With yodelers disturbing my ears with their falsettos, I decided to leave the house. Today happened to be Tuesday, I had returned back from work during magrib and met a complete set of boxes brought by Ya Qasim's family. The boxes were filled with jewelries, English wears, cosmetics, perfumes, underwears and so on. I could see happiness written allover my parents and siblings' faces, Halimah was also around - and why wouldn't she? She was happy for her brother, finally he was going to marry me?

While they kept rejoicing and going through the boxes in the living room, I sneaked to the back door and headed to the gate. There was an eatery nearby, I intended to go there and spend some time alone. It had been a whole month since Amani celebrated her birthday, I wasn't there but Ya Hauwa sent me the video - something I never get tired of watching. I didn't like music but the song that was played touched my heart. I wised I could be there for Idris and his daughter, I wished I could just be his wife... He was literally all I had wanted!

"Where are you going to?" A voice bellowed from behind me making me to promptly turn. It was Ya Qasim. "Mind telling me where?"

"No, and since when did you start stalking me?" I glared at him with so much hatred.

"Hmm, you're my bride" He said walking closer to me. "Why wouldn't I stalk you?"

That moment, I felt my hand shaking. I so much wanted to slap his face but something told me not to. "You are a big shame for making my dad to seize my sim cards!" I yelled at him breathing heavily. Yes, he had some weeks ago caught me speaking on phone with Idris hence reported me to my dad. "I hate you!"

"And I love you!" He said with a sigh. "Manal, our wedding is coming up soon... you ought to accept your qadr, babe. Many people are out there looking for someone to love them, someone to cherish them, but here I am, so deeply inlove with you yet you aren't appreciating"

"I don't want you to love me!" I squealed.

"Why Manal, why?" He said trying to hold me.

"Stop it, Ya Qasim!" I said moving back.

"Manal, I love you a lot..."

"Please stop it!" I said pushing him away. "If you know what's best for you, don't marry me because sai na kashe ka. I will poison you!"

"What?!" He said drawing back.

"I swear sai na kashe ka, I will kill you if you don't back down" I repeated my words again. I didn't mean what I said but you know I ought to scare him away from me, away from my life.

"Okey," He said as he gently raised his hands in surrender. "I think you need some time alone. Take care but don't stay out long because the weather looks like it's going to rain soon" He added and thus walked away. He seemed to be practically scared of me already. He should be!

That suit you. I murmured as I turned and walked out through the gate. My face was dry because I was already tired of shedding tears. If it was in the past, I would've been in tears.

Thus, I walked to Ness Eatery, sat in an empty table and ordered for a coffee. While waiting for my drink, I swiped through my phone and replayed Amani's birthday video. She looked so beautiful in the gown I bought for her, and the way she stood by the cake; she looked like a princess. I couldn't even stop looking at her...

"Amani, say your wish" Ya Hauwa said in the video, she was standing nearby with her baby.

"I wish my mummy is here" Amani said.

"Your mum would be watching this, okey? So, say your wish..." Ya Hauwa coddled her.

"I wish to see my mummy soon!" Amani said.

While watching the video with tears already in my eyes and the song touching my soul, I heard a sudden rumble by thunder and before I knew it, precipitation was already heavily taking place. "Here is your coffee, madam" Said a waiter as he appeared before me.

"Thank you" I collected it and took a sip. The weather was already getting cold and I wasn't wearing a sweater, would I even survive the harshness? I mulled over taking another sip. Thus, I held my earpieces in my ears and continued watching the birthday video.

"I love you, dad" Amani said.

"I love you too, my baby" Idris said.

And just then, someone removed one of my earpieces from my ear frightening me. I thought it was Ya Qasim, I thought he might have stalked me but when I turned the person I saw was different... It was a drenched Idris!

"What?!" I blurted out, so astounded.

"Yeah, I know you would be..." He was saying when I stood and gave him a very tight hug.

"You came for me!" I said tightening the hug, not minding the population in the eatery.

"It's a long story, can we avert? I don't want to drench you, Manal" He said trying to extricate.

"No, just hold me tight" I said unleashing the army of tears that had gathered in my eyes.

"Okey, Manal" He said holding me tight.

That was how we stayed... until a waiter came and interrupted us. "Here is your package, Sir"

Thus, we averted. "Thank you" Idris grabbed the package and paid for it and my coffee as well. "Keep the remaining change with you"

"Thank you, sir" The waiter left happily.

Just then, Idris held my hand. "Lets go to my car, but be ready to be drenched" He uttered.

"I am ready..." I said nearly adding - to die for you - but decided not to considering the people around. You know, all eyes was on us.

We walked out and ran to his car which he had parked it a stone throw away from the eatery. We bounced in and he kept his package in the back seat. "The ministry transferred me here" He said fastening his seatbelt. "Two weeks ago"

"What?!" I puzzled. "So you mean you've been here since two weeks ago? I wasn't informed"

"I know," He held my hand. "Your dad warned Hajiya Siyyama, Salim and his wife not to say a word about me to you. Thus, they refused to even give me your new contact and also refused to tell me your home address when I asked them to" He pecked my hardel. "I love you, Manal but I... I know I lose you already"

"You haven't!" I squealed. "And you will not"

"Really?" He said.

"Yes," I gulped and continued. "Where are you living in now, and is Amani here with you?"

"Amani is with Ya Hauwa, I want her to finish her third term exams first before bringing her here" He said starting the car. "I live in Moris"

"Moris? Wow, can we go there?" I said.

"What?" He glanced at me. "I mean, it's getting late already. I thought I was taking you home"

"Just take me to your house, please" I uttered in sad tone folding my arms across my chest.

"Oh... okey" He said and thus drove us away.

Immediately we reached his house, he horned and someone opened the gate. I was surprised, he even had a gateman already? "You sold your Kano house and bought this one?" I queried.

"Yes, and the houses here are cheap" He said driving us in. "The gateman was working for the person I bought this house from, I didn't want him to be unemployed so I asked him to work for me as well. It's a four bedroom flat"

"Wow, you tried" I said as we alighted the car. "The house is nice, and the compound is big enough for babies to play around. Our babies"

"Hmm, In Shaa Allah" He held my hand thus we ran inside the flat with his package and ate the food he bought. It was fried rice and some chicken parts. So yummy... Yes, so delicious!

After eating, he went to his room to pray while I stayed in the parlour watching a TV program, Becareful With My Heart. I was not pure, you know, so I wasn't eligible to pray that moment.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Thank you for reading #InsideArewa

If you enjoyed this, don't forget to vote. Some readers don't like voting, they are not helping.