Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Barely even friends then somebody bends unexpectedly.
💔💔
Sometimes being strong is not about being brave and smiling all the time,
Sometimes it's not about acting as if you're the happiest person alive,
Sometimes it's not about holding it together when all it seems to do is fall apart. Sometimes you have to swallow your pride and break down, hug someone who loves you and just cry or get angry.
*Ali*
It had been an agonizing ten minutes since our parents had left the huge living room in which Amani and I were seated across from each other, I don't know what stopped either of us from talking but none had said a thing and the silence was deafening.
"So how are you?" I asked and it made me sound just as nervous as I was, yeah mr keep it cool was losing his cool.
Amani just kept looking ahead at me, and at that moment her eyes glistened a bit. Tears, she was crying.
I got up from across the large living room and walked slowly across to where she was seated with her head looking the other way, so I couldn't see her tears. I approached her and sat down on the chair at her right.
"what's wrong Amani? Why the tears?" I asked in a low tone.
"I don't need you to see me cry, okay?"
Her hands went to her face as she dabbed a bit at her eyes, I instinctively pulled out a handkerchief from my front pocket and offered it to her, she looked at me and my heartbeat increased at the sight of her upset, she looked down at the hanky and took it using it to dab at her eyes,
"breathe" I urged, she just stared at me like she didn't know what I was talking about and I smiled. "in and out, try and breathe,"
After a bit, her breathing seemed to even out and she had visibly calmed down.
"better?" I asked and she nodded.
"I don't want to do this" she whispered
I stayed mute for fear of confirming the statement or for lack of what to say.
"stop looking " she said turning her head the other way and a few tears rolling down her cheeks.
I smiled. "why?" I asked.
She sniffled and dabbed at her eyes, "it's not my best moment" she said after a while.
"you look really beautiful, when you cry" I began and she looked at me, the uncertainty on her face made me continue "when you laugh, when you check the board and frown when you've been posted to the burn unit, after a day of surgeries looking really exhausted, you look beautiful every time"
She kept staring after that and I realized I probably sounded like a stalker or some obsessed lunatic.
"sorry that was uh --- awfully cheesy" I said rubbing my temple.
Amani looked away and smiled, and of course I felt that familiar pang.
"our parents want us to get married" she began. " is that what you want?"
"the more important question is, it it what you want" I replied
"No, I - just answer me please" she pleaded.
I sighed, "honestly in the beginning, I didn't want to get married to some instagram slay queen"
"instagram slay queen?" she repeated like she wasn't sure what that meant.
"well when my father said his friends daughter I jumped to conclusions" I admitted "so I didn't want this, I didn't want to come to the meeting or meet the girl or anything, that was before you walked in here"
There was a bit of silence, "what changed?" she asked
"all the difference it could make," I replied. "I've always wanted to settle down just not with the wrong person, I don't mean to sound cheesy but its true, I'm wrapping my head around the idea of marrying you Amani"
Something changed in her eyes as they bore into mine as if she was searching for something, truth maybe.
"I'm sorry" she whispered before getting up and as quickly as her feet could carry her rushed out of the living room.
I didn't know what to do as I sat there and ran my hands over my face. I knew there wasn't a mistake in what I'd seen in her eyes. She was afraid. Scared of something, I didn't know what it was but whatever it was, the thought that I'd try to bring comfort to her in some way made me hopeful.
*Amani*
I almost ran out of the living room, one thing going through my head, 'what the hell was going on?' first the realization that Dr mukhtar was the man that I was expected to marry, then finding out that he was considering It, there was that damn confusion feeling again. I didn't exactly hate him, hell he was a very nice person as far as I could tell, but that didn't mean that I would want to marry him did it?
I kept walking down the large halls that I'd followed Hajiya Siyam through earlier, trying to remember which exact way it was that we'd come, the walls were beautifully decorated with vintage frames that complimented the cream shimmery walls.
"wondering are we?" I heard a voice I had grown to dread these few days, Alhaji kangiwas voice. I turned to my side and saw an opened door leading to an office with Alhaji standing inside and smiling.
I just stood there looking at him for lack of knowing what to do.
"Shigo, come in here" he said motioning for me to do so and moving behind the large oak desk, my feet slowly moved on their own accord and I entered the large office space, kind of like the one at his main office but not as lavish. I was busy wondering where Ali's parents were when he sat and gestured me to do the same.
"what's wrong? You look like you'd seen a ghost?" he asked so casually.
I didn't say anything but just looked down and intertwined my fingers focusing on pushing down my anger.
