Irrevocably In Love

CHAPTER 01- The Issue.

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh, Welcome to Khadijah's story dear reader.

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Khadijah's P O V

I ran straight to Yaa Ayshah's house knowing that Mama has nothing to say to me 'ni Khadijah na bani yau' (I'm in trouble today), I knew I looked horrible but had no care for that at the moment, all I wanted was to find someone that could hear me out because I know Baba's words were serious no matter what I do he never shouts at me, just gentle scolding but nothing as today's. Barging into her house without a knock or Salaam I screamed her name.

"Yaaa Ayshah where are you please?" I called out with my voice seizing due to the hiccups I was experiencing at the moment.

"Khadi what happened? Why are you crying?" she asked while running to me.

I just hugged her and kept on crying even as she walked us to a sofa nearby and sat with me almost fully atop her.

"Tell me mana Khadijah do not leave me in the dark, haba khadi stop crying and talk to me". She urged, her voice filled with worry.

"It's Baba fa Ya Ayshaah wai he's getting me married" I managed to say in between hiccups.

"Ahh what did you do this time around? You must have done something to provoke him, anyway go and wash your face so that we can talk without tears streaming down your face kinji, zakici Waina?" She offered and my ears perked at hearing waina. I immediately nodded and walked to the nearest toilet to do as per her instructions.

Staring at myself on the mirror I took note of how my eyes turned to a shade of crimson red and their size- tiny, sensing the arrival of a mighty headache I held my chin and whispered na shigesu (I'm in deep trouble) to myself.

After awhile I turned the door knob and silently walked out of the toilet. Making my way to her kitchen I smelt the aroma of Yaa Ayshaah's miyan taushe which by the way I already know of. Believe me when I say I know the scent of each and every soup well not really all but you grab it righht? Shaa I sat on one of her dining chairs as I waited for her to finish what she was doing.

After eating, Yaa Ayshah probed me to gist her and I did.

FlashbacK.

I

was sitting on Mama's one-sitter while talking on the phone with my 20 year old boyfriend Zayd.

"But Zayd you know I missed you more right?, there is no way you would say.."

"That's because you don't know how I feel knowing I can't come over to see you tonight or tomorrow or next tomorrow, how I wish we never left, babe I miss you so much" zhe replied with, over the phone.

"Okay then, Zayd when are you coming over?, har wani fever nikeji (I'm feeling feverish) all because of your absence".

"Babe I feel much more feverish than you do, We would meet soon Inshaa Allah" He replied, his voice playing with the strings at my heart.

"Allah ya kaimu Babe" I smiled.

"Amin we'll talk later, I love you"

"I love you too" I pouted after speaking in a whiny voice.

After ending the call I raised my head with a smile and guess what I saw...

Could you believe that Baba's very much contorted furious face was staring right back at my soon-to-be-dead one, I do not know when I fell from the sofa greeting him with my voice shaking.

"Babe? Miss you? I love you. In my house!?" He scoffed. "Khadijah are you out of your mind? Can't you get what I told you straight into your head toh that does it tell your Zayyad to send his parents over I told you not once not twice And not three times that I do not want this childish love, I told yo..."

"Alhaji.." My mom interrupted, or more likely tried to.

"No Hajiya let me deal with this girl, she thinks she's above everyone in this house. Let me prove to her that what I say is final! Not what she says" He thundered, his words which were uttered in the heat of the moment were full of spite.

All I know is that I've been crying profusely while apologizing but baba heard none of it. It was when I saw him grabbing a charger that I immediately stood and ran over to Mama attempting to hide behind her, apologizing.

"Alhaji calm down let's not deal with this issue like this" Hajiya being herself knew how to calm her husband down.

"Toh Khadijah sit here" she pointed to the floor between herself and her husband.

"Tell me the rules your father imposed on dating in this house"

After minutes of silence from me, she spoke again "Don't test my patience Khadi"

"He said...he said....that...that...either I marry....immediately after sec....secondary school or after gradua...ting uni"

"And" she urged at me to keep talking.

"Hajiya let me deal with this girl right now" My father once again talked, surprisingly his voice was calm and controlled this time around.

"Khadijah, present to me this boy or his family in a week's time. If it passes the time I gave you then you leave me with no choice" he announced. Getting on his feet.

I know he noticed how both I and my mother's face were full of questions hence why he added "To marry you off to the person of my choice in 2 weeks time and no one has a say in this" with that he left the parlor and I looked at Mama who shrugged with a 'You have no choice look on her face'.

With that I ran out of the house.

                 End Of FlashbacK.

"Kinji fa Yaa Ayshah talk to him please" I pleaded.

"Hmm, Khadijah Abubakar it's as if you don't know how your own Father is, once he says something and finalises on it, you know just how utterly serious he means it. So you have no hope now but to talk about this with your Zayd"

"Yaa Ayshah, Zayd is 20 years old just a year older than me and he's in his 3rd year too, there is no way...." My voice trailed to a hushed whisper at the end.

"My sister you have no way out, Baba will never marry you off to a child, an undergraduate that is even if the Zayd guy is ready, kai there is no way sef. A 20 year old guy? What possessed you?"

"I need to look for a husband" I blurted after minutes of silence. I know I'm being irrational.

"It's not easy oo, you have no choice but to let your daddy decide your fate, that's the only way out, he'll never marry you off to an irresponsible man, he'll choose the best out there for you. He married me off to Kabir and we weren't even close gaisuwa kawai ke hadamu (we only used to exchange pleasantries) nothing more nothing less and am I not happy now? And blessed with 3 wonderful kids, I thank Allah. Think about what I this Khadi and turn to your lord for his guldance".

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