I Am Able - S01 E60

3 years ago

I Am Able - S01 E60

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 60

Farzana

My life as the daughter of a famous tycoon in Nigeria wasn’t as perfect as people thought it was. Of course I was taken cared of, but what is the point? The fact that I was born outside wedlock! It pains me to read histories on the internet about my father and his bad habit of sleeping with women. The most painful of all was how my mother refused to stay in all her marriages hoping my father would someday marry her. She had been married off twice in the past ten years but all she did was create mess that will get her divorced untimeously!

She really loved my father, but he didn’t love her in return though he used to spend on her like something was between them. Well I was the one in between them and I was the reason he opened her all the three grocery stores she owned in Jigawa. She used to make so much money and used to spend on me and herself. And every month, my father would send her money for my health, school fees, and so on. I was a sickler, yes… a warrior but you could hardly know because I was well taken cared of by my parents. They loved me ultimately.

I had been living in Jigawa for ten years now with my mother, the only times I’d left it was during eid celebrations or if my stepmother, Fatimah Bulama gives birth. That’s when my mother would send me to my father’s house which of course was in Minna. I would stay there for sometime before returning back to my mother. Thanks to that tradition, I was now familiar with everyone in my father’s family. Including my two cute step siblings, Abba and Raliyah (Ummie). I loved them. If you see us together, you would never know we were step siblings due to our similarity…

Buzzz!

Buzzz!!

Buzzz!!!

My phone vibrated , it was a call from… my mother. Actually, I was on my way to Minna. Zulu College had offered me admission into their school to study medicine, hence my mother insisted I must pack to my father’s house and stay since the school was also in Minna. She said I should only return during semester breaks. She wanted me to be very close to my father, more than close to her.

“Hello” She said as soon as I picked the call.

“Hi, mum” I uttered in an exhausting tone.

“Haven’t you reached Minna?” She queried.

“Yes, but mun kusa In Shaa Allah” I replied.

“Okay, did your dad called you?” She asked.

“Yes, severally. And also scolded me!” I said.

My words made her to scoff… “Actually, he’d scolded me too! For letting you embark into the journey by road. He’s so angry” She said.

“Hmm…” I huffed and remained silent.

“When would you be reaching Minna?” She said and then continued. “Zaku kai asuba?”

“Eh, considering the fact it’s 11pm already. Hanya ne ba kyau wallahi mummy” I said.

“I know, my baby, I know…” She huffed and continued. “May Allah be with you, Ameen”

“Ameen. Goodnight, mum” I said.

“Goodnight, Farzana. I love you!” She said.

“I love you too, mum” I terminated the call.

…

The journey to Minna was exhausting, and just as we arrived at the garage I called my father. It seemed he wasn’t deeply asleep as I thought he was. He picked my call after just few rings and told me to wait for him there. I patiently waited for him in the garage and hopefully, he came few minutes later with a broad smile on his face and before I knew it, he gave me a tight hug. It seemed he missed me a lot. “Don’t you ever journey this far by road, I forbid you from now on!” He said as soon as we averted. Thus, I nodded my head.

“Okay, dad” I said.

“Good!” He said and then loaded my luggage into his car. “Lets go home” He said, hence I hopped into his car and he also did the same.

While in the car, I slept off…

You know, I was so exhausted.

And later on, I was woke up by him.

Yes, we had reached our destination!

It was a very big mansion, the only mansion that was bigger than it in Minna was that of Zaki Group CEO, Ahmad Jaafar Zaki. It was also the

most adorned mansion. I had only been there twice with my stepmum, she was like a sister to Ahmad’s wife, Humairah. Oh, second wife I meant. I think there was Rania.

“Lets go inside…” My father said leading the way. “The servants will get your luggage for you as usual” He added and I nodded at him.

That was how we went into the mansion, and it was like my stepmum was waiting for me. I didn’t know how I managed to resist her tight hug, she hugged me with her pregnancy and asked how I was, and about my journey… and so on. She was a very nice woman, and a very powerful figure in the entire Africa. She was known widely as one of the best CEOs in the entire continent. But as simple as she was, I had never seen her resting all day. If she did not go to work, you would see her helping the maids with their respective tasks… and most of the maids were old. I didn’t just know why.

