Chapter Four: The Calm

In the village of Ndokula, Fantah was returning from the stream with two water pots well balanced on her head, the smaller held in place by the bigger pot. She was walking gracefully, swaying her hips from side to side while maintaining the balance of the pots on her head - a beautiful sight to behold!

It had been two days since the stranger left and she missed him already. She had been thinking about him all the time and prayed that he would come back. Suddenly, as if in answer to her prayers, she saw a familiar figure walking towards her and immediately she knew who it was. Her heart began to race so wildly that she thought she was might faint.

“Fantah.” Hayah said, as he approached.

“Stranger, you are back.” She could taste her heartbeat.

“Did you miss me?” He asked.

“Should I?”

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“I missed you.” He said and she turned away shyly, covering her face with both hands. He quickly held the pots to prevent them from falling off, then placed them gently on the ground. “I went to the grazing fields, but you were not there, then I saw some girls coming from the stream, and I imagined I’d find you here.”

“Why did you come?” She asked, without looking at him.

“I forgot something.”

“What?”

“A flower.”

“A flower?” She was confused.

“Yes. I saw a beautiful flower the last time I came here. I couldn’t stop thinking about it so, I came back to water it.” He said, and asked her to look at him, but she couldn’t, instead, she tried to run away but he caught her hand just in time. So, she quickly used her veil to cover her face. “Oh, wild beauty.” He continued. “Bless me with your smile. Let me revel in your aura and presence.”

“I have to go now. My mother will be worried.”

“Stay with me some more.”

“I really have to go now.” She sensed another presence in the bush and knew they were being watched.

“Ok, my love.” He said as he placed the pots back on her head.

“Will you come and have supper with my father tonight?” She asked before leaving.

“I have to go back. I have an important matter to attend to. But I promise you that immediately I finished with it, I will be back to see you, my love.” He said, looking fondly at her. She looked shyly away again, smiled and then started walking towards home. He watched her disappear into the village before he mounted his horse and rode back to Maroua with a satisfied grin on his face.

***

The next morning, Fantah went to her paternal uncle’s house on an errand for her mother. She visited them occasionally and they loved her as a daughter.

As she approached the house, she sensed someone hiding in the bush. The person peeked from behind a shrub. Their eyes met and he quickly ducked. Immediately, she knew who it was; her annoying cousin, Sa’adu. He liked her but he didn’t know how to approach her so he went into hiding whenever he saw her. Their parents had talked about betrothing them to each other, but she didn’t like the idea. It wasn’t like she didn’t like him, she only liked him as a brother and did not consider him  husband material.

She reached the front of the Ruga. “Assalamu Alaikum” She said, and a familiar male voice answered. “Alaikum salaam. Yottu mingel’am.” She walked into the house and met her uncle sitting on a mat in the Jauleru. She knelt down and greeted him.

“Jambanduna Bappa?” She said.

“Jam. Noi Chomri?” He answered. He asked her about her family and she said they were doing fine before going into the compound to greet her aunty.

While they were talking, her uncle came into the compound and asked her if she saw Sa’adu outside. She said no.

“Maybe he is with the cows.” Her uncle said.

“Maybe.” She replied, with her head faced down, shyly.

“You know, Fantah…” Her uncle started. “You have grown so big. I hope Sa’adu will be able to brave the Sharo this year.” Both he and his wife laughed. Fantah smiled while still looking down.

“I am sure he will.” Her aunty said. “He has even been practicing.”

“Has he now? I hope he won’t disappoint.” They both laughed again.

“Mi hoti Bappa.” She said and got up to leave.

“Greet your father and tell him that I will come to see him later.” Her uncle said.

“Toh Bappa.” She replied before leaving.

***

As she thought about it on her way home, the thought of being engaged to Sa’adu made her unhappy. She really didn’t want to marry her cousin. She was in love with that stranger who came into her life a few days back. He was the only one she wanted. She said a silent prayer hoping he would come and rescue her from the situation.

“Derdirawo, mihomnima.” She heard a familiar voice say from   the bushes.

“Sa’adu, vurtu!” She said in annoyance. He came out, but couldn’t look her in the eyes.

“I just wanted to say hello. I saw you going to our compound. How are your parents and Diddi?”

“They are fine. When last did you visit them?” It was a rhetorical question.

“I saw you talking to a stranger yesterday. Who was he?”

“It’s none of your business.” She said and continued walking. She knew he was the one hiding in the bushes the previous day.

“Your hair looks nice and the lalle on your hands looks nice too.” He said, while following her.

“Don’t you have cows to tend to? Leave me alone!”

“Ok. I will see you then.”

“Bye.” She said and hurried toward home.

As she approached the fields, from a distance she could see her sister Diddi with their neighbour’s son Murtala. Diddi was feeding him the milk she was supposed to be selling. The boy was sixteen while Diddi was thirteen. Fantah hid in the bush and waited until the boy left before coming out to confront her sister.

“So, how much did he pay, uhmm?”

“Fantah, where did you come from?” Diddi was surprised.

“This is what you do ko? You come here to give Murtala free milk and then when I ask you for some you will say Dada will know.”

“Please don’t tell Dada. I only gave him a little.”

“Do you like him?”

Diddi looked away girlishly.

“Wow! I hope he can brave the Sharo for you.” She went to sit near Diddi.

“I know what it is like. I like my stranger too, you know, that feeling that makes your heart beat very fast every time you see him. The heat you feel on your face every time you think of him. It is the best feeling ever. I wish my stranger is here too. I will love to see him again.”

“Do you think Baba will let me marry him?” Diddi asked.

“Well, if he can brave the Sharo, I am sure Baba will have no objections.”

“I don’t want him to go through that. He will be hurt.”

“Don’t worry. He will be fine. Now, let me have some milk.”

“Fantah, Dada will know.” Diddi tried to pull the calabash containing the milk away from her.

“Oh, it’s like that ko? Fine, I will tell.”

“Okay, just a little.”

[End of Chapter Four]

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