Fulfilling our promise.

Chapter eight [the marriage cancellation]

How will she face Muhammad with this kind of talk? She just can't bring herself to tell him. Its just a no. She will just continue going out to see baffa once he visit her, she promised to make his life miserable but thought against it not for anything but because she knew what will happen if her mother heard about it.

One thing she hates about herself concerning the marriage issue, is she had never once showed her mummy that she didn't like it. She had been faking it.

That's how life continued, if he came, she will go and see him even though she didn't use to talk its either yes or no kind of talk that use to come between them.

She had now gained admission and had start attending her school. shrugging off anything thats bothering her, she made sure she read to excel.

"welcome " she greeted baffa with a frowned face, she's just coming back from school when he decides to come and disturb her peace. It had been a really hot day.

"thank you" he grinned taking a bite of his kolanut.

Sniffing the air around her, a strong smell of sweat and dirt hit her nose followed by a smell of perfume.

No doubt, he had tried his best to appear nicely because the clothes he was wearing were somehow neat but he was smelling despite the fact that he had sprayed perfume.

One of his problem is lack of- she don't even know what he lacked because the person standing before her is a degree holder as she was told.

Maybe she should just call him a villager who has not fully adjusted to the city life.

She just, for the first time began checking him out.

Baffa, is a short and chubby man with a round face. His bushy and semi-combed hair is what made his face round perfectly. Talk about the contents (lol) of his face, he had a very big eye that can scare me and you once he glared at you. His nose, wide and a bit long nearly reached his mouth. He has such a small mouth with big teeth in it. He's gotten a kind of ear that you can recognise him from a far due to their size. He's popularly even known as baffa mai kunnuwa. The ear possessor. He was lucky to have a one sided dimpled cheek which made itself visible even when he talks.

He likes wearing baggy and oversized clothes as jiddah noticed. He is a nigga in his own way as he effortlessly try to look presentable. That's baffa.

"i can see you are tired, should we leave the gist till tomorrow "?

"yes please" jiddah replied immediately.

"take this in" he handed her nylon, she didn't argue because she had tried that several times but she failed.

"thank you"

"don't mention, goodnight hasken rayuwa ta the light of my life"

Jiddah couldn't help she wanted to laugh but just waved and went in.

"baki ji ba you didn't hear me" he spoke making jiddah jolt back.

"I'm bringing your lefe next tomorrow " he spoke with full joy.

Jiddah didn't know when she hissed and got in. She find anything associated with him annoying.

"maami, I want you to buy the boxes before i come back" Muhammad spoke through the other side of the phone.

"see this boy, why the haste"? His maami questioned.

"maamiiiiii" he whined and continued

"seriously maami this girl have started going to the university and i fear guys will start chasing her up and down, you know"

"its okay, when you come back we can go for formal introduction, we will ask her mummy for permission " maami finished.

" thats what is supposed to be done, thanks maami" he said.

They chatted about random things and hang up the call.

"baffa you are not even serious you want to get married and its now you are telling me right" his mother, goggo spoke enraged.

"goggo its not like that i just want to surprise you thats why"

"to hell with the surprise "

"forgive me goggo" he said bowing down.

"lets go to the city, i want to see the girl"

"but goggo what about your health and.. "

"will you keep quiet, I'm giving you an order" she said drapping an atampa wrapper on her head. She looked for her walking stick and they left for kano to Jiddah's house.

*•~

"kasan Allah this is not going to happen not even in my dreams" goggo spoke shaking her fingers.

"goggo, I'm sorry but there is nothing i can do. I have already told them i will bring the wedding gift later in the day plus my friends are all ready to go" he spoke turning his head pitifully.

"baffa! Even your father Audu don't argue with me the way you do! Its better you go and cancel everything or i disow.. -"

"no goggo, don't say it please. What even brought the issue of disowning I'm going right now" he stood up and went out.

Even though he went out, goggo continued to rant out alone.

"in ban da rashin hankali irin na baffa ina shi ina wannan yarinyar da bata da asali balle ma wanda yafi muhimmanci ace wae bata da baba. Eh? Haka kawae zae jawo mana zagi da abin kunya a dangi. Allah ya kyauta hakan baza ta faru ba. If not mad person like baffa, why will he even go for that girl who is not his class, a girl who have no background not to talk of the most important thing, having a father. He just want to cause trouble, curse and shame to our family. God forbid! and that will never happen" (forgive my translation).

Thats how she kept ranting and ranting.

"Assalamu alaykum, peace be upon you." mummy jamila, baffa's sister salam-ed at Jiddah's house.

"wa'alaykumus salam, and peace be upon you too. Welcome mummy jamila" Jiddah's mummy welcomed her spraying the mat.

"thank you" she sat down and began to talk immediately.

"By Allah, there is problem somewhere mummy jiddah, our mummy had refused the marriage. Baffa was on his way to bring the bridal gift when she called him to cancel it if not she will disown him. We don't even know the reason why" a tear fall from mummy jamila's eye.

"no no no mummy jamila there is nothing to worry about it, apart from the neighbors i told no one. I don't know what was her reason but she was here and she left cheerfully. Maybe there is nothing good in the marriage thats why. Everything had already been ordained by God, master of planners.

"alright mummy jiddah we are really sorry for the inconvenience its not our fault, you know mothers and old age." mummy jamila spoke tearing up.

"i told you not to worry i understood everything " she finished and mummy jamila left after so much begging for forgiveness.

Jiddah's mum, knew this was going to happen. She knew it one of her neighbors must have told baffa's mother that they had no family background. It pains her alot when they insult her daughter.

"Jiddoh! Come here" she shouted Jiddah's name.

"mummy I'm coming "

"haven't they arrived uptill now"? Jiddah questioned feeling happy that they didn't come.

"jiddah my dear, you know we plan and Allah plan. So they have cancelled the wedding. "

"they cancelled it..? " she asked faking, while dancing in her head.

"yes they cancelled it without a genuine reason"

Jiddah kept quiet like she didn't feel good. This is the most happiest and luckiest day in her life she thought. She didn't notice when she uttered Alhamdulillah, thanks be to Allah finally I'm going to be mrs muhammad.

"what are you saying? Listen and listen good. I told you i don't like the rich people so there is no way you are marrying muhammad.

Jiddah's smile faded as she broke into tears.