Nilefa: The Union

CHAPTER 3

Hauwa Sadiq was the exact opposite of what Yasmeen thought her to be. Not that she made much effort to imagine what her father's wife was like, she pictured her to be some boisterous Kanuri woman covered in gold jewelry. She thought she would have that strong khumra and her clothes would be filling the air with head-spinning incense. She was none of that. Hauwa dressed simply and looked good in the light pink veil she draped. Her father's reputation must have had no effect on her as he was told to be a Mafia. Sadiq Garwa had the upper hand in Nilefa politics and his party had never been beaten.

Yasmeen's train of thoughts was broken when Amir tugged on her hand. She glared at him and he rushed, bending to greet her.

The older siblings exchanged glances and Sadiq rolled his eyes at his brother's simplicity.

Yasmeen sat on the seat adjacent to Hauwa's passing a silent greeting, barely audible. Hauwa answered merrily and turned back to Amir whom she was tapping fondly on the back.

" I heard you did well in school. Your father has always mentioned that you got A in all the subjects" Amir looked down not able to hide his elation. "Keep it up uhm... We are proud of you"

Yasmeen looked on amazed at the woman's fondness for Amir. It was told that she never had kids at her age.

Yasmeen's trance was broken with the stepping sound coming from the stairs. Her father appeared wearing the same blue fabric as Amir and sewn just as his. Yasmeen stood quicky. She didn't know why she had the sudden urge to create room for her father on the seat she was in. Perhaps she feared him sitting on the couch with his wife when  her mother would be down any second from now.

The couple exchanged greetings casually, like partners in business without any relationship but that. Yasmeen was perplexed at their behavior. It was as if it was some deal they were keen on getting their hands on, no intimate gesture shown. Now she is convinced that her father had married her only in pursuit of his political career.

Father introduced them properly and they crouched to greet her. It was on stern instruction from the day they arrived that they greeted any elder person they came across with ,stooping.

Over the course of the days they'd been here and with the myriad of visitors, it was becoming a reflex to bend to greet.

The Shettimas arrived and the tense atmosphere cleared. It was tough earlier having mother faking calm and when Yasmeen knew she was a tornado inside. Mother was terrible at keeping her emotions in check. With the addition to the gathering, she would go out of her way to keep cool.

" You have a nice house Dr Abdulkarim. I am enthralled. " Alhaji Bashir remarked, wearing a crooked smile. The tall dark man looked calm and had a low screechy voice. His children resembled him, with the dark complexion and large eyes.

His eldest son looked a lot older than the rest of his children as his daughter looked barely 17, and the rest of his children would be around 15,  13 and 10.

Bashir's wife offered for Yasmeen and her daughter Baby to be friends. Yasmeen  found it amusing that a girl her age was still called baby and she didn't mind.

After they had eaten, everyone praised mother's cooking, even Hauwa Sadiq. They talked about old times , the two men like the old friends they were. The women were not left out.

" Show me to the bathroom" Baby said. " Yours please, not the guest bathroom"

Yasmeen was astounded at her confidence. She was really taking the 'friends' thing her mother mentioned serious, wasn't she? There's was about 3 years age gap between them, there was no way Yasmeen was taking her as a friend. It's evident that she has her hormones bustling. She was past that and wasn't ready to keep up with it again.

" Come" and they left the families downstairs for her room

"I like your room" Baby mentioned with sincere glee."it's a beautiful design"

"Thank you" Yasmeen blinked. She dropped her phone on the bed and pointed at the bathroom door." There's the bathroom"

"Wow I like your bathroom too! You have a big mirror and a bathtub! Oh I have always wanted a bathtub" Baby was blabbering

"I thought you wanted to powder your nose" Yasmeen cut her blabber.

" No. I just wanted to take pictures in a new scenery. I have taken a thousand at home." She made goofy faces and cute poses. Yasmeen only stared.

Baby talked a lot. In a matter of minutes she had poured a handful of things about herself. She even went far as to tell her about her boyfriend who was the current governor's son. He brought her plenty gifts on his return from China, she had said, the shoes on her feet being one of them.

" What's it like back in England? You know Adam said we'll be moving there when we married" she asked with excitement, making herself more comfortable on the bed next to Yasmeen.

" Well.... I don't know where to start you know with the weather and ...... "

"Nooooo! Just start anywhere"

"Okay! You will like it because there are perfect spots for pictures. I would like to leave the rest for you to behold." Yasmeen smile and Baby beamed at the thought of being there herself.

Baby did most of the talking as Yasmeen listened amazed. It's wasn't going to be bad being Baby's friend after all. She laughed at the thought.

Amir was having fun with his new friends Mustapha and Yaagana in the playroom. They didn't mind that he was younger than them. Yaagana kept touching his hair and giggled at his accent whenever he spoke.

"Wotah" she mimicked him saying water and they all laughed.

In the sitting room, the men sat and quipped about politics in Nilefa lately. Barrister Abdulsalam, Bashir's eldest son talked about how the politicians bashed the law. Dr Abdulkarim was impressed with his spirit and offered to have more legal talks in the future.

It was getting late and everyone got ready to leave.

" Let's chat tomorrow" Baby said to Yasmeen before she settled in the backseat of the jeep.

"Yasmeen" screechy voice called. " Come on take my son's number" he turned to his son" Yaa Audu take her number and give her yours." The man he called Yaa Audu stopped mounting the driver's seat and turned around.

Yasmeen looked up and their eyes met