When Love Is War.

24

Timothy Hassan

If it took having the day I had yesterday to have the night and morning I had today then I would do it all over again. It took almost getting killed for Sarayu to look at me like she used to and I was not mad at it. It felt good to fall asleep and wake up with her in my arms again, to watch her fuss and worry over me. I almost wished I did not have to clock in for work today but sadly here I was watching my head of security sweating profusely while trying to explain how such a huge security breach happened under his watch.

"Your excellency sir, investigations are still underway into the issue. I promise you sir we will get to the bottom of the matter", he stammers.

" I trust that you will, thank you for the briefing," I say dismissing him, he had nothing to worry about I was not going to fire him but I would be finding someone more competent to help him do his job.

As he walked out of my office
Mrs Idara and my Secretary walked in. We exchanged pleasantries and she gave her heartfelt condolences and praised God that I escaped yesterday's attack unscathed while my Secretary fixed her a cup of tea.
The whole situation was messing with my head," who could I trust? For all, I knew she could be behind my attempted assassination, she surely had the motives", I thought.

"Mr President did you hear what I said", she says calling me out of my thoughts.

"Sorry Mrs Idara I was lost in thought, yesterday's events are a lot to take in. Have you given a thought to who can be behind it?" I say

"This Is why I keep telling you to slow down you've been here for hundred days and you want to uproot over sixty years of systemic corruption. I want Nigeria to work too, I want there to be equity and justice but I understand that there are people at the top of this food chain, powerful people who have gotten fat on this country's dysfunction and these people will do anything to ensure you do not take food out of their mouths".

" What nonsense, are you saying I should fold my arms and do what leaders before me have done", I say as my anger begins to well up.

" I am not saying you should not work but what I am saying is that you must dance to their tune or you might not live long enough to implement the grand plans you have for this country",  she says in an exasperated tone.

" Is that supposed to be a threat", I growl.

" Watch your tone with me, I am not the one threatening you. Whoever bombed your car could have killed you but they decided to give you a warning instead. Think about that, I'm leaving! You can call me when you are ready to have a decent conversation," she says leaving before I can say a thing.

At this point, I do not even know what to think, who to even trust?

"Sir your wife is on the phone", I hear my secretaries voice say through the intercom.

" Hello Sarayu", I say immediately I pick up my office phone.

"It's very humbling to know that it took just a trip for you to forget all about me".

" I'm sorry Zee, I just assumed It was Sarayu".

"It's fine I'm not mad at that, what I am mad at is the fact you did not see it fit to call me when you got home safely last night. Your phone was not even going through, you could have at least called me from the office this morning, I heard It on the news like every other person that you were safe but I wanted to hear from you, I was worried", Zainab scolds me sounding more disappointed than angry.

"I'm sorry dear, yesterday was a lot, it skipped my mind".

" Why won't it skip your mind, when you were too busy kissing and making up with Sarayu", she mutters bitterly.

"Why would you say that?", I ask her.

" You know what, forget anything I said. I called to see if you were fine and I can see that you are ", she says before abruptly cutting the call.

I press the intercom button and say, " next time tell me which wife is calling".

I could not win with these women, and to think I missed Zainab. I was finally on good terms with Sarayu and now Zainab is upset with me. I do not even know what to make about the situation with Mrs Idara.

Zainab Hassan

After ending my call with Timothy I put my phone on silent, plastered a smile on my face and reentered the room where my cousin Jumoke was
getting dressed in her second outfit for her traditional marriage ceremony. She looked gorgeous, this second look was a Yoruba bridal outfit while the first was every inch of an arewa bride. The makeup artist was putting the final touches on her elaborate gele style.

"Aunty Zee is everything alright", Jumoke says looking concerned.
Trust Jumoke to notice when something is wrong
.
"Amarya(Bride), everything is fine," I say.

"Are you sure? We will talk later", she says as the photographer gets into the position to begin taking pictures of her.

I knew we would not be able to talk later and I preferred it that way.
As we participated In the rich traditional ceremony that incorporated both the Hausa and Yoruba cultures my joy knew no bounds for my dear cousin. Tomorrow it was back to my life, to navigating a new era in our lives because I could sense that things were shifting.