The backyard by the swing area is where Noor mostly wonder her life away, though that evening she held a fat book in her hand reading through pages and living the moment with each character. It's Stephen King's "Dreamcatcher". That day marked a week after she and Isma'il had talked about her birth mother. She's given so much thought to it, like she promised she would. More like the matter wouldn't let her sleep peacefully at night.
So she made a choice that evening.
"Abbah, I will go meet her!" She told her abbah that very same evening after he returned from work.
Abbah took an incredulous look at her. He still have not forgotten her acrimony toward the entire issue. Therefore, he was no less than flummoxed at her sudden change of heart.
"Are you sure about that, Noor?" She only nodded standing by door of his bedroom, which ever since he got married, she haven't stepped in. "Or should we talk about it?" His voice were as soft as the smile on his face.
"No, I made my mind. Just pick a date for me." He knew she have been depressed.
....
The day of my departure came way too quickly, I didn't anticipate or waited for that day to come. Yet, I opened my eyes to this disconsolate day. Asabe has arranged my clothing and everything I will need in the maroon four-wheel Leggerissimo cabin suitcase from Ermenegildo Zegna, which I bought online recently, because I have been thinking of staying in the hostel and considering the Harvard tempting offer.
"Are you trying to get rid of me, Asabe?" I had pointed at the huge box, she chose. It's the biggest of the set of three.
"Of course not, ma'am. I only packed everything you will need, from toothbrush, hairbrush, nail cutter, down to the T."
And Jamila had this expression since I agreed to go with the huge man to wherever he is taking me to meet his sister. I can't exactly pinpoint what that expression means, but my mind was telling me, it's gladness that I was leaving.
"You must be really happy?"
"Of course, I am. You're going to meet your mom, Noor." She said excitedly, I scoffs over the glass of water I was holding to my lips.
"Well, don't be. Because I am not going there forever, I will be back sooner than you expect."
"Noorur-rahman, I'm not your enemy, please. And of course this house will never be the same without you. Just the sight of you makes your abbah so happy, you're his true happiness. I'm only happy that you will reunite with your mother. And the fact that you will experience the warmth of having a mom. I don't mean any harm." And she gently place a hand over my shoulder and pats. "While you take your time bonding with your mom, do it and come back to us quickly." Then she exit the kitchen. For the life of me, I will always wonder whether abbah's wife is real or she just pretending to be good.
"Oh my little bunny!" Abbah coed immediately I entered the living room.
"Abbah!" I was a bit embarrassed with everyone being there. Abbah stood up and walk toward me smiling warmly at me. It's my idea to go after all the tantrum I had put up earlier on.
My heart feels so heavy at the moment, tightening my chest painfully. I blinked twice to do away with my tears. Eight pair of eyes staring at us, as abbah talk to me adorably as if I were five years old.
He chuckles and continue, "everyone knows you're my baby girl and I'm going to missed you so much."
"But I not five years old."
He chuckles again, "take care of yourself, my dear Noorie. Eat well and don't be too picky with your food, okay. Though, don't eat what you don't want or like, but not in the picky way. By the way I have credited your account just now." I smiled at his effort, he's indirectly telling me to rebel on food, though with the amount he sent to my account, I can change a new wardrobe.
"Also, don't give anyone a reason to point a finger at you. You're traveling without me for the first time, Noor. So be mindful of what you do. You're meeting the people there for the first time too. They don't know, Noor and they might not really understand you. So be patient with everyone there, okay?" I nodded. But truly, more than consoling me, abbah was doing that for himself. The gloom on his face have been there since we talked yesterday, oh not just yesterday. Since the day I accepted their offer. For the things to ponder on, I have no idea what he's so scared of.
"You look good too." He is trying hard, I giggles, we're talking between us and I'm sure none of them is hearing, for abbah and I know how to talk without anyone hearing. By the I was dressed in a plain purple abaya over my skinny jean and spaghetti strap top, a white triangle scarf with leaves shaped pattern dripped over my neatly bun hair.
