Taofeek
A wry smile appeared on
the face of the shop attendant as she watched us pick items from the shelves
and place in our shopping basket. Khayrah had nudged me by the shoulder with
her face contorted, whispering in my ears to know if the petite lady- who was
dressed in an adire blouse and a pair
of jean trousers- was someone I had met before.
I replied ‘no’ with a
crinkly face, watching as Khayrah had turned on her jealous-defensive face.
I was seeing the lady for
the first time, although I had visited the supermarket on several occasions to
buy groceries for the family.
Khayrah and I had planned
on visiting my family before the weekend runs out. We had stopped by a
supermarket on the street to my house to purchase provisions for the family.
“Anything else?” Khayrah asked
she threw a tin of Bournvita into the trolley. I knew she was trying to act
composed but deep down inside, she was fuming with rage.
With the few weeks I had
spent with Khayrah as her husband, I had learnt about her; like the way she
acted whenever she was angry, hungry, excited, disappointed, jealous and moody.
Right now, she was
jealous. Her face was usually scrunched up in a frown-defensive way whenever
she caught a lady staring at me.
I gazed at the basket
thoughtfully as I inspected all we had picked: a pack of noodles, tins of
Bournvita and Dano Milk, a pack of biscuit, three bars of chocolate, a bottle
of groundnut, a pack of sugar, a bag of potato chips and three bottles of fruit
juice.
Khayrah had suggested
that we buy few provisions as we planned on paying a surprise visit to my
family.
“Nothing else.” I
remarked as I held the basket to drag towards the counter.
“Never mind.” Khayrah
blurted out as she grabbed the basket from me and moved it herself to the lady
who had been staring at me with flirty eyes.
She placed the goods on
the counter and the lady, who had three piercings on both ears and fake lashes
stuck to her eyes, assessed the goods and named their prices.
“A pack of Indomie
noodles is one thousand two hundred naira? How is that possible?” Khayrah
scowled, screwing up her face in agony.
I stifled a snort of
laughter as I watched her closely. Dressed in a brown jalabiyah and
peach-coloured scarf, Khayrah adjusted the designer sunglasses that was resting
on her head, as if to show-off to the lady that she was classier. We had spent close
to an hour, deliberating on what she would wear. Despite assuring her that all
the dresses she tested looked elegant on her, Khayrah insisted they did not fit
her body figure.
“Sweetheart, we are just
going to pay a visit to my dad. We’re not attending a party.” I had said in
frustration before she decided to settle for the brown jalabiyah. I wished I
had insisted that she remained in the car when we got to Jimoh Balogun street.
I could have easily bought the items and return to the car hassle-free.
“A pack of Indomie
Noodles is one thousand, two hundred Naira but I’ll sell it for one thousand
Naira. It’s because it’s you oo!” The
petite lady’s face flickered with a smile as she gazed at me.
Tension crept up my face as
I watched Khayrah gasp in shock. She placed her hands in mine and smiled at the
lady, displaying her fingers to show her wedding band. “Just so you know, we’re
happily married. We’re the loveliest, happiest and most adorable couple in
Nigeria at the moment.” Khayrah grinned at me lovingly and I smiled back,
controlling the laughter that had filled my stomach.
The lady gazed at us
thoughtfully and smiled. “I know you’re married. I have a friend, Zainab, who
really likes your husband. Her daughter attends the same school with his. All
she dreams of is becoming his second wife.” She stated, packing the items into
a nylon as she punched on the big-sized calculator lying on the table.
Shock engulfed Khayrah’s
face as she stared at me with a skeptical face. “We’re in a hurry. Can you
please pack the items on time?”
“Of course!” The lady
took hold of my ATM card and inserted it into the POS machine. After inserting
my password and collecting my receipt, she gave us our bag of goods with a
happy face. “I’m Zulaikha.”
“Nice to meet you.” I
replied as Khayrah and I walked out of the building.
As we were approaching
the car in the searing heat, I knew that I was done for. Khayrah wouldn’t let
me rest until she heard the last of it. She would want to know who Zaynab was
and if I truly desired to take her as a second wife.
We had entered the car
and I had placed my hands on the key to start the engine when she held it. “We
have things to talk about, Taofeek.” She stated with a stern look.
“It’s not what you think.
I’ve known Zaynab since Aliyah started schooling in An-Noor’s college. We had
become friends because our children attended the same school and we lived on
the same street. Yes, she had declared her intention to become my second wife
but I’ve always seen her statement as a joke…”
“A joke? You’re hearing
this from someone else. Who else has she told that she’ll be getting married to
you?” Khayrah asked morosely.
“I never knew it was this
serious. I promise to be more careful.” I said, peering at her strained face. I
wanted to reach to her face and cup it with my hands but she pulled away
instantly.
“You have been talking to
her even after we got married?”
“But she’s my friend…”
“Let’s forget about this
discussion. We should just visit your family and head back home. I’ve had
enough of this.” Khayrah stated in anger as she reached into her bag to get her
phone.
