Chapter 4

I woke up the next day, sprawled on my couch, a bitter taste lingering my mouth.

What the hell happened?

Why does my neck fucking hurts?

I sat up, rubbing my neck before getting up and making my way to the bathroom.

I swear, something must have crawled into my mouth and died...

Stepping into the bathroom, I grabbed my toothbrush, rubbing the remnants of the sleep out of my eyes. Once I was done, I showered and walked back into my room.

I'm low on gas, need to get some... some groceries too... why does it feel like I'm forgetting something?

I wracked my brain, pausing as I noticed movements coming from my bed.

What the hell... did I bring a babe back home?

I turned and my eyes landed on the child seated smackdab on the middle of my bed.

"No Abba... you brought a little girl home." I mumbled as last night memories came back to me. I pinched the brigde of my nose, groaning.

What the hell was I thinking?!

Shit...

We stared at eachother, I pursed my lips, tilting my head to the side as I examined her.

She look to be about 2 or 3...

What the hell was I going to do with a child... I don't even like children!

They were clingy, cried a lot and loved to make messes that someone else had to clean up.

I groaned, stomping into my closet to find something to wear. She was still seated when I came out. Walking over to her, I slid my hands into my pockets as I thought of what I was going to do with her.

An idea popped into my head making me smile, glancing at the clock, I knew she would be at work which was more than perfect for me, the last thing I needed was another run in with the asshole she calls a husband.

"Come on, let's get you..." I trailed off as I picked her up, the strong smell of urine hitting my nose.

She had peed... she had peed on my bed...

I closed my eyes, fighting the urge to throw up before holding her away from my body and rushing to the bathroom. I placed her in the shower stall, got a wet towel and cleaned the dried urine off her body, she still reeked of it but it was the best I could do.

There's no way I am putting her in my car, smelling like urine.

I picked her up once more, holding her away from my body. I knew I needed something to mask the smell of the pee and to provide her with more coverage.

Spying a jacket thrown over the armchair, I grabbed it and pulled it over here.

"There... much better."

I mean she looked as though she was drowning in my clothes but it looked better than just my undershirt.  I headed to the kitchen where I made another bowl of oats and fed her.

I ordered a Bolt as I wiped her mouth clean and washed the bowl. After a quick call from the driver informing me he was here, I carried her out to the car.  The ride to Najma's workplace was about 10 minutes.

**************

I walked through the front door with her in my arms and took one of the elevators to her floor, approaching the door with her name on it. I stopped to adjust the child and wipe my sweaty palm on my dark blue Kaftan.

Here goes nothing...

I raised a hand and knocked before walking in

"I need your help"

Najma looked up, lips parted, eyes wide as she stared at the covered bundle in my arms.

“Uhm... Najma...”

“Who did you knock up?” She asked still staring at the baby.

What?!!!

“I didn’t knock anyone up." I muttered, setting the child on the couch before moving to the desk and taking a seat.

“Well if you didn't get a girl pregnant then why do you have a baby with you?" Najma inquired, closing her laptop.

I sighed, wondering how I was going to explain it all, the entire thing was making my head hurt already.

"After the argument with the asshole you call a husband, I went to the club and found her near the place." I explained, ignoring the glare she sent my way at my reference of Khalifa.

I fiddled with a cufflink, my brows furrowed as I remembered how I had seen her.

"She was all alone and lost, I couldn’t leave her there Najma, it was raining. I don't think she would have survived another day.” I added unconsciously, frowning when I realised what I had uttered, before shaking my head.

Najma sighed

“It’s okay, I understand. I'm just worried, you know how deceiving people can be?” She explained before turning to the girl, looking her over.

"She's really pretty, I wonder where her parents are" She whispered, before getting up and walking to the couch and sitting next to her.

“But she needs a bath, she smells like pee." She said, wrinkling her nose.

"Well she did pee on my bed." I muttered, making a mental note to have the security man wash the sheets.

"Ya Salaam, and you left her in the soiled clothes! Come on Abba, that's not nice." Najma chastised, glaring at me.

"What do you expect me to do? Give her a bubble bath? I mean I'm probably going to have to get a new mattress!"

"You're so mature" Najma said, scowling at me, before turning to the child who stared at her, then at me. Her bottom lip jutting out and quivering followed by a small cry.

"Poor baby, shhh everything will be fine. Abba is such a meanie." Najma cooed, carrying her. Her cries got louder as the child twisted in her arms trying to get away. Turning to me, fat tears rolled down her cheeks.

"She wants you" Najma said.

"Are you sure she isn't just tired?" My arm was already smarting from carrying her. Her cries got louder and Najma shot me a glare.

"Abba!"

"Alright..." I got up and made my way to them, taking her from Najma. She immediately kept quiet as she laid her head on my chest.

Wow... just wow.

"So what are we going to do with her" I asked, bouncing her gently in my arms.

