You do."
"I don't"
"It's written all over your face." Her mother insisted.
"Dad, your wife is something else. Tell her to leave me alone to eat my food."
Her father chuckled.
Her parent watched her in silence as she ate slowly.
Her father broke the silence. "Your mother lost her job."
"What?" She dropped her spoon. "Why? What happened?"
"Her boss sacked her for skipping work for three consecutive days."
*****
Mr. Usman was just coming out of MTD police station, along Kings Road in Sabo. He had rushed out, leaving his wife behind. He got to the car and stood beside it with different thoughts running through his mind.
Ever since the disappearance of Raliat, they had been frequenting the station and they kept telling the couple to come back the next day with no information at all about their daughter.
Today was a good day. They had directed them to Samaru Kataf police station. They were told that the station was in charge of Ayoade's case and they might have information about their daughter.
Mr. Usman felt relieved. He assumed that his daughter was in their custody. Maybe she was arrested as a suspect without the knowledge of Safiya, he thought to himself.
But the doubt he was having was why the station had refused to contact them if truly Raliat was in their custody.
At least being in their custody was better than tagging her as a missing person. That would break him. She was his only daughter and he wouldn't want to lose her. He was ready to go to any length to bail her out.
He knew his daughter can barely hurt a fly. And he was sure of the fact that her daughter can never kill Ayoade. She truly loved him and couldn't bear to hurt him or do anything to hurt him.
He remembered the argument he had with his wife on the day Safiya announced the death of Ayoade. Mr. Usman was scared. He was scared for his wife and daughter. The thought of his wife killing Ayoade, just so Raliat could marry the so-called Adam that she wanted her to marry, came to his mind. That made him accuse her.
He knew her to be a good wife and mother but her recent desperation was something else. He knew that desperation is sometimes accompanied by evil.
"Usman, you couldn't even wait for me. Haba, what is the meaning of all these?"
"You caused it. Besides, you were walking too slow for my liking."
"When did you become like this? You had the gut to embarrass me in front of those police officers? What is wrong with you? I'm becoming fed up with these strange behaviors of yours?"
"You know why I am doing this." He claimed.
"Of course not. And this is not the right time for this. I have Raliat to worry about." She said and hissed.
"Whatever. Just pray that nothing bad should happen to my daughter, if not you will have yourself to blame" He threatened as he entered the car.
"Subhanallah!" She muttered, with a wide eye. "So this is it? You still think I am responsible for that boy's death?"
"Yes."
"Oh My God! Why have I been so dumb? I can't stoop so low to do that. I can never kill a human being and of all people, the man my daughter is in love with?"
"What then do you mean by the statement 'The dead has been done?'"
"Subhanallah!" She muttered again as a tear dropped from her eye. "What I meant is that what is the essence of asking me what I want you to do when you and grandma have given your blessings without consulting me. You made me feel I don't have a say in my daughter's life. You even went ahead to give him a job without informing me."
"Are you happy now that he is dead?" He can no longer marry your daughter and he can't take the job I offered." He told his weeping wife.
"Are you coming with me or not?" He asked igniting the car into action. "I need to go and get my daughter."
His wife stood transfixed, looking at him with tears streaming down her eyes.
He felt guilty but pushed the feeling away as he closed the door and zoomed off, leaving her alone in front of the station like a lost woman.