MY CRONY – NINE

   ♡NINE♡
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#MyCrony

   Hakeem was just looking at Azeezat. When did she arrive that she had started drawing out plans? He wondered, pressing his lips together and looking really serious to hear from her.

    “Hakeem, you must also play along. Do you understand?” She questioned.

    Hakeem nodded.

    She looked back to be sure no one was behind her. “Alright. We have two options on ground now. Either we play the game for change or we play the game for real.”

    Hakeem widened his eyes. “What do you mean, Azeezat?”

    “We’ll play a game. And the outcome can be in two phases. Either he game is for a change of.. what’s the name of that girl?.. ” She tried to remember while Hakeem as just looking at her. “Ooh.. Aishat. Either she gets changed in this game and you pick Bukola, one of the two. By the way, we are not only dealing with Aishat now, we are also dealing with Bukola’s fiancee.”

    Hakeem was totally confused. “What are you saying?”

    “You’ll get me better as I begin to draw out this plan of mine.” She replied.

    Hakeem was taciturn, just wondering what she was up to.

** ** **

   
    The door screeched open and Aishay leaned by entrance of the room. She stared at Jomiooju who was just in her camisole and her short tight underwear. “Jomi, what’s up na?”

    Jomiloju flashed a gaze at her and sprawled on her bed as of she never heard all Aishat said. Aishat entered into the room and shut the door. She pulled out a chair tucked under the reading table and plopped down on it.

     “Jomiloju, why are you like this? You shouldn’t be the one who will be indignant here.”

     “So, who?” She sat up angrily. “Answer me, who?” She asked again.

    Aishat sighed. “What’s wrong again? At least I came to the.. ”

    Jomiloju interrupted. “.. to the hospital right? To cause more trouble? Please of what benefit can I term your visit? Answer me! You came there to cause trouble. You’ve always done that!”

    “Why are you so much annoyed? Were you even the one I slapped?” She became livid too.

    Jomiloju hissed. “Get angry if you like. You still don’t know if you’ll be going to the station or not! Hakeem’s parents already came and I never knew they know you already. That man was furious and left angrily!”

    “What?” She calmed down. “Em.. Jomiloju, do you mean this?” She asked softly.

    Jomiloju retired back to her bed and kept quiet.

    Aishat quickly ran out. She picked her car key and rushed downstairs. She had to leave, in case there were  plans for her.

** ** **

    Azeezat stood from her seat and walked to the window side. “I never knew my first day back to Nigeria would be like this. I never knew. That girl sucks!”

    Hakeem smiled. “I’m sorry, Azeezat. I never knew it would turn out to be this way.”

    She turned back and looked at Hakeem. “You shouldn’t be because you’re not the cause of this. I just want you to play along in this game that is on ground.” She said, turning to window again.”

    “Tell me about this first.” Hakeem said.

     She shook her head. “I haven’t finalized this already. By the way you won’t be the first person to know about the plan.” She replied.

    “So, who?” He squinted his face.

    She grinned. “Doctor Bukola.”

** ** **

    Aishat rolled down her glass and switched off the air conditioner. She rarely used her car that way, but she wasn’t herself as she just kept driving and was thinking of the best place to go to.

    The road was not busy and everywhere was cool. She was wondering why there was no traffic, it was very rare for that road to be free by that time. She had turned on he sound system before, she just switched it off, trying to get the best place to go.

     Finally, she got one. Her father’s place was the best place she could go to vex her anger that moment. She marched on the accelerator and sped off.

** ** **

    “Doctor? Why Bukola?” Hakeem was shocked.

    “She made me think of this plan. She needs it even more than you.” She replied.

    “How did you know? What made you say that? Are you sure of this that you’re saying?”

    She turned to Hakeem and walked to his bed. “Sure, I do.” She replied.

    “But Azeezat…”

    “You’ll understand when I finish drawing out my plan.” She replied.

    Just then, Bukola came inside the ward.

** ** **

    Aishat parked her car at the front of the building and came down slowly. She stared at the building and she remembered how she her mother was in her cold blood. She began to remember the scenerio of that day again.

    She became umbrageous. She walked hastily to the gate and banged the gate. She had forgotten there was a bell she could press.

