~°°~you shouldn't be drowning on your own, learn to accept protection~°°~

Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport, Abuja, Nigeria. 15th February 9:00am ~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

The eight people from the erudite team lined up in their uniforms as they watched the aeroplane land. They moved forward marching towards the plane and stood at attention waiting for the person they came to escort to climb down the staircase.

As soon as the team sighted General Lucky Irabor, they saluted to show their respect to him as he climbed down the stairs with few other soldiers behind him. He acknowledged their greetings and they escorted him to the car while they entered four different cars and all headed to the Nigerian army base Abuja.

After completing the protocols, they went ahead to receive orders, all lined up beside one another as their Lieutenant Colonel spoke.

"On February 15th, the Nigerian army have declared a two months yearly vacation to the erudite team, bomb disposal squad. They are hereby notified to come back and serve their nation once again by 15th of April. They might be called back to action before the due date in cases of emergencies. The chain team will takeover their duties for the while. Any objection?" He asked after reading out the printed order on his hand which was signed and approved.

"No sir" They all replied in high voices, voices of soldiers.

"Good, you are now dismissed. Make sure to hand over your army identities before you leave" he added referring to their batch numbers and army codes which was in form of a necklace. "Yes sir" they answered again in attention before they marched out of the office.

Everyone of them was happy that he would have a rest for as long as two months. Among the things they liked about the army includes the vacation they get yearly. As soldiers, they knew their duties and they understood them quite alright so they respect each and every order. They passed out their identities and each one of them left to their homes while Sayf headed to his house out of town to pack, he was also finally going back home.

He reached his isolated house In 30 minutes. David was very happy to see him but became sad immediately after Sayf narrated everything to him and how they both were supposed to leave the house that very day. David refused of course, he decided to stay and watch over the house even if he would remain lonely, there was no way he would get lonelier than he already was.

Sayf packed everything he knew he would need and placed them in his car. He did the needful of giving David a sum of money and also gifted him the other car in the house, that way David would have an easy way to go in and out of the forest to the city of Abuja.

They Said their last farewells and Sayf's car rolled out the gate to his house and headed for his home. Note the difference.

The next house Sayf's car rolled into was Alhaji Hakeem's residence. He parked his car properly in front of his mother's apartment and headed in without bringing out any of his luggage, he was still in his uniform.

"Mami, ya Sayf is back" Amani shouted immediately he entered the sitting room and ran to hug him. She was smiling widely at no one in particular, just a smile due to joy.

"Masha Allah, Masha Allah. Good to see you home Sayf" his mother Ruha said also with wide smiles as she went down the stairs. Her apartment just like the other four was a duplex of four rooms and two parlours, a kitchen, a store and a dining area.

"Good to see myself home Mami" Sayf whispered to only his hearing. They took some time cuddling with each other before Sayf was allowed to his room to take a bath.

He took a bath and even when he came out of the toilet, he found his luggage there in his room which was already arranged and cleaned up. He changed into something comfy and went downstairs to meet his mother and sister where they said he would find them.

He was served food at the dining table and he ate with Ruha and Amani getting into deep conversations with him.

They were the family they used to be before everything happened, they enjoyed every bit of their company. They even caught up with few things about their lives until his mother Ruha informed him about the dinner feast she organised for just their part of the family and few of his cousins from his father's side.

Even though he didn't like gatherings, he didn't bother that day at all, all that mattered was to keep his family happy and of course they were happy with the idea of the feast, so he let it be.

They were sitting in the parlour downstairs when they heard different commotions coming from the compound and even without saying it, Ruha and Amani knew it was Aaliyah and her children.

The woman still refused to leave the house even after being divorced and because no one talked about property sharing, they didn't know they had no place in the house.

The three of them stepped out and saw just what they expected.

"Wai har zaki kira ɗana mashayi (you could even call my son a drunkard), how dare you! You know I have tolerated your nonsense for as long as I can remember but now I won't take things lightly" Aaliyah warned towards Malika and her daughter.

"Let's see if there is anything you can do to my mother, Yau koh keh koh ita a gidannan (it is either you or her in this house)" Layla said to Aaliyah which made her earn a slap and blow from Marwan until she was on the floor. He was about to blow her again when Sayf held his hand from the back.

Marwan looked up to see who dared to stop him and to his surprise, it was Sayf. His mother told him about Sayf being present on the day his father died but he refused to believe it as he wasn't present and now that he was suddenly seeing him in the house, he confirmed its validity.

