EP________1️⃣3️⃣

Appa and Maama were sitting the way they are discussing will show you that what they're discussing a very important matter, Appa said, "And after that Sharmila you know how I'm with Alhaji Saraike, he's my close friend and you even witnessed his goodness toward me tun muna da jajayen sawunan mu. Since these things happened about Faryal he talked to me about it, but I told him we should wait and give Faryal time to heal, It's not because of Faryal healing I just told him this in order to get time and correct the mistake I did before, I investigate the virtue of his son and character and from all the evidence I got, he doesn't have a problem, he's a good man. So I think we don't have to wait for anything it's now three months and you know up to now we're having trouble with Yaya Turai Cox she insists that I should marry Faryal off to Kamal's son, which is what they want since but I didn't agree.

"Even me Hafiz I will be happy if this thing happens because Alhaji Saraike's family are good people, they don't have any bad habit and moreover Alhaji Saraike shows you infinite love. Because the one who show willingness to mix blood with your blood in the name of marriage is a good thing, even me I will support you on this side."

"Thank you Sharmila, you always encourage me in everything I'm trying to do." 

"As long as it's a good thing, Hafiz it's my duty to encourage and support you as my husband. But among his children, which one does he want to marry Faryal off to?"

"Aryann!"

"Aryan?"  Maama repeated.

"Yes, his last born you know he only has two sons and one daughter, she's his firstborn and she's already married and Ammar too is married, his wife even gave birth have you forgotten?"

"Oh yes, I remember tho Allah ya baku ikon qulla alkhairi."

"Ameen ya Allah."

But you should have informed her first to hear from her.

"Hafiz, there's no need to hear her opinion, you are her father and since she's never been  married before you are the one supposed to choose a husband for her but at first we gave her a choice and look how things turned out."

"I won't argue, but call her."

Maama didn't say another word, she stood up, went to pick up her phone from the bed and called Faryal.

Faryal was sitting, dressed in her pajamas, provoking Manira, who was talking with Amin on the phone while Hadiyyah was beside them laughing. Faryal's phone started ringing Hadiyyah picked it up and gave it to her, saying it's Maama.

She picked up saying, "Barka da dare Maama." 

"ab apane appa ke paksh men aayen (Come to your Appa's side now)," Maama said. 

"Okay," Faryal replied, hanging up. She stood, picked up her veil and went out of the room, thinking about why Maama called her this time.

She entered the living room with a "Salam" and met them sitting in the living room, she completed her entry and sat on the rug next to her mother's leg, saying, "man yahan hun ma (I'm here Maama)."

Appa said, "I thought you had gone to sleep It's her call that woke you up I didn't even check the time when I asked her to call you."

Faryal glanced at the clock pinned in the living room 12:08 am. "We were about to sleep then I heard the call." 

"Ahh you forgot Manira is with them If they sleep now, it's pure luck." Maama said.

"You should try to sleep early, at least for 7 hours because every brain needs rest."

"In sha Allah Appa," Faryal replied.

"Faryal! , Appa called out to her.

"Naam Appa."

"Did we give you the right to choose the one you want to marry?"

Faryal was quiet for a moment before uttering, "Yes, Appa."

"Then what happened?" Appa asked. 

"Nothing good Appa," Faryal replied.

"Do you have someone you love now?" Appa asked.

"No Appa!" Faryal answered.

Appa looked at Maama before uttering, "Okay, you can go."

Faryal bid them goodnight and left, her heart full of thoughts about the reason for those questions from Appa.

When she got back to their room, she met Manira who had finished her call they were just lying down talking with Hadiyyah. Faryal joined them listening quietly without getting involved in the discussion.

That night, they all slept but Faryal found it hard to sleep. She stood and went to perform ablution then started praying. That's how she slept, slumped on the prayer mat.

It was evening, the three of them came out of their room, ready to go out. They met Daadee sitting in the living room, also ready. When Daadee saw them, she exclaimed, "Haba I've been waiting for you for two hours, what were you doing inside? Kwaliya kwaliyya, will you change the way Allah created you?" 

"Daadee as the saying goes, if you're beautiful you should add with a shower." Manira said

"Ki zama tarwatsa ma if you like." She said, stood up and added, "Sharmila Sharmila and where is that rat too?"

Beta entered the living room, ready in her own gown, followed by Maama. 

