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Chapter 16: Reunions and Deep Roots
Mummy Khadee (Samad's mother) harbored a deep, silent jealousy within the recesses of her heart for both herself and her son. She didn't concern herself much with Ummah Fadila's jealousy, having long realized that there was no genuine affection between Fadila and their husband, Sir Hakeem Jeerah. Instead, she focused on securing a status higher than Ummah's, leveraging the son she had borne for him. Consequently, she brandished far more authority and influence within the estate than Fadila ever could.
Raheem had no close familiarity with anyone there. When he visited his grandparents in the morning, they attempted to introduce him to the extended family. He greeted everyone politely but briefly, without looking closely enough to fully memorize or distinguish their faces.
By afternoon, a brand-new car arrived—a gift purchased for him by his grandfather, Alh Farouk. Another vehicle arrived shortly after, sent directly by his dad, complete with a personal driver since Raheem could not navigate the local roads on his own.
In the late afternoon, Raheem instructed the driver to take him straight to Maamah’s house—a place he could never truly forget, even if he forgot the rest of the world. It was only then, away from his grandfather’s watchful eye, that he found a moment of true personal freedom.
Upon arrival, they discovered that the old family home had been converted into commercial shops and a local restaurant. Raheem's driver stepped out to question the neighbors, returning shortly after with the exact directions to where Baba Khalil and the family had relocated.
When the convoy pulled up to the new residence, Baba Khalil was standing outside the front gates, deeply engrossed in a conversation with some neighbors regarding the affairs of the community mosque.
At first glance, Baba Khalil failed to recognize Raheem due to how significantly he had grown and changed over the years. There was scarcely any physical trait suggesting Nigerian heritage; he took entirely after his mother's striking Arab features, exuding an intense military composure, profound charisma, and absolute dignity.
The old man and his neighbors froze, staring intently as Raheem calmly stepped out of the vehicle and walked toward them. True to his aloof nature, his gaze remained detached, avoiding direct eye contact with the crowd. Raheem recognized Baba Khalil instantly and walked directly up to him, his driver keeping pace at his side.
Standing before them, Raheem greeted the old man in a version of Hausa that was heavily laced with an English and Arabic accent. He glanced briefly at Malam Salisu and the other onlookers, who stood completely transfixed. The rich, calming scent of his designer cologne wafted over them—a fragrance so sophisticated and soothing it felt entirely foreign, carrying a relaxing aura that could put a tense mind to sleep.
Just as Baba Khalil opened his mouth in sheer astonishment, Nasir pulled up to the entrance on a motorcycle.
Spotting the custom license plate bearing the name Jeerahs from a distance, Nasir's heart skipped a powerful beat. It was an encounter he had never anticipated. With trembling legs, he approached the gates. When their eyes locked, a powerful wave of emotion swept over both men, leaving them momentarily breathless with intense shock.
Nasir was the first to find his voice, calling out Raheem's name aloud. Hearing the name, Baba Khalil blinked in realization, finally recognizing his boy.
The two young men opened their arms and embraced fiercely with absolute, masculine warmth, as Nasir repeatedly shouted his friend's name in pure disbelief. A rare, brilliant smile—one that no one had ever witnessed on his face before—illuminated Raheem's features. A profound, unfamiliar sense of pure joy and peace washed over his guarded heart.
Unable to simply stand outside, Nasir grabbed Raheem by the hand and pulled him eagerly into the house to see Maamah.
Maamah was sitting quietly, listening to a radio broadcast about a local child trafficking arrest, when the pair walked in. The sheer radiance of Raheem's fair complexion immediately caught her eye. She stared blankly without blinking, her heart hammering against her ribs as her eyes welled with warm tears of pure happiness. No matter how many years passed or how imposing he grew, she could never fail to recognize him.
Raheem felt a powerful rush of emotion at the sight of her. He approached her calmly as she rose to her feet, pulling her into a gentle, reverent embrace while murmuring her name in his deep, resonant, authoritative voice.
