Bello Kabir.

So, turns out the book related fair has been moved closer. And I have to go to Abuja. I am actually excited to go to Abuja. And while I wish I could take Ruqayya's offer on staying in her parent's house. I had to decline.

Ummu will have a heart attack if she finds out that I'm being that shameless. She doesn't even like Ruqayya, I don't want her to think Ruqayya is making me act shameless.

Good thing about the fair is, it's going last for just three days; Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So I only have to take one day off.

I am seated in Abu's sitting room, waiting to hear what he has for me. Apparently, he has been trying to reach me since in the morning. But I was in an area that has low service, once again doing Mrs Mamman's duties since she's on maternity leave.

And when he finally got through to me, he asked me to see him as soon as possible. And that was enough for me to know that it's urgent. So I didn't even go home to bath after work. I just came here straight.

Luckily, I still have some clothes here. So I took a quick bath before Abu finished his conference call and when I was done, he was already waiting.

"You know how relationships are now, courting is not what it used to be." I nod. I just hope he didn't call me here to lecture me about my relationship with Ruqayya. She's my fiancée and despite the whole civilization stuff that's going on in the world, I have the desire to keep my hands, mouth and genital to myself until after the wedding.

The world already leaves little chances for us to enter Jannah. Something as easy as eating Halaal is becoming a problem because they no longer make Halaal foods like they used to. I won't be the one dragging myself to the pits of Jahannam, no thank you.

"I want the wedding preparations to start as soon as possible. I will speak to Khalid In Shaa Allah, and the renovation for your house will begin immediately. A newly wedded bride cannot stay in that house without it being a little more furnished. And I want you to pick a date, your uncles and I will go and do the tambaya. And then your mother and her sisters will start preparing for the lefe and all that." I don't know what to say honestly. So I settle for nodding, again.

"I hope you don't have any problems with this suggestion of mine."

"No, Abu. I'm totally fine with it." Abu nods and leans back on his chair.

"Don't forget, Bello. It's your wedding. Kar ka biye wa mamanka wani pulako. Feel free to input anywhere. No one will stay with the wife for you, and no one will do the wedding for you. Aurenka ne, bah na Kowa bah."

"Okay, Abu. Miyetti." I stand up to leave when a thought occurs to me so I sit back down. That earns me a look from Abu.

"Actually, I have a suggestion. If it's okay with you and su baffa, I will be going to Abuja for work by the end of this week. And as far as I know, the grooms to be are allowed to be at the tambaya. So if it's not a problem, we can utilize this weekend for the tambaya." Abu nods.

"That's a splendid idea, Bello. I will call Hashiru now and see if he can get the rest of my brothers to be ready by then. I'll get back to you with that In Shaa Allah." I nod and stand up then leave.

I knew Abu would make things work in my own interest. And despite Ummu's complains that I shouldn't be involved in the wedding, here I am, sitting in a car with two out of four of my paternal uncles that Abu asked to come with him to Abuja. We are driving to Baffa Hashim's house which is here in Abuja as he is the one who will be receiving us which makes a total of five out of my twelve uncles.

Abu's family is quite large, which is understandable for a hausa family from Kebbi. He has twelve brothers and sixteen sisters, ten of which are his milk siblings —five brothers and five sisters.

Abu insisted on handpicking the goron tambaya himself, after all this is the first wedding he's having in his house, and he wants to be as involved in it as possible. And despite Ummu's insistence that is shamelessness for her to be involved in any of the wedding preparations, I can see how happy she is that one of her children is finally settling down.

I mean, it's long overdue anyway. Especially for Yaya. Ummu doesn't show it much, but every time someone asks her when she will push Yaya into a marriage, the disappointment and sadness that her son still hasn't settled down is quite evident in her demeanor. And I am happy that she is happy because of this wedding, even though she doesn't fail to hide that she doesn't like the family I'm marrying from every time they are brought up. I'll have to talk to her about that when I go back home.

I am dragged back to reality when the car is turned off and the doors are opened. I step out and I am welcomed by the harsh April Abuja sun. Ruqayya told me that it rained heavily last night here, but it doesn't look like it did. Although, the temperature is kind of cool despite the blazing sun above us.

Baffa Hashim's twins run towards us and I find myself smiling at the boy and girl who look more like their mother than they ever will their father.

"Hassan! Hussaina! I've told you to stop running," A voice I'll recognize anywhere says.

"Aunty Hadiza," My smile widens as I walk towards the thirty year old woman that is my uncle's second wife.

"Bello," The woman says as she takes her son from my hand.

"Ina wuni." She frowns playfully at me.

"Gaisuwa a bakin kofa kuma? Ka shigo mana." I smile and step inside the house to find her co-wife sitting beside Laila, the third born of the house. I squat and greet the barren woman that is almost ten years older than I am.

