They drove straight to ABU Teaching Hospital, Ummi’s tears flowing as she sat beside Abu, her hands tightly clenched in anguish. Witnessing her mother’s despair shattered Ummi’s heart, filling her with an overwhelming sense of sorrow. Ayatullah, lost in contemplation, paced back and forth with his arms folded behind his back, desperately searching for a solution. Unbeknownst to him, his father entered the room and silently observed his restless demeanor until he cleared his throat, capturing Ayatullah’s attention.

Ayatullah paused and walked over to his father, who wore an expression of deep concern. “What’s the matter? You seem troubled,” his father inquired, his voice laden with worry.

Wiping away the sweat from his face, Ayatullah took a deep breath, his visage etched with tension. “A few minutes ago, Aunt Khairiyya collapsed, and Mom prevented me from helping her,” Ayatullah lamented, his voice filled with distress.

His father’s eyes widened with fear. “What? Why did she collapse? Who took her to the hospital? Let’s go, which hospital?” The questions poured out of him in rapid succession, his voice trembling with anxiety. Ayatullah exhaled wearily. “I don’t have all the details, but let me make a call to find out,” he replied, fumbling to retrieve his phone from his pocket.

Meanwhile, Mami, her tears silently streaming down her face, rushed to the parlor in a desperate attempt to stop Ayatullah from going to the hospital. However, to her dismay, the car had already departed, leaving her with no choice but to return to the parlor. She picked up her phone, unplugged it, and dialed Ayatullah’s number, finding solace on a decorative cushion.

Driving the car, Ayatullah persistently dialed Khadija’s number. After three attempts, she finally answered the call. Ayatullah audibly sighed in relief before inquiring about the hospital where Aunty Khairiyya had been taken.

The sight of Khairiyya lying motionless in the hospital bed heightened their father’s fears, prompting him to hastily leave the room. He couldn’t bear to witness others in a state of illness. He took a seat beside his own mother, Hajiya Babba.

Letting out a heavy breath, he voiced his confusion. “I can’t comprehend it. Just a few hours ago, she was perfectly fine, and now she lies here, unconscious. What happened?” His voice conveyed genuine concern.

Hajiya sniffed softly before recounting the events. Once she finished speaking, he pondered for a moment and then asked, “What did the doctors say?”

“They said we have to wait for the CT scan results,” Hajiya replied. “Alright then,” he responded, and silence enveloped them, each lost in their own thoughts.

The silence was abruptly interrupted by Ayatullah’s phone ringing. Glancing at the screen, he murmured, “Ya Allah” in a tired tone. His father inquired, “Is that Bushira?” Ayatullah nodded in affirmation.

His father extended his hand towards Ayatullah. “Give me the phone,” he firmly requested, without hesitation.

Mami interjected, her voice trembling with emotion. “So, Ayatullah, am I nothing to you? You won’t even heed your mother’s instructions? Can’t you follow what I say? Come back immediately. Consider it an order from the woman who carried you for nine months and nourished you for two years,” Mami exclaimed, unaware of whom she was speaking to.

Dad sighed before responding, his voice tinged with frustration. “Bushira, what kind of woman are you? How can you hold onto a grudge for years over something trivial?”

“Listen, I’m talking to my son. Tell him to come home now,” Mami interrupted, cutting off Dad before he could reply.

“He’s not yours alone. I am his father too, and he’s not coming back. These are my final words,” Dad declared firmly.

“Fine then, let him stay. But I swear, if he doesn’t return and leave that hospital within the next 20 minutes, our relationship will be over. He can find another mother. I will never forgive him,” Mami angrily declared before abruptly ending the call.

“He’s not going anywhere,” Dad said, his anger palpable.

Hajiya gently tapped Dad’s shoulder and offered words of wisdom. “Calm down, son. It’s alright if he leaves. Don’t let her words haunt her later. She’s upset right now. When your partner is angry, it’s important to remain composed, so that neither of you will have regrets.”

Three days had passed since Abu’s admission to the hospital. Ummi never left his side, steadfastly remaining by her mother’s bedside, yearning for her to awaken. She feared the moment her mother regained consciousness in her absence, a thought she couldn’t bear. Hajiya Inna, the woman who had taken Ummi in, grew increasingly worried about her prolonged absence from home. Left with no other choice, she decided to call Ummi’s grandmother, Hajiya Ummi, seeking answers.

Hajiya and everyone were filled with curiosity and apprehension, their minds plagued by negative thoughts. Concern gripped them as they feared that Ummi’s condition had taken a turn for the worse. Memories resurfaced of her secondary school days when her affliction had intensified, causing her to wander the streets like a lost soul. She had vanished for weeks, leaving everyone in anguish.

The silence was deafening as Ummi’s phone remained switched off. Usman, consumed by guilt, blamed himself for allowing her to venture to Zaria. Seeking a glimmer of hope, Amira, Ummi’s sister, proposed contacting Ahmad, hoping he might possess knowledge of Ummi’s whereabouts before her condition deteriorated.

Ahmad, however, was as clueless as the rest. He, too, fretted over the mysterious absence of Ummi’s phone. “Ya Ahmad, don’t you have any of her friends’ numbers?” Amira queried, desperately grasping at any possible lead. “Alhamdulillah, let me call Khadija,” he replied.

Khadija proved to be a valuable source of information, relaying all the details while their conversation was on speakerphone. A palpable unease pervaded the room, with Usman and the others anxiously awaiting news of Abu’s well-being. Relief washed over them when they learned that she had returned. Usman continued to beseech the heavens, praying fervently for Abu to become his once again.

Together with Sa’ada and their children, Usman embarked on a journey to Hajiya’s residence, where they shared the entirety of their ordeal. Seeking a favor, they implored Hajiya to provide a temporary refuge for the children until their return.

Hajiya turned to her maid, Balaraba, entrusting her with the care of the children, before accompanying Usman and Sa’ada to his former in-laws’ home to deliver the news about Abu.

Usman took the wheel, driving the group to Zaria, with Abu’s parents accompanying them on this uncertain journey.