Tears streamed down her wrinkled cheeks as she opened her mouth, repeating his name like a sacred mantra.
As for Nasir, all the hunger and exhaustion he had carried home from a long day vanished instantly. His heart felt as though it would burst with the sheer ecstasy of being reunited with his literal other half. He stood by, unable to wipe the wide grin from his face, tracking Raheem's every elegant movement and striking smile.
Mommy Zainab rushed out next, her face glowing with delight at Raheem's sudden appearance. She hurried to serve him clean, cold water with deep affection and care.
Though they exchanged warm greetings, Raheem kept his gaze respectfully averted. Zainab found herself unable to remain seated in the room; his intense, larger-than-life presence completely dominated the space. She had always known his mother was an Arab, but she had never expected him to grow into such a physically flawless, imposing specimen of a man. Even though he and Nasir were precisely the same age, Raheem looked significantly more mature, disciplined, and powerful. Feeling entirely starstruck, she quietly excused herself to give the friends their privacy.
Raheem was a man who never fully lowered his guard unless he was strictly in the company of Maamah and Nasir. When Baba Khalil eventually joined them to share lighthearted banter and pleasantries, Raheem participated politely until the older man left them to their thoughts.
Raheem remained at the house until nightfall before taking Nasir back with him to the elite Jeerah estate, as both men intended to spend the entire night catching up on lost years.
Chapter 17: Changing Tides and New Beginnings
They spent the night in Raheem's sprawling private wing of the estate, which featured four massive bedrooms and multiple luxury lounges.
The next day, Raheem escorted Nasir to introduce him to all his paternal grandparents, who received him warmly. He then brought Nasir before his dad, Admiral Hakeem Jeerah. To Raheem's utter surprise, his strict father displayed an unprecedented level of warmth, accommodation, and respect toward Nasir—a soft side Raheem had never once seen his father show to any human being.
By evening, they ventured out again. This time, Raheem took the wheel of the luxury vehicle while Nasir pointed out the local routes. They dined at Maamah's house, where Raheem placed a long-distance call to Dr. Mum (his mother). Maamah and Dr. Mum spoke for hours, sharing emotional tears, old memories, and deep conversations over the phone.
Raheem's sudden reentry into their lives brought an abundance of joy, just as their raw affection injected a newfound light and vitality into his cold, military existence. A profound, unbreakable bond of kinship solidified between them.
With life stabilizing, plans to finalize Nasir and Fatima's wedding began to pick up steam. However, Baba Khalil intervened, advising that the wedding be put on hold for one year until Nasir officially completed his university degree—a remaining year that, God willing, would fly by like a single day. The family agreed to wait. By the time Raheem's military leave concluded and he prepared to return to his naval post, all arrangements were perfectly aligned.
Before departing Nigeria, Raheem bought Nasir a brand-new car and provided substantial financial resources to ease his final year of studies. Furthermore, he completely renovated Maamah's family home, installing modern air conditioning units and filling the house with premium amenities to ensure their absolute comfort. While they kept the original architectural structure intact, the interior was fully remodeled with luxury furniture, including Baba Khalil's wing. Seizing the opportunity of this complete upgrade, Zainab sold her old bedroom furniture and funneled the cash directly into expanding her retail business.
Following Raheem's return to the United States, Dr. Mum began eagerly calculating his next military leave, demanding that he visit her in Morocco. However, when his vacation finally arrived, his father, Admiral Hakeem, issued a stern command barring him from leaving his jurisdiction. The Admiral asserted that Raheem had attained a rank and level of responsibility where his constant presence at his station was a matter of national security.
This intervention incited a furious, bitter resentment within Dr. Mum’s heart. Her anger intensified when she learned that the Nigerian Jeerah clan had formed a habit of flying out to visit Raheem in America. Worse still, all the eligible young women of the Jeerah family had begun spending their summer vacations in the United States. Dr. Mum's anxiety skyrocketed; she could see the writing on the wall, and she was fiercely determined to prevent it.
