She opened her eyes slightly, as if reluctant, then fully opened them and glanced at the Rolex on her left wrist. Seeing it was 4:30 PM, she lifted her head from the large office chair and sat up straight, staring wearily at the pile of papers on the well-furnished table. She let out a short sigh, stood up, and walked to a tall mirror in the office, adjusting the ash-colored headscarf she wore.
She returned to pick up her stylish Monalisa handbag from the table, along with her car keys and iPhone 13 Pro Max, then headed out, locking the office door behind her. She descended the stairs and entered a massive supermarket resembling Shoprite, with fully stocked shelves and different sections. The staff, dressed in uniforms labeled "Dawanau Supermarket," greeted her politely, and she responded casually before heading to the parking space. Entering her car, she drove off as the gate was opened for her.
After a long drive, she arrived at Youth Stadium, parked, and took out her phone from her bag. Dialing a number, she said, "You guys should come outside; it’s Maghrib, let’s go home." She paused to listen, then suddenly exclaimed, "What! Subhanallah, I’m coming!" She ended the call, turned off the car as the AC stopped working, and hurried into the stadium.
From afar, she saw a crowd of children—her own among them—blocking her view. They opened a space for her to see Khalid lying down, sweating heavily from pain, while a man knelt before him, bandaging his leg. Khalil stood nearby, visibly worried. Spotting his mother, Khalil rushed over, explaining that Khalid had fallen while playing ball and that the man was giving first aid. The man, whose face she couldn’t yet see, finished his task and walked away without turning back. She knelt beside Khalid, gently holding his bandaged leg.
"That’s why I felt uneasy in the office—turns out you were hurt. Does it hurt a lot?" she asked emotionally. Khalid smiled faintly and said, "Mami, it doesn’t hurt, wallahi." She recognized his forced bravery and told him, "Let’s go home, and everyone else should too." As they helped Khalid up, she remembered the man who had helped and looked around but couldn’t see him. One of the boys said they’d never seen him at the stadium before but that he was very kind, even giving Khalid a handkerchief to wipe his sweat. She took the handkerchief Khalid handed her and put it in her bag as they left.
Tense Encounters and Old Wounds
On the drive, Khalil said, "Mami, I can’t wait for Friday so we can come to your place. I’m tired of that house." Khalid added angrily, "I hate that witch woman. She and the other one always report us to Abba." Keeping her eyes on the road, she reminded them, "I’ve told you before to respect your father’s wives—they’re your stepmothers." Khalid pouted, insisting he wouldn’t.
They stopped at a clinic to check Khalid’s leg, relieved to hear it wasn’t serious. She then took them shopping at a pastry shop before heading to Asokoro. Normally, she would drop them at the estate gate, but this time, for the first time in two years, she drove all the way to their house.
Parking outside the gate, she helped Khalid out. Just then, their father appeared, looking frail. His gaze lingered on her, but she avoided eye contact. He rushed to check on Khalid, visibly shaken. As Khalil explained what happened, she walked away toward her car. Just as she was about to leave, there was a knock on her window—it was him. She lowered the glass slightly and greeted him, "Good evening, Baban Khalid." Softly, he said, "Hassana…" and fell silent, as though struggling to speak. She asked if it was about the children, but he shook his head. "In that case, goodnight. Greet the family," she replied, starting the car and driving off, leaving him standing there watching her.
Home, a Mysterious Gift, and Family Moments
By the time she reached her neighborhood, it was already getting dark. The gateman opened the gate, and as she parked, he hurried over, handing her a small red gift bag. "A boy brought this for you earlier," he explained. She stared at it thoughtfully—it was the fifth day she had been receiving strange letters and flowers from an anonymous admirer, even at the office. Reluctantly, she thanked him and walked inside with her usual grace, unaware the gateman was silently admiring her poise, beauty, and wealth.
In her room, she freshened up, prayed, and later joined her mother, Mama, who had prepared her favorite meal—semovita with kuka soup, chili, and cow butter. They ate together warmly until her phone rang. Seeing Alhaji Isyaka’s name on the screen, she scoffed and ended the call. He called four more times, and each time she ignored it, while Mama watched quietly.
