FreeFreeDescription
"Haba Anty, honestly you are not being fair. How can it be this late and he is still sleeping? I am sure if it were his own wedding, Sauban wouldn't spend the night anywhere else except with him. Even if he spent the night elsewhere, it wouldn't be this late for him to be absent from Abiey’s side!"
"He drove into town at one o'clock last night, and you know he is exhausted, but I will wake him up now."
"That’s why he spent the night at your place; he knows if it were at my house, he wouldn't dare sleep this long!"
Ammy said with visible displeasure on her face. Doc Zainab, sitting beside her, pursed her lips.
"You are just prolonging the talk, Ammy. The more you talk, the more Anty will let him sleep longer. By the time the wedding is over, she’ll say she forgot to wake him up!"
Anty Amarya heard everything Doc Zainab was saying because she was sitting right next to Ammy. Anty just smiled, ended the call, stood up, and headed upstairs. She gently pushed open the first door and entered a room filled with the chilling air of the AC. It was dark everywhere, as if it weren't morning yet. Anty turned on the room’s light, and brightness filled every corner.
Right by the bed, she caught sight of her son lying face down with his eyes closed. She walked closer to him, looking at his handsome face, and gently reached out to touch his hair. Instantly, he opened his bright eyes—which showed no sign of sleepiness—and looked at her. She widened her eyes slightly, a smile still resting on her face.
"You weren't sleeping?"
He closed his eyes again as he answered her.
"I couldn't sleep."
"I thought you were sleeping, that’s why I didn't wake you up. Today is Sauban's wedding, or did you forget?"
He raised his head and looked at her.
"No, that's why I came back yesterday, remember? But today I feel like I won't go."
Anty placed her hand in his lush hair, stroking it gently.
"Today is a very important day in Sauban's life, a day he might never repeat. As his best friend, you should be there with him."
Anty said, then stood up and headed to his closet. She opened it, picked out an expensive gizner (traditional attire), and placed it on the bed.
"Let me go to the Emir's quarters to get you a nice cap, since you abandoned your Hausa dressing tradition. But make sure you are dressed before I come back. Narjis will bring you breakfast now."
He lowered his legs to the floor while shaking his head.
"No, Anty, I can't eat anything right now."
"Even when you arrived yesterday you didn't eat anything, and now you say you won't have breakfast? Abiey, didn't you tell me everything would pass?"
He lowered his head, a smile of sheer sorrow and pain on his face.
"Everything will pass, Anty. Everything will become a history, but that doesn't mean Zahra's love has left my heart. Zahra's love married me, and I married Anty. I am only living because her love is alive inside me. The moment her love leaves my blood is the moment I will distance myself from life. I accept that everything will pass, except the love of Zahra."
He stood up, walked to the room's windows, and pulled open the curtains blocking the glass door, allowing the sunlight to illuminate his entire room.
Anty turned away dejectedly and walked out. He puffed air from his mouth and blew it out softly. Then he turned and walked into his bathroom. Like someone being forced, he took a bath, came out, and walked toward the dressing mirror. He stood looking at himself with a smile.
"Zahra, do you remember? On a day like this, I was the groom, dressed in white clothes, while you were in the other room getting your makeup done. You called me on the phone and asked, 'What color of clothes did you wear, Abiey?' and I told you I wore white clothes, and that I was even being sprayed with perfume. You gave that sweet laughter of yours and said, 'I can't wait to see you, my Groom!'..."
"Abiey, my son..."
He turned quickly, looking at Anty holding the Emir's new cap.
"Zahra died a long time ago. Keep that in your mind, open your heart so reality can enter and embrace it."
Some hot tears rolled down his cheeks.
"Zahra is alive, Anty. She is right here with me...!"
He placed his hand over his heart. She bent down slowly, placed the cap down for him, looked one last time at his tear-streaked handsome face, and turned to walk out without saying another word. As she pushed the door open and headed downstairs, tears began to pool in her eyes.
"May Allah ease this boy's pain and come to his rescue."
Feeling distressed, she walked downstairs to the dining area. Narjis, who was busy preparing breakfast for her brother, looked at her sister Aisha and then at their mother.
"Anty..."
