Am Able - S01 E36

3 years ago

Am Able - S01 E36

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 36

Fatimah.

“Fatimah, you have a visitor!” Said one of my cousins, Habiba. “He’s outside, fair and tall…”

Yusuf! My mind gave me. But what was he doing in our house, what if he was caught? Indeed he would face my father’s wrath if anything of that nature should happen. Yes, because my father would not take it lightly.

“Okey, inazuwa” I muttered.

“Toh” Habiba said and left my room.

Today was a day to Munir’s wedding Fatiha, a day to the day he would finally leave our house and live with his wife in his house at Unguwan Sarki. It wasn’t close to us, and I really was so happy because I would not be seeing his sorry ass more often like before.

Bismillah… I carried my hijab from the bed and gently wore it. Actually, meeting Yusuf without hijab could lead to one thing or the other, and I didn’t want us to quarrel again.

“Ina za ki?” My mother asked where I was going to immediately I walked downstairs.

“I want to… to buy something” I lied.

“Something like what?” She queried.

“Hmm” I sighed thinking about what to say. “My pad has finished, I want to buy ano…”

“Where is your money?” She snapped at me.

That moment, I felt like the whole world was on my head because I didn’t carry any money with me — not even my phone. Oh God, what on this planet earth should I tell her? I sighed.

“I think I forgot it!” I said after doing my fake search around my body. “Let me go and get it”

“Wait!” She said before I could head back to my room. “Buy me fresh Kunun Aya from…”

“Maman Badamasi’s shop?” I cut in.

“Hmm, yes!” She smiled and continued. “Two please, and keep it in your room because… I don’t want all these visitors to put their eyes”

“But we can buy many, mum” I said.

“Ke, they have been drinking and eating since the day they came. Allow them to rest please, I am even eager to see all of them off after the wedding fatiha tomorrow In Shaa Allah” She uttered in what seemed like a whisper. Thus, told me to hurry up and go before she changes her mind. Actually, she loved taking junks these days. Could she be pregnant or something? One minute you would see her taking something, another minute it would be something else. Well, she better not be pregnant because… I didn’t want any sibling anymore.

As soon as I went back to my room, I took my bag and then headed out with it. Inside, I had my phone and some money. It was cool how my mother fell for my trick, but I guess it was deliberate… in order to send me, you know…

Anyways, happy me!

When I went out, I saw Yusuf leaning by his car. He was swiping through his phone and was smiling. What was making him smile? Someone? It better not be a woman because the whole world would hear us this instant.

Yes, because I loved him!

“Good evening, sir!” I said as soon as I walked over to him and stood gallantly at his front. I wasn’t smiling at all. “Why were you smiling?”

“Smiling?” He wrinkled a brow for a moment before recalling he had been smiling recently. “Oh, it’s this… look at it” He showed me one of the pictures his sister snapped playing with her Arabian fiance. “Anwar said she hates the picture because she believes she looked ugly in it. Actually, the picture is very funny sosai”

“Mtsww, not funny” I rolled my eyes, looking for his trouble. I loved doing that, certainly!

“Not funny, right? And if I should kiss you right now and hold you…” He was saying when I covered his mouth with my hand.

“Remember where you are” I gulped and continued. “In front of my father’s house”

“Hmm” He nodded his head smiling.

“Good!” I huffed taking my hand off his face. “Plus I think I had warned you to desist from uttering such words, why are you stubborn?”

“I am sorry, baby…” He said.

“Don’t baby me!” I snapped at him.

“Toh, Hajiya Fatimah…” He said making me to laugh very hard. “So, how was the Nupe day?”

“Ban je ba” I said adjusting my bag’s strap.

“Why didn’t you go?” He asked.

“Khadijah’s house isn’t really close and I have a lot to do, so I decided to stay…” I expounded.

“Okey, good” He huffed and continued. “Just came to see you, I had been thinking about you since… I couldn’t concentrate at home!”

“Sannu Romeo” I said walking to the other front door of his car. “Take me to the main street, my mum sent me to buy something”

“Okey” He said. Thus, we both hopped into the car and continued our random talks before we eventually reached the place. I hopped out of the car and he followed me to the shop. I was even lucky because the woman was just about closing for the day. It was magrib, you know…

Hence, I bought what my mother sent me to buy and we went back into the car. “Kunun Aya by this time?” Yusuf rose his brow, and as speechless as I was I nodded my head. It would sound awkward if I should pour out what was in my mind to him, so I kept mute.

While he was driving me home, he brought up a topic again and we started discussing until his phone began ringing. He picked it and the next thing he did after that was to scream. Yes, he screamed and began chanting “Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun” as he pulled over the car by the roadside. “Ok, I am on my way coming!”

“What happened?” I asked the moment he dropped the call. Actually, I was shocked.

“It’s my parents, they were shot along Mandela Junction today…” He uttered.

“Shot??” I puzzled.

“I… I need to check them. Please find a cab home, we will talk later kinji?” He uttered.

“No, why not we go together?” I suggested.

“Just go home please, and… don’t make it known to anyone yet” He said, trembling.

“Okey” I muttered about stepping out of the car when he held my hand and told me he loved me more than himself. “I love you too

“Thank you!” He said.

Thus, I stormed out of the car and watched him as he drove away in a high speed. That moment, I felt a hard punch in my heart. It was as if a part of my heart was carved out.

Ya Allah, take care of him for me!

I heaved a sigh, looked for a cab and went home. The moment I stepped into my room, I took off my bag and threw it on the bed. Same as my hijab too. And just as I was about to call Yusuf, his text message popped up on my screen; “Please Fatima, pray for my parents”

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