Epilogue 1.
6 Months After...
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Iska sosai ake a lokacin da ya sauko daga private jet dinsa. A hankula ya dinga takawa har zuwa arrival lounge din airport din. Dan rufe ido yayi ya shaqi iskan and that soothed his soul, it gave him a sense of peace and security.
"You came". Yaji muryar ta.
Juyowa yayi suka hada idanu, sai a lokacin ya sake ganin striking resemblance dinta da Begum. They had the same hazel brown orbs "I did". Ya fadi a hankula. He wasn't prepared for what she did next. Matsowa kusa tayi ta kankame sa in an affectionate embrace. Wani sanyi dukansu suka ji a ran su. Growing up as an only child, it had always been Khalifa's dream to have a sibling; a sister he could dote on, one he would love with all of his heart and now that he had found her, he was going to protect her with his life.
"Malika" ya kira sunan softly "Malika Al-Haydar". Sosai taji dadin sunan da ya kirata dashi. Riqo hannunsa tayi har zuwa inda tayi parking motar ta.
"The kids are eager to meet their uncle". Ta fadi bayan sun shiga ta fara tuqi.
"How're you holding up?". Ya tambaya voice dinsa cike da so da kulawa.
"I'm doing just good and you? Have you spoken to...".
"Look ahead". Ya fadi changing their topic of discussion dan for the past 6 months daga Yasmeenah har Begum ba wanda ya nema. Tun faruwar abun he has been hiding at Saudi Arabia, too scared to face the truth. Be dawo Nigeria ba har sai ranar da yayi receiving invitation din Leek. He could never say no to his newfound sister.
Wani qatoton gate suka isa Leek ta fara honking. In no time wani lower ranking soldier ya buda gate din gida ta shiga da gudun ta. Yaranta da ke wasa da nanny dinsu a waje suka rugo da gudu gare ta.
"Come, come say hi to uncle". Ta fadi bayan ta daga Amaani from her baby walker. Reyhaan dake bayan ta ya buya ne ya fara fitowa ya miqawa khalifa hannunsa for a handshake. Murmushi khalifa yayi kan ya zuquna to the little boy's height. Ganin brother dinsa na conversing freely with their estranged uncle ya sa Amaan shima matsowa kusa. Sosai suka ji dadi lokacin da khalifa yace zai tafi da su Abuja in aka yi hutu and he'll introduce them to their cousin.
"Now come let's go in, uncle has to rest". It baffled Leek how good khalifa was with children saboda in no time yaran sunyi warming up to him. She thought a yadda he's always busy he'll hardly spare time for family but he proved her wrong, he was a committed family man. Guiding dinsa tayi har zuwa bakin kofar dakin da aka shirya musamman saboda zuwar sa. "Freshen up and come down for lunch". Ta fadi masa bayan ta ansa Amaani from his arms. Buda kofar dakin yayi ya shiga, it was a large and elaborate bedroom befitting his status. Ba tare da wani bata lokaci ba ya shige bathroom ya yi wanka tare da alwala kan ya fito ya shirya cikin wani navy blue cotton t-shirt and black sweatpants. Just as Leek asked of him, ya sauka qasa inda ya sama yaran suna kallon cartoon ita kuma tana cikin kitchen trying to set the table. Tana gamawa ta shigo living room din ta kira su to the kitchen for lunch. Hira suka dinga yi jefi jefi whilst eating, har zuwa lokacin basu riga sun gama sakin jiki da juna ba. Immediately after lunch khalifa ya koma dakin da aka basa dan ya dan huta, in no time barci ya kama sa ba shi ya tashi ba sai da aka fara kiran maghreb salaah. Bathroom ya wuce ya daura alwala, har zai kabbara sallah kenan sai ga knock a baki kofar dakinsa. Koh da ya bude wani mutum ne dogo, fari wanda daga gani ba dan arewa bane tsaye a other side na door din. Cikin fara'a yayi introducing kansa to khalifa as Hakeem, Leek's hubby.
"Would you love to go to the masjid?". Ya tambaya in his husky voice.
"Yes please". Khalifa ya ansa masa kan ya koma ya daga wayar sa suka wuce. A hanyar su na zuwa masjid din ne yaji wayar sa ya dan yi buzzing. Be duba ba sai bayan sun kammala sallah tukun ya duba. It was Laylah's reply to his message.
'I'm so proud of you habibi. Love you Xx'.
Murmushi yayi kan ya mayar da wayar breastpocket dinsa kan ya wuce ya dau Al-Qur'an to read before the time for isha.
A haka har 2 days inda khalifa ya deba zai yi getting to know his sister suka yi and finally it was the day to leave. Sosai yaran Leek suka saba dashi dan da suka rakasa airport sosai Amaan ke kuka wai zai bisa. Be daina kuka ba har sai da khalifa yayi promising dinsa cewar da anyi hutu zai zo ya dauke sa su tafi Abuja tare. Hugging dinsa Leek tayi sai taji kamar kar ta sake sa, in the two days they've spent together, khalifa had told her so much about their father har hakan ya sa take ji kamar ta san sa, kamar she has met him before and as weird as it might've been, Leek saw Mumtaz Al-Haydar in khalifa Al-Haydar hakan ya qara qima da darajar khalifa a idanunta.
