By Maryam Altine Baba
Chapter Twenty four
Habib sat on the huge log bench under the Neem tree within the compound of his uncle’s house and took his cup to his mouth and began to drink his yoghurt. Hauwa sat just a few feet away, washing a few clothing. He seemed to be invisible to her as she completely ignored him.
That was when he started slurping, each interval punctuated with a higher pitch. At first, she still ignored him, until he purposely dragged one with a prolonged and annoying sound that made her glare at him, her face contorted with pure disgust, “Do you mind?”
He didn’t look at her as he hid his triumphant smile beneath the cup and still took one last drag before looking at her, “Ah, you have finally found your voice. I thought it was lost.”
There was a cute white moustache made by the yoghurt on his face that made Hauwa almost extend her hands to clean it for him. And when he gave a cocky smile, she was sure he was after her very own life. Oh Ya Allah, how can someone be so annoyingly cute?
“Very funny!” she sprang to her feet so she could continue with her washing. It was a perfect way to avoid what that smile did to her. It was a confused feeling, one she couldn’t comprehend.
Before she could do that, Habib was by her side, rinsing and spreading the ones she had washed. She became a bit frantic. Oh no, if any one saw what was going on, things might get awkward, especially if her aunt was informed.
“What are you doing?” She’d asked almost petrified. If his mother or brother got to know he was in their house at that moment and doing what he was doing….
Ya Allah! Did he know what he was doing at all?
“What does it look to you?” he answered without sparing her a look. His frame showed determination and resilience.
“Oh no you don’t. I don’t want any trouble with anyone Habib.”
He gave her a smirk, “Like your boyfriend?”
She looked at him, he had conveniently left out his mother and brother. Well, she supposed she could pretend they didn’t exist as well.
“What boyfriend? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She feigned ignorance.
“Really? Well, I have seen him around here many times than I care to count.”
She rolled her eyes, “Congratulations. You have been awarded with the spy of the year title.”
He shook his head lightly as he suppressed his smile, “You weren’t exactly hiding. Every other person could see you, and I think they always asked the same question as I do all the time.”
She looked up, giving him her full attention, taking in his handsome features and ignored the fluttering of her heart. If care wasn’t taken, she could end up without one, soon. “I have a feeling that I have to ask before you tell me, right?”
“Why Uzairu?”
She was taken aback by his bluntness. “Why not him?” she asked, clearly astonished by his reaction.
“There are many fishes in the sea, you know. Couldn’t you find a better choice?”
She rolled her eyes, “Better choice?”
“Yes, someone with a brain in the head and not cabbage. An intelligent girl like you ought to know she deserves some one better than a dimwit.”
Almost suppressing a grin, she blurted out, “Someone like you?” And immediately bit her tongue in self reprimand.
His heart jostled to his throat after a double flip flop in his chest. He had been having a hard time trying to figure out how to open up and tell her his feelings towards her without risking full rejection. And here she was, saying it out almost point blank.
“I think my skills at killing poisonous snakes rank higher.” He completely changed their topic abruptly, with a hint of humour in his voice. He would certainly revisit the issue again, but when Hauwa was ready to consider everything with an open mind.
She laughed, a full-hearted laughter and her eyes glinted and her perfectly white teeth were displayed. He liked her laughter. The sound of it was like music to the ears. Her beauty was like the rise of the sun, bright, vibrant, and beautiful. She was blessed with both inner beauty and the outer one.
While most girls used the red cake powder to paint their faces like circus clowns, Hauwa settled for simpler application of the black kohl on her beautiful eyes and a dab of Vaseline on her lips. He liked it. It was a relief to see a real face always, not a mask!
“Killing snakes isn’t everyone’s forte. Shame on you for using that against him.”
“Well, he certainly gloated and celebrated his heroism shamelessly that day.”
Her eyes teased him, her smile genuine. “I didn’t think there was any harm in sharing your valor or intrepidity. And I thought you were his friend.”
He shook his head again, “Oh my, you really are gullible.”
She inhaled oxygen to her lungs, “No, I am practical!”
“Practical. How could you consider me to be friends with him? Oh please, I have better class than that?”
“Then what are you? His enemy?”
He eyed her and she laughed, “Oh I get it. You have more class than that too.”
“By Allah, you have downgraded me.”
She couldn’t resist rolling her eyes, “Oh don’t be such a smug.”
“I wouldn’t call myself a smug. I prefer the word, charismatic.”
She arched an eyebrow, “A little boastful, are we?”
He made to leave, “I don’t blame you. Not every girl can resist one too many charms all at once.” And he was gone before she could give a comeback. He only stopped briefly to say his goodbyes to Zee and their mother.
She wanted to be mad at him, to let him know he got on her nerves. But she couldn’t. Habib was infuriatingly sweet, if there was anything like that. He could rile her one minute and spellbind her in the next.
But the most alarming to her, was how he’d effortlessly enthralled her. And she didn’t know what to do about it!
“Hauwa.”
She instantly recognized Zee’s voice calling out to her from their room and immediately walked in to the room to tend to her. Like the good sister she was, she had taken care of Zee very well.
“What’s with the pout?” Zainab asked her when she walked in to the room.
She shrugged, “Nothing.”
Zee arched an eyebrow, “So you were pouting at nothing.”
“How dare he?! Such arrogance, such audacity!” Hauwa let out her thoughts before she realized it. She almost bit her tongue. Oh, how he’d riled her up.
“Who is the ‘he’?” Zainab’s eyes lit up with amusement.
“Did he by any chance think he meant anything to me apart from being family? Oh he is so going to get it, that I promise.”
“Easy there, tigress! What is this all about?”
“I told you, it is nothing.”
Zainab sighed, “Well, I am in no position to offer any piece of advice to you anyway.”
Hauwa’u felt bad, “No Zee, it is not like that. I just…. it’s just….” she gave up, “what was it you needed me for?”
Zainab had donned a flowing ankara gown with red and green flowered- pattern. Her bloated eyes had shrunken to normal but had unhealed bruises, both at the face and in her heart. Although she wasn’t admitting to that. She seemed to be smiling more often nowadays.
“I want you to accompany me somewhere.”
Hauwa was a bit suspicious, “Where?”
Zainab smiled, but it had not reached her eyes, “Come along, you’ll see.”
With that, she walked out of the room with a confused Hauwa’u trailing behind her.