He sighed, "I did my digging about what happened with your sister"
That got my attention as my head shot up. "what did you find?" I managed to say.
"A lot" he answered "it's deeper what you think Amani"
I looked up at him too see a focused look on his face and asked "who is responsible for Layla's rape?"
He sighed, "more of who are I suppose, you see this case is linked to lot of people, it's deep as I said---"
"who are these people? "I interrupted, my patience of finding out was running out.
He sighed and rubbed his fading but still silky hair. "before your father died, years before actually he had a business fall out sort of, the company in China that supplied auto parts to his little automobile company here had caught fire and burnt down. He was ruined per say" he narrated.
I began to recall when I was about to enter medical school and Baba would always talk about things being harder for him and things got harder for us as well.
"he had come to me for a loan at the time, he wasn't my favorite person in the world but for your sake I was willing to help, at the time my estates where still under my elder brothers oil companies, we hadn't separated yet, so I couldn't give him a loan on my own." he continued and I sat there listening even though I wondered when he would get to the point.
"I did have an unpleasant talk with him the day he came here though, but I began the process of getting him the loan, what I didn't know was that he had began to seek help elsewhere from a very dangerous man. The mighty drug lord that then lived wherever the shadows of Abuja could hide the atrocities him and his large gang committed. He was like an open secret, everyone knew about him and his dealings but no one dare spoke a word as he supplied drugs to the most affluent and powerful people in Nigeria.
Fear started to creep up my spine in form of a chilly sharp feeling, as Alhaji kangiwa continued to tell me about the way of the underworld that this man ran, he was known simply as Guba, classy right? But the meaning which perfectly translated to poison was not.
I wondered what on earth would have caused baba to take a loan from such a man, as if he'd heard me thinking out loud.
"apparently the streets of Kano had bred both him and alh Suleiman during their childhood days as they went to secondary school together, even I wondered why he went to him of all people but that explains it" he answered.
" I still don't see how this affects layla" I said after a moment of processing.
"Guba never forgives a debt, never. They say even with his dirty line of work he is a principled man who believes in fulfilling promises"
I raises an eyebrow, principles my foot.
"he'd been trying to get back at Alh Suleiman since before his death for not paying him back his money" he paused for a beat " through you, they'd been trying to hurt him through you"
The words "what do you mean?" were on the tip of my tongue but I couldn't bring myself to say them because I was afraid of hearing what he was about to say next.
"God must have somehow protected you Amani when you had no idea that all through the last year alh Suleiman was alive, Guba got his men on failed attempts to harm you and somehow send a message to him."
I didn't dare move after that my body was trembling with fear as I was beginning to get what he meant.
"they tried to attack you whenever you went to school, but there attempts proved non rewarding"
A loud gasp escaped my lips as what I'd dreaded hearing entered my ears,
"they got my sister instead of me" I voiced out suddenly feeling dizzy.
"that's what I would say. " he replied.
I held my forehead, to keep myself from throwing up. What I still didn't understand is why? After all my dad is dead, so why almost kill his daughter for some money, it didn't make any sense.
"I know this is a lot to hear" he began "it can't be easy"
"I still am finding out a few details that I need to know and I'll let you know when I get more information" he added.
"I thought you said you wouldn't help me unless I married you friends son" I blurted out quite rudely.
"about that" he smiled that sinister smile, there we go I was wondering where the evil in him was for a second.
"I need you to sign this" he said pulling out a clipboard with a document on it and a pen and handing it to me.
"I'm not signing anything" I said stubbornly.
"don't you want to know what it is?" he asked amused.
"I really don't"
"I'll tell you anyway, it's a security consent letter. I drafted it myself" he said sounding proud
"you're a multibilloniare, surely you have someone who drafts your contracts that you use to ruin people's lives" I added, the sass in me was getting high.
"I'm still your father Amani, so hide your sass somewhere and read it" he said quite sternly.
I reached out and collected the clipboard to check the paper.
I finished reading the paper and got lost in my own thoughts, as always I was imagining the worst, Layla and Mama and me, we weren't safe, I'd figured that out as I sat down holding my sisters hand in the hospital when she lay unconscious, but we could be now, I wouldn't have to worry about that now according to this piece of paper and Alhaji kangiwa. I just had to marry a somewhat stranger. Ali wasn't a complete stranger but still didn't make it better.
"Guba could do something again, he could kill any of your loved ones, or you. And I wouldn't be able to handle it if anything happened to you" he said bringing me out of my thoughts.
"I don't think you care what happens to us at all" I muttered
"that's not ---" he began.