"Take care". Ya fadi bayan yayi kissing saman gashin ta. "And I'll be expecting you".
"Next week insha Allah". Ta fadi tana murmushi. Pinching kumatun ta yayi playfully kan ya wuce. Sai da ya sake Juyowa ya dubi sister dinsa and her family kan ya shige jet dinsa suka kama hanyar Abuja.
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Kamar Kullum, a daren ranar ma Yasmeenah na kitchen dinta tana girki, abunda ya zame mata hobby. It was what her life seemed to have revolved around the past months, in aka cire frequent meetings dinta da Begum Sahar just to catch up. Wani kawance me karfi suka fara qullawa, leaving the past behind them. Tasting sauce inda take hadawa tayi ta maida lid din pot din ta rufe ta juya zata dau container inda take ije curry, a hankula take humming waqar da ta kunna a wayarta tana dan rawa kan muryar sa ya katse ta.
"You dance so well ". Taji muryar sa kamar a cikin mafarki. Rudewan da tayi ya sa ta saki container din curry inda ke hannunta. Dan dariya yayi kan ya qarasa inda container din yayi rolling yayi landing ya miqa mata.
"You". Ta fadi a hankula as if she couldn't believe the sight before her.
"Yes, me Yasmeenah. What's cooking". Ya fadi so casually to ward off the formal ambience she was trying to build up "Is that tomato puree? Can I have a taste?". Ya tambaya. Spoon inda ke hannunta ya karba ya juya soup din kan yi tasting. Juyowa yayi ya kalleta ya mata alama da hannu cewar soup dinta was tasty.
"You forgot to wash your hands". Ta fadi tana murmushi, cikin zucin ta wani irin farin ciki take ji. His presence stirred so many emotions in her. She yearned to hug him tight in her arms but she was scared of the reaction she would get from him. Cike da adoration take ta kallonsa ya kunna tap ya wanke hannunsa kan yayi locating hand towel inda ke ije a wani rack ya goge hannunsa. Hannu tasa zata kashe music inda ke playing sai ya hana ta.
"I love the song. Abba would always sing it".
"Mumtaz loved to hum to the song while mowing the lawn". Ta fadi, recalling past memories. Hannayenta biyu ya kama ya fara twirling dinta round at the centre of the kitchen, slowly he guided her steps to match the melody of the song.
'.....If the sky that we look upon
Should tumble and fall
Or the moutain should crumble to the sea
I won't cry, I won't cry
No, I won't shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me....' (Stand By Me by Benjamin Earl King).
Ya dinga bin music din a hankula har zuwa lokacin da music din ya qare next one din ya fara playing. Sosai yayi twirling dinta kan at last ta fada jikinsa tana dariya amidst shedding tears. She was an emotional wreck, of course she had to be, she was in the arms of the son she had long lost hope of ever meeting.
"You're just like your father". Ta fadi kan ta dago ta quresa da kallo. Samun kanta tayi da fashewa da kuka, kukan da ta rasa na menene. Ita dai ta san sosai take jin son danta na shiga ranta, sosai kuma tayi kewar sa, sosai kuma ta dinga craving for the affection which he was showering upon her at the moment. A hankula ya dinga shafa mata bayan yana ta rarrashin sa.
"It's okay, ba gani ba yanzu". Ya dinga fadi in an attempt to ease her apprehension. "Look! The soup will get burnt" ya fadi in a high pitched voice and that got her attention. Share hawayen idanunta tayi ta koma bakin girkinta. Nuna masa inda plates da cutlery suke tayi ya fara setting table a hankula. Ya na gamawa ya zauna tayi serving dinsa a dinner of pasta, roasted potatoes and some tomato puree. Gaba daya ta kasa cin abinci ta juya gaba daya attention dinta kan khalifa tana kallon yadda yike cin abincin yana santi. Juyowa yayi yaga bata cin abincin ya daga mata gira. Spoon inda yike using ya ije ya sa hannu ya deba abincin ya kai mata baki, at first ta nuna masa ta koshi amma da ya nuna ransa zai baci in bata ci ba sai ta fara ansa kadan kadan.
"My mo...". Zai yi maganan Begum sai kuma ya fasa.
Khalifa ya dade a gidan sosai dan sai dare can ya wuce and har zuwa lokacin da ya wuce ba wanda a cikin su ya dago incidence inda ya faru 6 months ago. Yasmeenah was scared, tana gudun ya sake disappearing for months while shi, a part of him was still living in denial. Daren ranar murnar Yasmeenah ya wuce iyaka dan ji tayi ta kasa barci gaba daya ranar.
Kamar yadda suka yi da Leek, the following weekend ta iso Abuja. Khalifa da kansa ya tuqa har zuwa airport dauko ta. Sosai tayi farin cikin ganinsa, especially when she saw him with little Fadeel who had been living with Nawfal and Saima. Straight basu tsaya ko ina ba bayan sun maida Fadeel gidan Nawfal sai gidan Yasmeenah wadda bata ma san da zuwan su ba. Koh da suka isa gidan a garden suka same ta tana ba plants dinta ruwa while listening to the radio. Da gudu Leek ta ruga tayi hugging dinta from her back. Sosai tayi murnar gani both khalifa and Leek a nan ma wani sabon hawaye ta fara, dukansu suna ba juna haquri.