"Tho we're going Sharmila, sai mun dawo" Daadee said, readjusting her veil. 

"You should be careful," Maama said, looking at Faryal, Hadiyyah and Manira before added "Who will drive?" 

"Me." Faryal said, 

"Don't drive fast, you know Daadee doesn't like high speed," Maama cautioned.

"You'd  better tell them Dan Kan su na rawa," daadee said heading out, followed by her grandchildren who bid farewell to Maama.

Faryal drove, with manira in the passenger seat, and hadiyyah, beta and daadee in the back seat.

As they settled on the road, Daadee said we should first visit jamila's newborn baby before heading to the wedding."

"Shikenan kuma, Daadee you're not going to start saying we'll go here and there until we've already left home. The wedding is scheduled for 3 pm, and it's almost 5 pm now, they said there's no African time," Hadiyyah said, pouting.

"I don't want to split the outing you know I don't go out often, so when I do I want to hit all the spot I need to," Daadee explained.

"Drop me at the wedding and go," hadiyyah suggested.

"Saboda kyankyashemu kikayi."  Faryal said asking daadee, "Where are they? at home or hospital?" 

"They're still at the hospital," daadee replied.

"Okay," faryal said.

When they reached the hospital, they all got out of the car. Faryal's eyes fell on them, the two of them were talking but like every time he was talking in anger. They came and passed them, entering the hospital building. Faryal looked at her siblings and said, "Daadee, you should go in I'm coming I need to do something inside my car."

Manira eyed her and said, "ke fa kin fiya tsugudidi What haven't you done since we left home?"

Faryal didn't listen, she just got back into her car because she didn't want to share the same air with that man. She didn't know why but every time they met something bad happened between them that's why she decided to stay in her car.

Twenty minutes had passed since they entered the hospital when her phone rang. She picked up and said "hello manira."

  "Daadee said you should come in and see the baby." Manira said.

"Please Manira when you're done just come out..."

Daadee took the phone and said, "Faryal, you should come in and greet Hajiya yakana she's asking about you."

Faryal exclaimed, "Wayyooo Allah Daadee pleas..." Daadee hung up the call.

Faryal looked at the phone, on the verge of tears. She then looked at the hospital building before she stepped out of the car.

As she was about to enter, they were about to come out. Aryan was in front and they clashed. Her head hit his chest, causing her glasses to fall she quickly bent to pick up her medicated glasses that helped her see well. Her heart was beating fast cox she knew who she had clashed with even without seeing his face, due to the familiar scent of his perfume.

When she picked up the glasses and stood straight, she opened her mouth to apologize, but before she could say anything, he held her neck with his hand, saying, "Wallahi wallahi, if you continue following me anywhere I go, I'll kill you."

" What are you trying to do aryan? are you out of your senses?" Mansur said, trying to remove Aryan's hand from Faryal's neck, but he couldn't.

  "I told you, if you dare let me see your face again, you'll regret it." He ended up pushing her away and walked toward his car.

Mansur followed him, saying, "Wallahi I never knew you had a problem in your head until today You need to see a psychiatrist."

Aryan retorted, "If you talk to me again, Mansur whl sai naci ubanka."

"In Ka fasa ba Aryan bane Kai kaji." Mansur said angrily.

"Okay," aryan responded before getting into his car with mansur taking the passenger front seat.

Faryal, who was coughing and clutching her neck, burst into tears as Daadee and the rest came out. Hadiyya quickly ran to her, asking what happened and the others joined them but Faryal was speechless, overcome with tears.

"Talk to me mana Faryal, what happened to you?" Daadee asked in a state of tension.

Faryal left them and ran toward her car, entering it.

That's the wedding They didn't attend because Faryal was crying and when they asked her what happened, she refused to talk.

The remaining part of the day, Faryal spent it frustrated and everyone asked her but she refused to tell what had happened. When they disturbed her, she just said she had a headache.

The next day, they woke up to Yaya Turai's trouble. It was 10 am and Faryal was late for work. She was the only one at home since all her siblings had gone to school. After bidding farewell to her mother who was in her room arranging her wardrobe, Faryal came to the living room. Before she opened the door it was knocked from outside so she opened it and quickly stepped back, seeing her father's siblings, Yaya Turai and Uncle Kamal, along with his son Jabeer.

