Same religion, different ethnicity! This story practically revolves around the relationship between two culturally different persons, and the challenges they faced in getting the approval of their parents in their inter-tribal marriage.
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When Manal told me she was pregnant months back, I didn't hesitate in paying her a visit the following day. It wasn't easy though, her father expressed how furious he was with me. Even after telling him the whole story, he said I was the one at fault but was I? To me it wasn't my fault in the beginning, I was hugged by Aisha without my consent, thus Manal's stepmother snapped and sent the picture to Manal without my knowledge. That made Manal to practically change, and I eventually changed too when I couldn't take it anymore. So, was it my fault?
Nevertheless, it was already a history now. I was pardoned and warned never to let my anger take full control over me, and never to pretense indifferent again. I accepted all the terms and drove back home in a convoy of Manal's car and mine — she was driving behind me with Amani accompanying her. It was a great day, things really turned out to be more easier than I thought it would be. And that really reminded me of what some people used to say, that true love exist only when two lovers becomes true lovers by forgiving each others' faults and loving each other more.
Days chameleon into weeks, and then weeks chameleon into months. Today happened to be Wednesday, I was at work when Manal phoned me that our baby was about coming to the world. I was absolutely scared, that was exactly what Safinah told me when she was about giving birth to Amani. Hence, I organised an Ambulance and brought Manal to the hospital. She was really scared and was trembling while holding me tight as the midwives wheeled her to the Labour Room.
"Pharmacist Idris, wait here" A midwife said.
"Okey" I said unleashing the tears in my eyes.
"I will die just like Safinah, right?" Manal said.
"No, you won't die In Shaa Allah" I said and pecked her hardel and forehead. "Be strong, for me and Amani. Keep your trust in Allah"
"Okey, okey..." She uttered as the midwives separated us. "I love you, Idris. I love you!"
"I love you too, Manal!" I squealed in tears.
******
After apprising Manal's stepmother who was very busy in the ward she was taking care of, she notified the rest of the family and thus they arrived. Manal's parents, and then Nafisah, Farouq, and also Asiyah. They told me not to worry but I was so worried as the flashes of lifeless Safinah kept lingering in my mind. I didn't wait for someone to tell me to go to the mosque and pray, I took excuse from Manal's family and ran to the hospital's mosque. There, I prayed 50 Nafilas (voluntary prayers) before lifting my hands to Allah and supplicating for Manal's safety and that of our baby, the one she was in the process of delivering for me.
I kept supplicating until someone called my name. It was Farouq, thus he walked to me with a smile and whispered into my ears the words I had been expecting. "She has delivered a bouncing baby boy, and the midwives said both of them are healthy"
"Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah Ya Rabbul Alamin, Alhamdulillah Ya Haliqul Bariyu. Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah!" I chanted.
We headed to the ward she was taken to, that was when I realised she had given birth for almost an hour before they called me. They said they wanted to make sure she was perfectly fine before they interrupt my prayer. I was so happy when I held the baby, and more happier when I acknowledged Manal's bravery. It was a joyous day, everyone was so happy including Amani who never wanted the baby out of her sight. She would stare at him like a diamond.
Life, according to AmirahJulde is an epitome of sweet and sour, an epitome of bitter and sweet. And life is not bed of roses, it offers you honey today, and decides to hand you lime the next. In the story of my life, the story of Manal and how we ended up together after a gigantic adventure, I believe you all know that life has a funny way of teaching us lesson, sometimes all we can do is despair. But despair? No, we shouldn't despair. We should always pray and leave everything in the Hands of our Lord.
******
On the day of our baby's naming, happiness could be seen on the faces of everyone. Even Qasim was happy for us, he had changed. We named the baby after my father, Abdulmalik. The house was brimful by family members and well known visitors from different places. We ate, gist, poked fun, prayed and in the evening people drastically reduced. And that was when Qasim approached me privately and humbly implored for my forgiveness for everything that he had done to me and Manal in the past.
"Oh, come on! It's a thing of the past" I said.
"Yes, just forgive me" He begged.
"Okey, I've forgiven you" I said with a smile.
"Thank you so much, sir" He smiled as well.
"You are welcome" I said about turning to leave the scene when he called me. "Yes?"
"Can I tell you something?" He said.
"Go ahead, I am all ears" I said.
"Okey sir" He cleared his throat and continued. "On your wedding day with Manal, I met a girl I couldn't take my eyes from. She was very hot, beautiful... and before I knew it I had started thinking about marrying her. I truly love her"
"Hmm, so... what can I do for you?" I gulped.
"I want you to help me out" He said.
"Help you out? And why me?" I queried.
"Because she's your sister" He said, and that really made my heart to nearly miss a beat.
"Rumaisah?" I asked.
"Yes, her... please" He said.
That moment, I was so speechless. So I nodded my head and thence left the scene with lot of thoughts pacing my mind. Rumaisah had so much wanted to marry Mansur, their wedding date had even been fixed but something tragic happened and since then she had been single. Now, Qasim was asking for my help to get him her attention but why would I do that? I didn't really trust him, his intension might be dirty.
After the naming ceremony, I mean the day after it, I discussed with Manal about it and she told me she knew about it, that Qasim's sister told her everything and that Qasim had started fasting and praying in order to get Rumaisah's attention. But she said she didn't want to interfere, so she literally kept quiet.
The matter was too strong for me the fact that I didn't trust Qasim, thus I put the matter into prayer and God showed me in dream a smiling Qasim with a happy Rumaisah strolling in the beach alongside two beautiful kids. I wasn't good at dream interpretation so I asked my father, thus he broadly smiled and told me to ask Qasim to come over with his parents. And that was exactly what literally happened. Goodbye!
♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠ T H E E N D ♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠
INSIDE AREWA
Written, Edited And Published By
Muhammad Abubakar (KingMoha)
November 14, 2019 to
January 30, 2020
Special thanks to Allah, without Whose help nothing can be accomplished. And to my readers everywhere. I really appreciate it and I truly love you all. I hope that we meet in my next book. Goodbye to you all. I will miss you.
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