She plans to kill me

Sinister in motion

Bright wore his face cap in a manner that it almost covered his eyes. His skinny T-shirt accentuating his brawny body . His black Jeans looked nice on black sneakers with red designs. He walked into a flat and into a living room where three young men sat. The room reeked of reefers and cancer sticks.

" Maza!" One of the men, wearing a flat top hair-cut said.

" Guyz, which levels?" Bright said.

" Niggaz are roasting 'men." Said the flat top guy. " We ain't got s**t so what? We just hang up and do what?"

Another one, looking like a mulatto said, " We pop weed,sip ethanol and get high till we loose our fucki

**ng minds,ya know wha I'm saying."

"Word niggaz!" Bright said, " I got job for the boys. Like making real cheda."

" Maza!"Hailed flat top guy, " you bouncing back on the street like the old days. Hey, Drollz, roll me some pot, this dude got something cool for the niggaz."

These three guys were all deported from abroad. The guy with the flat top cut was called Dazz, but his real name was shehu. His father was a millionaire and had done all he could to make him do positive things. But Dazz had a record of hideous crimes. The mulatto was Kaybee,his real name was Kabeer. His father was From Kano while the mother was American. The father had given up on him. He was what they called a real bad boy.

The third guy was Flash.His real name was Jabir but was named Flash because of his speed at doing things and stealing was one of them. He was expelled from Harvard. Their parents had sent them to school but the thug life got over them. Now they were back home and did nothing except get high, women, and now into kidnapping racket. Bright had something good for them.

He sat on the usual pew, sequestered from the mirth, persiflage, and hubbub of the young men and women catching fun in the garden. They were in their vintage, cloud cuckoo land where they had less vicissitudes to be perturbed about.

Most of them drove their parents’ cars, spent their money, Dannyded for whatever they needed and sometimes resorted to purloin, chicanery and rapaciously obtaining money for the inexcusable desideratum like trips like this.

You could not look into your father’s eyes and tell him you needed money to buy an i-phone7 for your girl, and you were just a student yet found it imperative to play ‘bigboy’. This was the stage the young couples he saw were.

Danny took a sip of soft drink then looked at his wristwatch. He still had about an hour before leaving. Could it be called rape? He had not forced her, he had left her but she called him a coward, pushing his manhood to a goad, and challenging his amour propre.

And he used no force. She had been cooperative but why the sudden anger and regret? She was his wife and that was no debauchery. That incidence exacerbated their groggy relationship and it was becoming obvious that she may never change . She did not love him and it was high time he moved on.

It seemed love could never be his and why not go back to his retrospective preconceived mind-set? Just get that resistance to love and have peace. The Hausa man says in an adage that what you can’t have, say you don’t want. That happens when a blind man says eyes stink.

“ What are you doing here?”

Danny  looked up at once, absentmindedly scared of been in a hypochondria state, as he felt the figure standing in front of him was a result of hallucination or sick state of mind. He did not reply, but trying to confirm the reality of the event.

“ What are you  doing here Mallam….Danny?”

“ Just having a drink.” He replied, still gawking at Jasmine. “ What are you doing here?”

“ Looking for you?”

“ What is the problem?”

“ You are perspicacious. You know I would never look for you if there is not one. You see me, you see problem.”

“ I would have appreciated it if you had waited for me to come back home. That would have been the best place for problems. “

“ I know. The house is a seething avenue and that is because you married the wrong person.”

“ Can’t we go home? This place is for happy people.”

She sat next to him.

“ I want to stay here. I could not wait. I want to know what is going on.”

“ What do you mean?”

“ Are you still in touch with her?”

“What are you talking about?”

“ You know better. I am talking about this….”

She opened her bag and removed an i-pad.

“ That is mine, why do you invade my privacy?”

“ Saboda tsaro(for security purposes) . Now that I did, I found this.” She turned it on and opened the messages. “ Who is Maryam?”

The mention of the name sent Danny quivering. It was not that he forgot her, but mentioning the name did something to his nervous system.

“ She is someone I used to know.”

“ Used to? That sounds like past tense and I don’t think I am so dumb. You are still in touch with her even though I don’t know how you do it.”

“ How?”

