Chương 81: The Search For Answers
"Papa It's Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez,." Petra responded. " I told you to come to my new school." "I will undoubtedly obtain a form." They laughed as Alhaji Usman said.
Justin felt more at ease thanks to his jokes and modesty. " That is Gaddafi, the family's vice president. He is my first son, and he studied geology at Siegner Dabistas University in Germany before completing his master's degree in the United Kingdom.
He's married with two kids. He works for the Dahauba Group of Companies as the Regional Manager." He waved at a tall, well-built man with short, dark hair and a big beard.
Gaddafi smiled at Justin, who nodded and bowed.
Abdul-Rahman is his name. He is my second child." Alhaji Usman waved at a slightly obese man. "He majored in Political Science at Kingfield College and is now a consultant and lecturer at the University of Abuja."
He then went on to introduced Abdul-Rasheed, Sadiq, Habeeb, Sa'eed, a final-year student, and Mohammed, his last son. "And, of course, my Petra, the sole princess in the home, who is currently in school."
This is our small family, and we are thrilled to have you join us..... ."
Someone saluted, and he was acknowledged. Justin turned to see who had entered with a smile on his face. It was Aazim who walked in! What exactly was he doing here? Petra and Justin exchanged stares.
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WALTER'S POV (The Search For Answers)
"I was returning from a short mountain climb." Carlos remarked, moving his chubby face forward as if he was about to reveal a tremendous secret.
"My wife always complain about my potbelly, so I go climbing..."
“Wife!” Walter's heart pounded as he heard the word.
Aadila! Was she his spouse? The name was in his head, but he couldn't put it to a face.
"And I noticed you stumbling." You were in a really horrible shape. You were all soaked, wounded, and out of your mind. You collapsed on the ground. I looked around and noticed you weren't being watched.
'Ocean, the boy, the boy, Aadila,' these where the words you kept saying. I couldn't lift you by myself because you where too huge and heavy, I summoned Dialo, my son, who came over and assisted me.
I searched your entire body before Dialo arrived and discovered something. It was a tiny piece of equipment. I had no idea what that was.
All I've ever known all my life is food and restaurants. I despise technology, and this piece of equipment appeared to be loaded with it.
So I took you to see Dr. Mark. He is really a great man. You would not be accepted by Doctor Sean. And that's why I left you with Dr. Mark. I'm sorry, but I never returned. The market is currently in a slump. I couldn't stand being told about bills."
"Where can I find the device?" Mr. Walter asked
" I have kept it safe in my office." I'll find someone to assist you. "Can you remember what really happened?"
"Oops!" he exclaimed. I had forgotten. Mr. Walter responded.
I had forgotten. Mr. Walter responded. You've lost your memory, haven't you?
Sometimes I wish I could lose mine and forget all those days and these days.....and simply be in a free world where no lady will cheat on me because I have a potbelly." Carlos stated with a tone of bitterness.
Walter said nothing but wrinkled his nose smugly as a cloud of smoke from his cigarette filled the air.
He didn't seem to smoke. It didn't look recognizable to him, yet he'd seen it before. He wasn't here to discuss his marriage. He required answers.
"I kept the device hidden and concealed. Only one person is aware of where I have hidden it. I'm not even sure why I concealed it or thought it was very important." Carlos said.
"Hey, Rico!" he said to a young boy. "Inform Andrew to come here." Andrew was a short, stocky man with a frown on his face.
He appeared and stood prepared. "Give that thing to me." Carlos asked. "What is it?" "The little object that resembles a pen." “Hmmmm.” Andre murmured as he walked in.
"Andrew is dependable. But I'm not sure about Rico and Pablo." "They don't love me," Carlos stated. They only love and enjoy my restaurant because they make money there."
Andrew appeared a few moments later. “Here is it sir.” He said, and handed it to Carlos, and walked away without looking back at Walter.
"Senor, take it." He felt some sparks in his head as soon as he saw it, and images falling into a katzenjammer, then sputtering sounds could be heard in his head.
He then noticed lab coats, stethoscopes, microscopes, syringes, and laptops. Was he a physician? What was he?
"Where has the EBM gone?" Walter spoke subliminally. He recognized the equipment, but he couldn't determine what it was anymore. And he recalled EBM but not it's uses.
