By Miryamah AQ
miryamah230@gmail.com
...............................................................
A soft knock came through the door and I nearly flung my laptop across the door. Forever wishing it was a Hewlett Packard not MacBook. I could've crashed it with no worries I swear. Just when you're trying to have a moment with your humble self then someone will just come interrupting. Mtsw.
"What?" I snapped not wanting to see the face of the intruder.
"May I come in?"
Oh! It was Aunt Ralia.
"Just a minute"
I quickly put my laptop aside and opened the door for her. She enveloped me in a warm hug the moment I let her in and just like that,the tears came running down again. I thought I had no more liquid in my tear glands after yesterday night.
"Shhhh!!! Its okay hun." She whispers as she leads me to the bed. She sits me down beside her and lets me cry on her shoulder until all the tears subsided and my heart was at rest again. It feels so good to cry wallah. So good.
"You're a strong girl Miriam. And I want you to keep being strong. Everything's going to work out fine insha Allah. Two weeks is enough for you to prepare yourself right?"
"Two weeks?" I asked
"Yeah. Your father just told me the wedding has been postponed."
"And its in two weeks time?"
"Yeah" she smiles.
"Oh Lord!" I bury my face in my hands. "I need two years to prepare myself Aunt Ralia. Heck! I need twenty years"
She laughed softly beside me and bumped her shoulder with mine.
"Don't be so silly. Try it and see. And I've heard the Prince himself is coming to see you this Friday. You know so that you guys can know each other better " she winks.
"What the hell?" My eyes were as wide as saucers.
"Language Miriam" she laughs hysterically " Stop acting like you're going to meet a beast"
"He is a beast. I knew him when we were kids. Always grumpy and never smiles. Beating up kids his age and doing all sorts of crazy things. Who knows what he's capable of doing now that he's all grown up and has much power. He'll probably kill me the day I become his wife and ......"
"Listen darling" she interrupts. "I want you to give this marriage a chance and I assure you it'll be the most perfect thing in your life.
People change you know. "
"I really doubt so. Nothing has ever been perfect in my life" I muttered. She smiles sadly and gives me a side hug.
"You take good care of yourself. I'll see you in two weeks."
"Wait...where are you going?" I asked,alarmed.
"I have a husband and four kids to cater for waiting for me at home. So I need to leave today"
"Oh"was all I said.
Great! Just great! Just when I thought in finally had someone who cares. And now she's leaving.
"How long are you going to be gone?"
"Miriam!" She laughs" I'm not going forever. Kano is a few hours away.
You can come say Hi anytime you want. I'm sure your father won't say No. Besides Yusrah and everyone is dying to see you"
"Well perhaps I'll just go with you today. This place sucks"
"What? You want Hajiya to kill me?
Please. Kiyi haquri ki zauna(be patient and stay)"
I heaved a defeated sigh,my shoulders slumping..
After whispering a few words of advice,Aunt Ralia left and once again I was alone in my little world.
I decided to not kill myself around noon when I felt an unending hunger brewing inside me. I called for Hasiya and she was more than glad.
A smile was perched on her face as she maneuvered into my room with a tray full of food and drinks..
"What would you like to eat Ranki ya... erm I mean.."
"Call me Miriam" I said with a smile."And anything you set on my plate will do just fine. Anything"
She smiles and nods.
I watched patiently as she served a two pieces of Masa and then pours mutton pepper soup atop. She proceed to pour zobo into a glass cup. The moment she was done,I grabbed my food and devoured everything to the last bit.
"Want some more?" She asks with a chuckle.
"No thanks. I'm full" I said patting my flat stomach. I wiped my mouth with the napkin and said my Alhamdulillah. I thanked her and she packed up the rest and left.
I prayed Zuhr and then decided to do some reading to kill time. And as usual,I was just at the first chapter of Breaking Dawn when a knock came on the door.
"Ya ilaahi" I whined "Come in" I added as I sat up from where I lay sprawled on the carpet.
Hasiya poked her head in.
"Sorry to disturb you Miriam but Hajiya wants to see you"
Oh ya Allah what does she want this time around kuma? Mtsw.