Anty Amarya looked at her with concern. Aisha quickly put down her phone and walked over to Anty with care.
"What happened, Anty?"
"Is it Abiey?"
Narjis asked, and Anty nodded as tears fell down her cheeks.
"I have never seen a person whose heart I pity as much as Abiey's. Whenever anything happens to him, no matter how small, it crushes me."
She pulled out a chair, sat down, and looked at Aisha.
"I used to think his mind was at ease and everything had passed, but with this return between yesterday and today, he has completely changed. It’s like he is trying to lose his mind, because now he even talks to himself, which he never used to do."
"Anty, I feel like Sauban's wedding is what put him in this state. He is bound to remember her."
Narjis said as she picked up the breakfast tray, and Aisha stretched out her hand to take it from her.
"Bring it, let me take it to him."
Narjis handed it over without hesitation and sat down in the chair next to Anty Amarya. Aisha gently pushed open the door to his room and entered. He turned around while adjusting his shadda shirt. She stood waiting for him to finish before approaching. He looked at her smiling, completely seeing Zahra instead of his younger sister Aisha. He remembered the time she once walked into his room and found him trying to put on his suit cufflinks; she stood staring at his chest until he raised one eyebrow at her, causing her to scream, "Subhanallah, I've seen something terrible!" and run quickly out of the room... He gave a deep smile and turned his back to Aisha, prompting her to call his name.
"Abiey..."
He turned around quickly, bringing him back to reality. Catching sight of Aisha made him lift his head, exhale heavily, and look at his younger sister.
"Abiey..."
He walked over to the edge of his bed and sat down. She placed the tray on a small table and sat down beside him.
"Abiey, all this overthinking is plunging you into distress, and your distress is choking us."
He looked at her, swallowing hard.
"I just can't forget Zahra."
Instantly, Aisha's eyes filled with tears.
"All of us cannot forget her. Zahra was a cheerful person who loved people, minded her own business, and treated everyone as her own. Zahra had no problems with anyone. She was funny, and her playful, silly, and spoiled traits were all adorable. No one could sit with her and say they didn't love her—let alone you, with whom love drew a definitive line. We know it's not easy, Abiey, but people ease up on life to find peace and tranquility. For our sake and the Emir's sake, please pity us. Abiey, you are a father figure, an unmatched basketball star right now. If you fall into a bad state, it will affect your career, and while some people will be glad, we will fall into distress and become a laughingstock..."
He looked at her, smiling, and reached out to hold her hand.
"I have never seen a sister who loves her paternal brother as much as my sister loves me, nor have I seen a stepmother who loves her husband's son as much as Anty loves me."
She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder with sisterly affection. Not for a single day had she ever regarded Abiey as just a half-brother; she loved him in a way that made her feel as though Anty Amarya had birthed him.
"Now get up, have your breakfast, and go to Sauban. I know he is waiting for you over there."
Before she could finish, Abiey's vibrating phone started ringing loudly. She quickly got up, walked to the phone, and picked it up.
"It's Sauban..."
"Pick."
Abiey said as he walked toward where she left his breakfast.
"Hello Groom."
She said after answering the call and putting it to her ear.
"Tell your brother he's not being nice."
"He's coming right now, Groom. He's eating breakfast."
"Let him talk."
"I won't..."
She hung up the phone. Abiey turned around holding a mug and looked at her.
"Did he hang up?"
"Yes."
She walked closer to him, handed him the phone, and he slipped it into his pocket, handing her back the mug. He walked over to his collection of perfumes, picked an expensive one, sprayed it, and then turned to grab his agbada (baban riga) and put it on. Aisha quickly picked up the cap she had seen earlier and handed it to him. He took it and put it on.
"Wow, Maa Shaa Allah! Glory be to my Lord who created this handsome figure."
He smiled. He knew very well that the clothes looked good on him, not because the clothes made him look good, but because he made the clothes look good. If he were to enter a world men's beauty contest, nothing would stop him from taking second place—or even first place. Slowly, he adjusted his two-and-a-half-million naira wristwatch.
"Don't tell Anty I didn't eat anything. Sit down here, finish everything, and tell her I ate it."
"But I already ate my own."
"Help a brother, please."