She vowed that she would never, under any circumstances, allow the son she carried in her womb to marry a Nigerian woman, much less a member of the Jeerah bloodline. She would honestly prefer Raheem to remain a lifelong bachelor or die unmarried than to allow his father to arrange a marriage for him in Nigeria, which she believed would sever her connection to her son forever. Thus, she finalized an absolute mandate for his life: he would only marry a woman from her own Arab tribe.
On his part, Admiral Hakeem Jeerah fully intended for Raheem to marry at the exact age he himself had taken a wife. He was simply biding his time until Raheem officially attained the rank of Captain—the next major milestone in his naval career—before executing his matchmaking plans. The Admiral remained silent for now, but he had already selected a suitable bride for his son from within their elite Nigerian circles. He knew his ex-wife would violently oppose the move, recognizing that she was plotting to bind Raheem to an Arab bride to secure her dominance over his future. Thus, both parents played a silent, high-stakes game of chess, using their son as the ultimate prize.
At this stage in his life, as he rapidly scaled the ranks of the American Navy, Raheem had absolutely zero thoughts of romance or marriage. It simply did not exist within his rigid schedule or personal desires as a young officer.
Dr. Mum, despite her profound maternal love for him, had never shown him a soft, nurturing side. Since his childhood, she had treated him with an unyielding, razor-sharp discipline, deliberately forging him into a fiercely stubborn and decisive man. Consequently, his relationship with both of his parents lacked any casual warmth; it was defined entirely by rigid protocols, absolute authority, and uncompromising commands.
Raheem exerted every ounce of his strength to accord both parents the absolute respect and duty demanded of a son. Since his childhood, he had never once raised his eyes, questioned an order, or spoken back to either of them. No matter how harsh, bitter, or painful their conflicting mandates were, he accepted them with total, silent reverence. He understood that he was the sole remaining bridge linking his fiercely estranged parents, meaning he was destined to swallow the toxic smoke of their lifelong feud until the day he died. He grew into a stoic warrior capable of enduring any psychological pressure, so long as it did not violate his religious covenants. His internal resilience was so absolute that not even Nasir, who knew him better than anyone alive, could ever truly read his inner emotional state.
Time marched on relentlessly. The moment Raheem Hakeem Jeerah officially attained the prestigious rank of Captain in the United States Navy, his mother immediately presented him with her ultimate demand: he was to marry Meenah Wahab.
Meenah was the daughter of Dr. Mum's closest childhood friend—a highly privileged, elite Moroccan Arab woman. Though she was a fully qualified medical doctor, Meenah chose not to practice, having decided to prioritize marriage and family first.
Meenah was an extraordinarily beautiful woman who possessed the same fiercely possessive, uncompromising temperament as Dr. Mum. She absolutely despised sharing anything she set her heart upon. While she held highly selective and critical views on men, the very day her eyes landed on Captain Raheem Hakeem Jeerah, her entire world ground to a halt. She lost her heart to him completely—an infatuation so intense it bordered on dangerous obsession. She systematically tracked and followed every detail of Raheem Jeerah’s life and career.
Driven by this manic devotion, Meenah was fully prepared to relocate to Nigeria or endure any living condition on earth, provided Raheem was the man she spent the rest of her life with.
Dr. Mum delivered the marriage proposal to Raheem not as a discussion, but as an absolute military directive. To Raheem, the decree felt like the sudden onslaught of an ocean tempest.
Recognizing his mother's explosive stubbornness on the matter, and her clear readiness to ignite an all-out war with his father after decades of fragile peace, Raheem submitted to her will. He agreed to grant Meenah Wahab his time, treating his mother's marital mandate with the supreme gravity he afforded all parental orders.
Raheem was a man entirely devoid of deception or hesitation. Despite his absolute obedience to his parents, he was profoundly fearless. He was fully capable of voicing the starkest truths to anyone's face, including his parents. Both Hakeem and Dr. Mum knew very well that if Raheem gave his word to execute a task, it would be done without fail; conversely, if he flatly stated that something was impossible, no force on earth could alter his conviction. For this reason, both parents secretly harbored a deep fear of the day he might tell them "No"—because his "No" was an absolute, unbreakable wall.