"I'll do it" I said and he kept quiet relief washing over his features. "I'll marry him, what's the worst that could happen?"
I shook my head and picked up the pen signing the paper at the bottom of the page.
"it's for the best Amani, you're not making a mistake" he said taking the clipboard from me, he was visibly happy while my heart was beating furiously inside my chest, I felt like I'd just signed a death sentence.
Worst case scenario, I'll end up divorced after he gets whatever gain he'll get out of this marriage. I'll have the most awkward work days if Ali still works at the hospital after we get divorced and I'll probably be depressed and lonely. That's not so bad, right?
👣👣👣👣
We were back in the huge living room, Ali and his parents were seated, they'd been having a great chat and being entertained by Hajiya siyam while I and Alhaji were away that they hadn't noticed how long I'd been gone. Ali had apparently by the look on his face.
"this is wonderful news, Alhaji. A statement would be made by the joining of our families." Ali's father Alhaji Mukhtar said beaming.
"of course, Alhaji we'll meet next week to set a date, yeah?" Alhaji kangiwa replied putting a hand on my shoulder lovingly, I wanted to roll my eyes at the fakeness of it all.
"A very near date for the wedding" Alhaji Mukhtar laughed and all the others joined in, Ali's eyes were locked on me, the two of us were the only unamused ones in the room as the parents seemed to be all joyful and smiling.
"okay we will leave, next week Saturday or Sunday Alhaji you'll inform us which ever one works for you insha Allah" Alhaji Mukhtar said getting up and offering a hand to Alhaji Suleiman who dropped his from my shoulders and returned the shake.
"we'll be in touch" he said to him
"Amani" I looked up at Alhaji Mukhtar "my daughter, Allah ya miki Albarka koh" he said with a big genuine smile.
I smiled back and answered "Amin Amin, nagode"
Ali's mother also prayed for us and so did Alhaji Suleiman whose mood seemed overly joyous. After a very lush goodbye as Hajiya siyam sent them home with all sorts of assorted goodies in beautifully decorated packs, Ali seemed to have something he wanted to say to me but couldn't Because we were never left alone.
"Are you okay?" I looked to see Affan standing next to me as I stood in the middle of the living room area alone.
I looked at him not in the mood of fake smiling, and answered "No" I simply said.
🍀🍀🍀
I was back on my praying mat leaning my head against the side of my bed, I had a small Quran and I was reading suratul maryam, Layla popped her head through my door. I looked up to meet her eyes.
"Adda Mama said you should meet her in her room when you're done"
I simply nodded and she disappeared shutting my door closed. I read a few more verses and closed up saying a series of my usual duas after which I finished and made my way to mama's room. I knocked and after her go ahead I entered.
"salaamu alaykum" I said proceeding into the room.
"Waalaykumusalam" Mama answered. "Shigo ki zauna(come in and sit)" she said looking up from her laptop which she then kept on the bedside drawer as I sat on the edge of the bed.
"How was your Outing today?" she asked and of course she didn't let me answer before continuing "Alhaji said you accepted"
I just nodded feeling like some clueless teenager.
"Amani it'll be Khayr insha Allah" she said reassuringly.
"is he a bad person?" I said biting my lip to stop my voice from croaking.
"I mean my --uh -- father, Alhaji kangiwa, is he not a good person at all?"
Mama looked down intertwining her fingers, "he uh -- he loves you, he really does."
"then why haven't I known him all this time." I said softly moving a bit closer to her. Mama sighed loudly and touched her forehead.
"he's a business man" she began but I was looking at her expecting her to continue.
"that's the explanation really, he sees everything as business, he doesn't give to what he can't take from. That's his life." she said her face expressing as if she was remembering the past.
I kept quiet not knowing what to say,
"he hurts the people that he lives without knowing it, it's who he is, I don't think he'll change." she added.
"I'm scared" I confessed, she looked at me, that was not one f the things I felt often.
"I wish this couldn't have happened, I wish there was another way to know that we were safe without ---"
"it's okay, I understand" I cut her off.
"did you know Baba was seeing some shady people about money?"
"I didn't until almost a week before Layla's incident, I got a call from them asking for their money" she stopped sniffling a bit, "and then layla -- everything is just --"
"it's okay Mama, you don't have to explain, I understand" I reassured her.
We finished talking and I went back to my room peeping into Layla's room to see her asleep in her bed, that was good because she hardly slept at all these days. I went back to my room feeling weak from wondering, if I'd made the right decision or not.
Time will tell, I thought before I closed my eyes thinking about how I was going to spend the entire day avoiding Ali at work tomorrow.
😻😻😻😻
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