"Ina wuni, Aunty." She smiles as gestures for me to sit at the same time I hear my uncles come in. I can hear Baffa Hashim's voice. He must've been around when we came in then.

"Ai I can't miss this opportunity. I know that once the tambaya is concluded, everyone will run away. So it's better I snatch you all now while I can." Abu's loud laughter reaches my ear and I stand up to shake hands with Baffa Hashim.

"Ango kenan, you are more eager than your older brother." I force a smile on as we shake hands. Ever since Abu announced that we are going for the tambaya, people keep asking me when Yaya will be getting married. Or they'd tease me by calling me eager, that I can't wait for my brother first.

And my reaction is almost always the same, a forced smile and a fouled mood. I'm not eager, Yaya is not ready to get married, what's so hard to understand about that? But well, Hausa families will continue to be what they are.

We all sit in the sitting room and while Aunty Hadiza serves us snacks and drinks, my uncles talk about literally everything while I play with the kids quietly in the corner. That is, until my phone rings.

Aunty turns to me with that usual sweet smile of hers.

"Amaryan mu ne? Did you tell her ka iso?" My uncles take turns teasing me and all I can do is smile at them. Ummu will kill me if she finds out that I am not even feeling the least bit shy right now.

I pick my ringing phone and I feel the confusion showing itself on my expression. I drop Hassan and head outside to pick Mrs Evelyn's call.

"Bello, are you already in Abuja?" I frown. No greetings today?

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

"Yes, kind of. Well, that fair, you know you have to attend it anonymously, right?"

"Of course, no one is allowed to know about my identity." Mrs Evelyn seems to be panting for some reason.

"Well, the fair is taking place in an open space. And a lot of your fans are going there. I've been seeing people on Instagram and Tiktok going to do their hair, nails and the likes in preparation to see you." I don't understand why she's worried. Is there something I'm missing?

"Okay, how is that a cause for concern? Didn't you get that tent where you stick your book inside through a hole and then I sign it and push it back out?"

"I did, but they wouldn't allow my crew set it up. They said that for security reasons, such tents are not allowed so we either have an open tent or nothing. And even as we tried to explain to them that this writer is an anonymous writer and he doesn't like to be identified as a writer, they still wouldn't allow us."

"Mrs Evelyn, It's not that I don't want to be identified as a writer." She sighs.

"I know, BK. But that's not the point here. What do we do?!" I walk further outside and sit down in the veranda of the guest bedrooms where we'll be staying.

"I have an idea. You just go back to your hotel, relax and enjoy the morning. Around three while the place is starting to get busy, I will come. You don't have to worry about anything." I hear Mrs Evelyn's sigh.

"Are you sure, BK?" I nod then remember she can't see me.

"Yes. I'll call you when I am in." I end the call and walk back inside. The fair is a three days something with. But I will only be available for the first two days. The third day is for unveiling of authors' works in progress and I don't even have a good ten thousand words down for my work in progress, I can't unveil it. Even though that will make for good traffic.

I look at the time, it's almost time for Jumu'ah. I enter the guest bedrooms and look around the four rooms until I find my luggage. I wear a simple white Jalabiya with jeans after taking a shower and then I wear half shoes. I take my praying mat then use a dash of perfume.

When I walk outside, my uncles are still in the sitting room talking, I think they'll pray in the Jumu'ah mosque nearby where I can hear the Friday sermon from. But, I want to go to the central mosque. I have only been there, once, I think.

I bid my uncles goodbye and take my keys from the driver that drove us from the airport to this house. He and another one of the drivers took two of our cars yesterday from home and had a night trip to Abuja so that they can be here to pick us up from the airport on time. And I made sure my car was one of the cars because I do not have the energy to use an Uber for all of the three days I'll be here.

The drive to the central mosque is actually far, but since I don't know the way, I'll have to follow my trusted map which says this is the shortest route due to traffic conditions.

Once I'm done praying Jumu'ah prayers, I decide to head to Ruqayya's home to see her. Ummu warned me not to let her parents see me. So she will have to come out and meet me.

I pick my phone and dial her number and she picks almost immediately.

"Bee! I was just about to call you. Kun iso lafiya?" I smile and lean back on the plush seats in my car.

"Ru baby, Assalamu Alaikum warahmatullahi wa barakatuh."

"Oh, sorry Bee. Ina dan rude ne. Ummi has been making me work since morning wallahi. Apparently, my uncles are coming over, and she thinks the house is dirty and stinky. We've been cleaning and scrubbing and making everywhere scent. And it doesn't help that today is Friday." I hear her sigh before her mum's voice comes.

"I'm talking to Bee ne. Ina zuwa." Her mum says something again and she sighs.

"Ummi bah zuma bah fah, Bello. Bee for Bello." I can't help but chuckle at her explanation.

Some shuffling comes before the sound of a door closing and then a lock comes.

