One month later.

Khalifa was busy with wedding preps without telling his wife about it and she didn't get a slight hint about that. Because he's shown her all signs that he would never marry after her. So she rest her mind on the peace plate.

Albeit the wedding was in nine months time, he had bought some boxes and asked her to keep it for him. Khalifah knew the tactics to use on his wife. He also mastered the way he would give her an answer whenever a question pops.

"Keep them safe, Dee. They are Maama's own." He had said. Nothing came to her mind so she kept them as she was instructed.

"Dee, do you know anyone that deals with shoes and bags?" He shamelessly asked. He had no fear because Dee trusted him with all her might.

"Let me see," she tapped her chin in a thinking manner. "Oh yes my friend fatima sell classy shoes and bags." She finally recalled smiling at him. The sight of him alone always bring a smile to her face. She loved him more than words could explain. And more than she could explain too.

"That's good. This is one hundred thousand, i will like you to go and buy it tomorrow. When you buy it, put it in one of the boxes. They are Maama's property too." He quickly finished and started going out. Despite everything, he felt like she will sense the transparency of his lies. Because, he wasn't a guru at the lying thing as his friends said. Well, he's going to surprise them all.

"Size 38 please dee." He peeped through a window and reminded her, his heart pounding. It happens whenever he's lying.

"Alright but'cups." she shook her head at him. Khadijah took her phone and called her friend to reserve the items for her. Her friend wondered why Dee would be the one to buy and keep the items whilst Maama has daughters. Because it wasn't her right to say a word, she kept mum and told Dee to meet her the next day for the things she would be purchasing.

***

Meenah was perched on a chair at the most stylish restaurant. She placed her father's car key on top of the table that was meant for two people. Her face was baked with a heavy makeup that looks like it will weigh three pounds. Her outfit was a pallazo paired with a top.

She was chewing a gum and typing away in her iPhone. From the looks of her, she's waiting for someone impatiently.

Khalifah briskly rushed to where she was sitting; this was their first meeting or rather date as it's called. He dragged a chair and sat. He was virtually late because of a hold up he encountered along the way.

"Well done beautiful," he complimented. Her perfume hit his nose and he inhaled the scent deeply. The scent was so enticing and it sent chills down his spine. Feminine perfumes were one of his weaknesses which Dee failed to realise.

Meenah diverted her attention from her phone to him. She looked at him from head to toe. Yes he was the ready made she had been looking for; he's fair, handsome, long nose, sideburns, beard and whatnot.

She smiled inwardly. 'I hope he's stinky rich ' because i want to distract everyone's attention on instagram. A slay queen like me should have a rich man. But darn! Mum said he's married but who cares?' She talked in her mind before she composed herself and returned the smile.

"Good evening." She spoke in a voice which sounded like she had been practicing the way she will talk to him last night. Truth was, she had been rehearsing for days. She wanted to have his heart cuffed with hers in their first meeting.

He was carried away by her mesmerizing beauty. Her long nose travelled down, close to her well shaped lips and it stopped there giving a perfect view on her oval shaped face. Her almond eyes were shining like star and were twinkling.

"How are you? I am amAl-Khaleef but people call me Khalipa and i hate it." He wanted to sound cheesy and funny altogether. She's successfully had him hooked already.

"I'm fine. My name is Aminah I know you know that but mummy calls me Meenah." Khalifah stared at the way she was talking and moving like a cat. It touched a part of his brain that sent shivers to his body.

He came back from his reverie after hearing her talk again. Right at the moment, he forgot he had a wife at home. And that was how the pleasantries were exchanged.

The date went well; since both of them left with a satisfying smile on their faces. They all fell in love at first sight and were hoping and looking forward to the big day already.

***

"Mummy, he's everything. He has all the characteristics I'm looking for in a man. . He's a ready made husband material. Thank you." She hugged her mum squealing. When her mother talked to her about him and said he was married, she wasn't happy with the news at all. Meenah thought she would see a young Alhaji before her. Perhaps with a big black shade and an oversized clothes.

"Don't remove my ears yet Meenah. Now go and keep those keys before your oldman comes back and start... You know?" Her mum laughed. She had also been training Meenah for days in order to impress Khalifah. That's why she even asked her to take her father's car with her.

"Yep mum. You're the best." Meenah carried her bag and sped to her room giggling and almost bouncing.

When she reached her room, she bounced on her bed and started removing her jewelries. Once done, she went for a shower and changed into more comfy cloths. 'Why didn't i know him earlier? I would have been the first to win his heart' she thought.

MeenahBabe as she's being called was always stuck at home. They weren't living in the same state with Khalifah. Now that they had relocated to Kano and she had met Khalifah, she wished she knew him earlier.

She laid on her stomach as she logged into her Instagram account. She wanted to upload the pictures they took together with Khalifah but decided against it. 'I want to surprise everyone' she smiled.

Scrolling through the newsfeed, an username caught her attention. *Khadijah Ameen*  she knew the name. She decided to send a friend request since the account was private.

She waited for few minutes waiting for a notification but none came so she logged out, dropped the phone and went to fetch some food for herself. Love was so beautiful to make her forget about eating her food. Back there at the restaurant she didn't eat anything in order to be impressive. She only took a sip of a juice while her stomach cried for food.

****

"But'cups where have you been?" Khadijah asked Khalifah when he came back. He went out while she was taking her bath without telling her. Khadijah had been worried because that was unlike him.

"Ehm...uhm..you see.. I went to school. I asked some students to come. I gave them a test." He concluded hoping she won't ask further. The way he talked sounded like he was just learning how to talk.

"I missed you Dee.." he quickly added to let the topic slide. He quickly went in to his room with the excuse that he was going to take a shower. He too, began to scroll down his gallery. He looked at the pictures: they were perfect. He didn't know much about Meenah even though she's his cousin. She didn't know him either. He was glad that she didn't know anything not even his wife. He smiled happily. That was a nice one.

Khadijah decided to log into her instagram account. She only have an account so that she will not be lonely in the house; she was a graduate. Her husband didn't permit her to work but promised to give her a capital to run a business.

She saw a friend request *Amina Muhammad* it was not a private account so she went through the posted pictures.

It was her secondary school best friend.

"Yeeeeee.." She squealed and quickly followed her back. Few minutes later, a direct message came in.

~hey

-- hi amina

~your name seems familiar. Which school did you attended?

Khadijah smiled. She was elated to meet her best friend after they lost contact of each other.

-- i attended Kano capital. You?

~ Dije? So you are the one. Aminah typed a laughing emoji.

--Nino i am. I am so exhilarated to see you on here.

~me too Dije. How was life all these while?

-- Life had been good. I am married and expecting; three months along.

~wow, That's great. I am so happy for you. I am getting married too, very soon.

-- MashaAllah that's good news. I will surely attend the wedding. Hope i am invited.

~~ See you. You will be the maid of honour.

They kept chatting and bonding. It was obvious they missed each other's company after almost a decade. If only they knew what destiny has in store for them, things would have been different. But none of them knew.