Five
1032 Words
Four people in the living room. Two seated and two standing before the other two with their heads hung low. One with a neck pad and the other looking as guilty as Osama Bin Laden.
"What. Happened?" Maryam spoke. Murtala and Zahra shared a glance.
"I-" Zahra said "I slipped" Murtala cut in saving Zahra from her own explanation. She looked up at him wide eyed and he shook his head at her.
"So you're telling me Zahra had nothing to do with this?" Maryam asked.
"Yes, she came in and saw me laying on the floor, that was when she called you" he lied.
"What did the doctor say?" It was Sahabi's turn to interrogate the two "I hope the neck is not broken"
"No Abba, its just a small fracture"
"Ya Allah! Be careful next time" The two were dismissed and they quickly made their way to Murtalas room. Zahra was unusually quiet, she kept looking down at her legs as she swung them around. She didn't say a thing to her brother, she was too ashamed to even look at him. Even when he had teased her by calling her 'Zahradden mai dogon gashi (with the long hair)', a name he gave her when she shaved her head and succeeded in looking like a pretty six year old boy; she said nothing.
Flashback
Whenever Murtala was home, he tried to help Maryam in the kitchen. Although they had many maids, she still made sure her husband's meal was cooked by her alone. Murtala had come home for the weekend and was helping Maryam prepare 'tuwon shinkafa' and 'miyan taushe' , she had asked him to get her a plastic bowl from the store. He ran back into the kitchen when he heard crashing sounds. Murtala didn't know what shocked him more. His mother fainted on the floor or his sister who now looked like a boy who had a fight with his barber.
He sprinkled some water on Maryams face before carrying her to a couch in the nearest living room where he continuously stroked her hair till her eyes opened up. All this happened with Zahra watching, looking like her usual self, guilty.
"Zahra!" Maryam sighed.
End of flashback.
Murtala moved closer to where she was sitting and pinched her a little which got a sound out of her.
"Yaya, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break your neck" Zahra's shaky voice came. Murtala held back his laugh but ended up giggling a little.
"You did not break my neck, it's just a minor injury"
"So you're not in pain?"
"I'm not in any pain" he lied, he was in pain and it would get worse immediately the pain relievers started to wear off. He convinced Zahra he wasn't in any pain and she finally let herself speak again. Too much.
✊✊✊
The lady let go of the steering wheel and did a little victory dance. She had made various stops to ask for directions which paid off as she had found the house she was searching for. She honked at the gate and seconds later, a man wearing the Nigerian army khaki walked to her window.
"Hello" she smiled and learned her lesson, she was never smiling at a soldier again "I'm here to see Murtala" The man brought out a phone, dialed a number and raised the phone to his ear "What is your name?" his hoarse voice asked.
"Aisha Maccido"
"Sir, there is an Aisha Maccido here to see you. Yes. Okay sir." He ended the call and turned to face Aisha "He'll meet you in the parking area"
"Thank you" she nodded. The soldier signaled another man stood by the gate waiting to be told to open it and with the push of a button the gate began to slide open. She drove in and was told were to park as she waited for Murtalas arriva
Daddy had summoned her into his room, she knew what he wanted to discuss. Mama already informed her, she had been praying against it and was determined to change their minds. Even if she wasn't in a relationship, she would never marry Ahmad. He had a history with many of her friends, a certified player.
"Have a seat" he had offered, he wanted her to be very comfortable when discussing such an important issue. "Nana everything I do is for your own good and your siblings. You are my last child, all your sisters and brothers are married in their homes and are coping well. You know I am a very old man, I have lived a full life and who knows what will happen tomorrow? I want all my children to be settled when I am gone and so I have decided to marry you off to Ahmad, Ibeths son"
"Daddy I have someone else" she had voiced out, her heart pounding 200 beats per second.
"Who is he?"
"Murtala Adam Mubi"
"Is he prepared to marry you"
"Yes Daddy" she lied. Aisha knew Murtala had just graduated and hadn't even secured a job but she also knew his father, Sahabi would get him one in no time so she willingly lied to her father hoping it wouldn't blow up in her face.
"Nana!" Murtala called a third time waving his hand in front of her face which successfully pulled her out of her trance.
She sighed "Na'am Murtala. When did you get here?" she opened her door and got out of her car.
"Not long ago. What are you doing here?"
"Murtala" she broke into tears "You have to talk to Daddy, I don't want to marry Ahmad. Please you have to do something" He brought out a piece of handkerchief from his pocket and passed it to her while still trying to pacify her. She managed to stop crying and wiped her tears.
"Let's go inside"
He had one of the maids bring Aisha water while he went to get the only person who could solve his problem, Maryam. They both walked to the living room where Aisha was seated.
"Mami please you have to help me" Aisha began crying again.
xoxo hairanumar
- Writer