"Well... first of all, she needs a bath then we need to take her to the hospital for a check up. Then the police station to file a report and then tomorrow, we can take her to an orphanage." Najma said, walking to her desk to get her phone and bag.

"What are you doing" I asked, frowning.

"Coming with you silly. Work can wait. My cousin needs me" she replied, smiling up at me.

I furrowed my brows, staring at her. A warm feeling taking hold of my heart and I found myself smiling back at her. We walked out, and she looked around.

"Where's your car?"

"I used a Bolt." I replied, as she unlocked her car.

"Why?"

"There's no way I was going to let her sit in my car with urine stained clothes." I replied, Najma stood there, glaring at me.

"Seriously Abba?!"

"Yes! Those seats where customed made leather seats."

"There's more to life than that stupid car." She snapped making me scoff.

"Yeah right."

We got into her car and she drove us back to her place.

************

We got to her house and I followed her to the door, watching as she unlocked it before standing aside to let me in.

"What are you waiting for? Come on in" she said.

"Is he in?" I inquired. Facing Khalifa was the last thing I wanted to do right now.

"Nope. He's somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, a colleague of his asked him to switch flight schedules with him." She explained. I let out a sigh of relief before walking in. Taking a seat on the sofa, setting the baby down near me. She clung to my kaftan as she looked around.

"Okay, bath time" Najma said approaching her. She held onto me tighter, letting out little whimpers.

"This isn't going to work. You have to come with us." Najma said to me. I groaned, wanting nothing more than close my eyes and get some sleep but Najma shot me a warning glare.

I stood with the baby in my arms and we made out way to the bathroom downstairs. Najma ran the water while I gently removed the layers of clothing I had put her in.

Once the water was ready, I gently set her in. She squealed when the water touched her before settling down. Najma got the soap and sponge and I held her as she washed the grime off the baby.

I noticed the baby was staring at me and I furrowed my brows, I chuckled when she attempted to do the same.

The bath ended soon and she was back in my arms, engulfed in a white towel. Najma went upstairs murmuring something about clothing.

I sat with her on my thighs, using the towel to dab her dry. I ran my fingers through her soft silky curls as she yawned before snuggling into my chest. I sighed letting her, rubbing her back as I drifted off.

“Abba” Najma’s voice woke me up. I groaned sitting up, I realised the baby was not in my arms anymore. Najma sat near me, holding her in a lap. She was looking clean and already dressed.

“Where did you get baby clothes?” I asked

“Zainab left a pair the last time she came over.” She said.

"We should get going... we have a lot to do" I said standing. She let out a whimper struggling in Najma's arms.

Oh God why are children so clingy?

I rolled my eyes and carried her into my arms, she settled down immediately, resting her head on the crook of my neck.

"You two look so cute" Najma cooed. I sent her a withering glare before heading out, she followed me laughing.

We decided to start with the Police Station, the police of Abuja and I, well we had a special relationship.

"Oga Sir!!!" The police at the deck hailed standing to shake my hand.

"How are you doing?"  I asked shaking his hand. "Fine sir, anything for the boys?"

I chuckled at his statement "We'll settle that later. I need a missing person form. I found this little girl wandering about and I'd like to file a report, I don't know whether there was any missing child report." I explained. He nodded peering at the girl before giving me a form to fill. I looked over the form.

"I don't know her name and she's not talking."

"Just leave that part blank sir"

I nodded and filled the form with my information and where I found her and what she was wearing when I found her plus her physical description. I handed the form back to him.

I stuffed my hand into my pocket and pulled out five crisp one thousand naira notes.

"Here you go, buy something nice for you and the boys"

"Oga sir!!!" He grinned walking away. Ignoring the glare Najma was shooting at me, I handed her the baby and we exited the station.

"To the hospital" she said as we got into the car.

"Now I know how you get out of trouble with the law" Najma muttered.

"Well... what's the use of having money if you can't solve your problems with it?"

She rolled her eyes at me, smoothing the baby's hair.

"You can't solve all your problems with money"

I snorted and pressed the ignition button driving to the hospital the entire Barde clan used.

The drive was silent, my thoughts else where. I got out and we walked into the hospital. Najma had already called ahead and we were ushered into an examination room, a doctor was waiting for us.

"Good Evening Najma, Abubakar. It's nice to see you two again. How can I help you?" he asked smiling at both of us.

"Good evening doc, this is the little girl I talked to you about on the phone." She replied.

He gestured for us to place her on the bed present in the room. She squirmed a bit, reaching out for me but I was able to calm her and the doctor was able to conduct a physical examination on her.

"Everything seems normal. She's just malnourished and a little dehydrated but nothing a little tlc won't cure. I'll have to take a blood sample to see whether there is anything wrong with her."

He prepared the needle and approached her when she freaked. I winced at the sound of her wail.

God she's so little but she has a set of iron lungs.

Najma lifted her into her arms and bounced her till her wails subsided.

"Try distracting her and I'll take the blood sample." He suggested. Najma seemed at a lost, I glanced at the baby and noticed she was about to let out another wail.