She nodded reluctantly. He smiled, remembering when he once made Zahra do the same thing, though she didn't cover for him—she told Ammy everything after eating it all. He let out a sigh, walked to the room's door, opened it, and stepped out with a smile that added to his beauty, charisma, and awe.
"Wow, Maa Shaa Allah!"
Anty said, watching him walk down like a groom.
"Narjis, go get my car keys."
He said as he finished walking down. Narjis quickly stood up, praised her brother, and headed back upstairs.
"Before you go out, go to the Emir's quarters and greet him first."
"No, I'm in a rush now, I can't go."
"Haba Abiey, when will you and your father understand each other? When?"
He shrugged, trying not to look at fault.
"I don't know. Not a day, not a month, not a year. Anty, you know he doesn't love me, he hates me and... I..."
"And you hate him too."
Anty finished the sentence he held back and couldn't complete.
"No, how could I hate my own biological father? I admire him, I meant to say. And if you don't want my mood ruined and want me to go to this wedding without anger, let's drop this conversation, please."
With concern, Anty said:
"Alright, but promise me that when you come back, you will go and greet him."
"I promise."
He said, reached out to take the keys Narjis was handing him, and headed toward the exit door of the large parlor with an expressionless face.
ZAHRA'S POV
"In another world, you are dead, but in my world, you are alive. The life we will build will sustain mine, and we will make history in the world, Zahra. We will become an example for people, we will live and build a community full of families proud of us."
I smiled.
"May Allah let us see that day, Deen."
"Ameen."
He uttered, then rested his head on my neck with his arms wrapped around my seven-month-pregnant belly. I closed my eyes and breathed slowly. A new wave of joy washed over me. Indeed, in another world I am dead, but in my world, I am alive—a life full of blessings and immense joy. I placed my hand gently on my husband's hand and stroked it.
"You didn't buy us anything today?"
"I left fruit for you before I went out."
He said, his head still resting on my lap, eyes closed as he inhaled the scent of the traditional perfume (humra) on my body.
"Well, that's fruit, not snacks. And I am hungry; I can't eat the food I cooked."
He opened his eyes, lifted his head from my lap, and turned me so that I faced my husband's handsome face.
"Why? Do you mean you haven't eaten anything since I went out?"
"My neighbor sent me rice and beans, and I ate that, but that was at 12 PM."
"Don't you like tuwon semo (semovita swallow)?"
"You said water has to boil before cooking, so I boiled water and poured the flour in to stir it like kamu (porridge), but it ended up not becoming a proper swallow."
I said pouting. He smiled, lifted his blessed hands, and gently held my face.
"Is this how we are going to live our married life with you unable to cook anything, Zahra? Children who grew up in wealthy, pampered homes might live like that without cooking skills, but you—how can everything you cook turn out ruined?"
"Well, Mama didn't teach me!"
I said again, making a face as if I would burst into tears if he touched me.
"Your mischievousness wouldn't let Mama teach you anyway, but we will learn. You'll be okay soon, right...?"
I nodded, and he kissed my forehead while I nested against his chest as he hugged me.
"Let me go buy you something to eat, and then I'll make us some swallow. Are you pleased with your husband?"
"No, the swallow didn't work out, and I haven't made the soup yet."
"Okay, let me put on some rice, will you eat that?"
"Yes, but add an egg."
He felt his pocket, leaned his mouth close to my ear, and whispered:
"I have some loose change today, I'll even buy fish and add it for you."
I hugged him, my love for him growing in my heart.
"I love you, Deen."
"I love you more, my Babe."
He told me, then released me. I sat on the cushion while he walked out of the parlor. I doubt there is any woman whose husband loves her as much as Deen loves me. I don't believe there is any woman who holds a greater place in her husband's heart than I do in my husband's heart—where he sought out a purified space to settle. I don't think any woman loves her husband as much as I, Zahra, love mine. Truly, I, Zahra, am fortunate to have the kind of husband many women dream of finding. In the year and four months we have spent together, not for a single day has Deen ever found fault in me. If he saw one, he never pointed it out harshly, and if I did something wrong, he would make me understand with such peace and wisdom that I would easily comprehend.
