Love through time

The Past

Zaria 1986

The dusty wind of Zaria moved with a harrowing sound as Haroon hurriedly joined the masjid for the morning prayers. He was back in Zaria after completing his engineering degree at the University of Lagos. The weather in Lagos was different from that of Zaria. Everything about the two places was different. The hustle and bustle of dawn he was used to in Lagos had been replaced with the calmness of the Zaria dawn. Apart from the prayer congregation, everyone was indoors getting warm, but activities in Lagos would have been in full swing.
Haroon sat in the living room feeling a bit idle after the congregation had dispersed. He missed the campus gym, which was where he would have been if he had been in Lagos. He contemplated going to his room and doing a couple of push-ups but decided to lie on the couch and read a book. This should help take his mind off the big decision he had to make.
He had been offered a scholarship to study in the United Kingdom but his Uncle whom he takes as a father wants him to join the Amadu Bello University as an academic staff.
He loved and respected his uncle because he raised him as his son when he lost both parents in a house fire when he was 6 years old.
He wants to make Baba Sani as they all call him, proud but not by joining the academia. He is also undecided about going to the United Kingdom. At the age of 24, he was uncertain about what he wanted.
'Ya Haroon Inna kwana' Mairo said standing by the door.
'Lafiya Mairo, why are you up early?
'We have a school send-off party baba said you will take me please'
'Okay, I will. What time?'
'By 4 pm, it at the city centre hall'
'Fine be ready on time'
Mairo was Haroon's cousin from Baba Sani, but he regarded her as his sister. He remembers her birthday and how happy he was.
***

He saw her walking towards them hands wide open. He tried to look away but failed at that. She stood feet away from him and gave his sister a tight hug.
'Hamida this is my older brother Ya Haroon'
When she spoke his heart skipped
'Good evening Ya Haroon barkan mu da yamma'
It took him some seconds to answer
'Lafiya (fine)'
He turned to his sister and said
'I'll pick you up by 6:45 right'

As he drove away her image was plastered to his mind. She was beautiful, he thought but what amazed him was her demeanour. Her grace and charm captivated him, he felt conflicted because she was his sister's friend but he also felt something he had not felt before and he knew Hamida would remain special to him. I need more information about her he thought to himself and all of a sudden 6:45 was too long a wait.
***
Hamida was a Fulani Princess from Kano and the only daughter of a military general. Her father was stationed at one of the military bases. She was tall, slender and pretty. She had light brown eyes and a dimple on her right cheek.
Haroon not knowing anything about the beautiful girl he met, was eager to learn everything about her.
He was back by 6:30 hoping to see Hamida again but his sister said she was gone at about 6:00
'So who is your friend and how is it I've never met her?' he was asking Mairo
'Hamida? She transferred from abroad and joined our school in ss2. Her dad is a military personnel.'
He listened to her carefully.
'Now they live in Zaria while he heads the military base. She's the nicest person in my class. She turned 18 yesterday so she had a birthday cake for us.'
Mario went on and on and Haroon listened attentively.
He was more fascinated by Hamida and wanted to meet her.
'Do you visit her?' He asked
'Yes, but she prefers to visit me, she has a strict Dad we can't make noise at her house but you know Umma allows us to have fun and make lots of noise' she said with a grin.
'When are you inviting her over?' he asked

'Ya Haroon you like her right'? Her face lit up
'Just so you know she asked a few questions about you as well.'
He turned to his sister looking at her cheeky face to be sure she was not kidding
'She did? What did she ask?'
He felt like a kid expecting a new toy or candy.
'I'll tell you if you'll convince Baba to let me go to the University of Lagos instead of staying at home and going to ABU.'

'You know that is an impossible task Mairo.
Just invite her over and I'll spare you some money to buy what you want.'

Mario wanted to go to Lagos but she knew that was almost impossible for her father to agree to that. She was the only child and had been shielded all her life. She wanted to fly but so many factors were against her. She was 17 years and her parents cherished her, they will never let her go to Lagos for Uni and he is not about to lead her on that false pretence.

'I'll invite her tomorrow. She asked if you were into basketball and that you looked like one of her favourite American athletes

The next day, Haroon waited for Hamida to arrive. He was nervous not because he was not confident but because he knew deep in him he wanted this to play out well.
A Puejo 505 dropped her in front of the house and stayed for her to get in before driving off.

When Hameda walked in she acted carefree like she was a member of the family. Her hands on his sister's shoulder she looked like a fairy princess in a flower print long dress and a matching veil. Her smile was infectious revealing her perfect white teeth. Haroon's heart could not be contained, he imagined they could hear his heartbeat because of how hard it was beating.

'Ya Haroon, Good afternoon'
'Good afternoon Hamidah' He said trying to keep his composure.
The two girls ran to his adopted mother's room and this gave him time to breathe. How can a girl have this much effect on him?

When they came out he was seated on the couch. Think He said silently to himself.
'Ya Haroon Mairo said you came back from Lagos, I lived on the Island for two years but I can't even tell you a thing about Lagos, I was always indoors'

'Well Lagos is interesting and I enjoyed my 5 years of studies, pulse I gained an unmatched experience no place can give.'

'Experience is what I can't boast of, and it doesn't matter the different places I have lived in, I'm not allowed out much.'

Haroon saw a hit of sadness on her face but even that could not mask her beauty. His sister was arranging henna and prepping Hamida's hands with oil. He wanted to stay but he stood up to leave.
'Will I see you before I leave?' Hamida asked Haroon.
'I'm around, just ask Mairo to call me when you are done'
He left the living room to his room. He had met girls from different backgrounds and cultures at the University of Lagos, but none of them had this effect on him as Hamida did. Whatever these feelings were, he needed to be certain and know how to go about it.