Let Me Be Yours

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

The Lamido's sitting room's ambiance was thick and tense. Like a courtroom, with the accused awaiting the worst life could throw at him and wondering if he could or not take it.

Every face in the room was sad and anxious, every soul in despair and every mind was racing miles.

He's been in such cases a lot of times but this was different on many levels. Deep down, he knew he's wrong and in big trouble. No amount of words will pick him out of this mess but he still doesn't want her. He can't even afford to take her back, how will he? Will she even want to see his face?

But who knows what's going on in their minds? They've all been seated for over fifteen minutes in silence and it's becoming eerier by the second.

In just a day, a video of the scene had gone viral. He didn't know how possible that was because he never remembered seeing anyone recording, but what could he have done? We're in the 21st century. Internet is the new air.

Yusuf was the first to contact him through a text.

'You'll regret this'.

Three words that meant and carried a lot.

The next was an official email demanding his presence in the royal house the next day.

He'd expected it so it didn't surprise him much.

Then it's series of calls and messages after that

But what he didn't expect was to see Umar, Khalil and Mansur in Yola.

And he knew he had a query to answer at work too.

He regretted ever doing that. It wasn't in his habit to hit a woman. But he's done that countless times to his wife.

He travelled his fingers across his face as a pang squeezed his heart. For how long are they gonna stay silent. It's unbearable!

He raised his eyes and looked through every face in the room.

Goggo was the first he caught sight of. Her face was buried in her palms, right next to her was Hajiya Halimah, her cheek rested on her balled fingers.

Then his eyes moved to his front and Yusuf stood beside an armchair, staring at him like a soldier waiting for a command to fire him dead.

Ali coldly took his gaze off him and to his side where Farida and Jalaal sat. Jalaal's head was bowed low and Farida was tapping her feet impatiently, her jaws clenched.

Why she's so angry, he had no clue.

Then it's Umar and Mansur who had the same posture as Jalaal then Khalil whose head was swinging on the headrest.

Reluctantly, he moved his face to his father's who's on his throne chair at the head of the room, different negative and fearful emotions sketched over him.

Ali's throat worked and his eyes went downcast. He was terribly sure this isn't going to end well, not on his side. But what decision could actually make him scared?

Bringing her back and apologizing? Or his father annulling the marriage and getting her married to Yusuf?

The former will be a terror to him but the latter? Easy-peasy. Or so he thought.

The Lamido's sigh didn't cause much change in the atmosphere but rather planted more anxiety and suspense in their hearts.

"Take your seat, Yusuf." His eyes lingered over his footstool.

"I'm fine." Yusuf grumbled, his eyes still pointed at his brother.

"Yusuf,"

"I'm. Fine." He clipped the words laboriously, his heart squashing in him.