Description
From the Office to the Stadium
She opened her eyes slightly, as if reluctant, then fully opened them and glanced at the Rolex on her left wrist. Seeing it was 4:30 PM, she lifted her head from the large office chair and sat up straight, staring wearily at the pile of papers on the well-furnished table. She let out a short sigh, stood up, and walked to a tall mirror in the office, adjusting the ash-colored headscarf she wore.
She returned to pick up her stylish Monalisa handbag from the table, along with her car keys and iPhone 13 Pro Max, then headed out, locking the office door behind her. She descended the stairs and entered a massive supermarket resembling Shoprite, with fully stocked shelves and different sections. The staff, dressed in uniforms labeled "Dawanau Supermarket," greeted her politely, and she responded casually before heading to the parking space. Entering her car, she drove off as the gate was opened for her.
After a long drive, she arrived at Youth Stadium, parked, and took out her phone from her bag. Dialing a number, she said, "You guys should come outside; it’s Maghrib, let’s go home." She paused to listen, then suddenly exclaimed, "What! Subhanallah, I’m coming!" She ended the call, turned off the car as the AC stopped working, and hurried into the stadium.
From afar, she saw a crowd of children—her own among them—blocking her view. They opened a space for her to see Khalid lying down, sweating heavily from pain, while a man knelt before him, bandaging his leg. Khalil stood nearby, visibly worried. Spotting his mother, Khalil rushed over, explaining that Khalid had fallen while playing ball and that the man was giving first aid. The man, whose face she couldn’t yet see, finished his task and walked away without turning back. She knelt beside Khalid, gently holding his bandaged leg.
"That’s why I felt uneasy in the office—turns out you were hurt. Does it hurt a lot?" she asked emotionally. Khalid smiled faintly and said, "Mami, it doesn’t hurt, wallahi." She recognized his forced bravery and told him, "Let’s go home, and everyone else should too." As they helped Khalid up, she remembered the man who had helped and looked around but couldn’t see him. One of the boys said they’d never seen him at the stadium before but that he was very kind, even giving Khalid a handkerchief to wipe his sweat. She took the handkerchief Khalid handed her and put it in her bag as they left.
Tense Encounters and Old Wounds
On the drive, Khalil said, "Mami, I can’t wait for Friday so we can come to your place. I’m tired of that house." Khalid added angrily, "I hate that witch woman. She and the other one always report us to Abba." Keeping her eyes on the road, she reminded them, "I’ve told you before to respect your father’s wives—they’re your stepmothers." Khalid pouted, insisting he wouldn’t.
They stopped at a clinic to check Khalid’s leg, relieved to hear it wasn’t serious. She then took them shopping at a pastry shop before heading to Asokoro. Normally, she would drop them at the estate gate, but this time, for the first time in two years, she drove all the way to their house.
Parking outside the gate, she helped Khalid out. Just then, their father appeared, looking frail. His gaze lingered on her, but she avoided eye contact. He rushed to check on Khalid, visibly shaken. As Khalil explained what happened, she walked away toward her car. Just as she was about to leave, there was a knock on her window—it was him. She lowered the glass slightly and greeted him, "Good evening, Baban Khalid." Softly, he said, "Hassana…" and fell silent, as though struggling to speak. She asked if it was about the children, but he shook his head. "In that case, goodnight. Greet the family," she replied, starting the car and driving off, leaving him standing there watching her.
Home, a Mysterious Gift, and Family Moments
By the time she reached her neighborhood, it was already getting dark. The gateman opened the gate, and as she parked, he hurried over, handing her a small red gift bag. "A boy brought this for you earlier," he explained. She stared at it thoughtfully—it was the fifth day she had been receiving strange letters and flowers from an anonymous admirer, even at the office. Reluctantly, she thanked him and walked inside with her usual grace, unaware the gateman was silently admiring her poise, beauty, and wealth.
In her room, she freshened up, prayed, and later joined her mother, Mama, who had prepared her favorite meal—semovita with kuka soup, chili, and cow butter. They ate together warmly until her phone rang. Seeing Alhaji Isyaka’s name on the screen, she scoffed and ended the call. He called four more times, and each time she ignored it, while Mama watched quietly.