Chapter 60: Chapter 60
She wonder how she overslept today, she wasn't a sleeper in the day, for whenever she wakes up for her subh prayer and sleep back, she has to wake up around 8am-but today was exceptional, she woke up around 12pm feeling a little bit dizzy with a weighed feeling in her heart. A feeling of something different that happened, it wasn't Abba, Adyan or Mama-it was a new excruciating painful feeling.
She sluggishly pulled herself out of the bed and walked to her trolley, picked up her brush and toothpaste before she walked out of the room to get herself cleaned, she saw her breakfast kept beside her bed, and it was surely Hamma Taheer's doing, he never let her eat anything cooked by Umma or Amna.
She finished her brush, washed her face-and was putting on the fire so she could warm the water she could bathe-when elderly women started trooping inside their house. She flashed them puzzled looks and went back to her work, for she wondered what brought them here today, Abba wasn't upto 40 days so they could say it's among the condolence tradition.
She put on the fire, arrange the pot and put in the water before walking back to their room, and what her ears heard in Umma's room almost made her lost her balance. She thought of it as an hallucination, but the older woman that came out of the room with a wide smile on her face, and fulani attire on her body-what she said proved Hayfah's instincts and jerked her wide awake.
"Is she our bride? Jibril is really lucky to have you as a wife. Such a beautiful lady." Hayfah didn't understand what her words meant, and that's when she looked over at their door and saw it loaded with men and women-and they were probably celebrating something.
A part in her wants to take this as a joke, but somewhere in her knew this isn't a joke, Umma is capable of doing the worst a human being could do. She brushed past the woman and entered the room, before she spotted Umma amidst women-laughing and giggling.
"Umma, would you please come over? I have something to ask." She doesn't want to be a disrespectful daughter innfront of these women, and what scared her was Umma smiled widely and uttered "Sure." Before she walked over her in giddy steps.
Before she came out, she heard the mumurs of the women exclaiming "Amaryajo boddo! (The bride is beautiful)" and that made her completely agitated. What happened while she was asleep?
Hayfah walked to their room and waited until Umma barged with a different expression from the one she saw back in her room. "Umma what was that I heard those women calling me? Even if I don't understand so much fulani, I know they were referring to me as a bride. Explain!" She held a fiesty expression that gave no room for Umma's bullshits, but she still expect any from Umma.
Umma steadied herself on Amna's bed and let out a loud chortle before she sobered up and flashed Hayfah the look that sent a chill down her spine. "A week ago, didn't you said that I, Shafa'atu should deal with you avowing on not marrying Malik? So this is my best way of dealing with it-I got you married to Jibril, he lives in Moreye village neighbourhood to Galadimawa. What again?" That was all she uttered and held her malicious expression-feeling as if she could strangle Hayfah to death.
Hayfah stumbled on her feet and she has herself held tightly with strong arms, instead of what she expected to welcome her slackened body-the ground. Taheer held her firm and lifted her up before he made her sat down on her bed, supporting her with his arms.
"Umma what does that mean? How could you get her married without her knowing? Is this the highest level of your hatred towards your own daughter, Umma!" He clamoured and moved towards her in trudging steps, the mischievous smile on her lips peircing directly through his mind. What he was thinking was; he promised to protect Hayfah, but he failed! Umma planned all this without him knowing!
"What? Are you going to beat me because I helped your whore of a sister and get her married to a decent man or what? Taheer get out of my way before I curse you wallahi!" She thundered, she was now standing few feets away from a seething Taheer-she looked over at Hayfah that seemed to be into a hiatus and a triumphant smile graced her lips, this was the expression she longed for.
"She isn't a whore! Stop using that word againt her pure and pious self. Your daughter, the one you love I mean-was who deserved to be called that. Or have you forgotten all she has done that I have to remind you, Umma! Why are you like this towards Hayfah? What has she ever done to deserve this from you? All her life, she lived with your love in her heart, but why Umma? Why would you get her married to a fulani man that lives in the bush? Just way?" He couldn't control his tears anymore, he was crying so hard and shaking his head. He have never expected Umma to be like this, how could she be so cruel? And the deed couldn't be undone now.
"Say a word about Amna, and you just have to expect yourself in the list of the cursed sons in the world. Give me way, and you need to stop touching her like that, her husband wouldn't be welcomed with the idea. She's now Mrs. Hayfah Jibril, not Hayfah Talhah Muhammad." She glared at both of them, Hayfah that almost fainted-and Taheer shaking her with tears rolling down his cheeks, he doesn't know what he would do. Is he going to confront the groom and tell him everything? But those men outside said the nikkah was solemnized in Galadimawa village, they just came here so they could take Hayfah with them.
It took time before Hayfah regained back her consciousness before she burst into melancholic tears, she was doomed. Even if she hates him, all her life-she lives with the fantasy of him being her husband, the person she could laugh with, the person she could talk endlessly without having to feel insecure, the person that will know everything about her. But no! All her dreams got shattered, her wishes and hopes-she was now Mrs. Jibril, not Mrs. Ardo-the name she always admire to be adjoined with hers.
