His Personal Queen (An Islamic Novel- Nigeria)

28

Khalid's POV

I arrived at my parent's house just before Maghrib and i met Baba, Ya Musa and Baba's friend performing ablution outside by the small mosque by the gate house. I hurriedly parked my car under the car shed and walked over to perform ablution as well.

'Good evening to you all,' i greeted as I picked up the plastic kettle.

'A'ah is this Khalid, kwana biyu(long time),' Baba's friend, Baba Ibrahim said.

'Yes Baba Ibrahim Ya gida? Ya aiki?(how's home and how's work?)' i asked as i waited for the plastic kettle to get filled up to the brim from the tap.

'Alhamdulillah ya amarya ta?(how is my bride?) you didn't come along with her?' He asked referring to Asiya.

'No she's at home,' I simply replied. Baba and Ya Musa had entered the mosque. Baba Ibrahim followed suit while i quickly performed ablution and joined them just when Ya Musa commenced the prayer.

After the prayer, i was praying that Baba Ibrahim would leave so i can get a chance to talk to Baba. I and Ya Musa found a spot at the Veranda to sit and talk as i waited for Baba who looked like he was rounding up with Baba Ibrahim.

'Ya Musa, I'm really nervous, i mean I promised Asiya that I'd return with good news of me being able to calm Baba down and talk some sense into him,' I lamented. I suddenly started feeling uneasy.

'Khalid, I believe if we all discuss this together we'll find a solution, don't stress too much, look how pale you look with all these eye bags come on, relax,' we chuckled.

'I don't know but let's see. By the way how far with Maryam?' I asked and winked. Maryam was the girl Ya Musa was interested in. They met when he went for a business meeting in the UK almost a year ago and they had been courting each other since then. She had just rounded up her masters in Management Engineering from the University of Huddersfield. Now she was almost done with her NYSC(National Youth Service Corps) in Abuja where she served at the Department of Petroleum Resources(DPR)

'Umm, she'll be finishing her NYSC in about a month so when she's done we'll make the formal approach to her family,' He said smiling.

I teased him and almost forgot about my own problems for a while. As we were busy laughing, the gate opened and two cars drove down the driveway. Baba and Baba Ibrahim walked towards where the two cars parked as if they were expecting them.

'Looks like I won't get a chance to talk to him this night with all these guests sauntering in,' I mumbled. It was already Isha prayer time so well all went to pray together with the guests that had come. I noticed they were giving me weird looks but I didn't know who they were. After the we concluded the prayer, I and Ya Musa immediately got up and went into the house. I decided to go upstairs and greet Mama because I hadn't gone in since i arrived.

I noticed she was unusually gloomy. I had a feeling it was about Asiya's situation with Baba and I.

'Mama don't worry today InshaAllah i will convince Baba to throw that second wife talk into the closet and convince him that Asiya and I are trying for a baby.' She almost cried but she simply hugged me. It felt like she was bottling up something but I promised myself that I'd make everything right. We chatted for a while, about 30 minutes when Ya Musa came up to her room to meet us. He looked downright flushed, shocked and confused, almost panting.

'Ya Musa what happened?' I asked, with a creased forehead as i got up to him.

'Oh no, this means your father has done what i was really scared of,' Mama burst into tears.

'What the hell is going on here?!' I asked angrily.

Mama got up and grabbed my arm with both hands.

'Khalid my son, please forgive me, i tried so hard to stop him and convince him not to but he wouldn't listen, you know how adamant your father can be,' she said in a croaked voice. Her knees became weak and fell to the floor crying. I helped her up and she sat on the bed.