21. Unwanted Guests

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“I was just about to call you again.” Hajiya Ladidi commented after Khadijah sat on the chair beside her, she didn’t pay attention to the tray that was kept on the centre table with drinks and snacks on it, it meant they had a guest, it was probably her mother’s friends.

She answered with oh, she didn’t know how to reply.

They sat quietly for a few seconds, “Did you go to the shop?” she shook her head as no, there was nothing Khadijah wanted more than to go and lay down because the conversation her mother was keen on having wasn’t on her mind.

“Do you remember my friend that moved to Zaria with her family?” Khadijah squinted, she had no idea who her mother was ranting on about, “they lived in the next street, maman Abdul? She used to come here a lot when you were kids, you still don’t remember?” she nodded.

“Let me talk to Baraka maybe she can remember, I know Sadiya has a bad memory like you” she laughed at the end, in as much as Khadijah liked seeing her mother happy and smiling, she wasn’t happy about this her cheery mood that the maman Abdul was causing.

After squinting at her screen for a few seconds she handed Khadijah the phone “Here, dial your sister for me” with no enthusiasm she collected the phone but smiled immediately after remembering when they were kids, since Hajiya ladidi didn’t know how to work phones, she’d give them to help her with almost everything, she loved those times because she would spend half the time playing the popular snake game that nokia has trying to beat Sadiya’s score, which she’s never had the luck of doing.

It reminded her of when they started releasing androids and she was over the moon, though they didn’t give her until she graduated secondary, she was elated when she finally owned her first phone, her father surprised her with it when she passed her jamb, it was one of her best memories.

“Na ce miki ki saya min tochi light amma baki yarda ba se da kika sayo wanna dake ban wahala” (I told you to buy torch light for me but you bought this one that’s making me suffer) Hajiya ladidi eyed the infinix hot khadijah thought perfect for her mother, she’d complained that she changed her father’s phone because she loved him more, yes her mother can be that petty, the next day she bought the same phone for her and she started complaining after a week that it was too complicated to use.

“This one is finer” Khadijah smiled seeing the frown on her mother’s face, “who should I call?” she didn’t know which sister she was supposed to call, she was not listening if she was being honest, she was too busy trying to remember the woman her mother was talking about.

“Baraka” she nodded and called, the last time she saw or talked to her was at the picnic she invited her to which her husband’s family hosted, she remembered how angry she was after she found out their little stunt.

-----After she heard voices-----

“What are you talking about?” with a frown etched on her face, Khadijah asked a guilty looking Manal and Nanah, Baraka's second and last daughters

“Erm….aunty khadijah, you see....” Manal scratched her head coming up empty, she had no idea what to tell her aunt.

“Don’t upset me, Nanah oya talk” a more fearful nanah started.

“Well aunty, mummy and daddy thought it would be a good idea to make you and uncle like each other and get married, since his wife has gone to aljannah and Azma doesn’t have a mummy anymore” Manal hit her sister and glared at her.

“Is what she’s saying true Manal?” khadijah asked the older girl who looked sheepish confirming her sister’s words.

“Where is the juice, Manal? What are you girls doing standing?” Baraka missed the sad look on her daughters' faces but mostly the angry one on her sisters’.

“Ya Baraka I just heard them say something that I hope is just childish banter” Khadijah turned to her sister with a serious look on her face.

“What did they say?” she looked at both of them with raised eyebrows, Nanah mouthed sorry while Manal looked down.

“Something about their uncle and me” she said straight to the point, Baraka sighed then motioned for the kids to leave, they nodded and wordlessly went back to the backyard, “let’s go” she pointed to the stairs and started walking, Khadijah followed her with no arguments.

Baraka sat on her queen sized bed and tapped the space beside her, her younger sister wordlessly sat and looked pointedly at her to explain herself.

“Khadijah, you’ve been divorced for a few years now, you’re doing great masha Allah, we’re all proud of the woman you’ve become and you’ve come a long way but, why won’t you get married? Why? I know you feel successful and like you don’t need a man, but is this the life you’ve chosen for yourself? What about children?”

“And marriage is the best thing for me I suppose?” she asked sarcastically, she didn’t care how it came out, she was too hurt.

“Of course, who would want to live like this?” Baraka didn’t wait for her reply she continued, “Bashir is a good man and he would treat you well, his daughter needs a mother, he works in a good place and comes from a good family, you won’t have a good chance like this ever because no single man will marry a divorcee, is either you enter as the third or fourth wife, if you’re lucky as second” she finished looking at her sister as if her gaze would make her see sense.
"I've talked with major and he likes the idea too, since everyone in the family want him to settle again, I thought of you, besides it'll be good for everyone"

“So, you just push me to your brother in law who looks like he’s still mourning his late wife? I’m sorry if you don’t like my lifestyle but that’s how I want to live and if that’s not good enough for you, you’re welcome to leave” she stood up about to leave the room when Baraka’s voice stopped her.

