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FURAR DANKO (The Bond of Milk-Ball)
**By Biln Abdul**
*Book Two
**UK (LONDON)**
He lay sprawled across his moderately sized bed, the type people in Nigeria commonly refer to as a "6-by-6." However, this particular mattress was incredibly soft, covered in a pristine white bedsheet so luxurious that its comfort was undeniable at a mere glance. The way he exhaled short, heavy breaths, his body completely drenched in sweat, made it obvious he had just returned from a rigorous training session. He was wearing short athletic shorts that stopped well above mid-thigh, along with a matching jersey. On his feet were the standard shoes known to football players. His torso rested on the bed while his legs dangled off the edge, touching the floor. Exhaling another heavy breath, he slowly opened his eyes, which revealed a mixed, cloudy expression. There was absolutely no cheerfulness in him; his face was taut, even more severe than his usual brooding self from the past.
Driven by the energy of a perfectly healthy physique, he sat up properly. Letting out a sharp, irritated click of his tongue, he screwed up his face and began unlacing his shoes. He discarded them on the floor, stood up fully, grabbed his jersey, and ripped it off in a single frustrated motion, tossing it blindly to the ground. He then walked toward the massive glass window that stretched across an entire wall of his luxurious bedroom. Reaching out, he pressed a small green button. The glass partition smoothly slid open into two halves, forming a doorway. He stepped through, still visibly agitated, into a magnificent bathroom that would make any outsider gawk in awe. Walking straight to the shower, he turned it on, letting the water cascade over him as he drew in a deep, heavy sigh.
This was **Aliyu Mika'il Idris Mawashi**, known to the football world as *Smart Mawashi*. Although it had only been three months since his return to the UK to sign with the London-based club, Queen City, it was a minor club, but the hope remained that it would serve as a stepping stone to unimaginable heights. The Smart we used to know—quiet and reserved around people—had detached himself even further. Now, he wasn't just quiet; he had adopted a cold, aloof arrogance. This transformation was the result of a series of painful events that had unfolded over the last three months, a period that marked the most critical turning point in his life.
It happened just as he had finished planning a beautiful, admirable life with his wife. Just when he was ready to hand over all his trust, faith, and his entire life into her custody, the narrative flipped from the story he had written in his heart to the harsh script of destiny. His wife had vanished from his grasp just as his lifelong dream of becoming a professional football player abroad came true.
Slowly, everything began to flash back into his mind, piece by piece, as vividly as if it were happening all over again…
> *(On that fateful day, after leaving his own house, he had headed to his family's home, deeply troubled by the distressed state he had left Lulu in. He found that Asma'u had been sent on an errand by Ammah to Aunt Bilkisu's house. Only Maryam and Ammah were home. Without even sitting down properly, he hurriedly greeted his mother and informed her that he came to pick up Maryam because Mawaddat (Lulu) was unwell. Ammah panicked. Without even waiting for Abba to return, she told him to take Maryam immediately, saying she would inform Abba later, assuming Lulu might be pregnant. Maryam quickly got ready, grabbing some peanut gruel (kunu) they had prepared so they could have breakfast there, as they hadn't eaten yet.*
> *Because it was early morning and traffic was light, they arrived in no time. However, the moment they saw the parlor door wide open, his heart sank. The notebook he had seen earlier on Lulu's bed was discarded right at the entrance, a clear sign it had been dropped in panic. Steeling his resolve, they entered. Maryam sat in the parlor while he headed toward his bedroom, telling her to check Lulu's room while he dropped his things. Maryam agreed, and he went inside. It didn't take long before he rushed back out. He froze when he saw Maryam pacing around frantically.*
> *"What's wrong? Didn't I tell you to go inside?"*
> *Maryam turned to him quickly, her voice trembling. "Yaya, Aunty isn't in there. I checked the bathroom, no one. The kitchen is empty too. But her wardrobe has been completely ransacked. Clothes are gone, and there's a suitcase left behind as if someone was in a massive hurry."*
> *His heart began to hammer violently against his ribs. He rushed into the bedroom himself. He saw exactly what Maryam had described, but his sharp eyes noticed something more—every single valuable item belonging to her was missing. His legs began to shake, but he forced himself to stay upright. Spotting a piece of paper left on the bed, he walked over and picked it up.*