Raheem personally contacted his father to deliver the news: he was officially getting married to a woman from Morocco whom he had chosen to accept.
The moment the Admiral received the news, he knew his ex-wife had successfully checkmated him. He recognized that she would never allow their son to settle down in Nigeria, and given her status as his mother, her maternal authority over the boy was legally and culturally absolute. By binding Raheem to a woman of her own Arab ethnicity, Dr. Mum had effectively guaranteed that polygamy would be out of the question, ensuring no Nigerian woman would ever enter Raheem's household.
An intense bitterness and profound anger gripped the Admiral's heart for the second time since their divorce. However, he also recognized that if he chose to fight or reject the union, it would only create severe operational and personal distress for Raheem. Yielding to logistics, the Admiral gave his official blessing to the marriage. He dropped his aggressive posture, choosing instead to rely on Raheem's fierce independence. Raheem carried the elite Jeerah blood line, but he was no longer a impressionable child; he was a starkly independent man who operated entirely on his own rigid principles—principles so sharp that even the old Admiral hesitated to cross them.
The news of Captain Raheem Hakeem Jeerah's impending wedding erupted across high society and the extended family, triggering widespread celebrations. However, within his paternal Nigerian family, the news was received with cold disappointment due to the bride’s foreign origins. The eligible young women of the Jeerah clan, who had spent years harboring silent dreams of capturing his heart, finally relinquished all hope. They knew the fierce, protective reputation of the Moroccan tribe he was marrying into, and they knew Raheem’s intensely reclusive, deeply introverted personality. His lifestyle was so detached that he barely tolerated human company, making the prospect of managing a polygamous household an absolute impossibility. They all recognized that this union was entirely the handiwork of his mother's brilliant manipulation, rather than any sudden romantic desire on Raheem's part.
On his end, Raheem made a conscious, disciplined effort to open his mind to Meenah Wahab, wondering if she could somehow find a way to occupy his empty heart. He possessed absolutely no concept of romantic love or courtship; he simply reasoned that since she was entering his life, she would have to be the one to teach him how to love, eventually earning sole ownership of his soul. So long as she was capable of that feat, he had no objections. She would be the only woman in his life forever; he had no need or desire for another.
His impending wedding accelerated the final preparations for Nasir’s relocation. Nasir successfully wrapped up his national youth service assignment and finalized all his international travel visas and paperwork.
True to his personal convictions, Raheem had absolutely no intention of forcing his bride to live in Nigeria. He was fully prepared to provide her with his undivided care, protection, and devotion, deeply respecting the fact that she was abandoning her homeland, her elite circles, and her family to choose a life with him. In his eyes, her sacrifice earned her the right to absolute peace, and he would never permit anyone to bring distress to her doorstep.
Meanwhile, Mommy Zainab's pregnancy had advanced significantly just as the travel departure date drew near. She experienced a profound sense of sorrow and impending loneliness at the thought of separating from Maamah and Nasir, yet her heart swelled with genuine joy for their advancement. She spent her personal savings purchasing premium gifts and essentials for them to take abroad. She even took the time to personally roast and process a massive batch of high-grade local groundnuts and cashew nuts for Dr. Mum, remembering that the elegant woman had expressed a deep fondness for them during her brief stay in Nigeria.
With exactly two weeks left before the international departure, Captain Raheem Jeerah landed in Nigeria, planning to coordinate final logistics from there before flying directly to Morocco for the wedding.
On the night of his arrival, Nasir stayed over at the Jeerah estate. In the dead of night, at exactly 2:00 AM, the sharp ringing of his phone shattered the silence. It was a call from Baba Khalil.
Confused and startled out of a deep sleep, Nasir reached for his phone on the bedside drawer, his eyes widening when he confirmed the caller ID. He sat up abruptly, answering the call with an anxious voice.
