THE MASKED GIRL

48

Aliyu

"You were the light that came into my life after I had given myself to the dark. I fell for the masked girl without knowing when and once I learned of who you are, I realized I can never be the same without you I just don't see my future without you. You pushed me away every time and it gives me more and more reasons to stick to you. You are true-hearted and precious, I yearn to have your devotion to Suhail on me. Knowing that once you become mine, you will always be no matter what will happen. What I feel for you is undeniable and I'm certain it will forever be that way— I stopped and put my other knee to the ground, kneeling on both kneels to ask for my future looking straight into her eyes. "It's three words and eight letters that carry thousands of feelings and promises. I love you Hafsat and I have an unshakable belief that it will stay the same. A forever with you is what I'm asking for, will you be my forever?"

A yes is what I hope to hear, to hear her accept my request but she rendered me speechless when she also kneeled and hugged me. She broke the hug and gave me her hand "How can I not Aliyu? How can I not want a forever with you? It's a yes even if you don't ask—

I hug her again stopping her sentence midway, that was all I wanted to hear.

Her graduation lunch turned into our engagement lunch party. Both our families were present except for my dad but he was already aware that I was going to propose. He was the first to congratulate me.

I still feel like it's one of my many dreams that I don't want to wake up from, she is really going to be mine.

Her father asked me to him outside the hotel we lodged at later that evening. I met him waiting at the gate and I apologized for being late. "I also just got here" He replied with a hand shake. "Let's go for a walk shall we?" He added and I complied.

"Hafsat has not always been like this" We walked in silence for a bit until he started talking. He doesn't know that I know already and I'm not going to say I do until he asks.

"You may have wondered why she kept refusing you and why she is the way she is?" I nodded in response and we stopped walking and sat. "How much do you know about Suhail?"

"Well— I don't why I'm suddenly nervous talking to him. "I believe he is her cousin, whom she was in love with and he is unfortunately no more"

"Yes, may his soul continue to rest in peace"

I answered with an Ameen. "Do you know how he died?"

I nodded yes. "She told me that he was killed"

"You are right but do you know who and when?" I answered with a no this time, not that I didn't know.

He shook his head in approval "I know she wouldn't tell you more than that" He paused for a while. "Do you really love my daughter Aliyu?"

"With all my heart sir" I answered in a heartbeat.

"And you want to marry her the way she is?"

"Yes"

He looked into my eyes before asking me the next question. "Even if she was raped?" I did not even hesitate. "Yes"

"Don't think I just said that to test how much you love her. Hafsat had been raped by four men and has been traumatized by it since then, she went through so much in a few days and it turned her into who she is today. Don't get into her life if you are not going to stay, it took so much for her to recover and I don't want to see her hurt again"

I don't want to see her hurt again'  These particular words rang in my head, would I ever leave Hafsat? The answer is a clear No, I will never. Nothing in this world and the next would ever make me leave her, I am in for forever.

"You have my words, sir"

He was surprised. "Alhamdulillah may Allah bless your union. Ameen"

My— I mean our marriage preparations started a few months after we returned to Nigeria. The two families met and set a date in favor to all, three months from now. That way she had gotten used to her new job and I complete what I hadn't done. We haven't seen each other since the week the date was fixed which makes it ten days today though we are always on the phone. She is a bit busy settling things at her workplace and I am also with preps.

She was busy the last time we spoke with treating patients and I planned to surprise her later on today. What's the better way to surprise your girl than when she is stressed? So I checked when she closes on her schedule and plan to go pick her up, we will have our first date today.

The hospital was a chaos by the time I went in, they seemed to have a lot of patients today. I made my way to her office and met her packing up, talk about perfect timing.

"Charming" She calls out her eyes sparkling, I love the way they do that every time. "Hi," I greeted sitting down.

"To what do I owe this surprise?" She asked seeing she just texted me about closing for the day, she moved from where she was standing beside her chair and sitting on the one next to me.

"I seem to be feeling unwell these past days and decided to come for a check up" I answered faking a pain in my heart.

"Oh sorry" She played along. "But I'm close for the day"

I pouted and she chuckled at my reaction. My heart somersaulted in my chest, oh how I love this woman. "I already got better by just seeing you"

And she smiles.

She was about to speak when a nurse barged into the office. "A pregnant woman was just brought and I can't reach Dr. Zainab, she is in pain and I'm afraid we might lose both her and the bab— Hafsat was on her feet before she finished her statement.

"Wait for me"

She tells me before she picks up her coat and mask storming out of the office.