> **"I hate you, Aliyu. I never want to see you again in my life. I leave you to face ALLAH, you oppressor. It turns out all your preaching was a sham; you don't practice what you preach. Forget about me forever, because even if our paths cross, the distance between us is like the heavens and the earth, the east and the west. If you waste your time searching for me, that's your problem, because no one can force me to live with you again, not even Uncle Yousuf."**
> *A wave of dizziness washed over him, and he sank onto the bed, muttering the name of ALLAH. He sat there for a long time, his head throbbing with pain, until Maryam, tired of waiting, walked back into the room. Her anxiety spiked when she saw how shattered her brother looked within such a short time. She rushed to him, calling his name, but he raised a hand sharply, raising his voice slightly as he told her to get out and leave him alone. Terrified, she quickly exited.*
> *Barely a minute after she stepped into the parlor, her phone rang. It was Ahmad. She answered immediately and, skipping any proper greetings, blurted out everything that was happening. On the other end, Ahmad's heart sank. In a short time, he arrived at the house. No matter how much Ahmad questioned him, Smart refused to say a word until Ahmad lost his temper. Finally, Smart muttered curtly, "She left the house."*
> *Though the news struck Ahmad heavily, he tried to calm Smart down, promising to check if she had gone to her family's house. Ahmad then called Uncle Yousuf. After a few attempts, the call connected. After a brief greeting, Ahmad went straight to the point and explained the situation. Uncle Yousuf was shocked but hung up, saying he was on his way.*
> *Uncle Yousuf first called his own home. Aunt Saliha, who was already standing in a state of panic, answered immediately. She had been trying to reach him for hours. Before he could even ask, she dumped the news on him:*
> *"Abban Ra'is, by ALLAH, we have a massive problem. Just a while ago, Khadijah called me telling me to get ready and go to Mawaddat's house because she was unwell, to comfort her and calm her down. I didn't hesitate; I got ready immediately because Khadijah's tone sounded frantic. But while we were on our way, a text message came from Mawaddat saying we shouldn't look for her because she is far away. She told me to tell Aliyu to grant her a peaceful divorce, otherwise, she would make him do it the hard way. Even though the message shocked me, I told the driver to speed up to her house. As we entered her street, we passed a black car with tinted windows. We found the house open, with a neighbor standing at the gate. As my driver tried to pull in, the neighbor stopped us, saying he didn't think anyone was home. He said he just saw a woman holding the mistress of the house, who was crying, and they got into a car while suitcases were loaded into a Hilux. Seeing that they left the house wide open made him realize something was wrong. That's why I've been trying to call you so you could call Aliyu or send me his number, but I couldn't reach you."*
> *"Innalillahi wa-inna ilaihiraji'un (To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return)," Uncle Yousuf repeated continuously. Without another word, he hung up.*
> *He then called Mommy. Skipping pleasantries, he asked if Lulu had come to her house. Surprised, she replied that Lulu hadn't come and likely wouldn't, as she had a court case today. Hearing this, Uncle Yousuf calmed down slightly and hung up. He called Ahmad and told them to rush to the court immediately, saying she must be there, and that he would send Aunt Saliha to intercept her.*
> *Ahmad stood up abruptly, and Smart rose with him. They grabbed Maryam, locked the house, and left. However, when they arrived at the court, Lulu was nowhere to be found, and the officials confirmed she hadn't shown up. Now, real panic set in. Everyone knew that no matter the circumstances, Lulu would never neglect her job, especially considering how much she loved her profession. Yet, the way her belongings were packed from the house threw everyone's calculations into chaos.*
> *They began calling every relative's house she might have gone to. They called Alhaji Garko's house first, but Dada, sounding frantic, said she hadn't seen her. From within Kano to outside the city, the response was the same: Lulu was missing. What started as a minor concern had escalated into a nightmare. By evening, they had no choice but to file a report at the police station.*
> *Poor Smart. He hadn't eaten anything all day, consuming only water. A single glance at him would move anyone to pity. It wasn't until after the Maghrib prayer that the Coach forced him to drink some tea. The moment he finished it, he began vomiting violently, followed by a severe fever. Ahmad and Abdull had no choice but to spend the night at his house. By then, everyone knew what was happening. Ammah, despite her usual reserved nature, visited Smart's house that day alongside Abba. Umma, on the other hand, was secretly thrilled. In her mind, if anything terrible happened to Lulu, her parents would ensure Smart was jailed for life.*
