Chapter Four

It was friday evening after magrib and Yusuf was all dressed up in white Kaftan with royal blue embroidery and royal blue zannan bukar cap. Waiting for his supposed future wife to show up at their beautiful brown and cream living room, but she was taking forever.

Yasmin's twenty one year old brother, Jafar was keeping him company, even though all his attempt to chat with Yusuf has failed miserably. The young man understood that maybe his future brother in law is a bit nervous. And it's understandable.

"Assalamu alaikum!" Comes Yasmin's usual small voice, she was wearing a full length brown hijab which complimented her eye color so well. And yes her eyes were glued to the floor as she walk and sit at the sofa adjacent to Yusuf's.

"Wa'alaikumu salam!" He answered. Before he could take a very good view of the lady who is ready to be implanted into his life, the power goes off. And there was his fate, blank.

"Yaya Ya, don't worry i will go and check that." Jafar said before existing the room, he switched on his phone flashlight and place it on the tv stand. The flashlight was not so bright, so it didn't eliminate the whole darkness in the room.

"I heard you have already agreed to marry me, right?" Yusuf look up at her, but her gazed was fixed to her fidgeting fingers and he could only see her brown hijab.

"Uhmm... Yes!"

"Don't you want to get to know me? To know what you're getting yourself into."

"No! That is not needed for now."

"Uhmm, What if i said no, what will happen then? I hope you understand what i mean by that?" He asked cautiously as if afraid to make any damage. Now it's his father's word against his.

"Nothing big is going to happened. Just that your father will be disappointed, i think. Because he was so sure you won't say no. If you want to called off the alliance, that should be your problem." And right then there he believe Yasmin is too arrogant for his liking.

On the other hand, Yasmin didn't meant to be anything rude. If it was his father who sent the alliance, then she was sure the man was certain that his son will never go against him, right? If not why will he do that? Why is he trying to make her called off the alliance? If he don't want to get married, he should do it himself. That's what she believes.

Yusuf got that, he have been corned. Her parents were so nice when he talked with them, they have asked him all those religious questions and they're pleased with everything he had said by the look of it. And now their rude daughter is talking like his father.

Why do he have to talk so highly of me when he believe, i am not good enough to be his son.

Confused to why his father have always been so mean to him, and he expect him to be a filial son.

"This is too much," he mumbles. And when  he looked up, his dear future wife was already out of sight. It was only him there and the light was back.

Did he zoned out? Of course he did and when Yasmin felt he won't say anything further she left the room.

When he get up to leave Yasmin's father and brother showed up. "I will take my leave now. It's nice meeting you." He can't help but notice the warmth in Alhaji Abubakar's eyes, it was welcoming and his heart clenched at the sight.

"Your father is so lucky to have you, my regards to him. I will welcome you to the family later." Yusuf only smile and left, before he completely exist the living room, he can hear Jafar asking his father about the football match he was watching before the power goes off. He really wished he have had a half of that kind of relationship with own father, who has already planned his marriage without his knowledge.

Things couldn't be any better, Baba.

The next day at work, Yusuf have cancelled three quarter of his appointment for the day. He doesn't even know why he came to work, if he wasn't going to work.

Last night after he left Yasmin's place his father had called, telling him that his engagement will be fixed anytime soon. He don't know why his father is so fond of making his life more miserable, he have already destroyed his childhood and now this. His chance to end up with the woman he love.

His father have always left him stranded, when Yusuf told him that he wanted to study cardiology instead of business administration which his dear father chose for him. The man refused to pay a single penny for his tertiary education.

"Earth to Yusuf!" Saif hits the table with file in front of his friend. He have been in the office for more than five minutes already, but his dear friend is mentally some where else. "What's wrong with you, man?"

Rubbing his eyes for a clearer view, his eyes landed on his best friend, "when did you come back?" Yusuf inquired surprised, he didn't expect to see him. He rubbed his head down to nape, it's a clear sign of him being stressed out.

"Okay typical Nigerian, answering question with question. I asked first, so." Saif sat on one of two wooden frame armchairs in front of Yusuf's L shape wooden table.

He sighed and says... "So many things bruh, that you can't even begin to believe or imagine, care to answer my own question now?"

"I came back last night, i even sent you a message, but you didn't reply. What's it that i can't believe or imagine? Did someone died and get buried in one hour?" Saif asked curiously narrowing his eyes.

"I am getting married!" He said with a smug smile.

"WHAT!" Saif's eyes widened not believing his ears.

"As expected, I told you so." he scowl and pinched between his eyes, he don't know what he is getting himself into. 

"Hah," Saif let a humorless laugh. "You really move so fast from zero to hundred, i was only away for five days and you're already getting married. What happened to me being your brother?" He sounds offended. The relationship they share was such that they're the first know if one of them is planning something big before anyone heard of it.

"I am sorry, i know i should have told you earlier. But i didn't want to disturb you with my problems, after all you were away for an important work." Saif sent a glare his way, now he is really getting mad.

"Since when did you start thinking that you were disturbing me?" He scrunched his face at his best friend's excuse.

"Hey bro, just listen to what i have to say, okay. I am kind of lost too. I don't even know, so how can i tell that i was getting married soon." Seeing how down his friend looked, Saif knew there is something much bigger.

"Baba did something, right?" He asked, a deep furrow appeared on his forehead.

"Yes he did. My dear father is the only one who have the guts to arrange my marriage in this whole wide world without even telling me." Yusuf added with a sigh.

"Well i am speechless, bro." Yusuf's father is the only one who have the ability to left these two speechless.

"That's not what hurt the most, he made everyone believe that i have already agreed to the marriage so that i can't said no. On top of all that the girl is so arrogant."