I grabbed my dupatta from the armchair and wrapped it around my head. I followed Hasiya to the main living room.
I salaamed and entered. As usual,Hajiya and her committee of gossipers sat in the living room..
"Hajiya Barka da Rana(Good afternoon)" I greeted.
"Karma ki Fara(don't even start)!"
She snaps"You think shifting the wedding to two Fridays to come will make me change my mind huh?
.
Well I'm not changing it young lady.
You're marrying Yarima and it's final. You're lucky Mai Martaba himself talked to me about the new arrangements if not I could've arranged a wedding Fatiha this minute. You know what am capable of doing" she fumes.
Oh yes I know what you're capable of. Ruining people's happiness.
"I've arranged for Yarima to come and see you on Friday. Banason shashanci(I don't want any rubbish).
Ki nutsu(Behave yourself). Ki kula(Take caution). If he says anything about you not being hospitable, you're going to regret coming back to Nigeria"
Hahahah. As if I'm not regretting it already.
"Kina jina ko?(Are you hearing me?)"
I nod my head in the affirmative.
"If you dare nod your head at me again. Answer me!"
"Yes" I mutter.
"Good!" She sighs."Now go" she waves her hand as if she's shooing a goat away. I rise up from my half-kneeling position and ran off to my room.
I'm not going to cry.
I'm not going to be sad.
I'm going to be strong.
My phone beeped. An incoming message. I quickly opened it and my eyes welled up with tears when I saw the sender. Oh Ma!
Miriam
I woke up this morning to your dad
almost in tears on the phone. He was apologizing and asking me to forgive him and I was so confused because I didn't know what was happening. So I told him to calm down and talk to me. He told me you were getting married. I was so happy. But when he explained everything in details,I felt shattered.
I'm so sorry love. If I knew coming
back to Nigeria will be the cause of
this,i would've never let you come.
Never.
I know you're hurting so much and
your heart aches more than you can
bear. But stay strong Mon Cherie.
Stay strong for Ma. I'll be there as
fast as I can. Hang in there love.
Je Vous Aime.❤
A lone tear cascaded down the side of my cheek. I knew Ma didn't type this message. She hardly speaks English in two complete sentences not to talk of typing two paragraphs.
It was either Leilah or her dad one of which I pick her dad because he's an international business man and speaks almost five languages fluently. English and French inclusive. So this means Ma is in a terrible condition. I called her back but she wasn't picking. My suspicions flew to a high octave.
I quickly got on my laptop and got on Skype. Leilah was offline. So I just left a quick message telling her to holla at me when she's back from school or wherever else she went to.
Immediately after Maghreb prayer, my phone started ringing and going by the ringing tone i just knew who was calling. She specially assigned Idina Mazel's voice to her contact.
Frozen freak.
" Ma soeur se marie!!!(my sister is getting married) " she screamed into my ears.
"Leilah for Pete's sake. I'm dying here!" I replied gloomily.
"Dying?are you forreal? Vous épousez un prince(you are marrying a prince)..
Spectaculaire" she exclaims.
"You are so annoying.Je veux vous tuer(I want to kill you)"
"Oh my God. It has always been our dream to be married to princes. You know, knights in shining armor.
Sexy,hot..."
"Leilah!!!" I screamed. She suddenly keeps shut.
"Please. I want to talk to Ma" I added a little bit softly.
"Uh... Elle ne se sent pas bien (she's not feeling well)" she replies nervously.
"I knew it" I muttered as I pinched the bridge of my nose.
"Tell her I'm fine okay. I'm totally okay. Don't make her worry too much. Make sure she takes all her medications. Tell her I love her."
"Will do that my Royal bride" she was back to her playful self again.
"Douche"
"I love you. I can't wait to see you walk down the aisle"
"Dude. People don't walk down the aisle in this part of the country" I explained getting irritated.
"What? Then what do they do?"
"I don't know. You are so annoying. Bye"
"I love you Miriam. Mauh Muah" she says and hangs up.
I loom down at my phone and a watery smile escaped my lips. I love my sister so much but she is so annoying wallah.
No comments:
Post a Comment