Abbah wrapped his arm around my shoulders and we emerge out of the house with our audience following behind, and the growling sound of my almost too big suit case. One will assume I'm migrating out of the country. Abbah said I should stay with his first ex-wife until our university admission is out. And that way she and I, will get to know each other well. Although, deep down I know I won't spent three to four months with a woman and a family I know nothing about, and that too far away from abbah.
Perhaps, they're all forgetting that this was all for me to ease my curiosity, to see the person that had given a hand to my existence. It's just mundane to do. Therefore, there won't be any emotional business with the woman who abandoned me.
And whatever happens today, I will be strong. I will not shade a tear, abbah is making me emotional though, the look on his face is tormenting. And the hesitation in his gestures reminds me of the second time he went for hajj when I was nine, while leaving me at the Danja's residence, he'd that same expression on his face, something I still can not fully understand. But the best way to describe it, is uncertainty, the lack of assurance of whether I will be or okay not. Moreover, since my outburst he have been extra careful with me. Although, that's not what I want from him. I just want him to be my abbah, the man he has always been. He's perfect for me!
"Abbah, I'm fine!" He smile again patting my shoulder, I'm afraid he will hurt his face from smiling too much today, even Isma'il wasn't doing as much. "Really paapi, I mean it. You're doing the right thing from our part. I will be fine, you know that I know how to be fine, so fine I will be. Do take care of yourself, and call me whenever." And for that brief moment there, my heart sinks, producing a surge of adrenaline that extricate through my vein. My blood will soon run cold!
"I will call you everyday!" And the people who are so eager to see me leave, one of them loaded my luggage at the truck of car we'll be leaving with. I look up to see who it was, only to have my eyes locked with that of the instigator of this all journey (Isma'il).
Of course, he's the traitor and the influencer of all this, and as if I was having a second thought of the whole thing, I glared at him, which he returned with a small smile as always. Really, nothing ever he offends! And I still can't wrap my head around their excitement for me.
"Our flight is in forty minutes Noorur-rahman," my supposed uncle interrupted.
"It's time to go, my kitten. Do pray all the time, okay." We hugged each other and parted ways, I quickly rushed to the black Audi and sat at the back.
The thudding in my chest increment as I clenched my eyes. My mind is so dynamic, more unpredictable than the weather, for all we know if it hits me, Asabe will be carrying my luggage back to my room. And to avoid that scandal, I refused to look back at any of them, for one wrong move from either of them, will change the whole thing.
The car engine soon comes to life and we drove out of surrounding of the place I call home. I sighed immediately, though not out of relief. But for the fact that I was doing something that was entirely not my idea, it's always been my ideas and my choices for a long time now. And today, of all people, I was doing what Isma'il had suggested. He's sure becoming a soft talker
The fact that next to me, is the person my abbah trusted my life with, a person I know nothing about. And If only abbah knew what uncles can do, I know he will have never let this so called person take me anywhere.
I too, might be crazy for driving with these two strangers to God knows where. Okay, maybe I know we're heading to the airport and flying to Sokoto state, but really, I'm not sure if I can trust these people to have gamble my life in such a manner. Nevertheless, I must admit that the most craziest thing I did in a while, was listening to Isma'il with my heart rather than my brains that evening.
But the deed is already done, even though we are still in Abuja, which indeed is very much at home. I couldn't go back on my word, it may be Isma'il's idea, but it's entirely my choice when I decided.
And in between my thoughts, we arrived at the Nmandi Azikiwe International airport where we boarded a flight to the seat of Caliphate.
..............
Our one hour and some minutes journey didn't do justice to my legs, they're numbed and swelled. By the time we disembarked at Sadiq Abubakar III International Airport, the call for magrib prayer can be heard from everywhere. And a driver was already waiting for us there, who helped me with my luggage. There's an obvious change of weather.