"Let's go in". Yasmeenah ta fadi tana riqo hannun both of them in hers "I baked some muffins in the morning". Ta fadi with enthusiasm laced in her tone. Tana gama serving dinsu ta daga wayar ta ta turawa Begum quick text message.
Suna zaune a balcony din Yasmeenah, gaban su table ne cike with a vast array of cakes and a jug full of lemonade sai ga Shigowar Begum. Kamshin turaren ta kawai ya sa khalifa sanin cewa ita ce ta shigo gidan, her shoes making a soft clicking sound when they came in contact with the richly tiled floor.
"What is she doing here". Ya tambaya yana miqewa "What the hell is she doing here". Ya sake fadi this time in a thunderous tone. Kan ka ce me ya ja tablecloth din table inda Yasmeenah ta shirya musu refreshments, the action sending tiny shards of glasses flying in the air. Goshin Begum ne ya fara jini a sanadin wani kwalba da ya same ta, shikuma khalifa yayi hanyar waje hannun jina jina. Yasmeenah ce tayi gasping kan ta miqe ta rasa wa zata duba first, Begum da ta duqa tana danne goshinta to stop the blood flow or khalifa who left enraged. Following her motherly instincts, ta wuce after khalifa tana kwala masa kira.
Tausayin Begum ne ya shiga ran Leek dan haka ta miqe ta dauko wani clean napkin kan ta matso kusa da Begum din tana goge mata goshin. "Let's wash the wound and get it dressed". Ta fadi a hankula tana riqo hannun ta. Nearest bathroom inda ke downstairs suka shiga ta dauko first aid box without much waste of time. "It might sting a bit". Ta fadi kan tayi dabbing din cotton wool inda was laced with antiseptic on Begum's forehead. Tana gama haka tayi plastering wajen kan ta fadi cewa it's done. Fitowa tayi daga bathroom din, leaving Sahar to freshen up.
Yasmeenah kuma ta kamo khalifa da sauri kan ya isa inda motar sa was packed. Fada ya fara akan how he hated the mere sight of Begum, of how he didn't want to have anything to do with her again. Riqo hannunsa Yasmeenah tayi har zuwa wani plastic chair inda ke harabar gidan.
"Kh.... Abdulmalik". Ta kira real name dinsa for the first in forever. "Listen son..". Wani sanyi taji a zuciyar ta when she acknowledged him as her son kuma ya dago ya kalleta "It's true Sahar isn't your birth mother but child, she's your real mother. The one who has loved and cared for you from birth har zuwa stage inda kake yanzu, I've watched Sahar shower love upon right from inception. The one that knows of your joys and sorrows. The one who was there through all the hardships that came your way, ita daya ta san ciwon kan ka. I might've carried you in my womb for nine months but Sahar was the one that played the role of a mother in your life. She loves you, alot. Maybe more than I ever will". A hankali hawaye suka fara zuba daga idanunta. As much as it hurt, that was the fact, she was only his birth mother, not his real mother, not the real mother that watched him grow, not the mother that was there to console him when he was angry or look after him when his days were grey. Begum filled that void in Khalifa's life, it was a position she knew she was never going to get in his life.
"But you gave birth to me. You're my mother". Sosai kalaman sa suka mata dadi, he had finally given a name to their relationship.
"I'm your mother but you have to understand how special you are son, to be blessed with mothers who love you unconditionally. Forgive her please". Ta fadi a hankula tana shafa lallausar gashin da ke kan sa. Sun kai 20 minutes a wajen, ba me cewa komi har sai da ta tabbatar hankalinsa ya kwanta kan ta ce su wuce ciki. Koh da suka shigo much to Yasmeenah's surprise sai samu tayi Leek da Begum suna kuka a arms din juna. Abun sosai yayi mata dadi, they were finally letting destiny take it's course. Bygones were finally bygones. Jawo sa tayi zuwa bathroom inda Leek da Begum ke ciki just some minutes back ta fara wanke masa wounds dinsa. Tana gamawa suka fito. A hankula khalifa ya taka har zuwa inda Begum ta ke, much to his surprise yaga ta zube a qasa tana riqo kafafun sa in an attempt to apologise for her deeds. Qasa ya zube ya riqo ta in his arms shima yana bata haquri for how he acted the past few weeks. Ita ma Leek Matsawa kusa da su tayi suka engulfing juna in an affectionate hug.
Looking at the sight before her, Yasmeenah was happy to know that her family had finally been completed. They were so close to their happily ever after and only one more person was needed to make the family whole.
"I guess we're down to one more person. Who's ready to go to yola?". Ta tambaya tana dariya. It was time to bring Khalifa's bride; her daughter in law home.
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Seriously I wanted to write the Epilogue in one long chapter but I guess I have to split it into two and write a second Epilogue😣😣😣. Sai kin sake ji na. Xx