Niqabi Stole My Heart

Two

For every hardship, comes a cure.

*****

Alhaji Iro Katagum was Alhaji Ahidjo Garba's best friend back in the days, they met in secondary school and their friendship bloomed. While Ahidjo's parents could afford to send him to school abroad, Iro's parents weren't that well off. So he had to work his way to get a scholarship.

He and Ahidjo studied in the same university but different courses. He studied international relations at Oxford University. That's he where met Amine, the love of his life. She was also a Nigerian of Kanuri descent. She captured his heart at first sight and he did not rest until he made her his wife.

Unlike Ahidjo and Sarah's story, theirs was accepted wholeheartedly as Iro was from Bauchi state, while Amina was from Borno. There wasn't much tribal difference between them.

They had to split when they graduated from University, as Ahidjo was offered a job in Adamawa State,  while Iro was offered a job way down in Calabar. And that was a near end  for the friendship. However,  they remained in touch over the years.

After the first 5 years of their marriage,  Iro had secured a job in the foreign affairs of the country,  while his beloved Amine was a known caterer in Calabar. They decided to reap fruits of their marriage. The pregnancy wasn't difficult for the young couple. And some months later, they had the glad tidings of two bundles of cuteness. The young couple's joy knew no bounds.  The twins were a boy and a girl, the girl was named after Iro's Late mother, Fatima and was called, Rufaydah. And the boy was named Ahmad Rufa'ey.

Growing up, Rufa'ey  was a very smart kid, smarter than his agemates. Rufa'ey  learnt to talk at a year and a half old. While Rufaydah  spoke her first word which was "Ammiey" a day after their secind birthday, for a moment Iro and Amine thought she was mute.  Iro and Amine enrolled the twins in kindergarten at the age of two. Rufa'ey was the smarter of the duo, he always topped his class and even got a double promotion when he got  into primary school. He got into Jss1 at the young age of 9. Despite being the youngest, he still maintained his position as the best in every subject. He always used to be the first person to complete any task given to their class, thus his friends called him guru Which he didn't like, but still answered. Some said it in a mocking way, while others actually meant it. Some students even bullied him, it got to the extent that poor Rufa'ey dreaded going to school. He'd get bullied at school and come home to bully his  twin sister and their younger sister, who was just five years old at the moment.

Rufaydah  however,  was the fragile child. She didn't  speak much as she found it difficult to pronounce some words and she often got laughed at by their mates. and she seldom had problems. She had difficulty socialising with her peers so she'd rather spend the day at home with a book than go out to play.

When they were in thrir third year at secondary school,their  father, Alhaji Iro got a job promotion and they had to leave Nigeria for France.

Things didn't get any better there, with a new environment and all, Rufa'ey became more disoriented when it came to school activities . He started bunking classes and joining bad gangs. He got into drugs and many other bad things. He became more distant, he seldom spoke to anyone. And whenever his Ammiey asked, he'll say he's okay. So she just concluded it was part of his adolescence phase.

It got to a point that he'll leave home in the morning for school,  and he won't come back till late in the night. His father of course, was so busy with work that he didn't notice the changein his child. And Ammiey always dismissed any bad thoughts that came to her. The only person that actually knew what was hoing on was his twin, Rufaydah. She knew everything because she had seen him and his friends at their joint countless times. They'd be smoking,  or drinking shots or doing some really gory activities. Whenever she tries speaking to him, he'd shut her up saying it's his life to live and she should stay out of it.  If she persisted, he'll even beat her up. Which she always covered up saying she got into a fight at school whenever Ammiey asks of her bruises.