Episode Eighteen
“He said that I’m too
short and my nose is flat…that our children won’t be beautiful,” Rofi’at said in
a high-thin voice and we all yelled in disgust.
“Really? You mean he
called off your marriage because of your looks?” Zuwayrah widened her eyes in
shock and disbelief.
The room fell silent as
we were all perplexed and flabbergasted. “You’re surprised abi? Oyaa, hear my own.
My own fiancé said that getting married will be a waste of genotype.
Because we’re both AA.” Aisha said and we all burst into laughter.
“Na
lie!” Zulaikha laughed in disbelief. “Hear my own. He said
that I’m fake. That my hair, my eyes…everything is fake. The surprising thing
is that he didn’t return my texts or pick my calls. It was when we called for a
family meeting that he said all these. The question is, didn’t he see me before
proposing?”
I cleared my throat and
processed what to say. “He said he hates the hijab. Ejo, was his eyes blind when he approached me for the first time? Didn’t he see me putting on the hijab?” I rolled my eyes and the ladies yelled
in anger.
“Shey he thought that he’ll be able to convince you to remove the
hijab when he wins your heart? Men sha!”
Mu’minah twitched her lips in rejection.
It was the ‘Ladies’ Night’organised
by the Muslimahs’ society and we all gathered in ‘Aatiyah’s room to hang out
and discuss personal issues. She occupied a room in her uncle’s house (who was
also a lecturer in the university) and her room was wide enough to accommodate ten
women.
Plates of biscuit,
prawn crackers and groundnut was placed in front of us and our paper cups was
filled with cold zobo drink.
“I didn’t experience
any of these oo. I met my husband
when I was in my second year and we got married some few months after. We had
our twins last year,” Zaynab smiled and the ladies cheered in excitement.
“Same here oo. I met my olowo ori mi through my elder brother. He assured me that his friend
is really nice…and he was right. We got married last month and I’ve found no
fault in him. I know there’s no perfect man, and we’re also not perfect. But
Allah has joined us to perfect each other,” Sumayyah narrated.
“I agree with you,
sister. One brother that I have boasted about spending the rest of life with called
me one afternoon. I thought he wanted to introduce me to some of his relatives
but guess what? He said that he cannot proceed with the wedding preparations
because he had fallen out of love with me. Allah replaced him with someone
better.”
“’Alhamdulillah. Aatiyah,
you nko?” Summayah pointed at her as
she took a handful of groundnut from the plate.
“I’ve never been in a
relationship. I haven’t found the one yet… but I would, In Sha Allah, with
Allah’s guidance. I think all these balls down to istikharah…seeking Allah’s
guidance…”
“I need to go to the
corridor,” Raqibah whispered, showing me her phone.
Munib had been calling
since we arrived there.“See…ten missed calls. Let me pick up before he comes
here looking for me.” She chuckled as she patted my arm and wore her hijab.
I watched as Raqibah
left the room, knowing fully well that my friend had found love and she had
never been happier.
It was just then that
my phone started to vibrate. It was Habeeb calling. I felt a frisson as I took
my phone stalked off gingerly to join Raqibah in the corridor, trying hard to
hide my excitement from the ladies.
I started a new
relationship with Habeeb some few months after we met. That was how he became a
part of my small family. He either visited with loads of goodies or took me to
restaurants I’d never been to. My mom liked him instantly and she was sure that
he was the right one for me.
Habeeb was
different…different from the other men I’d met. He had a character like a
halcyon; calm, peaceful and unruffled. He hardly made eye contact with me; he
took care of me like a precious gem and maintained simplicity. Habeeb worked as
a copywriter for an advertising firm and he lived with his parents. He didn’t
own a big house nor did he drive an exotic car. But he was worth more than any
material quality money could buy.
I continued attending
the Muslimahs’ society every Wednesday afternoon and improved my religious
activities. When Mallam Sanusi gave a lecture on the significance of istikharah,
I had no idea that it was really important to seek guidance before going into
an intimate relationship.