“Go and pray, while we cook breakfast!” She said smiling at me. She was really beautiful.

“Okay, Aunty Fatimah” I smiled back at her.

“You too, go and pray” She said to my father. And that was how we headed to our rooms. My usual room was upstairs, close to Abba’s room. There was Raliyah’s room after mine, then Abba’s room. Each of the rooms had a bathroom, and was so wide. But only mine had a TV, a DSTv, and a DVD!

…

Assalamu alayna wa’ala ibadillahi sawlihin, I uttered as I gently walked into my room. It wasn’t the same way I left it before, it’d been redecorated but the pictures of me and those of my mother weren’t touched except that of my father, they were replaced with new ones. Next time I will go with my keys, I don’t like it when people mess with my personal stuffs !

I took off my hijab, ornaments and headed to the bathroom. And after performing ablution, I walked out… and to my utmost surprise the servants had already brought my luggage to the room. I prayed fajr and thence said all my azkar before calling my mother. “Mum, Good Morning” I said as soon as she picked the call.

“Morning, Farzana. Kin kai lafiya?” She said.

“Yes, Alhamdulillah” I said with a sigh.

“Ma Shaa Allah, get some rest!” She advised.

“Alright mum, sai anjima” I uttered.

“Yawwa!” She said and then ended the call.

I so much wanted to rest but I was hungry, so I went through my luggage and started arranging all the things I brought with me.

And while doing that, my father walked in. “Food is ready, Farzana…” He said and left. Thus, I stopped what I was doing and then followed him. Abba and Raliyah ran to me immediately I walked downstairs. The two were so lovely, we went to the dining room and ate breakfast before Bala, the driver took them to school. “How is your mother?” My father said while escorting me back to my room. Actually, I was puzzled to hear that.

“I thought you don’t care” I muttered.

“Hmm!” He sighed as we entered my room. “Farzana, you will not understand” He said.

“Then make me understand!” I said sitting onto my bed and folding my arms.”Please”

“Okay then…” He gently walked over to me and sat close to me. “Your mother and I are non-mahram, hence we must becareful on how we interact with each other at all cost”

“Then marry her!” I snapped at him.

“What?” He wrinkled his brows.

“Marry my mum” I repeated.

“I can’t” He shook his head.

“But why, dad?” I asked.

“Because our… our genotypes are no match” He said looking away from me. “I am sorry” His words made me to remember who I am.

A SICKLER!

“But dad, she really loves you!” I muttered.

“I know, my dear” He placed his arm around my shoulder. “She just have to accept the fact that we are better not married. After all, I do take care of her ko ba haka ba?” He queried.

“Haka ne, daddy” I gently nodded my head.

“Good, now you know why I act strange” He said. “So, don’t think I don’t care… kin ji ko?”

“Eh” I nodded again. Thus, he embraced me. Now I understand why he didn’t marry my mother, I personally wouldn’t really like to have siblings with sickled cells like me but that would surely happen if he marry my mother. As a sickler , you live the life of a warrior. Yes, always battling to survive!

…

My Dear Diary,

People hardly understand the impact of what they do until it becomes a problem to them. If you are to ask many of the people about their genotypes especially in Nigeria, they’d tell you they don’t know. Some will just guess, and all this can lead to regrets after marriage because marrying someone whose genotype does not match with yours can lead to giving birth to sicklers. You will suffer financially, and even emotionally. While your children will have to suffer different health problems all their life. Before you even start a relationship, ask your partner his or her genotype. Know it, to avoid problems that may arise one day in the future.

My dream is to become a doctor, and not just a doctor but a gynecologist. I also wish to own my own hospital where I could help those that aren’t blessed financially. That’s all that I want from my father, I don’t need his company. My siblings can better manage it than me, after all they are more healthy and strong. I believe in Abba, he’s strong an no nonsense. I believe in Raliyah (Ummie) too, she loves being truthful. And only God knows who my stepmother will give birth to this time around , probably the bravest of all. Oh my lord, I can’t really wait!

I would have CEOs as siblings one day.

Yes, the CEOs of DAF Limited …

And Bulama Cooperation !

That is if they did not merge the companies. I suggests they merge and rule them together! On my part, I should manage my own private hospital. Ya Allah, fulfill my dreams please…

Ameen!

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