Faryal closed the door after they finished entering and followed them. She greeted them saying, "Hajiya good morning, Uncle Kamal good morning." She looked at Jabeer, whose eyes were fixed on her since they entered. He was dressed in a crazy ash-colored jeans and a white armless T-shirt, with his hair styled like a thug boy's.

Before Faryal could say something, Jabeer spoke first, asking, "How are you?" 

Faryal answered shortly, "Fine," and looked at Hajiya Turai, who was asking her, "zaa tafi gantalin da aka Saba ne?"

Faryal lowered her head and said, "I'm going to work, I'm already late."

"Ai fa tho sallamo min sallamammiyar uwar taku."

Faryal gave her a look that suggested she wanted to comment on the disrespectful address but she remained silent and stood up to call her mother.

As she left, Jabeer turned his gaze to his aunt and said, "gsky Hajiya, you should do something about it. If not Uncle won't agree to marry his precious daughter to me."

Yaya Turai replied, "Calm down Jabeer if you see that you didn't marry Faryal then know that Hafiz has changed family."

Faryal entered her mother's room, her face frowned. "Ah Faryal, baki tafi ba daman?" her mother asked.

"We have guests, they're looking for you," Faryal replied. 

"Who?" 

"It's Yaya Turai..." 

"Mtwee ke just go to ur work ba yaya Turai ko border ce ita, she should wait for me to finish what am doing infact who brought her here so early in the morning? Since your wedding day da ta gama iban albarkarta hadn't put her leg in this house."

"She's with Uncle Kamal and Jabeer."

"Jabeer?" 

"Yes Maama whl since I saw them I've lost my peace of mind."

Maama smirked and said, "Don't worry, I know what they want and they will never get it." With that She tossed off the veil she was wrapping and strode outweled the room.

Faryal followed her but didn't enter the living room, she hid to eavesdrop on the conversation .

After exchanging greetings, yaya Turai said, "This isn't a lengthy discussion, I came to see Hafiz but since he's not here there's no problem I can give the message to you It's about the talk of those kids, I spoke to him about Faryal and Jabeer and he's been silent up to now I think they should get to know each other, even though I don't want the wedding to take a long time since they're cousins and within the family."

Maama smiled and said, "Faryal is about to be engaged soon, so Faryal and Jabeer are off the table."

"What?" Kamal exclaimed adding, "I understand you're the one making Yaya distance himself from his family I've never seen a woman who wants to separate her husband from his family except you, Sharmila but let me tell you, Yaya is our brother and you can't cut off our family ties."

"Calm down Kamal, let me tell you Sharmila you're not the only one who has control over those children, we also have it as their father's relatives. In fact we from his side have more power over those kids than you." Yaya Turai said.

"You gave birth to them." Maama said smiling. 

"Ke Sharmila, look into my eyes don't try to tell me bad words, but I want you to mark my words faryal doesn't have a husband except Jabeer." She ended up standing and heading out of the parlor saying, "If you like, if he comes back don't tell him I'm waiting for him in my house." Kamal followed her before Jabeer stood up, looked at maama and said, " can I see faryal before we go?"

Maama eyed him before uttering, "Come and pluck her out from my stomach."

Jabeer shrugged his shoulders in an I don't care gesture before following his father.

Faryal entered and sat beside her mother looking worried and said, 'Maama Dan Allah don't let them force Appa to marry me off to Jabeer, Whl he's not a good boy, Look at his hair kamar kashin jinjirin jaki."

"Don't worry Faryal, your father won't agree to it, Since after your wedding was called off, Yaya Turai demanded that he marry you off to Jabeer but he refused and you will soon get married to a good man who will take care of you in Sha Allah."

Before Faryal could respond, Daadee entered, seeming like she had just woken up. "What's happening? I was sleeping, but I heard some noise."

"It's Yaya Turai and Kamal, they've come about their son Jabeer's marriage to faryal, that thug boy, jabeer son of kamal."

"What jabeer?! Daadee exclaimed, What do these people want from us? They're not more powerful than us we've been quiet because we saw their father is around and doesn't support them, otherwise hmmm."

"Don't worry Daadee, that's why I'm not worried Hafiz isn't with them and he doesn't support what they're doing." Maama said and turned to Faryal added, "If you're not going to work, go inside and sleep." 

Faryal stood up and replied , "No, I'm going."

"Tho Allah ya tsare take care, " daadee exclaimed before continuing her discussion with maama.