RUWAIDA ✔️

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

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The room is utterly silent that the drop of a pin will clearly be heard, tho, the small room is filled with people. About six of them, all sitting on the mats around, while the soft couches by both sides of the room remained vacant. Muhammad could already fill his temperature rise, seeing Baba Sarki walk tentatively with the help of his stick into the room and made himself comfortable on one of the couches. The men exchanged greetings while Muhammad's mother and Aunty Zainab sat beside each other as they conversed in hushed tones.

"Where's  Muhammadu," called Baba Sarki and as if Muhammad had been sitting on a hot coal plate, sprang upwards to squat in front of the old man. He nervously pulled his hands out of each other as he slightly looked up at his grandfather.

Ever since childhood, Baba Sarki had been a very intimidating and strict grandfather, although, Muhammad heard the exact opposite about grandparents from his friends. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen Baba Sarki smile. Even if he does smile, it only last for seconds, making it quite hard for any to notice.

"Your uncle here had mentioned to me about what you've talked on earlier," he began, and turned slightly to point at Uncle Bashari, who nodded with a wide smile. Hearing about Muhammad getting a wife, must probably be the happiest news he'd heard this year. Thus, he lost his only daughter Maryam to sickle cell in early beginning of the year, and since then had stumbled to be happy; at least Turaad had made it possible for him. "I'll like to here it from you, Is it true," he asked, now his attention focused mainly on his grandson.

Muhammad slowly nodded, scared to say, or do anything that will anger Baba Sarki. "Yes Baba, it's indeed true,"

Baba Sarki's lips on their own accord twitched upwards in a smile, which did surprise Turaad immensely. He least excepted his grandfather to give such a reaction, especially after the tantrum his mother had thrown. "That's good news! Masha Allahu! Have you asked her when we can present ourselves,"

To Hajia Bilkisu, everything that is taking place  were not what she'd wanted. And just like Muhammad, she expected Baba Sarki to agree not to Turaad, tho, they both have different reasons. "Erm Baba Sarki, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I advice for a background check first before conclusions, he'd only mentioned few unnecessary things to I," Ammi urged, heeding not to the pleading looks her son sent her way. He wouldn't get married to a gold digger! Of course! What else to her fitted the gilt she'd not taught necessary to know even her name?

In her own view, the girl must have certainly looked up at his prestige of being from a royal family, thus her reason for pushing him to get married to her. Unknown to Hajia Bilki, the said girl laid sick in bed with special doctors observation, totally unaware of the ruckus going on in regards to her.

Baba Sarki slowly turned to face her. "Bilkisu, I don't know what you mean by few unnecessary, but I'll like to here from you," he replied, sounding partly disappointed. He had indeed the intention of doing just that, but it's like his niece knows better.

"Hm, believe me Baba Sarki, but I won't recommend him getting married to the girl in mention, please consider and besides Haj Saudah willingly would let Aisha get married to him," Muhammad released an exasperated sigh  as he heard Aisha's name mentioned. How could he marry that girl?

"But that doesn't sound like a reason Bilkisu," he yawed his head to Turaad. "And you, how sure are you about their home upbringing,"

"Baba Sarki, I promise you, there's nothing you'll hate regarding Ruwaida or her family," he answered shakily.

Baba Sarki gave a brief nod before he spoke again. "Toh! Allah ya Kaimu, I'll make some enquiries atop that which your uncle had, before then, you can go back to work please, you've been here for a week now, I'm sure it's better if you resume work as soon as possible,"

Muhammad slowly stood up. "InshaAllah, I'm much grateful Baba Sarki, Allah ya karawa shekaru albarka. (May Allah increase you in age)," he prayed as all chorused an Ameen.

He had reached for the door when Aunty Zainab's sentence hung think in the air. "Wai to Me ma Zaiyi da yar gidan talakawa eyeh?! (where's he supposed to reach with a poor girl as a companion)," she might have wanted not for it to come out that loud, but then, not only Hajia Bilkisu, everyone in the room clearly heard her.

"Zainabu!," Baba Sarki roared, hitting his stick harshly on the tiled floor, resulting to Muhammad hastily turning to face them. "What is it with you? Don't make me loose my temper this early morning, or else, you wouldn't like the outcome,"

Zainab as the spurn she's, hissed under her breath and turned her gaze away from him with an eye roll. "Haba Baba Sarki, I know you will always find offense in whatever I do, so, this isn't an exception, but I'm just looking out for him, or have you forgotten what happened to Baban Ladi? Ko kunmanta neh? I'm sure all of you can clearly remember how his poor pathetic wife fled away with all his properties without a second look back," she declared with a bitter look on her face.

And just like her words, everyone's faces fell with sadness as they remembered Shuaibu, the last brother of Baba Sarki. He had gone through a difficult faze in his life the moment his wife had decided to give him a bum steer. He willingly signed some papers for her which she had mentioned to be some documents required for her check up when she was pregnant. Of course! He signed them all without reading them. Why should he? A person is supposed to have trust in his companion after all!

Weeks later, he came home to find it empty. Her belongings and even some of his were missing. His thoughts had not reached anywhere close to her leaving him. All he thought of was probably a kidnap or armed robbery. So, he called on his family members and one of the guards made mention of her leaving with three suitcases immediately he'd left for work.

At that moment, he couldn't think of anything which led him to  blame his family for putting pressure on her, but deep down, he knew better that Sara had been treated like a Queen. He found a letter on his cupboard which till date, brings tears to his eyes. She wrote to him about her inability to love him, because all the time she spent with him, was just for his money and nothing more than that.

When he had received a ton of alerts of withdrawal from his account, he didn't fret, he let her have what she'd wanted from the beginning. Anyways, Karma sure does exist.

You pay for what you take...

I'm sorry for this boring chapter!
I had wanted to write on Ruwaida but then, something happened which I don't know exactly, but it still had made me change my mind. Bare with my slow updates, the book will be short, so it's really giving me a hard time to write.....

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Silentwriter☕️