CHAPTER 17
Zinar sat down beside Zainab on the oval dinner table that was at the dinning section at Ahmad's house.
Everyone was there; Asiya, Amir, Ahmad and Abdullah their father, Amna was in school. So far things were going well, his parent seemed at ease with her but she was still nervous. She didn't want to come but after she told her mother about Ahmad and that his mother wanted to see her, her mom said she should go. It stood against their culture to visit a boy's house but she accepted to marry into an entirely different culture so she had to take that into consideration. They both had to bend into each other's cultures.
"You're a medical student I hear" his father said "final year?"
"Yes"
"What do you want to specialize on"
"Am not sure there is any specialization yet but if there is I will go for neurosurgery"
"Neurosurgery? ma sha Allah."
"What about your friend?". Zainab had finished her sorting out. She was just waiting for her graduation and then she would go home. They talked a lot about medicine, he asked about what their parents did more so Zinar.
"I think Abu likes you" Amir whispered to Zinar. He was seated beside her while Ahmad was opposite her. He knew she was nervous but he was glad his parent liked her. He gave her a reassuring smile every time she looked at him.
His mother was warm towards them, she told them to call her mamma. She showed them some family album and told embarrassing stories of Ahmad. "He was the smallest of his pair group even Amir was bigger than him but he looked for trouble where ever it was and he'd would run back home when he found it." his mother narrated and they all laughed. Ahmad walked in on them, they were seated on a three sitter the two of them while Asiya was seated on a floor couch with Amir beside her.
"What did I miss?" he asked as he sunk on a sitter not very far from them Zinar. He looked happy and his mother could see that.
"You remember when you cried because you were separated from Khalid in class?" Amir asked Ahmad who was glaring at him
"he rolled all over the school jumping and screaming"
"Maa???" Ahmad said turning a shade lighter. Zainab was laughing wickedly less about the story and more because of his facial expression.
"What? I didn't even tell them about when you only wore underpants." She said and Amir burst out laughing. Ahmad had his eyes like a saucepan. Zinar was trying so hard to muffle her laugh. She kept enfolding her lips but it was obvious that she wanted to laugh. She locked gaze with Ahmad but averted almost instantly. He kept staring at her she looked beautiful. Her milk chocolate skin complexion was almost as smooth as an exotic chocolate. Thinking that she was going to In Sha Allah be his wife felt like a pipe dream.
"You ok?" Zainab asked her. They were in the car waiting for Ahmad to drop them at home.
"Am glad you're here" she said sincerely. She couldn't imagine the turn of events if she were the only one.
Ahmad dropped them off, Zainab waved him good night before getting in.
"Am glad you came" he said. He was walking her to the door.
"Thank mamma for inviting us again" she smiled at him. He told her they were planning on visiting her father that weekend.
"Do you have a date in mind" he asked as if to say her father had told him he had approved of him.
"Date for what?"
"Wedding date".
She stopped on her tracks and looked at him. "You haven't even met him yet" she said with a small smile. A huge part of her hoped that her father agreed. But she was still scared that marrying him was her trial or marriage in general.
"Am being an optimist" he said and she giggled
"Ok, it has to be after graduation" she replied. He had hoped it would be soon like a month from then or so.
"Your wish is my command" he said bowing his head a little.
She gave a short laugh shaking head.
"Do you want your father to accept?" he hated himself for asking her that but his curiosity weighed out.
"Yes, no" she scoffed "I don't know. It's the only thing left, his approval. I just pray what ever he decides is the best for all of us. Good night" she said and got inside living him to ponder on what she said. What if her father says no and it was best for the both of them? He didn't want to think about, it couldn't be, not after all the fasting and the prayers. He shoved the thought away. He had faith that everythings would work out.
Zinar had told her mother about Ahmad. She had a long talk with her mother. Her mother had been praying for her and so was her father, he just didn't think she was ready yet.
"What makes you think you are worthy of my daughter" he asked Ahmad and his ability to speak went out through the window. He had asked about his job, family history and medical history all the necessities.
Her father was an educationist so he was somewhat a natural intimidator. His bulge brown eyes that Zinar inherited pieced right through him.
"Zinar deserves someone who respect's and love her, someone who sees how much of a wonderful person she is. And I do." He finished a bit composed.
"Toh she is studying now, marriage will come after school."
"We understand and we respect your decision " Omar said politely.
"I will wait." Ahmad said sounding the most confident he was since he stepped into the house. Her father told them he would get back to them but most importantly it was Zinar's choice.
The reason he approved of Zinar giving Ahmad a chance was because of Omar and because his wife urged him to give Zinar's suitors all their chances. He usually didnt even go past introduction and he would tell them that she was studying.
"I cannot allow my daughter to marry from people that look down on us and even if you didn't it is not part of our culture" he said firmly to Omar the first time they visited.
"I understand the history between our races" Omar said
"History? This is something that is still happening till date" Abdul Rashid opposed.
"It is the sad truth but things will never be better if the few that want to build bridges are shunned. And about it not being part of culture, I myself am rather a conservative person when it comes to culture but we are first Muslims before we were part of culture." Omar said calmly. They had a few discussions about the racial abuse and that was how he agreed eventually. However, he still wasn't comfortable with the idea of his daughter marrying from another race.
