A KADUNA LOVE STORY

Sumaiyya always wakes up by 5:00am. Every day, without fail. She sweeps the whole compound in Malali while the sky is still dark, says her Fajr, then quickly goes to the market. Her father has a big shop in the market. He sells beans, rice, and other foodstuff. Sumaiyya helps him every morning before the sun gets too hot. Today was the same. After sweeping, she went to the market and helped her father arrange the bags of rice and beans. Customers were many. Around 11:00am, her father said, "Sumaiyya, go home and bring the food your mother cooked. I am hungry." "Okay Abba," she said, and walked home fast. When she reached their compound gate, she stopped. A black car was parked inside their compound. A very clean, expensive black car. It was shining even with the harmattan dust. "We don't have a black car," she whispered to herself. "Who is here?" Her heart started beating fast. She slowly opened the door and entered the parlor. Her eyes widened. She saw someone she thought she would never see again in her life. Someone who betrayed her. Faruq. He was seated on the chair, legs crossed, wearing a white kaftan. He was looking at his phone. He had grown taller. More handsome. Faruq raised his head. He stared at her. Long stare. From her dusty slippers to her tired face. Then he laughed. "Little Sumaiyya," he laughed, that selfish laugh. "You are back." Sumaiyya was frozen. She could not talk. She could not move. Her hand was still holding the food flask. Her mother came out from the kitchen, smiling. "Oh! Sumaiyya, look who is here!" her mother said happily. "Faruq is back! After five years!" Faruq was still staring at her, laughing. Sumaiyya just stood there, speechless. That night, Sumaiyya couldn't sleep. Her mother came into her room at night. She was smiling. "Sumaiyya, I have good news," her mother said. "Faruq's father called your father today. He said Faruq wants to get married to you." Sumaiyya sat up on the bed. "What?" "Yes," her mother said happily. "Faruq said he wants you." Sumaiyya started crying. "Amma, I cannot marry Faruq!" Her mother frowned. "Why?" "Because he is a cheater!" Sumaiyya said. "Hajiya Saleema told me in the market that he is now a cheater! He follows different girls in Kaduna and Zaria because he now has money! I cannot marry a cheater! And he is no longer the Faruq I knew 5 years ago! He is now selfish! For five years, no call, no message! Nothing! He just left us! Now he wants to marry me because he wants a calm village girl he can control? I cannot marry him!" Her mother became angry. "You must marry Faruq!" Sumaiyya cried all night. The next morning, Sumaiyya woke up by 5am as usual. She swept the compound and went to the market to help her father in his shop. She was selling rice and beans to customers, but her mind was not there at all. Neighbors were passing by. They were calling her, "Sumaiyya! Sumaiyya! Sannu!" Sumaiyya is a jovial girl, she always talks to people in the village, but today she didn't reply anyone. She was just looking. Her father noticed. He looked at her. "Mama, are you okay?" her father asked softly. She forced a smile. "Yes, dad, I'm fine. It's just that you know..." Her father cut her off. "Ehn ehn, please I'm hungry. Your mom is about to cook couscous. Please go and bring it for me, you know it's my favorite, right?" She nodded. "Okay, Baba." She carried her food flask and went home. On reaching home, she greeted her mom. Her mom greeted her back but with a serious face. "What is your choice now?" her mother asked. "Ah, Mama, Papa did not even know about this," Sumaiyya said, her voice shaking. "I cannot marry Faruq. Me and Faruq cannot be together. He's now selfish, he looks so controlling. I cannot get married to him." "And besides, he didn't even come to talk to me! He didn't even call me! For five years no call! Why would he come like that and talk to you people? He didn't even say 'let me speak to her' and now he wants to get married to me? I cannot get married to him!" Her mother looked at her angrily. "I thought I told you, you will get married to Faruq whether you like it or not!" her mother said. Then her mother collected the food flask and dished the couscous for her. Sumaiyya collected it and started going back to her father's shop. She was in deep thoughts on the road. On reaching her father's shop, she saw that black car she saw yesterday. Immediately she saw the black car, she knew Faruq was there. She went inside the shop. And there she saw Faruq and her dad seated, laughing together. She entered, she did not look at Faruq. Then Faruq said...