She plans to kill me

The beginning of the saga

The love affair between Danny and Fateemah became profoundly sizzling, genuine and esoteric. They were best of friends, and never missed the opportunity of been together. The only reason they were not campus husband and wife (live-in lovers) was religion.

They went to library together, or found a quiet class as they tried to avoid Danny’s room as much as possible after the incidence.  Incidence?  It happened when then they would close from school, go to his room and read, or watch movies, eat or just hang out.

They had been in the room watching movies, and Denny was away with his friends. When Danny decided to make noodles and omelette, she offered to help. While she was doing that, and they were alone in the room, Shaytan began to whisper, making him imagine her as his wife, and his eyes travelled round her feminine features.

After the meal, it began to rain, and electric power was seized. So, they put on the rechargeable lantern-c*m-radio. The sound of the rain, the quiet and her beauty got him ideas and he touched her hand.

She had reclined but he held it and drew his mouth close to her ears.

“ I love you, Teetee. You are irresistible and I am helplessly mesmerized and prone to bloop.”

His deep voice had sent a sensational wave through her body, and his breath did something to her nervous system. She had never been this close to him or any man. When she felt his hand on hers again, with light movement that sent fire into her, her eyes closed and she melted.

By the time they came to their senses, breathing hard while he kept muttering the du’a of refuge from the devil, he thanked God he did not go far. It stopped at dalliance but the event scared them. It was extremely dangerous for a man and woman to be in seclusion, no matter how pious they were, because Shaytan will always be with them.

That incidence made them stop going to his room except when Denny was around or her friends. It was their second semester and she was almost done with one hundred level.

As they sat on a pew in the coldness of Jos, he felt the need to draw her close and give her warmth. She also needed it but that line was just there. They both resorted to the comfort of their sweaters.

“ Teetee.” He called her softly.

“Na’am.”

“ Will you marry me?”

That was totally unexpected and straight. The question had sent her into an instant reverie, fantasy and dreamland. She covered her face with her palms and felt so ashamed of him. Why? They had been talking love and so used to each other for almost a year.

“ Yes, my noor, I will marry you.”

A few seconds of silence.

“ I don’t mean after we graduate.”

“ What? You are just at the end of your second year.”

“ I know but I am crazily in love. Got like three more years if ASU permits, and if strikes come in, maybe five or four, God forbid. I want to break the barrier between us, and make it halal. I want to wake up in the morning with you by my side, your head on my chest, and we pray, have bath and go to school together.

You are my greatest exigency, the one thing I need to make me complete. I want to have you in my life for ever. You will only go home for visit and when you go, they will be like, ‘when did you come?’ and not when did you come back.”

“That is my home ,dude.”

“ That is your temporary home. Your real home lies with me, insha God. Graduation is a life-time from now. I want it as soon as possible.”

“ I don’t now if Abba will agree to that.” She said thoughtfully , “ but you don’t have a job. Don’t you think they will  use that against us?”

“I know. When we lost our dad, our inheritance was shared. We are five, I ,Denny, and three girls. I inherited three houses and  rented them out. That is part of what I use to fund my education. Same with Denny and my siblings.

The amount can take care of our primary needs and that includes your education.”

“ My dad takes care of my education.”

“ Have you ever witnessed the solemnisation of a marriage?”

She shook her head.

“ Yeah ,most women have not especially in our tradition. It’s either in the mosque or in front of the house and women are usually not there. What I am trying to say is most responsibilities are transferred from your dad to me. Feeding, shelter, health, education, clothing, morality, all rest on my big head. If your dad decides to do that, he is doing it for me but I think I can handle that except if he insists.”

“ I pray he agrees. That is most important.”

“ Agree in what terms? Agree to let me get married to you or do it before graduation?”

“ Before graduation.”

“Do you like the idea?”

She turned her face from him, looking away.

“ That question is an insult to our love.”

“I am sorry then. “

“ I will talk to mom first.” She said, aware of a new sensation building up inside her. Marriage! She prayed Abba will agree. Ya God! Getting married to Danny would be the best thing to happen to her. She loved him and wanted to spend her entire life with him.

That evening, she called her mother and as they spoke, she found it difficult to tell her.

“ Tell me what you want and save my Credit.” Her mom said.

“ How did you know there is something on my mind?”

“ When you carried someone for nine months, with such a connection, and raise him up, there would be little you don’t know.”

“Awwwwn mom, I love you. And I appreciate you.”