ABIEY'S POV
As he walked into the parlor, Sauban stood up quickly, looking at each other with deep fraternal love. Abiey was amazed at how their shadda outfits matched completely—the sewing style was identical; only their caps differed.
"How did we end up wearing the same clothes?"
Sauban smiled and walked toward Abiey, saying:
"Anty sewed them for us."
They hugged each other.
"I know you would make it. Welcome home, Dude!"
Abiey smiled.
"Congratulations, Dude! Happy married life, may Allah grant you a peaceful home."
"Ameen. Thank you."
"You look good, Groom."
Abiey said after they released each other.
"Of course I have to look good, I'm the groom today!"
Abiey smiled, walked to a small chair, and sat down.
"I need something to eat, I haven't eaten anything since my last flight."
"Why?"
Sauban asked. He shrugged and slightly pursed his lips.
"Just."
"Let me call for something to be brought for you to eat."
"Better."
He uttered, putting his hand in his pocket to pull out his phone and start typing. Sauban called his younger sister's phone. It rang almost to the point of disconnecting before she picked up.
"Hello, Yaya."
"Get Abiey something to eat."
"Yaya, I'm about to take a bath, but I'll send someone to bring it."
He hung up the phone without saying anything. After about 10 minutes, a beautiful young girl walked into the parlor carrying a plate of masa (rice cakes) and walked toward where Abiey was sitting. As she placed it down and tried to stand up, Abiey looked up at her haughtily. She stood up straight, meeting his gaze.
"You're pretty..."
Between his statement and his look, she didn't know which shocked her more.
"Thank you, Abiey."
He fixed his gaze steadily on her face.
"So you know me?"
"You're famous, who doesn't know you?"
Sauban answered for her. Abiey turned to look at Sauban before turning back to look at the girl from head to toe.
"What if I told you I like you?"
She smiled and walked out of the parlor. Sauban just looked at him in disbelief.
"What if I say I like her?"
Abiey said without looking at where Sauban was sitting.
"The girl is engaged."
Only then did he look at him.
"You mean you don't know how to convince her to love me?"
"Liking you isn't the problem, I'm sure she likes you. Breaking her engagement is the problem."
"That's the difference—if it were Zahra, she would have found that girl for me."
"Point of correction, that's the problem. You talk of nothing except Zahra."
"Yeah, she's me, I'm her."
"No, she's her, you're her. Stop fooling yourself."
Abiey crossed one leg over the other.
"I remember one day we were playing, and she wanted to see something, so she told me, 'Abiey, take me away.' I told her your family won't allow it. Then she said, 'Kidnap me, I'll give you my Mama's number, call her and tell her to give you ten million naira, then take me away. When we come back, tell her you reduced it and she gave ten thousand, and when she gives it to you, release me.'"
"And you did?"
Sauban asked. He shook his head with a bitter smile.
"No, but if I had known that day would come when I would have to live without Zahra near me, I would have kidnapped her and married her."
"Please eat your food..."
Sauban said, looking at his friend. He didn't want Abiey remembering Zahra's loss at all, because he knew it would affect him deeply.
At exactly one o'clock, Sauban's wedding was solemnized, and a reception was held at Tahir Guest Palace. Amidst all the running around the groom was doing, Abiey sat quietly in one place, only looking at them when he felt like it. Naturally, Abiey was an intense person who wasn't impressed by much, yet things others considered trivial, he might treat as very important.
Sauban excused him because he knew what he was going through and knew his friend wasn't one for too much noise and chatter, especially ever since Zahra left. Abiey spent the rest of the day at Sauban's house. Even though Sauban wasn't with him—being busy with other friends—Abiey stayed in Sauban's room doing nothing. He lay down, but he wasn't sleeping; his head felt empty because when he tried to think, nothing would come to him.
He sat up, walked into the bathroom, stepped inside, took off his clothes, and turned on the shower, letting the water pour over him. He closed his eyes, his body responding to each and every drop of water falling on his skin. For no particular reason, he felt like wasting time standing there while the water washed over him.
