Forever Yours (A Nigerian Hausa Love Story)✔️

Part Thirteen*

I'm driving to meet baba at home. I don't know what it is but it feels like it's serious.

Earlier.
Like always I went to work and went straight to my cubicle. Then baba's secretary called me that he wanted to see me. I went to his office and sat down. He told me he had a client for me and gave me the client's file.
"Okay I'll go through it now" I say back.
   
Then I remembered mama still wasn't feeling well when I left the house last night so I thought why not ask her husband who probably woke up by her side today, he has to know something.
   
"How is mama feeling?" I ask him.
"I told you. At work we don't talk about personal issues"
I'm confused. What?
"Personal? I just want to know how mama is doing?"
  
"Does she work here? Then why are you asking about someone who isn't related to work?"
  
"Well she's my superior's wife".
"If I wasn't your father will you ask?"
   
"But if you weren't my father I wouldn't know" I answer back. But I notice he's getting angry so I keep my mouth shut.
    "Abu I want everyone in this company to be equal at least based on how hard they work. I cannot be giving my son special treatment" he says back and I nod.

I think he doesn't realize he is already giving me special treatment.
First, he gave me a job where I have my own cubicle. You can only get your own cubicle after you've been working very hard for at least 3years and he gave it to me on my very first day.

Secondly, he just gave me a case, like my own client and not any kind of case. It's the fight about a company between co-CEO's and no newbie can get that. You have to climb up yourself.

Thirdly, he does not complain when I leave work before 5pm. He doesn't say a thing about it.

So tell me, isn't it too late for 'special treatment?'

"I want to see you later when you're off" he tells me.
"I should come see you before you leave?"
"No after work"
    
"Then I'll just leave at the same time. But with my car of course"
"No I want you to go home and see your wife first"
   
"But baba—"
"—Stay quiet when I'm talking Abu! You will go home and then meet me later, Okay?"
    "Okay baba" I say not arguing with him anymore than I have to.

::

Long story short I didn't go home. It's already 8pm and I'm making my way there. I just went to Garba's house and left about 20mins back. I prayed in the mosque and started driving. I really don't want to go home until I have to.
   
I park inside and walk to baba's apartment. I knock on the door and mama opens the door. She hugs me.
What?
  
She leads me in and I see baba seated watching CNN, using dental floss. Probably that was why mama is here, they just finished eating.
 
"He's here" She says smiling.
"Okay, sit" He replies not even bothering to look at me.

I sit obediently next to my mother who held my hands tightly.
He finally looks at me and sighs. Like a relief sigh.
    
"I can see your wife has been feeding you well" he says smiling.
"Yes she has" Well it is true, when it comes to food she always makes excess and the best.
     
"That's good" He says back.
"Is something wrong?" I ask them. They look too cheerful, are they dying?
    
"No nothing actually. We just want to talk to you about something we have been thinking a lot about recently" mama tells me.

No!I hope they didn't roba bank. Because I know jewelry is the only thing that makes mama smile this much.
   
"What is it?" I ask shaking internally. This is even more scary than baba getting angry and trying to beat the crap out of me.
    
"When are you and your wife giving us a grand child?" Mama asks and I see baba's smile grows wider.
I'm dumbstruck.

"We haven't really talked about it" I say back.
Why are they telling me this? Don't they know the whole process that a woman gets pregnant? It's weird talking about it.
   
"But you two have made a step towards it, right?" Mama asks.
I think baba feels a bit awkward since now he has turned his attention back to the New Zealand news.

I am aware it will be suicide to say no so I did what a normal lying bastard would do in this moment. LIE!
  
"Of course mama"
"Then? Why is it taking long? Four months later. Still nothing?"
"Don't worry mama" I say back.

After our whole weird discussion I finally left, in a hurry.
I didn't want to be locked out today too, I don't know what that girl is capable of.
 
But as I parked my car, I noticed another car parked in my compound. Apart from hers. An Audi. The same guy that has been coming.
I jejely go in.
There she was at 10pm with a guy I have never seen before, in my house.
  
"Fauziyya"I call her name.
"You're back?" She asks surprised.
     
"Who is this?"I ask her looking at the guy weirdly. He looked so comfortable in another man's house.
  
"Oh! He's my brother"
"Wait, what?!"
"Yeah he came back a month back"
"Don't lie to me, why wasn't he at the wedding?"
"Because he was not in the country"

Now that I look at him properly, he really does look like her. The luscious hair, small eyes, fair skin and his father's height that she unfortunately didn't get. He's about 6'4 or so.
I smile.

"Nice to meet you"
He doesn't say anything but from the smile on her face I can tell she consciously didn't tell me it was he who bought her a car and drove her to school, she knowingly left the name out. My parents even talk about a child with her, god forbid.

WITCH!!

::

She, her brother and I were seated in the living room. She was busy typing stuff on her phone leaving me in an awkward situation with her brother. I couldn't say a thing, he could beat me to a pulp. He's 7years older than I am.
"So how has your marriage been going?" He asks.
I smile nervously.
  
"Smooth" I say, not confidently.
"Really?" He asks.
"Does it sound different from what she said?"
"No. Not exaggerated enough"
I laugh partially happy she lied to him.

"You two look a lot alike" I tell him.
"Well she and Amir look alike the most"
   
"Amir?" I ask him. Who the hell is Amir?
"You're asking?" He raises his eyebrows.
   
"Of course he knows my brother, our last born. How can't he?" She asks jokingly.
   
"Yeah I do, the cutest but to me you two look alike the most"
"You're the first person I heard say that" he tells me laughing.
  
"Well I'm so tired, I'm going to retire to bed early" He walks out, probably heading to the guest room.

"You really are incompetent"
"What are you saying?" I ask.
"I thought you would stand up and say some bold things to him but you didn't, you're scared"
    
"And what was I supposed to do?"
"He has been going out with your wife every morning without your knowledge, he got me a car and he decided to come and stay in your house without your permission and it's fine with you? I know you and I know you hate it when people do things without asking"
   
"He's your brother he has a right over you"
"There are certain rights that ended the moment you and I got married. Would your mother's elder brother who happens to be older than your father ever think of buying your mother a car without baba's approval? No"
   
"What's your point?"
I ask.
"He undermines you and you're too scared to say a thing to him".
"I'm young and he's older than me so—"
     
"I thought getting married to a bully was unfortunate but today I realized getting married to a coward is worse, it's heartbreaking" she say walking out.

I didn't say anything not because I couldn't but because she was right.
I am a coward.

What do you think:

i. Getting married to a bully who bullies you.
                                     OR
ii. Getting married to a coward who can't even stand up for himself?
Which do you think is better?