Was the pen-like gadget linked to the EBM? “EBM? I told you I knew nothing about technology. My sole business with a laptop is watching cooking shows and South American dramas.
Walter took another look at it. It was black with a red button on top and a digital screen that most likely displayed numbers.
He pressed the red button, heard a small sound, and then placed his thumb on the digital buttons. He pressed certain numbers with a programmed mind: 00030.
He saw on the little screen: EBM out of radar. 15km. "Where did you find me?" Walter asked
"Where did you find me?" Walter asked "I thought I already told you." "Please go ahead and tell me now!"
"Please go ahead and tell me now!"
********************************
PETRA POV (The Dinner Feast)
Aazim was dressed in an exquisite voile with a black Minister cap. "You are welcome," Alhaji Usman smiled cheerfully.
"How is your father?" says Ya Baba. “Alhamdulillah.” Zayyad responded shyly. "Please come and join us. We're only getting started."
Aazim sat down next to Petra and nodded to Justin. Dinner has begun. There was plenty of rice, beef pepper soup, tuwo, and other dishes.
Justin had no appetite, yet refusing to eat would have been impolite. He observed that it was a happy family that were quite open with each other.
"Aazim, we only had a brief introduction before you arrived. But I know you're familiar with my family, I'm not sure if you've met Justin." Alhaji Usman said.
Justin, meet Aazim. He, too, is a member of this family. We've gone a long way, his father and I.
He is a future accountant, and his father served this country as a governor. "A dear friend of mine." Alhaji Usman turned to face Justin.
"I believe we'd like to get to know our new family member." He threw away the nickel.
"Can you please tell us your full name, hometown, parents, educational background, and....just getting to know you."
While her dad spoke, Petra felt something was pounding in her mind.
She gave Justin a piercing look, and she had never seen him seem more perplexed. Aazim stared at Justin with a smile on his face. The die had been rolled!
"We're paying attention, Justin." Alhaji Usman said, and a deafening hush descended. " Hello, my name is Justin Abbas." Justin acknowledged the tremor in his voice.
"I, too, am an orphan." “Oh-oh.” Alhaji Usman said pityingly. "What a tragedy. Where are you from? "Can you tell me where your parents lived?"
Justin clung to the spoon, his gaze fixed on the platter of food in front of him. "I dont really know." He stated. He was not going to lie any longer.
“What?” Alhaji Usman yelled. Some of her brothers exclaimed in hushed tones. " I don't know who my parents are. It was said that I was adopted by a family."
"Who exactly are they?" Justin paused. He couldn't say anything. He knows it will be dangerous to reveal such information.
"I was so young when I abandoned them." He stated. "I can't recall their names, but the father was nicknamed Daddy." And his wife was known as mummy."
"How old were you at the time?" "I was nine years old." "What made you leave?" "I was being abused." " So, where did you go when you left?"
This irritated Justin, he did not fancy all of these. Why ask him all of these questions in front of everyone? "I spent some time in Abuja before heading to Zaria." Justin responded.
"Who paid for your education?" Alhaji Usman asked
"Who paid for your education?" Alhaji Usman asked "Baba Usman, I think we should eat and chat later." Hajiya Fatima expressed her dissatisfaction.
"It's all fine. There may not be a later." He stated. "The goal of the supper is to get to know one other."
"I had no one to assist me. "I dropped out of school in third grade." "Tab!" Petra's immediate elder brother cried out, and Aazim laughed smugly.
"Third grade?" Alhaji Usman was astounded. "You don't even have a high school diploma." "I do. I wrote an external GCE."
"Do you have a job? How do you make ends meet?" "I work as a sales boy for a bakery during the day and as a security guard at night."
”What! What a pity!" Alhaji Usman said with annoyance written allover him. Aazim smirked as he looked at Justin.
"Baba Usman." Hajiya Fatima called out her husband.. "Please allow me to speak."
He shot back. "I did not invite you to condemn you, but rather to assist you." I just presented you to my children, and you can see the kind of attention and upbringing they received."
"I believe he was also well-educated and brought up well." Hajiya Fatima came in. "You witnessed it with Petra."