“ These messages are current, look…..this was sent yesterday: I hope you  arrived home safely. I can’t wait to be with you permanently. I know you are lonely right now just like I am.” She smirked, “and you replied: I just got back home and everywhere seems so empty, yet cramped. Only you can bring this balance but don’t worry, my love, we will soon be together insha God.

This was two days ago: I am sorry we can’t be in the garden today, I got a case to scrutinize my love. Can we hook up tomorrow? You replied : Okay dear, let me go into Masjid to pray for the fortitude to survive without seeing you for a day. There are hundreds of messages here to substantiate my claim.”

“ I must remind you that I have not committed any crime or sin here. I am entitled to four wives.”

He saw a flash of galling reaction on her face for split second. Why was she feeling this way? What did she care? Why had she been left in a fit of pique since she discovered this messages? She did not love him and it would soon be over so what the heck was wrong with her?

Could it be megalomania? Feeling it was disgruntling, condescending, and revolting to have a man doing this just two months after wedding. How could he say the house was empty when she was there? How would the so-called slot of a Mariam feel when she met her? She will be like, this is the empty woman who can’t illuminate a home.

“ I know that but you should have respect for me…..”

“Why wouldn’t I have respect for you when you are the most respectful wife in the milky way?”

“ You said you don’t want any trouble here and I am trying to be of my best behaviour. I am too prim for sarcasms.”

“ I don’t want to talk about it. Thank god you are knowledgeable enough to know that I have not committed any sin or crime.”

She was silent for a while .

“ Please tell me about her. I am not forcing you.”

He had never seen her sound so cool and there was something pacific and imploring about  her eyes.

Danny would not fall for her guiles. He could not believe the expression she showed. If he told her anything, it was because he wanted to.

“ You are way more quiet than your brother. That was how I used to recognize you before …we got married.” The phrase ‘got married’ sounded heavy for her. “ If he was the one I married, the matter could have been settled long ago. I don’t think he accommodates craps.”

“ I have not always been like this. When we were kids, I used to be the troublesome one,” He chuckled as he could see himself hiding behind the curtains as Mrs Bamanga came into their compound apoplectically panting and gasping, with her twelve year old daughter, Fateemah. Fateemah was slim and beautiful with small features.

“ Assalamu alaikum” Mrs Bamanga had greeted in anger, “ Please Hajiya, warn this boy to leave my daughter alone!” she was pointing at Denny who was with his mother. “ He caught her and beat her up. This is not the first time he is doing this.”

“ Are you sure? I don’t think this boy did it.”

“ SubahanGod! I don’t mean to sound uncouth but parents like you who support their children or refuse to admit their faults always end up regretting it. Teemah, who beat you up?”

She pointed at Denny.

Hajiya grinned.

“ He cannot do that and I understand your point madam but I am not that kind of mother. Just give me a moment. Danny!  Ameeeeeer!”

Danny reluctantly came out .

“ This is the boy that beat you up. I know my children and their characters.”

The anger in Mrs Bamanga’s face vanished and astonishment and to some extent amusement splashed on her face. They were too identical. Even Fateemah never knew Danny had a twin.

“ Matso nan dan ubanka!” Hajiya vituperated, “ What did you to her?”

Danny was wearing his innocent expression, the one the mom had come to recognise as prove for his guilt.

“ I was riding my bicycle, then-then- this girl- her name is Fateemah, then- then- I said Fateemah, this is my bicycle and it is called Chopper, then-then she said, she –she –she now said the gears are not  good, then-then-she said the front tyre is smaller than the back tyre, then-then- I said…….”

He was cut by a slap on his cheek.

“ I know you Danny. I hope you won’t kill me, dannan.”

“ Hey Hajiya, you don’t have to slap him like that.” Mrs Bamanga said quickly, her anger had deadened and Danny’s blabber made her want to laugh. He was just  prevaricating.

“ This boy has become a nuisance, so pesky I don’t know what to do with him.’

“Sai adu’a da tarbiya(he just needs prayers and admonition)

“ I treat them the same way, same admonishment but his brother is not like that.”

Danny could see himself buying fireworks on credit and say his name was Denny.  He would avoid the way and poor Denny would be stopped and asked to pay up.

“ Okay, Jasmine, I would tell you about Mariyam.” He said after a while. “ And the reason for still keeping in touch with her.  Yes, I still see her and we still meet in this garden. I do come here for her sake, to get healed, to feel loved and blissful. This is how it all began…………”