Baba Khalil was standing over Zainab, who was currently hovering on the brink of death. Maamah was holding her tightly, trying to stabilize her. Gasping for breath, Baba Khalil urged Nasir to rush home immediately with the vehicle; Zainab's labor had taken a sudden, dangerously heavy turn, and her body was failing to deliver the child naturally. A home birth was no longer an option; they needed an emergency hospital intervention.
All traces of sleep vanished instantly from Nasir's system. He swung his legs over the frame, threw on a set of clothes in a blind panic, snatched his car keys, and sprinted out of the wing, completely forgetting to stop by Raheem's private quarters to alert him.
He drove like a madman to the family house. Arriving at the gates, they quickly loaded the agonizing Zainab into the back seat and sped off toward the medical center, Nasir's heart hammering against his ribs at her deteriorating condition.
He brought her straight to a premium private hospital where he had consistently maintained her prenatal care records. The medical team took one look at her critical state, immediately took charge of her stretcher, and wheeled her into the emergency wing, leaving the family outside in an agony of suspense.
A few minutes later, a medical receptionist emerged with a stack of urgent billing documents for immediate clearance. Nasir snatched the papers and rushed down to the hospital pharmacy to clear the expenses.
Zainab’s labor contractions had dragged on far too long, causing her vitals to spiral dangerously. The obstetricians exhausted every conventional method to facilitate a natural birth, but her body resisted as her blood pressure skyrocketed to lethal levels. The medical team diverted all immediate efforts toward controlling her hypertension first.
Amidst the absolute terror and panic over Mommy Zainab's critical condition, the horizon began to brighten with the first rays of dawn. The chief surgeon finally emerged, declaring that an emergency Caesarean section (C-section) was strictly mandatory to save both mother and child.
Without a second thought, Nasir settled the entire surgical fee on the spot. They were directed straight to the hospital laboratory because the bank required two immediate pints of matching blood; both Nasir and Baba Khalil would have to donate a pint each.
While they were undergoing the blood extraction process in the lab, Raheem placed a call to Nasir’s phone, having noticed his friend's unusual absence at the estate's mosque for the Fajr morning prayers. Nasir quickly explained the life-or-death crisis unfolding at the clinic before hanging up.
True to his unyielding discipline, Raheem completed his morning high-intensity workout routine—a foundational habit he maintained every single morning without fail. Skipping breakfast entirely, he threw on a matching pitch-black Balenciaga sweatset that draped perfectly over his massive frame. He pulled a black Bvlgari beanie down to completely conceal his thick, long hair, and adjusted a matching black face mask over his nose and mouth. He despised attracting crowds, and experience had taught him that his striking appearance caused people in Nigeria to openly gawk at him wherever he went, making the face mask an absolute necessity. On his feet were a pair of pristine designer sneakers.
By the time his luxury vehicle pulled into the hospital parking lot, Nasir and Baba Khalil were still restricted to the laboratory recovery beds following their blood donations. Mommy Zainab’s condition had become so critical that the surgical team could not afford to wait a single minute; they rushed out with the consent forms, seeking an immediate family signature. Finding Baba Khalil unavailable, they presented the legal documents to Raheem.
Exhaling a long, calm breath, Raheem stepped forward and firmly signed his name on the surgical consent forms, authorizing the operation.
Maamah stood rigidly by his side as the medical team wheeled Zainab into the operating theater, just as the lead specialist arrived at the clinic.
By the immense grace and divine mercy of God, the emergency surgery was a flawless success. They successfully delivered a breathtakingly beautiful baby girl, who inherited absolutely none of her biological father’s physical features, taking entirely after her mother’s radiant, fair complexion. As the theater nurse emerged from the operating room, holding the newborn wrapped securely in a pristine, incredibly soft white swaddled blanket, she bypassed the waiting room and respectfully handed the infant directly into the arms of Captain Raheem Jeerah, recognizing his authoritative signature on the consent documents.
