Anas: (brings out his phone) Type your account number. (passes the phone)
Jamiu: (couldn’t believe his eyes as he takes the phone) Anas!? (types it and passes it back)
Anas: (takes it) Opay, right?
Jamiu: Moniepoint. (gets on his feet)
Anas: And… done! (returns the phone to his pocket)
Jamiu: (phone vibrates, picks it up and drops it in shock) Anas!!!! (about to prostrate) 6 million!!
Anas: (grabs him up) What are you doing? Ahhhh! Get up jor! A whole head of the house! I don’t like that! Get up now. I don’t have the strength to carry you up oo… get up now.
Jamiu: Please let me prostrate like this. You deserve all the respect in this world.
Anas: I will leave oo. Wetin be this now? What if someone comes in and doesn’t bow for me or prostrate to me because of money? Ahh! Will it follow me to my grave?
Jamiu: Thank you so much! Ahhhh! You see what you did… I will surprise you. In fact! God will bless you multiple times. When should I return the money? And I promise to—
Anas: (cuts in as he was about to sit) It’s all yours.
Jamiu: (jaw drops, tears stream down his eyes, didn’t realize when he lay flat) Ahhhh! Anas!!!
Anas: I have told you not to do this. (furiously gets up and leaves his office)
Jamiu: (runs after him)
Anas: (enters his car, about to start it)
Jamiu: Anas!! Wait!! Please! I beg you in the name of Allah! (passersby watch them) Please… don’t go yet. Okay, I’m sorry. (wipes his tears)
Anas: (gets emotional, then steps down and embraces him) It’s okay. That’s why we are blood.
Jamiu: (holds him tighter, sobbing loudly) Anas!!! Ahhhh, you did this for me…
Anas: It’s okay. (taps him, getting emotional, then lets go)
Jamiu: Thank you. (rubs his face) Thank you so much. You will never die! You will live long to reap the fruit of your labor.
Anas: (doesn’t say a word, enters his car and starts the engine) See you at home. And one more thing… never tell anyone, not even our brothers about this. I’m begging you. The day you do, that’s the end. (drives away)
Jamiu: (nods in tears and rests his head on an unknown car parked next to him, sobbing alone)
____________________
That Same Night (8:34pm)
Families having dinner.
Anas: (opens the door) As-salamu alaykum. (pauses, amazed to see the entire family downstairs feasting) Masha Allah. (feels the moment, admires their laughter and discussion) Hmm.
Haneefah: (dragging Muhammed to the children’s dining table) I will beat you oo. Oya, come and join your brothers and sisters.
Muhammed: No!!! I don’t want… Ummu… no!! (crying)
Haneefah: Why? You want them to finish your food?
Muhammed: No!
Haneefah: (sighs heavily and lets go of him. Her eyes meet the door and she sees her husband standing there watching everyone) Hmmm, my king… kids… Abu is back!
(The children drop their food and run.)
Anas: (carried away, then in awe seeing his children running towards him excitedly, drops his bag and bends, ready to welcome them into his arms) My babies.
Khalid: (first to jump into his arms) Daddy!! Welcome home! (bright smile as he grabs his shoulder while the rest run into him) We missed you.
Anas: I missed all of you. (kisses their foreheads one after the other)
Haneefah: (walks up to him and joins them) As-salamu alaykum, my king.
Anas: Wa alaykum salam warahmatullah, my queen. Let go of me now… my wife needs me. (says jokingly to his children)
Haneefah: Stop jor. (they walk together greeting the rest of the family as they climb the stairs)
(The entire family watches the father-and-children moment, smiling happily.)
Jamil: (coming from his wife’s kitchen) Ahhh! Baba olomowewe… you are back.
Maryam: Baby… is there plantain left?
Jamil: No, my love… or do you need more? I can fry some.
Maryam: No!! Don’t stress. You’ve tried for us.
Aishat: (watches them as she gulps down her juice)
Junaid: (tries to act romantic) Baby… do you want me to put the kids to sleep tonight?
Aishat: Why? You never do that. So why tonight?
Junaid: You know what? Never mind. (continues eating)
Aishat: Love is in the air tonight.
Rahmah: (pressing her phone while eating)
Tomiwa: (taps her mother) My mummy!!
Rahmat: What again? What? (roars angrily as she puts down her phone)
Tomiwa: (scared, turns around and leaves)
Rahmat: (realizes) Baby girl!! Tomiwa!! Come!
Tomiwa: (turns around sadly) Ma?
Rahmat: (lowers her voice) What is the problem? Hmm?
Tomiwa: I want to tell you that Tobi has poo all over her body.
Rahmat: Ohhhhh!! Why do you kids want to kill me before my time ehn? Person can’t even eat in peace? (puts down the spoon) Where is she?
Tomiwa: At our dining table.
Rahmat: (gets up) Move out of my way jare… (leaves)
______________
An Hour Later
Anas: (opens the door and looks downstairs, finds few people left at the dining) Hmm. (reaches the stairs and bumps into Jamiu) Abu twins… you are back as well.
Jamiu: (doesn’t know how to act around him) Yeah… how was work? I hope it wasn’t stressful?
Anas: Abeg, e pack well. (walks past him) Since when did you become my wife? You’re funny sha.
Jamiu: I’m just trying to show how much I care about you.
Anas: Yeah right.
Jamiu: (follows him) You want to eat, right?
Anas: Hmm, something like that. Just fruit salad, that’s all. It’s late already. (gets seated) And you?
Jamiu: Just finished eating. (joins him)
Anas: So? Why are you sitting with me again?
Jamiu: Nothing… I… I just want to sit with you.
Anas: Okay, this is creepy. Stop it!