I started the engine and
drove quietly out of the compound, knowing full well that nothing I say would
convince her until she had calmed down.
She jabbed on her phone’s
keyboard furiously as she pressed her phone to her ear and hissed afterwards.
It was obvious that she was trying to call someone and I was worried. “Who are
you trying to reach?”
“Fadilah. I haven’t
spoken to her for the past three weeks.” She jabbed her fingers repeatedly on
her phone again as her forehead furrowed with a frown.
“Have you asked mom about
her?”
“Yes, and she said she’s
doing fine. I mean, Fadilah is doing fine even without speaking to me for
weeks?”
I faced the road and controlled
myself from bringing forth words that had formed in my head; that she should go
out and make more friends instead of being in isolation of herself. That she
shouldn’t keep to herself because of her illness. That she should enjoy her
life while it lasts and have fun. But I didn’t. I watched the road quietly
while I listened to Khayrah’s grumbles.
***
The house looked deserted
and empty. If we hadn’t spotted my
father in the living room reading a newspaper, I would have assumed that no one
lived there anymore.
My father was reading a newspaper on the brown
sofa, his legs spread across the centre table. He appeared frail and lean and I
could spot fresh silver hairs on his head. His face flickered with a smile and
his eyes glinted as he sipped from his cup of water. “Nice to see you again.”
“Asalamu ‘alaykum, sir.”
We greeted as we approached him.
“Wa’alaykumu salam. How
have you two been?”
“AlhamduliLlaah, we’ve
been great.” We held hands and smiled at him.
But what we were actually
thinking was that: We haven’t been great.
We just quarreled and we are mad at each other.
“I can see that. Look at how
everyone left me here. It’s funny how the little boys I nurtured are now
grown-ups. Lukman has married and left the house. You’ve also left me here.” He
laughed softly, his kind of laughter that usually came out as breaths of air.
“I missed both of you. Sometimes, I wish you were here. I would wish we could
go back to the old days, before you grew up and your mom left this world…but
life keeps revolving round and making changes. We can’t expect everything to be
the same way they are.” He smiled weakly and swiveled towards Khayrah.
“How are you, our wife? I
hope Taofeek is taking good care of you?” he asked with a strained voice and I
started to wonder if he was fine.
Khayrah smiled shyly as
her face gleamed. “More than I had ever imagined. Thank you for training for
your son to take care of me.”
“Ah, I didn’t train him
alone.” He said, then turned towards me. “Jaleel has gone to class as usual.
What would like to eat? I think he made white rice and stew before leaving.”
Something about my father
didn’t seem right. He appeared weak and bedraggled. I had first thought it was
because I hadn’t seen him in a while but I was certain that something has gone
wrong. “Are you fine, father?”
“I have Malaria but I’ve
been taking my drugs. Jaleel took me to the hospital yesterday. I’m getting
better,” he assured me.
Khayrah moved closer,
clutching the bag of provisions in one hand. “By the way, we brought something
little for you and Jaleel. Please, manage the little we brought for you.”
He sat upright as he
dropped the newspaper on the stool beside him and smiled at us with a glinted
face. “You call this little thing? This is massive! May ALlaah reward you
abundantly.”
“Aameen. We’re not in a
hurry to leave here today, so let me head to the kitchen and prepare something
nice for all of us.”
“Okay, my daughter.” My
father replied as he watched her leave the living room. I smiled in
appreciation as I noticed Khayrah glancing at me before entering the kitchen.
“You, Taofeek, are a
lucky man. You are perfect together…I’m just concerned about her health. I
don’t want you to be left heart-broken when the unexpected happens.” He stared
at me with pitiful eyes.
I controlled the tears
that were forcing its way down my face as I watched his sad eyes. He was saying
this based on his personal experience. But we had no idea that such incident
would happen and we would lose my mom without a notice. I knew how depressed
and forlorn he was during those trying period and I was thankful that we had
gotten over it to a large extent and accepted to move on with our lives.
“For now, we will cherish
the present and the memories we both share. No matter how long a couple spend
together, what truly matters is how the time they spent together count.”
My father nodded as he
scanned my face closely. “I’m sure you’ve started having one or two quarrels.
Don’t tell me no because I know you’re both angry with each other right now.”
He laughed loudly.
Surprise stole over my
face. “How did you know?”
“I was once married,
remember? Taofeek, whatever happens, ensure that you make her happy always.
Remember that no one is perfect. Learn to accept your flaws so that you can
live together in harmony.”
“JazakaLlaahu khayr,
father.”
“Waiyyaka. I’m sorry for
always reminding you about your past. I believe you’re a changed person and I
want you to keep asking ALlaah to keep you steadfast on the right path.”
“Aameen. Thank you, dad.”
“I want to visit the
toilet. I’ll be back soon. Make yourself comfortable and stop peering around
like you haven’t lived here for years.” He stared amusingly at me as he took
careful steps towards the door.
