Al Qulub Haris

Nineteen

"Zahra'u" he chuckled slightly, broadening into a smile.

Holy crap! This is real! She thought.

"What. Who. How. What. How are you here?" she stuttered, she wanted to scream and shout and jump in the air but the angel holding her remote put her craze on pause.

"Won't you invite me in?" he asked with his smile still tugging onto his lips.

"Oh... Emm Come in" she breathed out not knowing what to do next. She shut the door and led him to the living room where they sat opposite each other. She ordered one of the maids to bring him refreshments then continued ogling him. It had only been a year since they last saw each other but he had grown taller, bigger, he now had a beard which did much justice to his face and complexion. She lowered her gaze although not fast enough since he caught her staring. They remained mute till the maid who came to drop a tray of drinks and snacks was out of sight.

"Say something"

Then the angel pressed play.

Zahra shouted at the top of her lungs being aware neither of her parents were at home. She simultaneously stomped both feet on the ground while still squealing in excitement, letting all the emotions free. If the guards and maids didn't know better, they would've come to her aid.

"Fadeeeeeeeel!" he knew Zahra was insane but he didn't expect her screaming to be that loud, he could hear her voice ringing in his head making his eardrums shake in their position. She finally decided to stop jumping and landed on the floor with her head rested on her hand she looked up at him "Fadeelu na I missed you wallahi" He wanted to make a fuss about her calling him 'Fadeelu' but he was too excited even though he concealed it well.

"Stop looking at me like that" he rolled his eyes.

"My God! Your voice is so deep. Iyye su Fadeel an girma." she teased "When did you arrive and Where is that rat? Is she lurking outside?"

"I've been here for a week now. Fadeelah is in Madinah I came to do something very important ne" Zahra pressed her lips together "Wow Fadeel you've been here for a week and didn't even bother to call"

He sighed and looked down at his sweaty palms "You won't understand"

"Make me understand then"

"Zahra some things are better left unsaid"

"Since when did we start keeping things from each other?" she asked trying to keep her cool, a lump formed in her throat. She was angry but mostly hurt, she never thought distance could weaken their friendship. "Will you at least tell me what you came to do?"

He looked into her eyes unsure if it was the right time to confess his feelings, he had masked them for a long time maybe it was best to keep it to himself. But he remembered how Fadeelah gave him hope how she made him believe the feeling was mutual, how she pressured him into returning to Nigeria saying it would be more romantic if he said it in person and how she threatened to fly back to Nigeria to kill him everyday he told her he hadn't visited Zahra yet. He swallowed, hard. He had to tell her, even if not for himself but for the fear of Fadeelahs rants, she would grade him gutless or she just may kill him.

"To tell you I'm in love with you"

✊✊✊

Sahabi tucked his glasses lower on the bridge of his nose to see who was calling his ringing phone. He held the phone higher to read the unfamiliar number that appeared on the screen.

"Assalamu Alaikum" the caller said, he easily recognized the accent and relaxed a little knowing it was someone from Kamba.

"Amin Wa'alaikumus salam"

"Yusha'u na (Its Yusha'u)" the caller introduced himself making sahabi recall him as their neighbour back in Kamba. "Hajiyan ka ta kwanta rashin lahiya shi na muka ce bara mu hwadi maka (I called to inform you that hajiya is ill)"

"Subhanallahi! Na gode Yusha'u, ka hwadi mata yau zamu tahowa (Thank you, tell her I'll be on my way immediately) in sha Allah"

Sahabi rushed to Maryams room to notify her about the situation.

"Tell the children to get ready we'll leave for the airport in ten minutes"

"Even Murtala?"

"What kind of question is that? Isn't he my son?"

"That's not what I meant but you know Hajiya doesn't like him, the last time she was here she created a scene about his work. Kawai dan yaron nan yana da haquri ne."

"We're all going and that's final"

"Allah ya huci zuciyarka (Asking for forgiveness). How many days are we staying?"

"Three" with his hands held behind him he walked out of the room.

They made their way to Nnamdi Azikwe airport, flew first class to Sokoto and continued the journey by road to Kamba. They arrived home after zuhr, freshened up, prayed and drove to Hajiyas house where they found her laying helpless on the bed uttering to herself. She looked shrunken and dehydrated, she could barely speak and had difficulty identifying people.

"Ina (where is) Fatima?" Hajiya tried to open her eyes.

"Gani (I'm here) Hajiya" Zahrah moved closer so Hajiya could hold her hand "Sannu Hajiya"

"Allah ya miki albarka, Allah ya raba ki da fitinan duniya, Allah ya tsare ki daga sharrin mutum, shedan ko wani Aljani (Prayer for blessings and protection against evil eyes) " Everyone in the room continuously said 'Ameen' "Ina yayan ki (Where is your brother)?" Hajiya asking about Murtala made everyone turn their surprised faces to where he was standing, he moved closer and notified her of his presence "Sannu yaro, Allah yayi Albarka (prayer for blessings)" They again chorused an 'Ameen"

"Sannu Hajiya, Allah qara sauki (May Allah heal you)"Maryam said again.

"Mmm Ameen" she replied lowly "Ku barmu, ina son magana da Sahabi (leave us, I want to speak with Sahabi)" Maryam, Murtala and Zahra left the room.

"Hajiya why haven't you been taken to the hospital?"

"Forget about the hospital, there's no recovering for me" Hajiya coughed "Sahabi I have wronged you, when your mother was alive even before you were born I did everything in my power to make her suffer even though she never once ill treated me all I wanted was to see her suffering. When I found out she was pregnant with you I did everything from witch doctors to poison just to make her lose the pregnancy but I failed, I was able to succeed tho, when it was time for her to give birth it was just us at home so I left her to suffer and when I was sure she wouldn't make it I called for help and I was unfortunate because she delivered you safely and survived too. The day you saw me standing by the well, the day your mother died and I told everyone she slipped and fell inside, I pushed her!"

"Innalillahi wa inna illaihir raju'un!" Sahabi exclaimed as the tears that filled his eyes slowly flowed down his cheeks. He had his left palm over his mouth and his right hand placed on his belly.

"I thought I could get all your fathers attention by getting rid of Fatima but I was wrong, it was as if he grew more in love with her after her death. He always talked about her and all his attention turned towards you, the worst part was me not being able to bear children so when he fell sick I took the opportunity and suffocated him with a pillow, the only one I had to get rid of was you because you were a son and I would lose all my inheritance to you. That was when I tried to poison you but you refused eating that day, since you were very obedient and naive I tricked you into handing me over all your inheritance" All the hair covering Sahabis skin stood on edge as he listened to Hajiyas heartbreaking confession "I didn't stop at that, I still hated you, even when I asked you to get married I expected you to rebel so I'd get you married to a girl of my choice and connive with her to kill you but you got married and once I laid my hands on Fatima, your daughter I began to regret everything. I've spent the last seventeen years thinking of how to ask for your forgiveness but I haven't had the guts to and now that its the end of the road for me I have to. Please forgive me"

Sahabi wiped his tears and took in a deep breath, he looked to the side remembering how his mother had told him to wait for her in the room so she could get him some water to drink, he remembered how he heard a scream and ran out to the backyard to find Hajiya boka standing by the well heaving, she looked guilty but there was nothing he could do about it. His mother was gone.

"I will never forgive you" he breathed out and walked out of the room without sparing her a glance.

xoxo hairanumar