Chapter 28: Chapter 28

Fatima’s POV

“Adda Nana inji Ammi wai ki hada wa Abba tea me ginger  {adda Nana Ammi said you should make ginger tea for Abba}.” Afnan said to me as I knotted my tie around my neck.

“ok tohm I’m coming. Kuma before I finish you guys should eat the toasted bread with tea. Ask Amal to make the tea for you guys. Banda shan madara.” I said as I wore my pin earrings.

I quickly slipped on my black loafers and black cap than rushed down the stairs to make the ginger tea for Abba.

I picked out all what I’d need, milk, milo, sugar, ginger, cloves and barkwano. I brought out a small pot and measured two cups of water for abba and myself.

I turned on the gas and grated ginger inside then added 15 cloves and a pinch if the barkwano. Once it boiled, I added two spoons of milk, two spoons of milo and seived it in two different cups, for Abba and for me.

I added honey in his cup and sugar in mine then dropped mine on the dining table and strolled to his room where  I overheard his conversation with Ammi.

“Have you talked to Halima’s mum?” it was Abba talking.

“ai nace I’ll talk to her don’t worry kai kam. Kuma ai it won’t be nice to call her early in the morning around 7am.” Ammi replied.

“toh shikenan but make sure you talk to her. Let me drop this children zanje cikin gari I have some things to cover over there.” Abba said and I knew he’d be out any minute so I said my salam.

“wa alaikis salam shigo.” Ammi said and I opened the door with my right then went inside the room. I dropped the tea then knelt on the ground.

“Ammi, Abba ina kwana.”

“lafiya qalau kun gama shiri koh?” Ammi said while Abba sipped his ginger tea.

“I’m not sure su Amal sun gama shiri amma they should be done by now. Bari inje in duba.” I said getting up to leave.

“kin gyara dakin ki koh?”, Ammi asked.

“eeh I even made sure that Afnan and Amal ma sun gyara nasu.” I replied holding the door knob.

“toh shikenan you can go. Your dad will give you the money when he drops you off.” Ammi said and I walked out.

I went to go and check on Amal and Afnan and they were all ready and had tidied up their room. We all slung our bags and waited for Abba to come and take us to school.

We drove to school and when he dropped us he gave a one thousand naira note then said “when you come back home we might have to talk.”

I replied with an okay and entered the school. Ya Sa’eed would come later because Ammi and Abba said that he would serve a special punishment for fighting in school.

Knowing Ammi and Abba they’d collect his driver’s license, Ammi’s car key and ground him without phone or internet access for a week.

I had once been punished like that because of the fight I had with Halli but that is a story for another day.

I sighted Halli and a thought came to me, speaking of the devil and the devil arrives. I smiled cheekily and walked over to her.

“Halli luff, yakike?” I asked as I walked up to her.

“hmmm, ganinan fah. Ai mummy do me strong thing yesterday ke?! Hmm wallahi I was and still am very surprised.” Halli said shaking her head sideways.

“what happened? Meye tayi?” I asked getting curious because my best friend looked worried.

“ke let’s go to class first in shafa miki labarin. Keh the thing is surprising fah. Hmm. Wallahi even you’ll be surprised.” Halli said as we walked up the stairs.

We reached the class and I dropped my bag then we sat down and she started, “hmmm, kekam yesterday when I came back home, I couldn’t sleep but then I finally fell asleep then mummy came inside the room and said I should pray asr and not sleep. Ehen that reminds me Fatima have you been praying like I said?” Halli said.

I scoffed at her last sentence and rolled my eyes,” abeg this prayer is too exhausting. It’s annoying that you have to pray five times daily whether you like it or not. So I only pray subh and Isha so that I won’t be under the classification of munafiqs.” I said shrugging.

Halima smacked my head making me yell, “ouch Halli what did I do mana?”

“wallahi Teemah fear Allah. I know I’m in no place to preach to you because we’re birds of the same feathers but I know that wallahi I’m better than you. Far better if I may add. Kuma Alhamdulillah I’ve started praying is it uhmmm rakanati koh? No ehmm, ratanaki. No ehen na tuna, Raka’atanil Fajr. I started Raka’atanil Fajr and Alhamdulillah I know I’ll get reward for it even though I was forced into it but not actually forced shaa, long story short, Teemah you don’t know when you’ll die so gwara ki fara sallah tun wuri saboda Allah… “ Halli said but I cut her off.

“ abeg itaff do. If you will gist me gist if you won’t stop doing wa’azi for me because you’re no better than me. Kuma kina maganan mutuwa so you’re praying for me to die koh? Toh wallahi be careful if not. Tohm, I’ve said my own.” I said because I was angry.

No angry is an understatement, I was fuming, raging, apoplectic, enraged, mad, vexed, pissed off, cheesed off, psyched up! How dare she?! Just because she was my best friend didn’t give her the right to say things about me to my face.

I didn’t know I had voiced my thoughts till she said, “oh I don’t have that right koh? Toh Allah ya baki hakuri. Nikam fah I was just trying to help you as my best friend but since you don’t need the advice I guess I’ll keep my advice to myself.” Halli said also enraged but she kept her cool not wanting to do anything she might regret, or so I thought.

She left and that was how I decided that I wouldn’t talk to her unless she talked to me first. Amir was right. Halima only thought about herself.

Everything always had to be about her. Always, she never considered my opinions, to her she was right and always will be.