Watching him closely, I discovered
that my father had become older than I had ever imagined. His back was slightly
bent and he had started to walk like he was limping. My father was a lanky and
long-limbed man with fair skin and interesting eyes. I took after his stature
while Lukman had my mom’s petite and pudgy stature. He had retired as a civil
servant in the Lagos State Ministry of Health last two years and since then, my
father spent most of his time at home, picking a new book from his library and becoming
engrossed in it.
***
The room I had spent
twenty-seven years of life looked dusty, unfurnished and vacant. The old
mattress still rested beside the gray-coloured wall, the wardrobe comprised of
few of my old clothes and the brown carpet looked shabby and worn-out. I
couldn’t believe a few weeks could change a whole lot in one’s life. In less a
month, I was now a married man and the owner of a house. I had left my family
and started a new chapter in life.
The room also reminded me
of Aliyah. She would sit beside me on the bed and talk incessantly about her
teachers and classmates…in a bid to distract me from whatever I was engaged in.
“I’m busy, Aliyah. We’ll
talk later.” I would whine and Aliyah would giggle mischievously, stating that
she would leave the room only when I promise to take her to Ikeja City Mall.
I missed the way we would
go on outings together, play games and read together. Aliyah was my best friend
and the only person I loved with all of my heart. Now I knew why she wasn’t very
pleased with Khayrah’s sudden appearance in my life.
If I had embarked on an
expedition outside of Lagos, Aliyah would ensure that she called at least
thrice a day. Now, she had left the country and sometimes days would go by
before we speak to each other.
All through these years, I
had dread the moment when Jasmine would appear from nowhere and try to claim
our child. And the moment finally came.
Dipping my head into my
trouser-pocket, I reached for my phone and dialed Aliyah’s number again. All my
efforts to reach out for the past two days had turned futile. Surprisingly, she
picked up at the first ring.
“Hey! Asalamu ‘alaykum,
dad!!!” Aliyah’s resounding voice greeted my ears.
I grinned excitedly as I replied,
“Wa’alaykumu salam, my daughter. How have you been?”
I imagined Aliyan smiling
pleasantly with her upper cheek bone raised and her eyes gleaming.
“Never been better. You need
to visit here, dad. This place is lovely and cool…and so beautiful…the meals
are great and they have nice flavours of ice cream. Remember I told you that I was
tired of eating rice, beans, yam and amala
all the time. Here, we have different delicacies. Yesterday, we went to an
Indian restaurant. The food was great!” Aliyah exclaimed in a frisson, giving a
detailed description of the people she had met, delicacies she had tasted and
friends she had made.
I listened patiently as I
waited for her to conclude her long rant. No longer how great she sees Canada,
she had to return home. “When are you returning?” I blurted out, interrupting
her story about a lady with seven cats, who lived close to them.
“Returning? To Nigeria?”
I rolled my eyes. “No. To
Ghana. When are coming home jhoor?”
“Ah, I don’t know, dad. We’re
considering enrolling me in a school here…”
“Enrolling you? You’re
mother convinced you to remain in Canada? Was this our agreement?”
“I’m sorry, dad. I thought
you will want a private moment with Aunty Khayrah. And surprisingly, mom wants
me here with her. Her family also accept me as theirs. Dad, I love it here.”
My heart sank. I settled
on the bed to prevent falling in shock and disbelief. I couldn’t believe that
Aliyah would decide to remain in Canada. Maybe I was wrong to have agreed to
meetup with Jasmine after over thirteen years.
“I’m so sorry dad. I thought
mom had discussed this with you. If you want me to return, I’ll…”
“No, Aliyah. You should
remain there since that is what you desire. I’ll talk to you later.” I said and
cut the call, lowering my head and covering my face with my hands.
Just when I thought that I
had gotten it right by getting married to the woman I desired, I never knew
that I might lose my child in the process.
“Darling?” A warm hand
tapped me.
Whipping my head up, I spotted
Khayrah, smelling of friend onion and staring at with pitiful eyes. “Are you
fine, my love?” she sat beside me on the bed and held my hands.
“It’s Aliyah. She wants
to remain in Canada. Imagine…we hadn’t even talked about it. Out of the blue, I
called her and she’s telling me that Jasmine wants to enroll her in a school! Imagine!
She didn’t even bother to check up on me for days. Imagine how worried I was
when I didn’t hear from her. She kept telling me about the beautiful places
there, nice foods and a woman with cats…” I prattled, hardly noticing that
tears were coursing down my face.
Khayrah pulled me into
hug and I sobbed on her shoulder, soaking her hijab with tears. Maybe Aliyah
had left me but I still had Khayrah, who meant more than the world to me.
But wait…maybe things
would turn out the same. Aliyah had gone. Khayrah would also leave and I’d be
left alone, staring at the ceiling morosely and bawling my eyes out.
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