"This guy is nothing but a criminal," He is a street urchin who decided to prey on my daughter. Alhaji Usman yelled angrily.
He just follows girls, lies to them, and dupes them, That's all he does......" "This boy has been on the streets since he was nine years.
"He should be excused," Hajiya responded. "I'm not criticizing him. "I'm simply being honest." Alhaji Usman said.
"He met Petra by deceiving her ." "Do you think I didn't figure it out?" Alhaji Usman continued and
Aazim and Petra exchanged looks.
She gazed at him with such hatred that she appeared like she was about to burst. He took off his eyes from Petra, then typed something on his phone and texted it to her.
"It was for your safety. You have no idea who he is". She responded instantly. "I will forever hate you my entire life!"
"You'll be grateful to me later." he replied the text.
"I'm going to pound you later."
Justin felt as if he could vanish into thin air. He was baffled, humiliated, and horrified. the whole meeting was already making him sick.
Why did he have to invite him and make him feel welcome only to mock him? There were other options for getting rid of him.
"I'm not sure what it is. "Are you dating my daughter with the goal of marrying her?" Alhaji Usman inquired.
"A bread seller who has no idea of his family or knows where he came from?"
....” "Every one of us had a humble beginning." Hajiya responded.
"I do, but we had opportunities." When I married you, I was a recent graduate. I was struggling financially, but I had a family to support.
My brother returned from abroad and gave me life. We all worked for him, including my brother Alhaji Ibrahim Tofa, and we succeeded.
He also made certain that we all knew one or two people and that we all made it to the top. He had previously served as governor.
I had been an ambassador, DG, and Perm Sec. Education and family were important to me. He is deficient in both.
Why do you make such a comparison between me and him? Did you not know anything about my parents, village, or relatives?" Gaddafi sprang to his feet.
"Where do you think you are going to?" Alhaji Usman inquired. "I've got a tummy ache." I suppose I'll have to leave. Kindly excuse me."
"You know that we are in the midst of an important meeting?" "I'm sorry, Papa, but it doesn't appear so to me." I thought you mentioned it was a dinner party."
"It has to do with your sister." "I know Papa. This could have been accomplished without assembling us.
Someone appears to have already notified you about him. I simply have a tummy ache. I'll have to leave, get some medicine, and sleep."
" Okay." Alhaji remarked. "I wish you a speedy recovery." "Thank you very much, sir." Gaddafi stepped closer to his mother and kissed her on the forehead. "I love you, Mommy." She laughed softly.
"Allah Ya ma albarka" (which means "May Allah bless you.") She blessed him and He walked away silently.
"There's nothing wrong with him, Father." The second child, Abdul-Rahman, spoke up.
"He's too soft, yet he's meant to be the head of this household." "Stop talking and shut your mouth!" Hajiya yelled in rage.
"If you want to lead the family, you should have a lion heart." "He is correct." Alhaji Usman responded defensively.
"It has something to do with his sister." What if I'm not here? Would he let her hang out with this tout? A boy with no face, no origin, and horrible habits?
A security guard! A bread vendor and a maigadi! Who would act as his agent? Where do we go if something bad happens? "Are you people crazy?"
He turned to face Justin. "Listen to me, young man; I never want to see you with my daughter again."
You are not a good match. Two distinct worlds. You probably noticed that from the introductions.
I recommend that you hunt for a girl who was raised in an orphanage so that you can be with her. If you want food, don't come to her.
Every month, I will send you a food allowance. At least Ten thousand thousand Naira. I don't have anything against you. I am happy to assist you, but please keep your distance from my daughter."
Petra felt enraged, ashamed, and frustrated. She was at a loss for what to do. She had the impression that it was done without her knowledge.
She had invited him in the hopes that her father, who never went against her wishes, would back her up. She had not anticipated this.
Oh No! Aazim! He told her father everything. She'd never forgive him. "I'd like to say something!" She exploded, unable to hold back her rage.
enough is enough. She couldn't handle it any longer. She was going to express herself and let the world fall apart because she didn't give a damn!
Then Justin gave her a strange look. Their gazes locked. Messages were exchanged. She realized there was something going on between them.
He had an indescribable effect on her. She got the message with only a glance. Do not attempt it. They are your parents. You must not be disrespectful. Simply remain silent.
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