"Didn't you tell her that you don't want the marriage." He asked confused and annoyed with the people messing up his friend's life, his father especially. He had  been through enough already.

"I told her, but guess what she said."

"What!" Saif waited for his friend to continue. And there was that smug smile on his best friend's face once again.

"She said that it's my problem and she doesn't want my father to be disappoint in me. Isn't that crazy? She clearly sees that i don't have any in interest in marrying her but she doesn't care."

Saif's furrow deepen as he taps on his chin  with his forefinger, indicating that he is thinking of a way out or maybe a fine solution. "What does she look like then, is there anything worth the sacrifice?"

"I don't know, i didn't saw her face."

"How comes? And you said you have met her."

"Yes i did. But i didn't see the face, it was so dark. Their house power goes off immediately after she entered the living room. And guess what?"

"What again?!" Saif waited for another surprise.

"Immediately after she left the living room the light comes back, it was like a planned conspiracy."

"Are you sure, she is not crippled?"

"No, she walked on her two feet, i saw it"

"Then she must be blind, rebel or maybe one of those people that one glance at them,  will be enough for a lifetime nightmare." Saif concluded lightly hitting the table as if had solved the most complicated puzzle in the world. And Yusuf couldn't hold his laughter seeing his friend horrified face.

"Saif, i don't really know if it was a coincident or planned. But I am not sure of what to do. Help me reason." And he look sad. Somehow left behind.

"Bro, i know it hard for you. But you're very strong and brave, remember Allah does not burden a soul with more it can handle. Most of the time we don't understand our parents, at time we felt that their choices are wrong for us. Yeah sometimes they are, but most of the time they're the best choices. We might not agree with it at that time but eventually everything fall into place. Because of the obedience..."

"What are you trying to say? Just cut to the chase." Yusuf interrupted looking gloomy.

"I am not telling you to just go ahead and marry the supposed disabled girl. I just want to give you an obvious example of yourself; like when you wanted to study cardiology, Baba was clearly against it, but what happened? Look at you now. You have  overcame all those challenges and here you're, very successful in your career. Yusuf you're one of the most finest cardiologist in this country. All that happened even without your Father's support only because it is a part of your  destiny, no one was able to change it. Marriage is a big issue, talk to him once again. And if he don't listen to you, just brace yourself. You always got my prayers"

What Saif said about destiny never left his mind. Two days later, Yusuf is still unable to talk with his father. Talking to the Nigerian president was much easier than talking with Alhaji Usman Balarabe Maitaya, the man is so intimidating. Yusuf sat alone at his living room and laugh at his fate, nothing he has ever planned came out as per his wish. Just like Saif said, he is bracing himself.

This one time, he won't try to go against it. He will let Allah do his will. He has already been overpowered. Maybe he lost this one.

It was Ikram, scrunching her face eversince she met Yasmine in the kitchen. When arrived she was on top of her lungs, celebrating her cousin's potential alliance. Maybe Yasmine is bound to break the rule now, since Ikram is not willing to say anything either. It had been twenty minutes already. But she knew she won't have a good day with her cousin's silence. Yasmin really it loves when Ikram talks to her. It made her felt she wasn't alone.

"So talk now, since you have put it upon yourself to never start a talk." Ikram caught her off guard from her almost effort to speak first. With a smile she says.

"Did i perhaps kill someone today? Stop sulking on it, and yes you heard them right. I might be getting married."

"I am not sulking on anything, Yasi. Will it hurt you to just carry your phone and give me a call, it's as simple as saying i accepted a proposal and i am meeting the supposed guy. But no, it have to be all over the news before i heard about it. I guess if i was just a friend not a part of your family i will just heard that you been married off without my knowledge. You know, a little communication won't hurt anyone." That's just the beginning of Ikram's complain, she can go on about it for days to come.

"Ikram, i am sorry. I didn't know how tell you that i have accepted a proposal and met the supposed guy. You never tell me how to say things like that." Yasmin carefully depended herself.

"Don't act all smart with me, dear. I am willing to forgive you this time around." And before Yasmin could get a grasps of what she said, she was already in a bone crashing embrace with her crazy cousin.

"Congratulations couz, i am really proud of you. You have just taken one hundred and fifty steps at a time. I can't believe it. I need some pinches for reality check." And before she can close her mouth, she got several pinches from known other than Salma. Yasmin's eighteen years old sister, with all the craziness in Ikram, Salma was no match for her.

Salma also possessed the genetic beauty in the family, only that she wasn't fair as her sister. Her sister's fairness can easily blind someone, if they wasn't ready for the view.  Yasmin always look foreign in the midst of many people. Her physical appearance was an attention seeker.

"So master chefs Nigeria, what do have on the menu today. I am craving for your delicacies." Salma said snooping around the kitchen.

"Did you just pinched me, Salma?" Ikram asked almost fuming, but Salam raised her hands up in surrender.

"Ya Ikram, you said you need a reality check with some pinches. I only do you the favor, and yes you're welcome."

"I didn't mean that, it was just a saying, jare." Ikram rubbed her arms.

"Well in that case, don't forget to say it when next you need a reality check. Believe me Ya Jafar had to pour water on me, before i realized it was real too. Before then i was already booking an appointment for ear check up, because i thought i was hearing the wrong things."

"Ai, dama baki da hankali. Next time don't pinch. You're so wicked , ya Allah now look at how my poor arms have turned into. As if i have fought with a wild cat." And Yasmin knew it was time to get back to business because this two can talk for a lifetime without checking the time.

"Get over it already, Ya ikram. I am up for the judging phase now." Salma find her seat on the kitchen island and continue from where she stopped, describing how she almost died from the shock. Yasmin gasped. It was going to be a long day. They were more excited than her, it was only their smiles that keep convincing her, she made the right decision.