“Think about it khadijah, don’t let all the glitters of your success cloud your vision, it is all a deceitful, you won’t be young forever so I suggest you do what’s right, you’re not a child and you’re not getting any younger” Khadijah didn’t wait to hear if she was going to add anything, she went downstairs and took her bag grateful Bashir was no longer there, not bothering to tell anyone she was leaving she left and entered her car, fighting the angry tears, she couldn’t believe Baraka said that to her, though it shouldn’t surprise her, she was their mother’s carbon copy, just more modern.

“Is It not going through?” ignoring the bitter taste the memory left in her mouth, she tapped the call icon and put the phone on speaker, she handed it to her mother and moved to stand up but she motioned for her to sit, though she had no idea what had transpired between the sisters, it was her habit to make them all talk when she’s on the phone with either of her children, so far you’re near her, you must talk to your sibling.

Khadijah begrudgingly sat back and kept a poker face, she decided it wasn’t her day with all the things that happened, scratch that, we're happening.

"Assalamu alaikum" Baraka's voice sounded over the phone, hajiya Ladidi joyfully replied while Khadijah kept herself busy with her phone by looking at her gallery that were full of designs and Layla's pictures. She barely had any picture of herself, she didn't see the point of it when she was already tired of seeing it in real life, she doesn't want it to follow her everywhere.

"Good good, I knew you would remember-" hajiya Ladidi turned to her daughter with her smile still intact "-see, she's recognised, you and Sadiya inherited your father's forgetfulness" she finished with a laugh.

"Umma is Khadijah there with you?" she replied with yes and passed the phone over to Khadijah who looked at the phone like it would burn her, she collected it dejectedly and removed it from speaker.

"Ina wuni ya Baraka" (Good afternoon ya Baraka) she tried her best for her voice to come out normal but it still had some edge.

"So, now Khadijah you would hold a grudge against me for telling you the truth?" she waited a beat before continuing, ""Ki ma kanki fada,(advice yourself) I won't stop telling you the truth because I'm your sister, you listening to me or acting by it is your choice but I'll keep telling you, if you like stop calling me or talking to me, that's your Own Cup of tea but if we are going to meet, keep it in mind that I must tell you the truth"

"Is that all?" was at the tip of her tongue but she grunted rather, she didn't say anything for a few seconds and she didn't plan on staying anything either, when Baraka realised that, she broke the silence by telling her to send her regards to their father, she hung up after that, with a broken resolve, she handed the phone back to her mother who was looking at her skeptically, she wanted to ask what was wrong but let it go, she had better news to share.

"She said you used to call her Maman Malik that's why, do you recall her now? She used to come here with her son and two daughters" that did it because a look of recognition registered on Khadijah's face, it contorted into one of annoyance.

She knew the woman alright, but she didn't like her coming because she always brought her children with her, the girls liked talking too much and their brother always made fun of her for having mismatched eyes, he was one of the first people that made her uncomfortable about it.

"Yes I remember her, what happened to her?" she asked not because she cared or she wanted to know but out of courtesy.

Hajiya let out a small laugh before replying enthusiastically, "They are coming back to Kaduna, her son built a big house for them here in-what was the name of that place you like going to with that your spinster friend?" she snapped her fingers in a bid to try and and remember, Khadijah rolled her eyes at the way she said the spinster but nodded either way.

"I've forgotten the name, but she said she'll come so we can see the house tomorrow" Khadijah absent mindedly nodded, not sure why her mother was telling her all that but she didn't voice it, she's learnt to let her mother talk without interruptions.

"Her son, Abdulmalik, a fine young man-" hajiya Ladidi sighed dreamily "-how nice would it be if you both settled?" she said and smiled at her words while Khadijah squeezed her face in dismay, "We talked with his mother about you, that's why he came to see you but you weren't around, hope he doesn't get the wrong idea though, you're not a loose woman," Khadijah kept mum because she had no idea what to say, "He'll come by one of these days, he's going to travel but when he's back, I hope he likes you, getting married will be the best for you."

Hajiya Ladidi stood up and left a gaping Khadijah there, what is it with everyone disturbing her about marriage?!

***∆***

A fair tall man of fifty probably and of average height stood outside a moderate house in Amal court, Aminu Kano cres wuse2, his sandy colored kaftan with hand embroidery in a darker color and a cap of the same dark shade was perched on his head.