When Habeeb proposed to
me, I cheerfully accepted. It was a dream come true. We visited our families
and a natural bond was created between us. I knew that he would make me the
happiest woman. I knew that he would complete half of my deen.
“Asalamu
‘alaykum warahmatullah wabarakahtuhu Fareedah.” Habeeb greeted on the phone.
I could picture a wide
smile plastered on his face; his eyes lightening up like the first time I had
met him.
The sound of Habeeb’s deep
and resonant voice made me shiver down to my spine. “Wa’alaykumu salam warahmatullah wabarakahtuhu.
How are you?”
“Ah…well, I’m ravenous.
Momma is still making amala and ila and I’m almost drooping saliva here.
I haven’t eaten since afternoon. I only took doughnut and bottled water for
lunch,” he grumbled in an amusing way.
I couldn’t help
chuckling. “You ehn! You’re still
eating late. You want to grow a large tummy before our wedding. Can’t you eat
something lighter, like boiled plantain and vegetables?”
“Plan-what? You know what I ate for breakfast? Two slices of bread
and tea. If I appear looking like kwashiorkor on our wedding day, will you
agree to marry me?” he was laughing and I joined him, hardly noticing that
someone was tapping my shoulder.
“The sisters have been
asking of us. We need to return now.” Raqibah whispered.
“Habeeb…I need to
return now.”
“Alright…have fun and
do not leave till in the morning. I can’t afford that you walk along the
dangerous path when it is tar-black…”
“Okay…”
“And I’ll pick you up
by 10:00 am tomorrow. I want us to go on an outing…anywhere fun and serene.”
“That’ll be great.
Bye!” I hung up and turned towards Raqibah, who was grinning from ear to ear.
“We’re really lucky. We
should get married on the same day.”
“Yes, we should.” I
nodded in return as we held hands and returned to the room.
***
I couldn’t help but
glance at Habeeb as he was driving the car. He had picked me up thirty minutes
earlier and my mom insisted that he ate from the beans and plantain she made
for breakfast.
“You’ve been stealing
glances at me since we started this journey. Can you perceive the stench from
my fart?”
I narrowed my eyes and
furrowed my brows. “You’ve been farting?”
Habeeb cracked up. “Of
course. I ate beans!”
My eyebrows puckered in
concentration. “Do you promise to become the best of husbands when we get
married? Will you keep loving me more than you do now?”
“I’ll try my best, Fareedah.
I know I’m not perfect, but I’ll try my best to be the best husband for you.
With Allah’s assistance, I will try to always make you happy and proud of me.”
I looked gloriously
triumphant as I stared out of the window, knowing that he had said it from his
heart.
When I asked what got
him attracted to me at first sight, I was flabbergasted when his reply was, “It
was the precious and innocent figure in a green wet hijab that attracted me to
you.”
THE
END.
Epilogue
Najib’s Point of View
Yes! My life is a
mess…a big mess! Filled with regrets, sorrow and sadness. I had lost a precious
figure just like that…I let a precious gem slip from my hand without fighting.
I regretted the day I stepped
into Tantalizers and shattered the heart of an innocent soul. I regretted the
day I had met her…walking beside a pudgy lady who happened to be her friend. I
couldn’t pull my eyes away; from her. I was surprised because she was one of
those women I had tagged as ‘Out of bound.’ She was putting on a long hijab and
was fully covered from head to toe in a modest dress.
When I approached her,
I knew why she had captured all of me. Her eyes were big, lovely and bright.
Her soft luscious lips were tempting to touch. I wished that I could brush my
lips across hers…right there in the scorching sun.
But I knew that my soul
was corrupt. The lady never thought of all these. Her smile was innocent and
she could hardly look me in the eyes.
I wished that I hadn’t
walked towards them that afternoon. Maybe I wouldn’t have been filled with
regrets.
All through our short
time together, I was eager to taste her lips and feel the texture of her skin.