"It's okay, Hayfah, stop crying please-I'll have a way and make sure this marriage didn't work out. Would you please stop your tears?" Taheer whimpered, clearing her tears with his hands, but Hayfah didn't bulged; rather-the words that came out of her mouth scared him to hell.
"I loved him so much, and I still do, Hamma-till the end of my life. I've never get the chance to tell Abba about him, he have always begged me to let him introduce himself to Abba but I always decline-saying it isn't time yet. The first day I saw him was on my geography examination day, but he got himself a big space in my heart. He became my dream conpanion, I became addicted to his thoughts and faint voices in my head. He was literally everywhere in me. I met him three times after that day-but I could swear I've never loved anything more than him.
We were estranged for good four years, but that didn't change a single thing in my heart, for I always dream of him, I always write to him through my diary-though I know he couldn't read it, but I feel a spiritual connection with him. Unknowingly, I work in their company in Abuja, that was when we finally met and our love blossomed more than in our dreams-he dreams too.
But I lost him now? All the dreams, hopes and wishes are shattered with just three Fatihas. There is a big barrier between me and him, and even if I think about him-I'll accounted for a sin. What should I do, Hamma? But wallahi I love him more than I love myself." Her voice was strained and devoid of any emotion, she was just staring into space with tears streaming down her cheeks, and her hands were in Taheer's grisp, whom she could hear his sobs through her ears.
"What is his name?" That was what he could ask, and right now; he knew he doesn't know anything about Hayfah. She was a complete book of façade. Nobody knows everything about her but Allah-for she couldn't be comfortable with anyone that she could share her secrets with.
"His name is Adyan Aliyu Ardo. He is the man Amna loves with all her being, and the same man she blackmailed me for, which lead to them marrying me off to another man so she could have him. That's the end of the story, I could never have peace, love and happiness."
"Innalillahi! What kind of life Umma and Amna lives? How could a mother be so cruel and heartless to her own daughter? Ya Allah!" He didn't know what to feel, his mind and brain are jumbled and he couldn't think straight, he have to find of way to bringing this marriage into an end, it would never happen! Not when he's alive and healthy.
Hayfah laboriously turned and face him with her bloodshot eyes and fluffy face. "You didn't know?" She slurred, with a tone of amusement in her voice.
"What?" He asked, clueless about how he sensed amusement in her voice. Is there something he should know that he didn't?
"That Umma isn't my mother? She is my mother's cousin sister. My mother's name is Rukayya, but she's dead." And slowly and painfully, she told him everything she knew about her Mama, not omitting a single thing.
He was now crying profusely, how could face Hayfah knowing his mother caused her mother's grief, and also the cause of her death? How could he face this lady that has a heart of gold? He broke down completely. He knelt down and took her hands in his "Hayfah I don't have the words to ask for your forgiveness, I know they don't deserve your forgiveness-but from what you told me, I contributed in making Mama's life miserable. Would you please forgive me?" Everything is just too much for him to take, the fact that Hayfah is married to the man she doesn't love or learning about her real mother? No wonder! This explains alot of Umma's malicious acts on Hayfah.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Hamma. You were a kid when all that happened, and wallahi I've never blamed you. I would've bring out the papers Abba gave me so we could have her face embedded in our hearts, but I put them the last thing in my trolley, but next time insha Allah." She was surprisingly smiling, albeit there was nothing conpared to even an iota of happiness in her heart. All she knew is, her heart melted when Hamma Taheer called her Mama, Mama also-she felt loved.
"Hayfah I can't let you married to him, I'll arrange for how you're going back to Abuja today, we have to find Adyan and you shall marry him Insha Allah." He conjectured, sitting beside her and pulling her into a side hug.
She laughed humorlessly, a laugh that cracked her throat before coming out in a shaking timbre. "Hamma Taheer I can't leave without Jibril knowing, I might not know him, but he's married to me. A single step out of this house without his permission-I will be cursed by the angels. The best way is; I'll have to talk to him, tell him everything about myself and the person I love, I'm sure Umma and Sagiru payed him to marry me, we can double the money to him so he could divorce me. But I'm afraid of Allah's wrath on me, because I'm now his wife." She has finally accepted the fact that she's married to someone other than Adyan, she could love to see how detrimented the news could make Adyan. Or he would probably be happy, because he could have his Amna all he want.
"I've never being so proud of you; Hayfah. May Allah bless you and make your life peaceful with full of love and happiness." Taheer spoke through tears and hugged her.
"Enough of the sentimental moment, her inlaws are waiting to take her back to the village, they've arranged a small walimah for her. So, get up and get ready Hayfah-and wear these clothes also!" Umma flinged her a leather that contained the blue fulani attire with their accessories.