He stood under the shower for almost an hour before turning it off. He grabbed a towel, wrapped it around himself, and picked up a smaller one to dry his body. He walked up to the mirror and stood there, looking at how Allah crafted his chest. He wasted time there too before giving his body its due of fragrance. Then he walked to Sauban's wardrobe, opened the section where he knew new clothes were kept, took a hanger, put on an outfit, picked up his phone and car keys, and headed for the door. Before he reached it, Anty opened the door and walked in with a smile on her face.
"Anty..."
He uttered, looking confused.
"What are you doing in the room, Abiey?"
He stepped back slightly like someone trying to figure out what to say, while Anty stared him down.
"Uhm... Talk."
He smiled.
"Anty, I don't feel comfortable around crowds, so I decided to stay here."
"Now that you're up, where are you going?"
"Home..."
He said it as if he were just guessing a destination, because he had no actual intention of going home when walking out of that room, nor did he know where else to go.
"Abiey, do you want to live like a hermit? Today is your best friend's wedding day, yet you're hiding in a room like someone afraid of people? You left him by himself—is that being a good friend? And now you're telling me you're going home? Aren't you supposed to be the best man?"
"I am, I'm just going to go and come back."
"Who told you I was in this room?"
"I asked Ammy and she said she didn't see you. I called your phone and you didn't pick up, so I called Sauban and he told me you were in his room to get the keys."
"I'll give the keys to someone else now and go meet him where he is."
"There's going to be a dinner later."
"I don't think I can make it, but I'll try."
"You have to. Dr. Zainab already left for home with Ammy so they can get dressed and come back for the dinner later. But I won't be able to come back, I'm heading home now."
She said dejectedly and turned to leave, but then turned back to look at him.
"Abiey..."
She paused and couldn't finish.
"You don't... have to go home today... You can sleep at Ammy's place if you like."
Abiey gave an unintended smile, rubbed his head, turned away, and turned back.
"Didn't the Emir say I shouldn't sleep at his house?"
"No, there's somewhere I'm going today. Maybe I'll sleep there, I don't want you sleeping in the house when I'm not around."
He smiled another smile...
Summary
The narrative follows Abiey, a man trapped in profound grief and denial following the death of his beloved wife, Zahra. On the day of his best friend Sauban's wedding, Abiey struggles to engage with the world, isolating himself and withdrawing into memories of Zahra, much to the deep concern of his mother figure, Anty Amarya, his sister Aisha, and other family members.
Despite trying to participate in the wedding events and putting up a composed, charismatic facade in public, Abiey's mind remains tethered to the past. He experiences vivid flashbacks of his life with Zahra—moments of intimacy, playfulness, and unconditional love. While his family tries gently to pull him out of his depression and encourage him to reconnect with his estranged father (the Emir) and move forward with life, Abiey insists that while everything else may pass, his love for Zahra never will. The chapter highlights themes of enduring grief, deep familial bonds, and the haunting nature of unresolved loss.
Description
- Setting: A mix of modern luxury and traditional northern Nigerian culture (Emir's quarters, high-end guest palaces like Tahir Guest Palace, and upscale family homes).
- Tone: Melancholic, emotional, nostalgic, and deeply reflective.
- Key Motifs: The contrast between public celebration (Sauban's wedding) and private mourning (Abiey's internal grief); sensory triggers of memory (perfumes, clothing, routine conversations); the unwavering support of female family members (Anty Amarya and Aisha) who shoulder Abiey's emotional burden.
Analytics
- Character Dynamics & Psychology:
- Abiey: Exhibits classic symptoms of complicated grief and trauma bonding. He uses emotional numbing and detachment (dissociation) as a defense mechanism against a reality he refuses to accept. His inability to find joy in milestones (like his best friend's wedding) underscores his psychological stagnation.
- Anty Amarya & Aisha: Represent emotional anchors. Their empathy, patience, and protective instincts highlight the matriarchal support system holding Abiey together.
- Sauban: Acts as a patient, understanding friend who accommodates Abiey's eccentricities and grief without judgment.
- Thematic Analysis:
- Memory vs. Reality: The blurring lines between Abiey's current life and his past with Zahra (e.g., hallucinating Zahra's presence in Aisha, reliving past conversations).
- Paternal Alienation: Hints of a strained, cold relationship between Abiey and his biological father (the Emir), adding another layer of isolation to Abiey's character arc.