It's August, luckily. I have heard of the crazy weather of this place, the heat and their prominent giant mosquitoes. Habiba, a girl I knew from PIC, back I when was in the hostel, told me that here in Sokoto they have two kind of mosquitoes, those that comes at the early hours of the evening and those that comes later.
Anyway, we arrived at my supposed uncle's big house. The house is sectioned into two flats, though one bigger than the other. And the driver finally halt under the canopy parking lot next to a black toyota, land cruiser prado. From where my eyes can go from inside the car, I take my time to appreciates the beauty of those two white plainted flats from the outside. It's really beautiful house, and that really brought some ease to my mind.
Fortunately for me, I still have a night to sleep over the main thing that brought me to that place. My supposed huge uncle suggested I should rest at his place for the night before the morning.
We're soon warmly welcomed by who I assumed to be his wife. She led the way to the bigger flat, which she earlier came from. While I follow them carrying only my handbag and the homesickness that's building in the pit of my stomach.
When the woman spoke in hausa, it's like she was speaking in a different language. Her Sokoto accent was thick in her tongue and some words she said, I can't really comprehend.
"Masha Allah, Noorur-rahman. You're such a beauty." She added on top of many other things she's said since the few minutes I found myself in her exquisite living room, the furnishings has perfectly fit in. "The last time I saw you, you're only a baby. Time did really past by so quickly." I manage to wear one of my small yet fake smile, so as not to be rude.
Also, I don't really believe I grow up so quickly. It had been a long while since you saw me as a baby, nothing was quick about the process. She try to bring in conservation, but I really have no interest in her stories or what she have to say about anything.
"Can I use the restroom!" I need to excuse myself.
"Of course, dear." She beams and I wonder if they have any children, for I didn't see the glimpse of any. However, later when we sat for rather an uncomfortable dinner due to her noise, she talked about her five children, with one of them being married, a girl. And the rest were out to God knows where. Though, she promised I will get to meet them over the course of my stay.
The next morning I woke up to one of my worst nightmare becoming a reality, the faceless woman that sometimes hunts me in my dreams, we are just a wall apart from each other. After few knocks on the faded off white gate, a woman whom without introduction I can tell who she is, from the way she greeted my companion as I keep a low profile behind him. She surely didn't notice me.
"I didn't came alone, Nafisa." He beams pointing back at me, my blood has already ran cold, and whenever that happened. My emotions also freezes. There I was, with my heart in my throat as I stood in front of my abbah's very first wife. That same woman who happened to unfortunately birthed me. My face was devoured of any emotion and neutrally I stood, waiting to see what the woman would do when she's done staring at me. With her eyes as round as soccer ball and her ajar mouth ready to accommodate flies.
Without much drama she welcomed us into her humble home, and I can't help but compare what she'd left behind and where she is now. Like a clueless child, I sat in front of the pale looking woman. She's even trembling. And I thank God for the day I learnt how to hide my emotion. Indeed, it's a blessing. But later, when I'm alone, I will really need to unleash.
Well, just like in the movies, I at least expected a hug, tears or that big never ending smile, yet nothing comes. I was slightly disappointed. Albeit, I know not to expect anything from the woman who abandoned the baby me. So why care? And just like her, I scan for any similarities between us, yet at that moment I can't figure anything out. I was overwhelmed.
I inwardly grunt. You should just excuse yourself from this temperamental day view. The sensible voice in my head said.
"Is this Noorur-Rahman by any chance, Baban Lalo?" The mention of my name drew my attention back to the woman and the culprit of this mission. I stare between them as the two use eyes language to communicate. "She's Noorur-rahman!" Maybe I imagined it, but she quickly dabbed eyes. "Noorur-rahman!" She stare at me amusingly as tears welled up her eyes.
So she just recognized me.
.....
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And yes, Noorur-rahman is out for adventure.
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