I wanted to see how straight her legs were and how fair her hands looked. But I
couldn’t. I felt too restricted. I wanted more. I wanted her!
I couldn’t help it when
Moyo started to mock me every day…walking into my office and asking questions
like, “How fun is your relationship?”
To me, my relationship
was no fun. I wanted more than just calls and visits to the restaurant. The
first day Rahima started work in the company, I grew attracted to her. She was
everything I wanted…more than what I wanted. Also, I knew that it would be a great
opportunity to spite Moyo and get her off my chest.
Rahima said yes without
much hesitation…courtesy to my good looks, money and sweet accent. Now I regret
that I am attractive and rich…maybe I wouldn’t have felt full of myself.
I could play with Moyo’s
braids, kiss her deeply and hold her hands while we walk on the street. I
didn’t have to stare repugnantly at a hijab because Rahima didn’t wear one (how
much I hated the hijab!).
We started planning our
wedding and my mom agreed to come over to Nigeria. I was really happy. Despite Fauziyyah’s
pleas and advices to end the relationship, I turned deaf ears. It was all about
what I wanted. She was very glad that she would see our mom again…and because
of that, she stopped pestering me.
Rahima walked away on
our wedding day. I had spent a lot of money on our dream wedding but she never
showed up. I stared around the
well-decorated hall with a perpetually disdainful expression. I felt queasy. I
wasn’t angry because she walked away on the most memorable day of my life. I
was furious because my mom was sad…sad to witness all of that. I could picture
her dressed in a white laced-iro and buba, a red head gear and silver
high-heeled shoes. Her make-up-filled face had turned moist and she was pacing
back and forth in confusion.
“It’s okay, Najib. She
is not the one for you. You’ll find someone better. You’re a good man.” She
held my face in her hands and cleaned the tears that were streaming down my
face.
I winced and quelled a
shudder. “No mom, it’s not okay because I let you down. I am not a good man.” I
yelled in anger and frustration.
She looked really
beautiful and slender, a carbon copy of Fauziyyah. “Don’t you say that.
Everything happens for a reason. You’re a good man. I raised you the right
way.”
“No mom, I broke the
heart of a precious woman…. I let my happiness away. I should be getting
married to Fareedah…. I should have been the happiest man today.” I said in a
strangled voice, occasionally punctuating the air. I placed my head on her
chest and cried loudly.
It was three months
later and I had still not gotten over what had happened. My mom had travelled
to Dubai and I’m left with Fauziyyah, whose stare makes me feel a pang of guilt
always.
I tried…believe me, I
tried to win Fareedah’s heart again. The same woman that I had truly fallen in
love with. The face that comes to my mind whenever I open a bar of chocolate.
It was too late. She was with someone else…someone better than me. His name is
Habeeb and they would be getting married soon.
I was scared of facing
her…the same woman that I had walked away from, after revealing the dreadful
news. Even when I was called back to help her to the hospital, I frowned my
face and walked drove out of the compound.
When I parked by her
street to watch her, I couldn’t control the tears that filled my face when I
caught sight of her. Her usual radiant face and breathtaking smile. The same
hijab that I had prevented her from wearing. It made her the most beautiful woman
I had ever set my eyes on. She was with someone else. I am
hapless and downcast. I should have been the one, making her smile and
promising her a lovely future. I should have been the one planning our biggest
day with her. But I took the wrong step and now, I’m filled with regrets.
Yes! My life is truly a
mess… a big mess!
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Interesting!May Allah increase you in knowledge and Iman.
ReplyDeleteAameen... Thank you😘
DeleteBaraka llahu fiki habbty
ReplyDeleteAameen😍😍
DeleteBarakallahu feeki ya maryam
ReplyDeleteAameen😍
DeleteBarakallahu fih.
ReplyDeleteMore power to your elbow
Aameen. Thanks for reading 😘😘
DeleteVery interesting. Barakallahu fih sis.
ReplyDeleteAameen. Thanks for reading!
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