"Not a finger Marwan, don't you dare" Sayf warned releasing his hand from his hold. "What's the commotion about?" Sayf added and Layla did the needful of explaining to him in tears.

It all started from the time Malika revealed that she knows Aaliyah has been divorced.

"You all have no right to chase me out of this house and of course, we demand partition not tomorrow not later, now" Aaliyah shouted to them.

"We will then know who among us is leaving" She added not knowing that none of her children nor her has anything to leave with.

"Aaliyah ya zakice haka (why will you say that?)" Ruha chirped in their conversation for the first time. "Ai Dama (of course) you will stop it since you have realised that nothing will be left for your son who just returned home today. Toh wallahi it is either we get partition or no one will see it the good way, kai mutafi (let's go you all)" Aaliyah said and dragged her children into her apartment.

Ruha sighed followed by Sayf and they all disappeared to their various apartments.

"Will you make it happen?" Sayf asked his mother referring to the partition. "I have to, you don't know half of what Aaliyah can do and when she says it, she means it so I'm calling the lawyer to come over later. Let's do it once and for all" Ruha explained to her son and he nodded in understanding. Just in time the call for zuhr prayer was announced and he left to their family masjid.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

Everyone in the family was sitting in the main parlour in their father's part including the lawyer and Imam. Ever since Hakeem Elnafaty's death, no one entered the parlour to sit for a long while until that particular time.

The tension in the room was enough to make everyone quiet as the imam explained how the partition should be islamically.

"Another way you can send rewards to your father's grave is by helping orphans with food and clothes, it........" the imam kept stating ways for their father to gain Rahama and reward through his wealth and children until he was interrupted.

"Kai dalla don't disturb us, you have been saying things we didn't ask you about, do you think we care? And what do you mean by helping orphans, Muma marayu ne zaisamu lada Idan mukaci kuɗin (we are also orphans so he will gain reward when we spend the money)" Marwan interrupted the Imam by shutting him up.

"Kai Marwan, I don't like people who disrespect elders, be careful with me" Sayf warned Marwan and he did kept quiet because he was without doubt afraid of Sayf but his mother had the courage to talk back.

"Don't blame him, he was obviously doing what does not concern anybody" Aaliyah said referring to the Imam and Sayf had to feel guilty.

"I'm sorry Imam, let's just finish this once and for all" Sayf apologized. They did as he requested and the lawyer started listing how the partition will be.

It was mentioned exactly how Alhaji Hakeem changed it a day before his death and until the listing was done, Aaliyah and her children had confused faces.

"Ai wallahi bazai yuyu ba (I swear it won't be possible). You people went and manipulated everything and now you are telling me rubbish. Toh wallahi I won't agree to this" Aaliyah kept on shouting on top of her voice as she stood on her feets.

"This is for you Aaliyah" the lawyer passed his phone to her and she played the video on the screen, Alhaji Hakeem recorded a video with the request of it played if anything of that form was to happen. He was on his death bed as of that time.

"Aaliyah, I know everything you and your children planned and I am sure you are not regretting it. You must be happy that I am dead without any effort of yours. And don't blame anyone for your wrong doings, it is your fault alone and you made your fault your children's fault. I don't want you staying in my house because you are a bad egg, you will just make everyone unhappy. And I think it is time you repent, you still have a chance to ask for forgiveness from your Lord. Please Aaliyah, change for the good" His video completed and she was already in tears. She dropped to the floor and cried, her daughter also doing same.

"We will take it from here" Sayf said to the lawyer and Imam and they left the room for the family.

Ruha moved close to her and consoled her but it was only making the tears worse. She cried for as long as they can remember before she was given water to drink. After that everyone went back to their apartments.

"I will postpone the feast to tomorrow, you already have enough on your plate, go rest" Ruha said to Sayf who was looking very sad not that he wasn't.

He didn't know his family had fallen apart to that extent, to a point a part of them would try to kill his father. He knew he had a lot of fixing to do to the family of Alhaji Hakeem Elnafaty, he wasn't going to allow the family to fall apart just like that.

~°°~you shouldn't be drowning on your own, learn to accept protection~°°~

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~ Another update!! Just trying to keep my promise though, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

What do you think about Aaliyah and her children? Do you think they deserve another chance?

Well in my own view, they should be forgiven but not allowed to stay in the house, they probably won't change, especially that Marwan of a guy.

Tauhida up in the next chapter, ya Imran is going back home! so stay tuned and enjoy!! Please vote, comment and share my book to friends and family. Lots of love

Deedi--❤️