Raheem froze mid-motion, his eyes locking onto the gently squirming, fair-skinned infant whose eyes were tightly shut. He felt a sudden, profound thud against his chest; he had never held a newborn baby in his entire life. In truth, he had never even been in the physical presence of an infant, having lived a life entirely isolated from his extended relatives. While two of his naval colleagues in America had recently celebrated births, he had only viewed their children through digital photographs to extend his formal congratulations.
As he stood there, paralyzed by a sudden hesitation to drop his rigid posture for the fragile child, Nasir stepped out of the lab and approached him. Looking from Raheem’s stunned expression to the tiny bundle, Baba Khalil opened his mouth and said softly:
"Captain, please receive her properly. For all intents and purposes, you are her parents."
Raheem adjusted his arms, accepting the fragile bundle against his broad chest. Letting out a long, silent breath, he felt a profound, unfamiliar weight settle over his hands and heart. Fixing his bright eyes on the newborn's face, he softly whispered, "Masha Allah," followed by a series of beautiful, protective prayers. He studied her tiny face a third time, catching a distinct, subtle trace of his dear friend Nasir mirrored in her delicate newborn features.
Nasir, whose soul was instantly captured by an overwhelming, fierce affection for the child, watched as Raheem carefully transferred the bundle into his arms. Nasir received her with a whispered "Bismillah," feeling a powerful spiritual connection to the girl that instantly transcended even his deep love for her older brother, Al-Amin.
He offered deep prayers over her before passing the infant to her biological father, Baba Khalil, who performed the traditional call to prayer (Adhan) softly into her tiny ears. The old man then handed her back to Nasir, officially pronouncing her name to the world: SANAAH KHALIL MUHAMMAD.
Nasir whispered the name into her ears first before announcing it aloud to the gathering. Baba Khalil repeated the name, offering powerful prayers for her to grow in health, achieve ultimate fulfillment, and remain under the divine protection of the Almighty throughout her earthly journey.
Maamah was completely overcome with joy at Zainab's safe delivery. She remained stationed at the hospital, personally nursing her daughter-in-law for a full week until the medical team officially discharged them. Once back home, she continued her dedicated care, maximizing their remaining days together before the big move.
The family decided to bypass the traditional two-week waiting period for the formal naming ceremony; if they delayed the event, Nasir and Maamah would already be across the Atlantic.
Captain Raheem Jeerah personally dispatched two massive bulls and two premium rams to Baba Khalil’s house for Baby Sanaah’s naming feast, a grand gesture executed out of his deep respect for Nasir, who had completely invested his entire heart and soul into the newborn girl.
Nasir absolutely refused to let Baba Khalil spend a single kobo of his own money on the event; he personally financed every single necessity, luxury, and outfit for both the baby and her mother. Zainab, watching his absolute devotion, playfully teased him, declaring that she had officially fulfilled her old childhood promise of giving birth to his future wife.
Whenever they shared this running joke, Baba Khalil would simply chuckle from the sidelines, recognizing it as mere lighthearted banter; Nasir would obviously not remain a bachelor waiting for Zainab's daughter to grow into womanhood just to marry her—by then, the age gap would be far too wide for any practical marriage.
When Baby Sanaah reached exactly two weeks of age, Nasir and Maamah officially boarded their flight and departed the shores of Nigeria. Their hearts were filled with a profound, aching longing for the little girl—especially Nasir, who solemnly vowed to her parents that he would personally shoulder the absolute financial responsibility for her entire upbringing, ordering them to notify him of any need, no matter how small, so he could clear it instantly.
The very day after their arrival in the Kingdom of Morocco, the formal wedding solemnization (Daurin Aure) of Captain Raheem Hakeem Jeerah and his bride, Meenah Wahab, took place. The lavish wedding festivities had already kicked off days prior to the groom’s arrival, and virtually the entire elite Jeerah family clan had flown into Morocco to witness the high-profile union.
The marriage was successfully solemnized in an atmosphere of immense luxury, absolute peace, and honor, attended by global dignitaries and power brokers whose presence no one had ever anticipated, bringing the historic event to a flawless, magnificent close.
