Lawh-Al-Mahfouz

01: Hadiza.

A hankula ya buda hannuna ya karbi abunda nike riqe da shi a cikin hannu na. Miqewa zaune yayi da ya kalla ya ga what he was now holding in his hand "Deeza" Ya fadi almost breathless "Is this...". Kasa qarasawa yayi dan haka na qarasa masa.

"A pregnancy test".

"Not just a pregnancy test. It is a positive pregnancy test!". Ya fadi now standing "Are you?" Ya fadi na daga masa kai. Daga ni kawai yayi ya fara juya ni round our lavish bedroom, a daidai lokacin clock in da ke ije a nightstand dinmu yayi beeping to alert us that it was midnight, it was a new day and it was no ordinary day; it was our wedding anniversary, the 25th one.

"Oh Hadiza" Ibrahim ya fadi, taking my name for the first time in a long while "This is the best anniversary gift ever. Ya Allah, Alhamdulillah". Shekara ashirin da biyar tare da Ibrahim ban taba ganin irin wannan farin cikin shimfide a fuskar sa ba. The only time I can remember seeing him being close to this happy was the day our daughter called him 'Dada' for the first time.

Dariya nayi kan nace masa "Drop me. I'm getting light-headed" ba musu ya ije ni gefen gado ya zauna qasa gefen qafa na yana fadin "So sorry babe. Have to be careful because of the baby". Ban ce masa komi ba ya dora kan sa saman cinyoyi na kamar dan yaro. Shesshekar kuka na ji ya fara yana fadin "I am so happy Hadiza. Thank you so much for this wonderful gift" Shuru nayi ina shafa kan sa da ba wani gashin kirki sabida tun asalin sa Ibrahim mutum ne me sanqo, tun yana da kuruciyar sa bare zuwa yanzu da shekaru suka fara ja masa gaba daya gashin kan ya ragu sosai.

"Maybe it'll be a boy" ya fadi his excitement visible in his voice "What do we name him?" Be jira ansar da zan basa ba ya cigaba da magana "Oh Allah! Bibi will be so happy to hear this, she'll be a great big sister. In kira ta?". Ya tambaya yana yunqurin miqewa amma nayi saurin kamo shi.

"Saurin mene kake yi" na fadi da yar murmushi "We'll tell her when we go for her graduation. It'll be the perfect surprise".

"Wonderful" Ibrahim ya fadi kan ya miqe ya riqo hannu na yana fadin "Ya kamata muyi nafila mu godewa Allah". Ban musa ba na miqe na bi sa zuwa bandaki muka dauro alwala.

Ina da tabbacin daren ranar Ibrahim yayi barci da murmushi a fuskar sa sabida tsananin farin cikin da yike ciki, his arm was wrapped protectively round my abdomen for the whole night. The macho man exterior aside, my Ibrahim was really a softie; a sweet and attentive lover and that was why I loved him probably more than I loved my own self. Hakan ya sa nike ganin a rayuwa ba abunda ba zan iya bawa Ibrahim ba in dai har ina da halin hakan. Wannan farin cikin da kuma na gani a fuskar sa zan tabbatar da cewa ya zama dawammame. Even if I had to move heaven earth, I'd ensure that. It was the only way i could repay him for his neverending love and loyalty.

For our anniversary, we travelled. Satin mu daya a Maldives Island, one of Ibrahim's so many ways of spoiling me. He had given me 25 presents to mark our 25th wedding anniversary da kuma murnar farin cikin da na basa.

"Things aren't looking so great Hadiza". Doctor Sarah whom we were on a first name calling basis ta fadi mun, mijin ta wanda ya rasu kusan shekaru biyu da suka wuce had been a very good friend of Ibrahim's hakan ya sa muka san juna sosai. Mun dawo tafiyar mu da sati daya ranar ya tafi meeting a garin Abuja nayi using wannan daman naje asibiti.

Ban ansa ta ba ta cigaba da magana "I think it's time to let Ibrahim know". Hakan ya sa na dago kai na kalle ta.

"No Sarah, not now. Kin san me zai faru in na fadi masa yanzu".

"Sai yaushe?". Tambayar ta ya sa na dan tsaya shuru ina nazari. 'Never' na fadi a zuci na, because really if I could then Ibrahim would never hear of this little secret of mine. Bazan taba son yin abunda zai rusa farin cikin da na gani a fuskar sa ba a few nights ago.

"Ba ki da lokaci Hadiza. It is now or never". Doctor Sarah ta fadi all in a bid to convince me "You can buy yourself more time. You know that and you know how".

"We've talked about that already. Ki daina jan mu baya". Na fadi, gradually loosing my patience with her.

"I have your best interest at heart".

"If you do then you'd help me".

"I don't know for long I'd be able to hold this secret for you Hadiza. I can't do this to Ibrahim, da wani ido zan kalle sa randa zai sani?".

Miqewa nayi na dau jakka ta kan nace "I'll be on my way. Ina da abubuwan yi da yawa, next week Bibi zata dawo". Daga nan akalan zancen mu ya sanja ya koma kan Bibi. Proudly nike fadiwa Doctor Sarah cewar nima diyata was now a doctor, ta gama karatun ta zata dawo gida.

"I'll see you before you fly for the graduation". Ta fadi. Murmushi kawai na mata ban ce mata komi ba. Sai da na isa qofar futa daga consultation room dinta tukun ta kira sunana. Koh da na juya ce mun tayi "Think again about it".

But there was nothing to think about, my mind had already been made up. I was going to give another child to my husband, even if that was at the expense of my own life. Even if that was going to be my final act of love to him, I'll make his dream of having a son come true.

Yinin ranar rai na a dagule. Tunani nayi ta yi iri iri, in saki wannan in kama wancan amma ba abunda ya fi tsayawa a rai na kamar memories from twenty-five years ago. What my life had been like at that time and the circumstance which had led Ibrahim and i to each other.

End of chapter 🎊🎉

We're back people!!! Who loved the opening of the story?

So I'm not big on romance books. I don't read much of them, I suck at writing them😂😅 but then this is a story i already know I'll live long to cherish.

Brace up for the emotional journey 😇

Quick fact: the glasses part really happened, t'was how Mr Right and I met😂 but that's a story I'll share with you guys some other time😁.