He looked well enough that the security men lingering on the street wondered why he was standing outside like a begger, though none voiced his curiosity, rather they watched from afar ready to jump into action if anything goes amiss.

He checked his wrist watch then turned to the black gate he was standing outside of. He blew air into his palms and rubbed them together even though the weather was warm.

Not up to a minute later, the gate was pulled open and a white mercedes brabus drove out, he moved to the side the same time the car tires screeched and a man in his early thirties stepped out looking furious, he walked up to the man with long steady strides to inquire why he was standing outside his house, not in a bid to be disrespectful or rude but for security reasons, with the situation of the country, you couldn’t be too careful.

The older man looked up when he heard footsteps.

The man in a dark blue button up shirt with short sleeves and washed jeans almost faltered on his steps when he saw the older man’s face but he masked the surprise almost as soon as it came, but he wasn’t fast enough, he stood in front of the man and plastered the best bored look he could muster.

“How can I help you sir?” he asked in monotonously.

He older man who saw the flash of recognition in his eyes released a breathy sigh.

“Son,” his voice was soft.

The man raised one eyebrow in question though the older man definitely wasn’t asking a question. He watched the older man remove his cap and rub his thinning head, “Can we talk?”

He let out a short mirthless laugh “No, we have nothing to talk about, father.” He replied with venom.

“Just this once, please.” The man’s pleading voice broke a bit at the end.

The young man looked around and saw some people staring, he contemplated walking back to his car and driving off hoping it would all just be a nightmare and he would wake up. He looked at the man who fathered him and it hit him, it wasn’t a dream, and he was standing before the father he hadn’t seen since he was a child, the man that had abandoned them.

He’d recognized him from first glance, though he much rather wished he hadn’t but it was too late then, it wouldn’t hurt right, twenty plus years cannot be made up. Every nerve in his body wanted to leave but the little part of him that had always craved his father’s presence wanted to stay and listen to what the man had to say, the latter won and against his better judgment, he nodded at the man.

“Ten minutes.” The older man nodded no argument.

He turned and started walking back to his car when he noticed the man wasn’t following he turned with a frown, “Aren’t you coming with?” he asked opening the driver’s side.

He was being immature to some extent he knew but he didn’t care. They were literally outside his house, but he wanted it to be a public place that way he wouldn’t cause a scene and he can storm out if he was tired of listening, no one would say he didn’t try, most importantly he wouldn’t have to live with ‘what ifs’.

He parked outside a small café close to his apartment, he’d been seeing it but has never visited so he thought it perfect because no one knew him there, if anything went wrong, yes, if!

“Can I get you anything sirs?” a waitress asked, he didn’t bother looking up or even touching the menu on the table.

“Water,” When he realized his son wasn’t about to talk, he answered. She nodded and turned on her heels.

“Can we get this over with, I have somewhere to be.” He’d promised to go and see his mother.

“F-“

“Please,” he held a hand up “Just tell me what you want to say.” He hated himself for cutting him off, he didn’t know why he was being unnecessarily rude but he knew the man made him uncomfortable and maybe he didn’t want to accept the fact that he might forgive him if he listened.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you or your mother, that is the last thing I would have done because I loved her, I still love her-“

“please just listen,” he said quickly when the younger man made a move to stand up “I know it’s probably not what you want to hear but I want you to know that all these years I’ve never for once woken up and not thought of the both of you, I don’t even know where to start with an apology because nothing I say will excuse what I did, I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me, both you and your mother, I’d give everything to go back and right my wrongs, I want to get to know you, all those years although lost I want to try and make it up to you, please son, give me a chance to be a father to you-”

He didn’t know why but he laughed, cutting his father-no, it sounded strange and foreign to him-the man off, he didn’t mean to but he couldn’t stop, the sound of his laughter is a complete contrast to the furious look in his eyes, he gripped the edge of the table too hard it wouldn’t be a surprise if he left a dent in it.

“Be a father to me?” he asked amidst laughter, he face contorted into a frown and he looked at his supposed father with all the anger and resentment he’d harbored over the years, “I’m sorry to burst your bubble but you’re more than twenty years late for that.” With that he stood up and left ignoring his father calling out to him.

The older man sagged against the chair his eyes closed, that didn’t go how he expected, not that he thought it would go relatively well but at least he’d thought he could explain to him because he didn’t know what he wanted to explain, he had no idea what happened all those years for the life of him but something had gone wrong and now, it might be too late.

**** **** ****

Heyyo, it's still Friday so Juma'at Mubarak and happy new year and new month darlings.

Hope this year would be full of blessings and smiles.

I have nothing to rantso just vote comment and share, as usual, and if you have the time please follow me on ig, the link is on my profile, heart heart heart y'all.

Have a blessed weekend

Amyrah

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