“ I love you too .Now speak up. Don’t tell me you need money, Abba said said he sent you money just of recent and it is end of semester already.”

“ It is not about money.”

“ What?”

“ I  - I have , I mean I have or let me say I found…no, I have ….someone.”

The mom chuckled, making the air more conducive, giving that avuncular mood to make her relax and spill whatever it was.  

“ Tell me more about it kawata(my friend).

Fateemah giggled.

“Kawa kuma(your friend) ?

“ E mana(yes of course) . You are my only daughter, the one who shares hijab(veil) and shoes with me. Bani labara nasha(tell me the story) .”

Now she felt more at ease.

“ I found someone who wants to marry me and…..”

“ The boy who has been helping you?”

“ Yes but there is something I never told you.”

“Tell me now then.”

“ It is Danny.”

“ I saw the sign.”

“It is not that Danny.”

“ Toh, which Danny kuma?”

“ Hajiya’s son. The twin ….”

“ SubahanGod! The boy that you used to fight with?”

“Yes.”

“ It has been him all these while?”

“Yes, ma.”

“ Zurfin ciki gun yar nan(this girl can keep secrets) . So your enemy has turned into your lover.”

“ I don’t have a lover.” She said ashamed of the use of the word.

“ Does that mean you don’t love him?”

“ Na’am?’

“ Do you love him?’

She did not reply directly but chuckled.

“ Remember when I used to tease you about him and you would cry?”

Again she chuckled.

“ My daughter is in love. You said he is one year ahead of you, right?”

“Yes.”

“ God zaba mana mafi alkhairi(May God choose what is best for us) .The way time flies ,before you know it, you will all graduate.”

Not on phone. Telling her Danny wanted it now? No!

“ Insha  God.”

“ Never do anything outside the teachings of Monotheism.”

The incidence! Thank God it did not happen.

“Insha God.”

“ When are you coming back?”

“ In a fortnight insha God.”

“ Ya exams?”

“ Alhamdulillah.”

“Hey, I have to go. My credit balance is gone.”

Danny had told Hajiya about Fateemah before then. She had also mocked Danny for falling in love with a girl he used to bully. But he never told her about getting married.

After the examinations, they all went home. Fateemah went to Abuja while Danny returned to Kaduna. They communicated through phone everyday and the rate at which they missed each other was alarming.

When it became unbearable, Danny went to Abuja. He stayed at his uncle’s house at Zone 4 while he traced Fateemah’s house which was at Area 6.

It was the first time her mother saw him after they left Kaduna. She saw that he had grown, with beards and very handsome. She liked him at once. When she saw the intensity of their love for each other, and the fact that they were both in the same school, it was not difficult to convince her to allow them get married ASAP.

But it was very difficult to convince her husband. He wanted her to graduate, and feared that the boy was a student himself. But she made him understood that he had a source of income which was most important.

And marriage would not stop her from completing her education. Besides, they were both students. He obliged after weeks of pleading, sermons, and explanations but he insisted on sponsoring her even when she got married.

He said they should meet Alhaji Ahmadu, his elder brother who was the eldest in the family. The decision lay with him.

When Danny told Hajiya about his decision, she had been sceptical. She also wanted Danny and Denny to get married on the same day. Denny reminded her that they were twins but everyone has his destiny. He was not ready to get married then and his decision should not affect his brother’s. They convinced her.

Arrangements were made to meet Alhaji Ahmadu, who was residing in Dutse. Alhaji Magaji, Danny’s late father’s close friend and two of his uncles went for the formal seeking for permission and introduction.

Alhaji Ahmadu gave them a grand reception and they were overwhelmed and anticipated a rosy relationship ahead. Fattemah was so happy that day, finding it had that the process had begun. A process to make her Danny’s.

After the formalities , Alhaji Ahmadu said, “on behalf of the family, I must say appreciate your coming all the way from Kaduna. And anyone one sees good in your daughter, the family, and wishes to get married to her has honoured you.  May God reward you bountifully.

I am aware that you are here to seek for formal permission, to allow your son, or our son, to seek the hands of our daughter in marriage. We are very happy about this and this step is very important.I know you are from a very far place and you plan to go back today, Insha God, so I would go straight to the point.

I never told Uthman this but I have chosen a husband for Nana. I don’t call her by her name because she was named after our mother.We all know that two people cannot seek for the same girl's hand in marriage. But only God knows what lies ahead. I am very sorry to  say this but telling the truth is the best for us all.”

  This was the beginning of the saga …………

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