THE SERIAL MASK BY MORUFAT AJANI CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

 THE SERIAL MASK BY MORUFAT AJANI

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Later that evening, around 8pm, after dinner and some light gist with her mother, Leila steps outside to get fresh air. She is scrolling through her phone when Akin’s name flashes across her screen. He’s calling. He has been calling her since an hour ago but she didn't pick the call.

She stares at it for a moment, then picks it with the mindset that she will end things with him tonight once and for all. Now that Badru has turned a new leaf, she wants to stop cheating on him.

“Hello,” she says quietly.

Akin’s voice comes in, calm but heavy. “Leila, what’s going on? You’ve been avoiding me all day.”

Leila sighs, leaning against the rail. “Akin, I didn't pick because I need this relationship to end. I want it over. It's over between us.”

Silence.

Then Akin responds, sounding firm. “No. We’re not ending anything on the phone. I need to see you.”

“Akin—”

“Please. Just one last talk. Where are you or tell me wherever you will want us to meet.”

Leila hesitates. But deep down, she also thinks it’s better to do it face to face, to end it properly. She agrees.

“At my mum's house. You know the place right? At the third junction…” Leila is trying to describe her mother's house but Akin interrupt her,

“Don't worry. I know the place. I’ll be there in ten.”

“Fine,” she says and hangs up. Then the thought of how Akin knows her mother's house comes to her mind but she waves it away thinking maybe it just happened.

Not long after, her phone buzzes again, a message from Akin:

“I’m outside. In front of your mum’s house.”

Leila looks towards the door, grabs her scarf and starts walking towards the exit.

Salmah, who’s folding clothes in the sitting room, raises her eyes. “Where are you going?”

“Just to meet a friend outside,” Leila says casually, not breaking stride.

“Ehn ehn, which of your friends?” Leila knows Salmah as someone who pokes her nose on her business a lot. She doesn't want to act tired of her in just a day after a long time so she slows down and says,

“You don't know her mum. I will be back soon.”

“Ehneh, Really? I don't know her? A boy or a girl? What's his name? ” Salmah rushes the words.

“Ha, mum. When will you change? Well, Okay. The person is a guy. And his name is Akinola Bello. He’s my friend.” Leila says fatiguely and starts walking again.

“Uhn? Guy? You're a friend with a guy?” Leila doesn't answer anymore. She keeps going.

“Okay o. My regards to him o. Don't stay long o.” Salmah adds even though Leila no longer answers her.

Getting outside and seeing Akin’s car, she opens the door. And then suddenly, from behind a white handkerchief closes her nose and she sleeps off immediately.

***

Later that night, at about two hours later, Salmah starts pacing around the living room, dialing a number on her phone.

It’s already past 10 p.m., and Leila hasn’t returned since she stepped out earlier, claiming she was going to meet her friend. Salmah is trying to shake the worry off her chest, but it grows heavier by the minute.

She steps outside and looks up and down the street, nothing. Not even a shadow of her.

She dials Leila’s number again. It rings and rings, but no answer. She tries two more times. Nothing.

“Ya Allah…” she mutters, her heart pounding.

She dials Badru.

“Hello Ma,” Badru answers, his voice low. She doesn't even greet him.

“Leila went out to see a friend two hours ago and she hasn’t returned. I check outside but she's not there. Do you have an idea where she might be?” Salmah says, her voice trembling.

Badru’s voice sharpens immediately. “Friend? Which friend?”

“She said he's a guy. Ehn…ehn…,” Salmah replies, trying to remember the name Leila mentioned and then suddenly, she remembers.

“Hmmm. Akinola Bello. That's what she calls the person.” Salmah says.

“Oh, I will be there now.” Badru says urgently and hangs the phone.

Salmah is pacing back and forth in her sitting room, sweat dripping from her forehead, her hands trembling as she reaches for her phone for the fifth time. She dials Leila's phone number again, puts it on speaker, but no response. Not even a ring.

Half an hour later, the gate opens and Badru rushes in. Salmah rushes out of her house to meet him.

“Mama, what did you say happened to Leila?”

Salmah runs toward him. “Badru, I’m worried o! She stepped out around 7:30 or so and told me she was going to see a friend outside and since then, she didn’t return. Her number is not going through. I don’t understand what’s happening.”

Badru’s face tightens. “Friend? Which friend? I didn't really hear you well earlier on the phone.”

“She said his name is Akinola Bello. I don’t know the person but she said he’s her schoolmate.”

Badru’s eyes darken. His lips part slightly, and his voice comes out almost in a whisper. “That guy again?”

Salmah pauses. “What do you mean again? You know him?”

Badru looks down, rubbing his palms together like he’s forcing the words out. “Mama… It isn't right to say this but because of the situation we are in right now, I will just say it… that guy isn't her schoolmate…he is… that Akin guy and my Leila are… I mean… Leila has been cheating on me with him.”

“What?” Salmah gasps and then opens her mouth ajar.

“Cheating ke? Are you sure of what you’re saying?” Badru laughs dryly and says,

“Of course, I am sure. I can't lie against my Leila on a matter like this. I caught them chatting and I confronted her.” As Salmah wants to talk herself out of the shock, Badru continues,

“But ma, it's nothing to worry about. I have forgiven her. She promised she would end the relationship with the guy and I decided to forgive her because of my love for her. So I think maybe their meeting tonight is to end the relationship.” Salmah finally able to talk.

