---

It was almost 9 p.m., yet there was no sign or news of Zahra. Mommy only called Rahane, asking if she and Rukayya had returned. She wouldn’t directly say Zahra was missing—her question was just a clever way of finding out indirectly. The answer she got was enough to alarm everyone: Rahane said, “They haven’t returned since they went out in the morning. Even Zulai is worried—she said Zahra’s mother has been calling Zilan since evening, but Zahra’s phone is switched off.”

“So what now?” Rukayya asked.

“My biggest fear is that she might have fallen into the wrong hands. Maybe they don’t even know whose wife she is… But this is frightening. I’ll just call and tell him the situation so he can check if they have any relatives here in Kano. Leaving an ulcer untreated won’t stop the hunger—it’s better to speak up while it’s still early.”

She kept trying his number, but the only reply was that the phone was switched off. He eventually brought Mommy and the rest home, even dropping Rukayya off. Then she went back to ask, “By the way, when you came together, did Zahra give you anything?”

From all calculations, they concluded that Sameer was the last person to see her. The whole trouble started after they arrived at his grandmother’s house. Even the grandmother—Hajiya Makwarari—was complaining and weeping that Zahra had done her wrong.

Sameer, feeling weak, entered his house. Fateeha only looked at him once and then turned away, still full of the anger she’d been carrying since morning when he left without seeing her again. She had called him up to five times, and each time he’d said, “I’m on my way,” but he only returned now, at almost 11 p.m.

He sat beside her; she turned away. He reached for the baby on her lap, held both mother and child together, and hugged them tightly. She could feel from his heavy sighs that something was wrong.

“What is it?” she asked with concern.

“Honestly, my mind has been troubled. Since after Asr prayer, Zahra left Hajiya Makwarari’s house, and we don’t know where she went. Everywhere we thought she might go, we checked—she wasn’t there.”

Fateeha forgot her anger and started murmuring prayers. “Where could she have gone? I hope nothing has happened to her—you know people these days, few can be trusted.”

He rubbed his pounding head. “I don’t think anything bad happened—she left on her own. I think someone upset her, but I didn’t expect it to affect her so deeply that she’d leave Hajiya’s house. She must have taken advantage of the people bringing Mujahida’s bridal gifts—she left while they were busy receiving them. Someone even told me how she left, so I know it was intentional.”

Fateeha just listened in silence.

“Have you called to tell him?” she asked.

He shook his head. “I couldn’t reach him. I’ve been trying for over an hour.”

---

At 9 p.m., Umman Sajida arrived home to find Zahra in the parlor chatting with Mama Hauwa. She froze in surprise. She even swore it wasn’t an ordinary visit, but she masked her feelings and said, “Who am I seeing here?”

Zahra laughed. “Umman, welcome back from your trip.”

“Thank you—you must be tired after such a long journey.”

Zahra said nothing. Sajida’s younger siblings greeted her, saying, “Aunty, you came before us. We were telling Abba that if he was taking your package from Baffan Rimi, we’d go along with him—but here you are.”

The youngest sister pulled her close. “We’ll still come over—after all, I was promised we’d visit you.”

“Yes, come,” Zahra replied. Nusaiba also sat beside her. Their mother went to her room, deep in thought.

In her room, she took out her phone and called Ammah—she wasn’t about to stay ignorant. When she called, Ammah was sorting out clothes Hajiya Kaltume had sent her.

After exchanging greetings, Umman Sajida said, “I’ve been wanting to call, but only managed today. Even Zahra—I haven’t spoken to her in two days.”