> *What seemed like a passing issue quickly blew up. Three days passed with absolutely no news of Lulu. Daddy and Uncle Yousuf abandoned their businesses abroad and flew back to Nigeria. The twins were also back in Kano. Smart had emaciated drastically. The poor servant of ALLAH couldn't even manage a smile; he completely threw himself into prayers. Abba had requested prayers from various Islamic schools and mosques, while the police continued their intense investigations.*
> *On the fifth day, proving that sincere prayers never go unanswered, the police investigation shifted its focus toward Dada. This happened because the neighbor who had witnessed Lulu's departure identified her after being questioned relentlessly by the police. The moment he saw Dada, he pointed at her and told the police, "Ah, yes! This is the woman I saw with the young lady that day, along with a young man who looks somewhat like them."*
> *Instantly, everyone turned to look at Dada, who completely lost her composure and began making defensive, angry scenes to cover her guilt. Everyone present was furious, except for Alhaji Sulaiman and Tajuddeen, who already knew everything. Smart just stared at Dada with a piercing gaze. He felt that if she weren't related to Lulu, by ALLAH, despite her old age, he would have taught her a lesson she would never forget, forcing her to realize exactly who Aliyu Hydar was.*
> *Daddy, who looked physically worn out and ill from the distress of Lulu's disappearance, stared at Dada and Alhaji Sulaiman in utter shock. For the first time, his suspicions of Alhaji Sulaiman were validated, even though Uncle Yousuf had previously advised him against such assumptions. Uncle Yousuf, ever the gentleman, realized this was an internal family conflict. He dismissed the police officers, who were reluctant to leave, insisting that Dada must face legal charges. But dealing with powerful elite figures, a quick call to the Commissioner of Police (CP) resulted in the officers being ordered to withdraw.*
> *The moment the police left, chaos erupted in the house. Dada boldly declared that she would never reveal Lulu's whereabouts unless Smart divorced her. For the first time since the ordeal began, Smart let out a sinister, mocking smile—one that burned with internal fury while visibly unsettling his adversaries.....
*Alhamdulillah, welcome back to Book 2. Just as we started with success, may ALLAH allow us to finish triumphantly. Thank you for waiting for me, and I wish you all the best.
He looked at his parents with a calm demeanor that now enveloped him, fueled by the certainty of where his wife was. With deep respect, he said, “Abba, let’s just stand up and go home.”
Abba, whose heart swelled with even more pity for his son, replied, “Aliyu, going home is not the solution. Let us settle this and find out the reason behind all of this.”
“Abba, she has no reason other than selfishness. I want to continue respecting her as a mother, just as you raised me to respect anyone with gray hair. From the very beginning, she was the one I should have suspected, but I didn't, because suspicion is useless. However, I will give one answer now and for eternity: **I WILL NOT DIVORCE MAWADDAT.** Only one of two things will happen: either I DIE and she observes the mourning period (*Takaba*) for me, or I wash her corpse and pray over her as she goes to her grave. These are the only two reasons that can dissolve this marriage, by ALLAH's permission!”
Smart's words shook not just Dada, but even Abba and Ammah. He spoke firmly, angrily, and harshly. Even Ahmad, his closest friend, could swear he had never seen this fierce, aggressive side of Smart.
Dada glared at him and hissed, “Oh, so that's your wish? For her to die so you can inherit her wealth? You devil! ALLAH is greater than you. As for divorcing Mawaddat, if you don't do it the easy way, you will do it the hard way. We will never blend our lineage with wretched, impoverished blood. Even when you married her, you must have used black magic on her poor parents, you destitute wretch!”
Smart simply smiled, scoffing with complete indifference to Dada's insults. He turned to leave the parlor without giving her a reply. Alhaji Sulaiman, who had reached his limit with Smart's defiance, stood up furiously, pointing a finger at him.
But before he could utter a word, Smart pointed back at him warningly. “You! Don't you dare step into a pit that will bury your life forever, leaving you as a hollow corpse with empty eyes. You are just her maternal uncle, not her biological father. The Aliyu you see standing here, Sulaiman, knows more about you than you can imagine, by ALLAH. If you play games with me, I will shatter your life so thoroughly that you won't even be able to enjoy it yourself, let alone anyone else. We are talking about human beings here, not corrupt failures like you, okay...”