Haneefah: (chuckles as she presents his fruit salad) There you go, my love. (gives him a peck) Welcome, Abu twins.
Anas: Thanks, dear. (takes the fork and admires which fruit to eat first)
Jamiu: Ummu! Thank you so much… how are you as well?
Haneefah: Alhamdulillah, sir. (ready to leave) Honey… will that be all?
Anas: Yes!! Thank you, dear.
Haneefah: Anytime. (turns and leaves) Good night, sir.
Jamiu: Good night, ma… sleep tight.
Haneefah: (thinking) What’s wrong with him?
Jamiu: (looks at Anas and notices his death stare) What happened? Did I do something wrong?
Anas: What was that?
Jamiu: What was what? I was—
Anas: Please stop it. Creepy! (digs in and nods happily) Now that’s a healthy meal… wanna join me?
Jamiu: (admires him)
Anas: (realizes, pauses for a while, then carries his bowl of fruits and leaves)
Jamiu: (follows him) Where are you going now?
Anas: (increases his speed as Jamiu runs after him) Wetin you dey do like this now? Stop jor. (chuckles) See, stop. I no like this. We are not kids now.
Jamiu: You too stop running now.
Anas: See, I no get strength this night. (laughs weakly seeing him running after him) Why are you doing like this now? It’s been a long day for us na. (finally stops)
Jamiu: (embraces him) Thank you so much for—
Anas: You need healing, I swear. (pushes him away and runs upstairs)
Junaid: (coming out of his room, sees Jamiu running after Anas as Anas runs into his room and slams the door) What’s going on here? (moves closer) Ahah! Brother! Why are you running around with Anas?
Jamiu: (laughing) That guy is strange, man. See how he was running… like I touched shit. Anyways, goodnight. (taps his shoulder and heads to his room)
Junaid: (still confused) What is he saying?
************
Anas: (tries to catch his breath, panting heavily and laughing)
Haneefah: (sees him and hurriedly moves to him) What happened? Are you okay? What is it?
Anas: One minute! (drops the bowl of fruits and bends, his palms on his knees. A migraine kicks in but he tries to hold it in) It… it was Abu twins… (bursts into painful laughter) That guy ehn… could you believe he chased me here?
Haneefah: (touches her chest) You scared me at first. You men are weird sometimes… running around with your food? Like children? What does he want? Your fruit salad?
Anas: Wo… you won’t understand… walk to the dressing room… (smiles) I can’t remember the last time I ran like that.
Haneefah: (carries the bowl) You people ehn… (drops it on the table)
________________
FEW DAYS LATER (MORNING)
Junaid: (closes the door) Ehn, no problem. Just pray I arrive early, then I can branch the gas station.
Aishat: (from the bedroom) Okay then… take care.
Junaid: (sights Jamiu) Good morning. Are you going inside?
Jamiu: (about to open the door, then pauses) Yeah… want to join me?
Junaid: Yes, sure. (walks up to him)
Anas: (sights them from downstairs and runs to join) Wait for me, please.
Jamiu: Since we are three, let’s just—
Anas: (knocks at Jamil’s door) Bro, come out! (joins them)
Jamiu: (smiles and says to himself) Wise guy.
Jamil: (opens the door and peeps) Who is it?
(They all signal for him to join them.)
Jamil: Oh! Please wait for me. (grabs his shirt and comes out while putting it on) I was actually planning on seeing him before sef.
Jamiu: Ready? (holds the door handle)
(They nod calmly with heavy hearts.)
Anas: Seeing the four of us at once will brighten his morning.
Jamil: Sure.
Jamiu: (pushes the door open and enters. They go in one after the other) Hello, Dad?
They find his mini living room quiet like a graveyard and well arranged. They move forward to his bedroom and pause at the door.
Junaid: (calls out) Dad??
Jamil: (whispers angrily) What’s your problem, man? He might be sleeping!
Anas: (chuckles, thinking) Always the problem.
Jamiu: (shakes his head as he opens the door and enters. They find him lying flat on his bed in deep sleep, covered with a warm blanket. They stand opposite the bed patiently, waiting for him to wake up — each of them deep in thought.) Hmmmmm.
Anas: (thinking) Don’t think… please. I don’t want to think. Just stay quiet and stop thinking beyond… (sighs softly, then looks down) What if… What if I don’t… (clears his throat) That’s right! No thinking. (shakes it off)
Junaid: (sadly watching) I can’t believe Dad is really old and alone… no mother next to him… and now age is taking him away from us.
Jamiu: (thinking) Dad, I made so many mistakes that I really want to confess to you right now more than ever… but I don’t know if you are going to have the strength to hear them all. Uh! He is really old… time is surely flying.
Jamil: The man that was once called the father of soldiers… hmmmm.
Chief: (groans and turns to the other side of the bed, then opens his eyes) Who is over there?
Jamiu: It’s us, Dad… good morning, sir.
(They prostrate immediately, melting their father’s heart, but realize the only one standing firmly is Anas — then he smiles.)
Chief: (smiles as he groans, trying to sit up) Come…
Anas: (moves close and helps him sit up while the others are still in prostration) Careful… (touches his knees and bends while the rest join him)
Chief: (soft old voice) Get me my glasses.
Anas: How have you been, Dad? (kisses his hands and holds them tight while the rest surround him) Hmm? (tries to get up but Junaid is already searching for it)
Junaid: (opens the case, cleans the lens, then helps him put them on) There… can you see us clearly now?
Chief: Uhhhhhh… well, yeah… (speaks slowly) Look at all of you… hmmmm… and I feel at ease setting my eyes on you this morning. (rubs their heads) Abefe…
Anas: Sir. (doesn’t let go of his hands)
Chief: How have you been? You good?