“Ya Manal, Baba is calling you” Nafisah said as soon as she bounced into my room. “Now fa!”
“Na ji!” I said withdrawing from my bed.
“Toh” She said bouncing out.
It had been nearly four months since I left Kano but there was no single day I would not think about Idris and his daughter, Amani. I so much wanted to call him but my father had forbade me from doing that, and also forbade me from texting or messaging him. It was a grave torture but I had no option but to accept it that way. Idris on the other hand totally cut his ties with me, not a single call or text message from him and his WhatsApp account had turned blank – perhaps he had blocked me.
Talking about Idris, Ya Qasim had been showing up in our house ever since I returned. He was always paying us visit, even today he came and not alone, he came with a bag of rice and 18ltr red oil, perhaps his parents sent him. And if not his parents, why would the Ya Qasim I knew do that for free? As stingy as he was??
Bismillah… I withdrew from my bed, put on my veil and walked out to my father’s chamber – where he used to see his people as the district head of our area. As soon as he saw me coming, he suspended everyone in order to have a privacy with me. I greeted him and he nodded slightly before clearing his throat for a talk.
“Do you like the job?” He asked. He had few days ago got me a job in NECO headquarters.
“Yes” I said as I sat down and faced down.
“Good,” He said and continued. “When are you starting? Tomorrow or next week?” He asked.
“Next week” I responded.
“Why not tomorrow, is it not Wednesday?” He uttered and I could tell he was glaring at me.
“I already talked to the management” I said.
He heaved a sigh and asked me to look into his eyes. Actually, that was very odd. “Manal, Manal, Manal!” He screamed very hard. “How many times did I called you?” He queried me.
“Th… three times” I stuttered.
“Forget about Idris, forget about Idris, forget about Idris…” His words pierced my body and before I knew it I was already in tears. “He’s not yours and you’re not his, and by the way I am planning on marrying you off to Qasim…”
“What?!” I didn’t know when I screamed. “No baba, please don’t do that to me dan Allah…”
“Look Manal, that boy really loves you and I trust him he won’t cheat you. Can’t you see how generous he is? He’s the best…” He said.
“Ni bana son shi, I don’t love him!” I cut in.
“How dare you raise your voice while I speak? And in my chamber? Get out of here!” He said.
That moment, I could not control my tears. I stood up and walked out of his chamber.
So Ya Qasim hadn’t give up on me after all that had happened between us? After turning down his proposal? Well, shame on him and I would make sure I remind him that I didn’t love him!
“Where is Ya Qasim?” I asked Nafisah as soon as I reached the living room. She was watching film with our stepsister, Asiyah. “Where is he?”
“He’s upstairs with Ya Farouq” Asiyah uttered on Nafisah’s behalf. Verily, Nafisah looked so shocked, she had never seen me in such tears.
“Okey!” I said as I headed upstairs.
Immediately I bounced into the room without Salaaming I found them playing video games.
“Ya Manal, is everything okey?” Farouq asked.
“Get out!” I yelled at him.
“Okey” He said and unhesitatingly left.
Thus, I shut the door and turned to Ya Qasim with a glare. “What did I told you before? I said I don’t love you, isn’t it?” I queried him.
He sighed and stood from where he was sitting in. “But why, Manal? Am I not handsome? Am I not nice, am I not… Haba, Manal? Why can’t you just have mercy on me? Why can’t you just love me?” He said perhaps thinking I would be touched by his utterance but I literally wasn’t.
“Just stay away from me kawai, there are other women out there!” I uttered about leaving the room when he said something that halted me.
“I am afraid I can’t stay away from you, I am going to marry you Manal because I love you” He said and that made me to walk up to him.
“Wai ni kadai ne a duniyan? Am I the only woman in this world that you so much want to be with me? Nace bana sonka, dole ne wai? Please leave me alone!” I yelled at him in tears.
“I wish I can, but I can’t” He said trying to hold me. “Whenever I look at you Manal, I feel safe”
“Don’t touch me!” I said drawing back. “And if you don’t stay away from me I will make sure I… I make your life miserable dan uban ka!” I added and left him there perhaps perplexed.
Today, Monday, marked the third week since I got discharged from the hospital’s bed. Yes, hospital’s bed and I had fully resumed work already. A sackful of thanks to Allah, and also to Aisha who had been with me all the time.
“When is Rumaisah leaving?” Aisha uttered as we ate together in a restaurant at the hospital.
“The engagement is going to commence in six days time but she’s going tomorrow” I uttered. Actually, Rumaisah would be going back to our family house for her engagement with Mansur.
“Wow, is she going with Amani?” Aisha asked.
“No, Amani stays… due to school” I muttered.
“Amani is staying? But who’s gonna be with her when you are off to work?” She queried.
“Salim’s wife, I already talked to her” I said.
“What? Manal’s relatives?” She was so puzzled. She had heard a lot about all of them from me.
“Yeah” I uttered gulping a glass of water.
“Why take her to them when you have me? Why can’t you just marry me?” She muttered.
And here she goes again… I sighed. She was sure to talk about marriage whenever we are together, why did she even love me this much?
“Aisha please…” I was saying when she cut in.
“You don’t love me, do you?” She said looking straight into my eyes while wearing a sad face.
Of course I didn’t love her, but why would I admit it to her? That would hurt her pretty bad and I practically disliked hurting people.
“It’s not like that…” I said as she cut in again.
“Then marry me, marry me kawai!” She said.
Her words came out promptly, rendering me speechless. I had to think before proceeding to talk. “I will think about it, but Amani would have to stay with them for now, okey?” I said.
“Fine!” She said moving her hands towards mine on the table. “I love you, forever Idris”
And now, I was trapped in a jungle. What on earth would I tell her? I wasn’t the type of guy that would tell a girl he loves her meanwhile he doesn’t. I would rather change the topic than to lie to her. “I… I think we should order for another round, I really like this fried rice!” I falsely said taking off my hands from hers.
“Okey then” She smiled slightly.
We had a very pleasant dinner and later on she left for home while I stayed for my night shift. Thus, in the early morning I signed out and drove back home. Amani was very happy to see me back, I met her eating breakfast with Rumaisah so I joined them. I was very lucky to have a daughter like Amani, small but mighty. She didn’t have problem living with people unlike other children, she could easily start calling you her mother if you show her love, the only person she had never replace was me. She had never call anyone her father except me.
When Rumaisah left, Amani cried and I found it hard to calm her down thus I decided to call Manal. It was a terrible idea because she had moved on, but I literally had no other choice.
The phone ranged for almost forever before she finally picked up. And when I heard her voice, my heart melted. “I need your help…”
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Thank you for reading #InsideArewa
Yes I know, the chapter is short but dont worry okey? Another one is on it’s way, In Shaa Allah.
Written by Mohammed Abubakar KingMoha, Inside Arewa
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