With that, Smart turned on his heel and walked out before Alhaji Sulaiman, whose body was trembling with a mix of rage and sudden terror, could mutter a response. Lulu had been right; Smart's eyes were terrifying when provoked, and today, his fury had genuinely unnerved Alhaji Sulaiman.
Smart’s exit left the parlor in a dead silence, while Alhaji Sulaiman continued to point at the door with trembling lips and hands. Daddy let out a long, exhausted sigh. For the first time, tears welled up in his eyes; he had watched Smart intensely from the moment he started speaking until he walked out.
Uncle Yousuf stood up and followed Smart, as did Ammah and Abba. They found Smart at the gate, on the phone with his Coach. He was supposed to travel abroad the next day, but he had intended to cancel the trip because he couldn't bear leaving the country without finding Lulu. However, he had now firmly decided to leave, without exception.
Uncle Yousuf, looking at him with a proud smile, gestured for him to get into the car where Abba and Ammah were waiting. He didn't object and climbed in. Uncle Yousuf drove them all the way home, where he held a private discussion with Abba and Ammah. He comforted them, urging them to leave Dada and her cohorts to their own devices for now, confident that they had only pulled this stunt because Alhaji Garko was away. Abba was completely convinced by Uncle Yousuf's reasoning and agreed it was the best course of action.
After Uncle Yousuf left, Abba and Ammah sat Smart down once more, advising him to focus on his travel plans just as Uncle Yousuf had suggested, while gently reprimanding him for how he had spoken to Alhaji Sulaiman and Dada. He apologized and promised it wouldn't happen again.
That was how the issue regarding Lulu was shelved for the time being. The very next day, Smart, Uncle Yousuf, and the Coach departed for the UK, landing in London. There, he signed with the minor club, Queen City. Uncle Yousuf had advised him to keep his mind at ease, assuring him that Lulu would eventually rebel against Dada on her own. Smart, putting on a brave face, simply agreed. But deep down, only he knew the searing pain and intense longing he felt for his wife.
However, the young man had resolved to use this opportunity to prove to Lulu's entire family—and to Lulu herself—that he was a man of honor, and that poverty was not a disease. Though the ordeal threatened to break him and make him withdrawn over those three months, Smart completely stopped smiling. He became quiet and aloof, dealing only with what brought him there and the worship of ALLAH. He went nowhere except to training sessions or to grab essentials before heading straight back home. His main goal was to focus on his career, just as Uncle Yousuf always advised, especially since Dada still stubbornly refused to reveal where she had hidden Lulu.
A massive rift had formed between Daddy and Alhaji Sulaiman. Initially, Daddy had gone easy on Dada out of respect for her status as a mother figure, but once he realized Alhaji Sulaiman was the mastermind behind the whole plot, his fury peaked. He demanded that Smart be brought to him. Uncle Yousuf, hiding his true intentions because he wanted Daddy to finally handle his own family matters firmly, claimed that Smart was out of the country. This news shocked Daddy, who had no idea where Smart had gone or what he was doing. Eventually, Dada also packed her bags and left the country to care for her ailing husband...)
This was the backstory behind Smart's move to England.
Drying his wet hair with a small towel, he emerged from the bathroom with a larger towel wrapped around his waist. He applied a bit of lotion, threw on an armless shirt and some shorts, and climbed back onto his bed to sleep, feeling incredibly exhausted. But before sleep could claim him, his mind drifted back into a long chain of thoughts…
That was his situation.
**CANADA**
She was vomiting violently, completely exhausted and weak. A single glance at her would reveal how frail her body had become as she gasped heavily for air. Filled with pity, the maid who had traveled with her all the way from Nigeria continuously offered comforting words.
After vomiting nothing but water, she leaned back against the wall, tears streaming down her face. She had always lacked resilience when it came to illness, but this particular sickness felt entirely different from anything she had ever experienced. It was breaking her body and weakening her spirit to the point where she considered rebelling against her grandmother, exposing her whereabouts, or simply returning home to Nigeria.
It had been three long months since she left Nigeria with the help of her grandmother, Dada.
> *(On that fateful day, after Smart had stormed ou