"Sorry, bee. Meye kake cewa?" I chuckle again.

"It seems you're busy now. I wanted to come see you ne. But I guess I'll see you on Sunday then."

"No. Which Sunday? Where are you now?"

"Central mosque." I hear her sigh and then shuffling comes.

"That's kind of far Gaskiya. But it's good, I'll have time to tidy up and then get ready before you come. Abba is not around though."

"I won't even come inside, don't worry. Just send me the location and I'll be there soon. When I come, I'll call you and then you'll come out and see me. Is that okay?"

"Yes, bee. Let me send you the location." We end the call and almost immediately, a whatsapp notification pops up. I put in the location into my map and my eyes widen, just twenty minutes? I don't know why I thought it'd take me at least thirty minutes. Places in Abuja always seem so far away from each other.

I start the car when a thought occurs to me. I can't possibly go see her empty handed. I have to get her something, even if it's food or snacks.

I look at the map and luckily, there's a supermarket on the next street straight ahead. When I arrive at the supermarket, my jaw falls. Why does it look so busy? There's literally no space to park. Ya Allah. I will have to be late for this fair today.

I get in with surprising ease and buy us two shawarma and two bottles of yogurt. I end up buying ice cream and suya too and then I leave with lesser ease than I came in.

I reach the house in exactly twenty five minutes before giving Ru a call. She picks on the second ring.

"Bari in fito." She whispers and ends the call. Less than five minutes later, Ruqayya comes out in a white floor length Hijab. I have never seen her look so beautiful, Maa Shaa Allah.

Not even in the pictures she sends me whenever she dresses up has she ever looked this beautiful. Right now, more than ever, I wish I'm already married to her. Because the urge to hug her immediately she enters the car is overwhelming.

But, I can do this. According to Abu, the wedding shouldn't be more than six months from now. I will wait for the six months to pass, and the moment she is announced as my Halaal, I will take her to my house and hug her. Astagfirullah, I really shouldn't be thinking about this now.

Ruqayya opens the car and steps in, her face looking very tired.

"Bello, Assalamu Alaikum warahmatullahi wa barakatuh." I smile at her despite the fact that she called me by my government name. We'll correct that eventually.

"Ameen wa alaikis salam, Ru baby. You look so tired." She sighs, leaning back on the seat.

"You have no idea." I open my mouth to ask her how she is when she sits up abruptly and turns to me with a confused expression.

"Did you also know that we're not supposed to see each other until after the tambaya?" I frown.

"No. Are we?" Ruqayya nods and leans back on the chair.

"Ummi heard me on the phone with you, and she asked if you've arrived in Abuja yet. I told her yes and even told her you might be here to see me tonight. This woman almost broke her neck from how fast she turned to me. She said wai I will not leave the house until after the tambaya." So what exactly is the logic behind that?

"Where did you tell her you were going when you were coming out just now?"

"I told her that I am coming to receive a delivery. I'll just go outside and tell her that the delivery guy was confused and he messed up my order." Involuntarily, I frown.

"You lied to her, and you're going to lie to her again?" Ruqayya shrugs.

"It's no big deal, this is not the first time anyways." I shake my head, not even bothering to argue that it is actually a big deal. Everytime I lie to Ummu, I feel pressed down by guilt. But arguing with Ruqayya is like arguing with a brick wall, she is unmoving.

"You'll have to go back inside now." Before she can argue, I reach to the back seats and pick three out of the four polythene bags and hand it to her.

"And you don't have to lie a second time." Ruqayya's eyes light up at the sight of the bags, her eye brows going up as her lips form an O shape.

"You are such a darling. Allah ya saka." I smile and say an Ameen to her prayer. If there's anything Ruqayya loves more than jewelries it's food that is not actually food.

"Toh maza jeki, we don't want Ummi realizing her baby girl lied to her." Ruqayya rolls her eyes and reaches for the car handle.

"Fa'iza is her baby girl, and you're making it sound like I told a huge lie. As if we all don't lie on a daily basis." I shake my head again.

"Nidai kije. I'll call you later in the night, I have a work meeting that is supposed to start by 4pm." Ruqayya nods.

"Toh shikenan. Thank you. Bye." She kisses the insides of her fingers and blows it my way. I simply smile at her and she pouts.

"No more flying kisses for you." She steps out and I can't help but look at her as she leaves, the hijab swaying as she walks.

There is just something about a beautiful woman in a white Hijab that is beautifully unnerving.

09-06-2023
Edited

Jumu'ah Mubarak.

So how are you enjoying the book so far?
This is 1/3 of it already. I'd it a yay or a nay?

Too slow? Or too fast?

Tell me what you think about it.

Btw, I'm almost done writing 2/3 of it offline. Once I'm done with the entire book offline, it'll be daily updates. And once I'm done updating, it's going straight to okadabooks.

Okay bye!