Her dad had done his investigation on all the potential suitors that had come to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage. All that was left was for Zinar to decide whom she wanted and for them to help her choose whom they see fit best and pray for her. He sat down with his wife to discuss the suitors.
"That Adamu boy, he is a bit-" he shook his head in disapproval. He was in the living room eating with his wife.
"And that Ahmad what if something happens? No" he shook his head again "They're there and we're here." He voiced out his concern.
"We just have to have faith and pray, after all she might not even choose him. That Nasr seems like a good boy maybe she might choose him" even she was scared, as much as she wanted her baby married.
"That Nasr, yes he seems ok but I don't trust him"
"No one would ever be good enough for your Zinar".
Zahra'u called Zinar after a few days to ask her if she had made a choice. There was no pressure she still had time to pray and ponder. She hadn't told them she had chosen Ahmad yet, she was busy getting ready for Zainab's graduation.
"I can't believe I won't be around for your graduation party" Zinar said sadly. After graduation she would be alone and she disliked it. She was going back to the dormitory on campus. Zainab was helping her pack after the graduation.
"Don't worry I will send you pictures, I will keep your meat and the snacks that won't get spoilt" she teased. She was going to miss her too, it had been four years but it felt like they had known each other forever. They had so many memories, they stuck to each other through a lot, their friendship wasn't just in school, everyone at their homes knew how close they were, they were basically sister.
Zinar was lying down on her bed. She didn't have any class that day. She had read a bit and got bored. She had been staying on campus for a week then. Zainab had gone home five days after her graduation. The graduation was beautiful, her parents and four siblings were there, Khalid, Ahmad and Amir made it late with gifts and Khalid didn't miss the chance to annoy her. Nafisa and Amna wished they could make it but they had tests.
Zainab, Rose, Maryam, Tima, Aliyu and some other Nigerians that they hung out with were all graduating from different courses.
She grabbed her phone and called her mother. She told her that she had chosen Ahmad.
"Are you sure" Zahra'u voiced out concerned. She prayed that it wasn't some misguided fantasy her daughter was following.
"I have been praying" she answered honestly.
"Ki na sanshi (Do you love him)" she asked her daughter. Zinar was quite, she realized she hadn't really thought of it or maybe she did she didn't want to acknowledge it. She had been so scared about marrying the wrong guy, had been busy praying that she made that right choice that she didn't really acknowledge love. She wanted to do the whole thing the right way and maybe Allah would grant her a blissful marriage. She didn't want to end up divorced or heart broken. The rate at which it was done was scary and heart breaking. And maybe she wasn't addressing love because she knew she felt something and she knew she would find her way to completely fall in love even though that too scared her.
She was quiet not knowing what to reply because she didn't have an honest answer for the question.
"Toh, I will pray and urge your siblings to fast and pray for you even if it's for one day. You know Abakar and fasting. And how ever I feel we would discuss it with you and your father" she took the silent as a shy answer.
After the fasting her mother called and told her that she was comfortable with Ahmad, she hadn't told her husband yet.
"Toh! We have asked for Allah's guidance and it had brought us here, continue praying and May Allah continue to guide us". Her mother had not met Ahmad yet but she had faith in her prayers. She told her husband that Zinar had decided.
"She doesn't have time to be deciding suitors, she should be reading her books. That's why I didn't want any suitors until she had finished, now she would just be distracted" he spat. She looked at her stubborn husband, she wasn't in the mood of arguing.
"Should I tell you whom she chose" she knew the conversation was going to be heated but it wasn't about him. Zinar was their only daughter and she deserved to have a home of her own, even if it was nowhere close to them.
"If he doesn't want to hear I want to hear" his mother- Inna Dudu eyed her son. She sat on the sofa beside her daughter-in-law. Inna Dudu was staying at their house until after her treatment. She was dealing with leg pain and mild diabetes mellitus.
"You want this girl to stay without a husband ne? Don't you want to see her children?" she scolded. She never cared how old a person was, as long as you were her child she might even smack you.
"She will, just after her school"
"Kai! Which school? This girl has chosen a suitor that means she's ready. If not for times have changed rangadediyan mace (Well endowed, mature girl) of her age should have three children by now"
"Inna Dudu, Zinar is not getting married until after school" he replied period.
"Oh ho! Daman you've never listened to a word I say. You know best right? And every time you've gone against me you've failed. Abin da Allah yace ka bi umarni uwa in be sapa ma addini bah (After all Allah said you should follow your mother's instructions as long as it doesn't go against Islam)" it sounded more like a curse to Zahra'u.
"Inna Dudu kiyi hakuri" she apologized on behave of her husband.
"Ah! I don't have the authority to correct my own son." She was a mordacious person.
"Inna Dudu it..."
"Please do what you want" she cut him off with so much bitterness and walked out. Talk of troublesome parent. He rubbed his face with his hands, he looked over at his wife, she had been quiet.
"You think Inna Dudu is right don't you?" he had always known she wanted to see Zinar married, he was sure she was already siding with his mother.
"I want Zinar to finish medical school with the best grades, we have all waited for so long and its months away In Sha Allah. But Inna Dudu's idea is not a bad idea." She answered honestly.
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Well we all want to see Zinar finish medical school and also settle down. Anywho I hope her father approves if not sorry Ahmad😩.
So far what do you think? If you have some crazy fantasy you've thought of lets hear it and maybe it might find it's way to the book.
Vote, comment, share and thank you very much for sticking around❤.