I’d just give her some space to miss me, I thought and went on with my day.

Halima’s POV

I couldn’t believe what Teemah had just said. She freaking said I didn’t have any right to say anything to her!! She didn’t even wait to try and understand my point.

I was just trying to help her. She needed my help. The girl never prayed and I’m sure Ammi didn’t know about it. I’d decided to give her space and maybe, just maybe she’d realize her mistake.

If she didn’t realize her mistake I’d have to do something that would seem like I was trying to cause a rift between her and Ammi. I’d have to do something that would cost our friendship.

I’d have to tell Ammi.

With that on my mind I went on with the day. On my way to the cafeteria during break, I remembered Ya Sa’eed’s message, meet me at the carpentry workshop by 10:00.

I bought a plate of rice, jollof rice to be precise and salad and a slice of meat then asked for an extra plate I could use to cover it.

I walked to the carpentry workshop and Ya Sa’eed wasn’t even there yet. I sat down on a chair and started eating my rice.

As I was eating my meat when Ya Sa’eed came in. He looked at me and said “I thought you wouldn’t come. So what’s your answer?”, he asked going straight to the point.

Way to be blunt about it, I thought internally rolling my eyes.

“uhmm, Ya Sa’eed gaskiya I haven’t thought about it. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. Moreover, you’re like the older brother I never had. I can’t possibly see an “us”. Ya Sa’eed think about it, it seems awkward for a girl to date or in how you put it have a future with her best friend’s older brother.” I said fiddling with my fingers.

“Halima, look at me. Wallahi I love you and if you want after my WAEC we can get officially betrothed and whenever you’re ready we get married. But if you can’t see us together then Fallillahil hamd, as long as you’re happy I’m happy.” Ya Sa’eed said as he let a sad smile on his face.

“uhmmm, wallahi I don’t know but I have to think about it.” I said thinking about giving him a chance. He’s a great person, caring, nice, loving and a brotherly figure and to top it all, when he loves, he loves forever and when he hates he hates forever.

Even though he had his flaws, I knew that he would never let anyone hurt me. He already loved me in a brotherly way, so it might not be hard for him to love me as more than a sisterly figure.

I also once had a crush on him, that was years ago when I was in jss1. I stopped crushing on him when a girl threatened to skin me alive if I as much touch him.

I was naïve and scared so I gave in to her threat without as much as a second thought.

And maybe, just maybe, I still had the feelings deep inside my heart buried under the brotherly love I had for him.

My emotions where all over the place so I excused myself and decided to keep myself busy for the rest of the day.

It was closing time and I didn’t see the Peugeot that normally picked me up from school. I heard my name being called and the voice sounded oddly familiar and when I turned I saw daddy.

I engulfed him in a hug “Sadiya nah small small fah, your daddy is now an old man.” Daddy said and that made me hug him even tighter.

We entered the car and drove off. On our way home we talked about everything and nothing. We reminisced old times, laughed at some of the things I did while I was younger and many other things.

And then suddenly I remembered something, hermano!

“daddy, please who’s hermano?” I saw daddy gulp then smile sweetly before asking,

“hermano kuma? Which language is that? Anyways I don’t know him or her.” Daddy said shrugging.

I believed him so I told him our whole ordeal and he laughed at the end saying, “that must be Adnan. He’s my friend’s son. He said that you’re like his sister because you guys are so much alike. He’s also the only child and a daddy’s boy. He attended your school and graduated four years ago. He has graduated from a university in Istanbul with a degree in accounting, now he’s completing his masters”, he said smiling.

“okay daddy when do I get to meet this Adnan guy?” I loved new friends. I always enjoy having lots of friends. And moreover I missed my Teemah. So I needed to get my mind off her.

“ai you’ve met him. But don’t worry you’ll soon meet him officially.” Daddy said as we came closer to the house.

“ehem daddy please I want to ask you something. Promise me you won’t say the opposite.” I asked looking hopeful at daddy.

“ok Sadiya talk”, daddy said and that was my cue. I told him all about my ordeal with Ya Sa’eed and he said “look Halimatus-Sadiya Audu Kalshingi. Follow your heart. Moreover you aren’t getting any younger so you might as well start searching for a husband for us.” Daddy said trying to tease me.

“haba daddy I’m just fourteen fah. Are you trying to send me away from your house so that you can stay alone with your wife?” I asked feigning hurt and attempting to raise a brow at him.

“laaa, this small girl you’ve started learning rubbish koh? Ai I’ll tell your mum.”, and that was what I needed to shut me up.

I kept quiet and looked outside the window remembering that I had chores waiting for me at home.

We parked and I went in and started my chores after bathing and eating.

“what did I tell you?! I thought I said to give me time?!”, Audu Kalshingi said through gritted teeth as he looked at the young man in front of him.

“I needed to see my sister as my sister and I did what I thought deem fit.” The young man said shrugging as if it was nothing.

“look young man don’t test my patience. Just because I asked for time from you doesn’t mean that you are above me. You are and will always be my son so I have every right to say what I want to you. This is Nigeria not the states so wallahi be careful with me.” Audu Kalshingi was clearly losing his mind and mad but he was trying to get a grip on himself.

“I thought I said to stop calling me your son.” The other person was also clearly angry. He hardly ever got angry but only that word could make him kill.

“I won’t.” Audu Kalshingi said stepping up to the challenge.