HE IS MY CHAUFFEUR ✅

EIGHTEEN

Here it is, unedited.

Adeelah woke up late. It was Saturday morning, sanitation day and inspection. When they were all done, the house sparkling, they awaited for Abba's patrol. Abba had been utterly quiet for the past few days Adeelah had noticed.

She had never seen him that way in her entire life. He looked down, disoriented and loose. As if someone was after his life. Adeelah made a mental note to go and see Abba that night.

Although Nafeesah told her that she went and he said there's nothing, she would still try.

She was sitting in Hajiya Sadiya's parlour when Hajiya Sadiya came out.

"Come." She said. Adeelah wondered what happened that Hajiya Sadiya called her that way. Something was just off and no one was telling her. Maybe it wad because Abba was slipping away to a man, whom he wasn't.

"Umma here I am."

"Adeelah baby, you're the one to cook today. I will give you a helping hand though." Hajiya Sadiya informed her. And it wad obvious that her decision wasn't needed. She didn't like cooking at all.

Adeelah didn't argue. Hajiya Sadiya didn't ask much from her and if this would make her happy just this once, she would try and place a giant patience load on her heart.

"What am I going to cook?" She asked, opening the deep freezer that was stashed with frozen food items. Chicken, fish, prawns, and shrimps. All those sea foods, Adeelah loved them.

Hajiya Sadiya's eyes glistened with happiness. She loved how matured Adeelah was becoming. People might not notice but she did.

"Whatever you want. You're supposed to cook with the girls. Let me all fetch them."

Hajiya Sadiya walked out. Adeelah had a big smile plastered on her face. She knew what it meant. Hajiya Sadiya was clever, she wanted her child to be involved so that Adeelah won't have a negative thinking of any sort. It was right though. No matter what since she wasn't her birth mother, she must feel something.

But doing this, chased the feeling away from her chest. She liked how Hajiya Sadiya differed from Hafsatu who could hardly hide way her selfishness.

She was thinking when Haneey and Nafeesah came in, grumbling. They all were relaxing when Hajiya Sadiya brought them out.

"Chop, chop girls." Hajiya Sadiya giggled and left the kitchen to them.

"What are you going to cook?" They pointed the question at Adeelah who was busy bringing out proteins from the freezer.

"We should make shrimps and fish sauce then just cook pasta to pair it. It's that simple." Adeelah told them. She could count the number of foods she could cook and it's because she loved them. She learned them from aunt Siddiqa.

"Okay I have no idea how it's done." Nafeesah said.

"Neither do I."

"Just help out and we gist. Before you know it, we will be done." They all agreed. Adeelah went to the kitchen door and locked it. She removed the key and threw it out of the window.

"I know you all, you may run away. When we're done someone will open us. What say?" She laughed at the expressions on their faces.

Adeelah let the fish cool before she removed it from the ziplock and put it on fire. She handed Haneey some chilled vegetables which she removed from the refrigerator to chop them.

Ya Nafeesah was to make the pasta and help out in clearing used utensils.

"Ya Adeelah please help me with your chauffeur's number." Adeelah stopped stirring what she was turning on. What would Haneey do with Salisu's number. She didn't like how crazy the girl was.