Nilefa: The Union

CHAPTER 7

He came in late the next day. Hauwa was up,waiting for him. She dozed off on the couch. She woke up at the sound of the door closing. It was past midnight.

He walked past her, silently answering her welcome. She followed him to his room. He took of his kuluw (babban Riga) and discarded it on the bed. His shirt followed. She looked at where his links and watch sat on the bedside drawer. When he disappeared into the bathroom, she put everything in it's place and folded his worn clothes. There was still sweat on them, but she didn't mind. They smelt like him. His cologne mixed with his actual smell was wrecking havoc on her senses. She stood there for a while before going to the kitchen to warm the food up for Abdulkarim. She knew he had not eaten.

" Why did you not sleep? You need rest, you have been busy all day." He said as he joined her on the table. She only smiled.

" I have rested." She said to him. " How was your day?"

"I can't say. It's obvious that I am wearing out. It's really helpful to work with Bashir you know. He has his way with things. Some ways I may not condone if I  knew." He said serving himself the couscous karkara .

" Mmmm. Not to pry but don't you think he is up to something? I mean he has not made his needs clear to you. For  a man of his reputation, it is unlikely for him to be all kind and supportive without wanting something in return. I don't know why I have a feeling he will be asking for too much when you become the governor. " She was being honest.

" Bashir and I have long been friends. He knows me well. I can never allow anything or anything to harm the trust my people have on me. The only thing he will be asking too much is my loyalty to the people."

" He is offering more than enough. He wants his son to marry your daughter" she stated.

" You are mistaken, it is what we both want. I want the best for my daughter and the barrister is just it. He is a good man." Dr Abdulkarim gave her a stern look, like the conversation about his daughter's marriage should end here. " I need men like him on my side."

" And forcing Yasmeen into marrying him is the way to do that?" She asked. Her voice held accusation.

"Yes" he retorted. " You are in the best position to know that. " She didn't expect him to shove the circumstances of their marriage to her face like that. It was her fault. She pushed him to bringing it up.

" I am sorry I brought it up. I just thought the girl's choice should be respected." She stood up.

" Where are you going?" He looked at her.

" I have to sleep now. I have to make arrangements for the upcoming events." And she disappeared to her room.

The primaries were closing in on them. She was the one in charge of the preparations and mostly, releasing funds. She didn't retire before him because she had a long day or that she was approaching another one. She was hurt.

There was more to their marriage than just their aim. At least to her. He hurt her with his words. If only he knew how she felt about him. She would be patient and would not falter in hopes of getting him to feel the same about her.

___________________________________

Yasmeen just got off a Zoom meeting with her ex- classmates. Biomedical engineering,class of 2021 University of Bradford was organizing a farewell event for one of their professors. It was to be held in the coming months at the University. She wanted to go. She would escape all of the drama with her family if she did.

" You will go when you marry" father didn't spare her a glance when she approached him with the issue." I cannot let you go all the way back to England alone. When you are married, you ask your husband to accompany you."

" But dad, you have let me go places alone before! What has changed now?!" She was exasperated.

" I let you go on school tours, with proper guidance and security. This time you are on your own. You are no longer a student there." Father explained.

She had been angry with him over the days. Since that night they had the conversation about the barrister. Father had made attempts at reconciling, but she was adamant. She knew she should be easy on him because he didn't want anything that would upset her. Father even offered to cancel their plans for the wedding if she didn't want it. She was glad he did, but she still wouldn't talk to him like she used to.

"Father I cannot marry before then" her voice was shaky

"Oh it's a pity" he kept sipping his tea.

"Baba..." She began, knowing well that name was his weakness.

" My decision is final Jazz. Get married, and I will see that you attend that event, wherever in this world it is to be held and I will even have you get him a remarkable parting gift." Father offered.

" Really?!" Yasmeen perked up at the idea. She wasn't seeing anyone yet. She had bumped into Mamman Nur in Abuja when she escorted mother to an anniversary dinner of her friend the previous week. There she found out he was married and even had a child. He had never mentioned that he was married. Over a month, they dialed each other but not even a slip of word about them.  She couldn't go back with him. Yasmeen despised the idea of being the second wife. Mother resented her father's wife. It felt like an abomination to her.

Back in her room, she laid on her bed. She took her phone and scrolled through her WhatsApp chats. Plenty of M-Nur's messages waited to be opened. She blocked him and moved on to reply to other messages.

She was about to sleep having performed her supplications when an idea struck her. She knew it would be stupid but she would try.

Abdu, she searched the name and there it was! She tapped in and saw that he was online.

" Hii" she sent.

No response came from him and he was still online.

" Assalamu alaykum" she tried again. This time he left her on read.

She waited a few moments before sending him,

" As a Muslim you should answer the salaam"

She was delighted when he answered.

" Wa alaykum salaam"

" I just wanted to say hi. "  This time, he didn't open the message. She waited a while before turning off her internet and sleeping.