No way. I can't handle another ear shattering scream.

I got out my phone and immediately opened the camera app. It worked with other children so it might work for her. She stared at the phone, brows furrowed, a frown on her face as she stared at her reflection. I smiled in relief and the doctor took the sample immediately. She let out a cry as tears dropped down her cheek.

"Done" he said pressing a piece of cotton wool on the spot to stop the bleeding. Najma bounced her gently wiping her tears away. She reached out for me, her lips pushed in a pout.

I lifted her into my arms and rubbed her back.

"It's alright, it's over" she sniffed resting her head in the crook of my neck.

"When will we get the test results." Najma asked.

"As soon as tomorrow."

"Uhm... doctor, how old do you think she is?" I asked.

"Judging by her teeth formation, I'll say she's around  the age of 4." He replied.

"But she looks 2 or 3" I exclaimed.

"Malnourishment can do that to children. It can turn a baby to an old man" he explained. I nodded, after buying the drugs he prescribed we were back on the road.

"Home?" I asked Najma. She nodded, her eyes on the road.

We pulled up in front of her house.

"You lot go in, I'll be back" I replied.

She nodded and bundled the sleeping baby in her arms before getting out of the car. I brought out my phone searching for the nearest baby shop. I found one and drove there.

Parking and stepping into the shop, I was immediately greeted by the shop attendant.

"Good evening sir." I murmured a greeting back to her and walked deeper into the shop checking assortment of clothes and shoes and for the first time in my life I was at a loss. Who ever thought baby shopping could be so confusing.

"Do you need any help?" A voice said, I turned to see the shop attendant staring up at me expectantly.

"Yeah, I've never bought clothes for a baby before" I explained chuckling.

She smiled nodding "A girl or a boy?"

"Girl" I replied.

"Age?"

"4 years old"

"Favourite colour?"

"Isn't it a bit too early for her to have a favourite colour?" I asked

"You'd be shocked at how choosy kids can be these days" she laughed as she went through the clothes on a rack. I watched as she placed several gowns, overalls, shorts, tee shirts and shoes in a basket.

I leaned against the wall going through my Twitter feed when a message popped up.

Party at Bernie's. You in?

I smirked

I'll be there.

"All done, or do you need more clothes?" She asked. I slipped my phone into my pocket and glanced at the heap in the basket.

"It should be enough" I said and walked to the counter. I handed her my Debit card, not bothering to glance at her.

"E...excuse me sir, your card has been rejected"

I frowned at her confused.

*lRejected!!! That has never...

My mind went back to Baba Mohammad.

Shit!!!

This CANNOT be happening!!!

"Try this one" I said pulling out my debit card. She glanced at me, a pitiful look on her face, before taking the card.

The seconds seemed to linger on, I could feel the tension in the air. It was literally pressing down on me.

"Sorry sir, you're going to have to return some of the clothing."

Can the ground just swallow me up?

"Go ahead, take some of the clothing back." I murmured, cursing Baba Mohammad under my breath.

She sighed and removed a couple of dresses. I watched as she ran the card through the machine.

"Look sir, there's a store around Wuse 2 where they sell second hand baby clothes. Maybe you can find something you can actually afford. " She said handing me back my card.

Kill me now.

"Do you have any ide..." I began

"You heard the lady, please move, you're holding the queue. Some of us actually have places to be!!!" A feminine voice cut in. I spun around and sent her a sharp glare.

The only place you need to be is a plastic surgeon's office.

I brushed past her and left the store. This was slowly turning out to be the worst day ever, who was I kidding? It was the worst day ever.

I got into my car, pressing my forehead against the steering wheel. Never in my life had I ever felt so humiliated.

My mind drifted to the sales woman's words and I let out a shudder. Hell no. Not in a million years. I won't be caught dead in a thrift shop.

I switched on the ignition and drove back to Najma's. The tv was on and the baby was seated watching a cartoon.

"Najmee I'm back" I announced sitting near the baby. She stared at me before her attention went back to the tv. I smiled before running my hands through her curls, they were finally dry and so soft.

"Where did you go to?" She asked. "I needed a drive to clear my head." I lied forcing a smile.

She smiled back and I watched as the baby let out a little yawn before nuzzling Najma and closing her eyes.

“You should get some sleep, you look exhausted.” She advised standing up carefully with the baby in her arms.

“Yeah... goodnight” I whispered. She murmured a reply and walked down the hall to the stairs.

I sighed before retiring to the guest room. I had a quick shower and shrugged on a pair of jeans and a tee with a jacket just as my phone dinged.

Party's starting soon but we are hitting the club first, you coming?

I smirked. This was exactly what I needed.

Count me in.

*******************

Hello Everyone!!!

So sorry for the late update. I've been busy with school.

So what do you think?

I can't imagine having my card rejected 😩😩.

But he didn't have to go clubbing 🤦🏽‍♀️.

Please Vote, Comment and Share 💖💖

Xoxo💕💕