“You do what? As in, you have forgiven her or what did I hear you say?” Salmah can't believe her ears and can't hide the shock.

“Yes, ma. Is anything wrong with it? Did I do wrong by forgiving her?”

“Of course, there is. There is everything in this entire world wrong with that.” Then her hand flies to her chest.

“Ha! Leila? Ha! God! My own daughter? So she did that?Oh my my. Ha, she should come back safe. I will let her know how wrong what she did was. I won't have her act like a bastard at my watch. Even if you forgive her as you said, I will still let her know how bad that attitude is.” Badru doesn't respond to that, he put his hand in his lips like he is thinking and says,

“But wait ma, what is baffling me is, if they are ending things, i don't think they should still go away together and stay this long. Could it be that they continue the affairs?” Salmah blinks, not knowing what to say.

“See, do you know this person’s house? I need to go see them myself. And I swear if I meet them together…” Badru cuts in,

“I only know of his therapy center. I don't know his house. And I am sure the center would have been closed for the day by now. It's night. Or should we go check?”

“Of course we should. I don't think i can be sane not knowing where my daughter is.” Salmah is actually angry that Leila actually cheated on Badru but her top priority now is seeing Leila.

They both rush out and Badru drives to Akin's therapy center. Getting there, they meet no one and they are left with no choice than to go back to Salmah's house. Badru goes home a few minutes later after promising to come back very early the next day so they can go to Akin's therapy center again together.

Salmah can't sleep a wink till morning. She was just tossing and moving on her bed, thinking far and wide, negative and positive, good and the worst.

The next day, Badru doesn't arrive early as he promised. He arrives at 11am. Salmah has called him more than 100 times, worried sick. She would have even gone back to the therapy center herself but due to darkness last night when they went there, she couldn't remember the path to the place. So as Badru arrives, they go straight to the therapy center to meet Akin. Salmah is praying fervently that nothing should happen to her daughter. She's so scared, impatient and angry.

Having an affair or not, shouldn't she have shame? Why will she sleep overnight at a concubine’s house when she’s living with a man who had promised to marry her? That aside, shouldn't she even consider that I might find out about the affairs if she sleeps over at his place? And a man who takes a practically married woman home and lets her sleep overnight is super shameless.

Salmah is so boiling with anger and at the same time, super scared.

What if she was k!dnapped? She thinks.

***

That morning, Hanan is at her desk at the therapy center, parking her belongings into a box. Akin is watching her from his office through the blind, thinking about what to do to stop her from leaving or working at the police again.

Hanan is resuming work at the police today. The chief detective called her last night and told her everything has been sorted and that she should report to the station first thing in the morning.

Hanan hasn’t returned to the therapy center since the day Akin got angry and kicked her out of his office, all because she told him she wanted to go back to the police force.

That same day, her menstruation started with brutal cramps and a fever that kept her in bed for days. So now that the chief detective has officially called her back, she decides to stop by the therapy center first thing this morning to pack her belongings before heading to the station.

Then a loud sound suddenly echoes from the entrance. The door bursts open.

Hanan flinches. Her hands freeze mid-fold. She turns sharply to the front.

Salmah storms in, almost breathless, eyes searching frantically. Badru walks closely behind her with his face slightly bowed. He doesn’t look at Hanan. While Hanan is staring at him, confused and stiff as to why she's there, her heartbeat suddenly starts kicking.

Salmah doesn’t recognize Hanan to be Badru's ex-wife. She just walks straight toward the front desk, looking so fierce. And then shouting,

“Where is your boss?  Where is Akin or whatever his name is. I need to see him now!!!”

Akin, hearing the commotion, steps out of his office. He stops as soon as he sees Salmah and Badru. His face tightens when he sees how Salmah is breathing heavily and looking furious..

“Yes, hello. How may I help you?” Akin says,

Salmah doesn’t waste a second. “My name is Salmah. I’m Leila’s mother. Does the name Leila ring a bell?” She says, sounding angry.

Akin raises an eyebrow, stunned. “Leila… yes, I know her.”

Then his eyes shift and land on Badru who stands so closely behind Salmah, looking scared of Akin.

Akin’s confused face hardens. Badru quickly lowers his gaze and takes another step behind Salmah, avoiding Akin’s eyes.

Salmah continues, “You came to pick my daughter up at my house yesterday. Since then, she hasn’t returned. Where is she?” She's sounding so harsh.

Akin blinks, totally thrown. And then looking back and seeing Hanan watching and looking stunned, Akin talks immediately, “What? Me? Came to your house? No, no ma. I didn’t even know you or your house.”

Salmah’s brows draw down in disbelief. “Excuse me? What did you just say? Are you not Akinola Bello? She told me she was going to meet Akin outside after receiving a call! So is she lying?”

Akin’s face turns cold. “I’m sorry, ma. I don’t understand what you are talking about. Please, I think you should leave this place.”

Hanan slowly steps forward, hovering close to the room door. Her face is twisted in confusion. She keeps staring at Akin, at Salmah, and then at Badru.

What exactly is going on? Akin knows Leila? To what depth is this guy secret? He knows me, He knows Leila. Could it be that he knows Badru too?