    The gatekeeper rushed to the gate, hearing the noise of the gate. He enquired who was there but Aishat only screamed at him. The young guy opened the gate for her. He already knew who that was, that wouldn’t be her first time of screaming that way.

    “Is he inside?” She enquired.

    The guy nodded and she dashed inside the house.

** ** **

    “Welcome, Doctor.” Azeezat greeted as she walked in.

    “Thanks dear. Sorry for the disturbance. Hope you’ve not been stressed out?” She smiled.

    “What will I do? I just can’t leave him here.”

    “Hmmm.. what a good sister, Hakeem.” She looked at Hakeem.

    Hakeem contorted his mouth as he looked at Azeezat with a side of his face. “I see..”

    Azeezat chuckled.

    “How are you now?” She questioned.

    “I’m better now. I just want to go home.” He replied.

    Bukola moved closer and checked his temperature, she also checked his heartbeat and other things she needed to confirm. She was writing them down as she was checking them and asking him questions.

    “Okay then, you’ll b discharged in the next ten minutes. But I want you to come here tomorrow.. or better still if you want me to come and check you up at home. I’ll do that.”

    Azeezat cleared her throat. “Is this how Doctors do here? That’s really nice.”

    “No. I just want to be of help because it’s Hakeem, that’s all.”

    “Ooh..” She grinned as she winked at Hakeem.

    “I think that’s the best then. By the way, I wish to discuss some things with you, Doctor.” Azeezat said.

    “Really? Let’s go to my office then.”

    “No. It’s not an office talk. What if we make it a dinner tomorrow?”

    Hakeem was just looking at Azeezat. He didn’t know what she was up to. He trusted her, though.

    “Okay, then.” She replied with a smile.

    Azeezat gave her mobile phone to punch in her mobile number. After she did, she saved it and dialed it. “That’s my own mobile number. We’ll talk on the restaurant to use.”

    “Okay.” Bukola replied.

** ** **

    Aishat got to the living room and met her father taking wine and seeing a television program. “Aishat.” The man stood up, smiling as he saw her.

    “Why did you just call my name? You are here drinking and enjoying yourself in this house while you have sent another person to her own early grave. You call you self a father, isn’t it? You call yourself a husband now, isn’t it? You killed her and got another woman to marry. You have made my own life miserable and you are enjoying.. ”

    “Shut up Aishat! What are you saying? What is the meaning of everything you have said?”

    “See, I just came to remind you that you should also enjoy yourseld now because tomorrow, you might be in her shoes! You keep enjoying, you keep flexing while you have killed a someone and you’ve made another life miserable. Your death is also on the way!” She blasted all she couod and walked out of the living room.

    As she got outside and saw the gate keeper looking at her, sh screamed. “Will you open the gate before thunder fire you?”

    He rushed to open the gate for her and bowed. At least, respect the lion so you won’t be devoured.

** ** **

    Azeezat and Hakeem already left the hospital. The two were seated beside each other at the back seat of the car. Bukola already escorted them to the car before she returned back into the health center to get her things. She was really happy she met Hakeem again, and deep within her, she wished he was hers again.

    “What are you planning, Azeezat?” Hakeem asked as he broke the silence.

    “Nothing much. I just want to rectify some things and get everything either back to the way it’s meant to be or a new way.” She replied.

    “When did you start talking in parable? Why do you want to see Bulky tomorrow?” He asked her again.

    “After the meeting, I’ll be able to disclose more of my plan to you. But for now, let’s just keep the fingers crossed.” She replied.

    Hakeem was fed up. He just swooshed out a long breath and shut his eyes.

** ** **

    Aishat started her reckless driving again, speeding as if she had to drive to the moon within a given period of time. She had been in tears, memories kept flashing back and she couldn’t hold it back. She had grown up with the mindset of being bossy, because she believed that was the only way nobody could be superior to her.

    She remembered she had to prepare for her place of work the next day and other things she needed to fix. She marched on the accelerator, increasing her speed again.

    Alas! She never knew she already left her lane and ran into another car. Boom! The noise roared. It was an accident already.

    It was Azeezat’s car she ran into.

… story continues…