I Am Able - S01 E45

3 years ago

I Am Able - S01 E45

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 45

Yusuf.

These days I didn’t used to have much time for myself at all, and that’s because we increased our cement production by nearly 40% due to frequent demand by our customers. It was a dream come true, but I was beginning to get tired already. One thing about business is, the more you work and pray; the successful you would become. We were now the highest cement producers in the country, leaving the Bulama Cooperation and others far behind.

Talking about Bulama Cooperation, very soon Professor Marwan would be visiting them in their house. I had discussed the matter with him thoroughly and he promised to see them soon. I just hoped that things should workout because I so much wanted to marry Fatimah, she was whom I wanted to live my life with.

Everything about Fatimah was amazing, she was very beautiful and had all that I desired. Many people don’t really like flaunting their girls, but I like flaunting mine. Back then at school, I would even feed her in the cafeteria while other students stare at us like zombies. It was great, we would gist and laugh as if no one was looking at us. There was a day I even pecked her, well that day didn’t end well with me. She pretended to be so okay with what I did in the public, but scolded me in private.

In my life, I didn’t really think I would ever forget about Fatimah. Her voice was really cool, her eyes were amazing, her nose was adorable, her lips were tempting, every lil thing about her was perfect to me, and that truly is because I loved her for real. If I had wanted playing her, I would have done that long ago. I know my ways, it would be hard though; because she was a very wise lady…

Buzz… Buzz… Buzz…

My phone began vibrating, it was a call from an unknown number. Who could that be? I wondered as I gently picked the call. “Hello!”

“Hi, Yusuf. It’s me – Safiya, Aminah’s friend” The person said, rendering me speechless.

Actually, it had been years I heard from her!

“Oh… Safiya, what’s up?” I uttered.

“Fine o, sorry to call you at this time. I know you must be busy with work but please just hear me out. Do I have your time?” She said.

“Yes, continue” I muttered.

“Okay” She cleared her throat and continued. “Aminah has been back from Jigawa for three months now, and she came with a 4-year-old girl, Farzana. She said it’s your daughter, but warned me not to ever let you know. Before I even got to know the truth, she had lied first that it was her niece but I didn’t buy it. So she told me the truth. I didn’t really wish to tell you all this but I have no choice, the girl is a sickler and she’s suffering. She had fainted 6 times since they came and I’m tired already!”

Her words made my heart to flip a little. Did she just said the girl is my daughter? How… how comes? How on this earth is that even possible when Aminah had already told me she aborted the pregnancy, does that mean I was played? Wait, this must be a dream. Yes, maybe I’m dreaming or something. I thought.

“Please Yusuf, this poor girl needs your help. It’s your responsibility as her father to take care of her because if she dies, she will never forgive both you and Aminah. You can call a doctor to run a DNA if you think I am lying…”

She kept talking but all I do was thinking, yes thinking was all I could do. If all she said was true, then Aminah had a lot to explain to me. She would regret ever doing what she did to me. I disliked being played or lied to, and why on this earth would she even do that to me?

“Yusuf are you there? Please come to her aid. Don’t think otherwise about this, I seek not a penny from you for this. All I want is for this poor child to have proper care kaji?” She said.

“You still live in that area?” I managed to say.

“No, I am in my own house yanzu” She said.

“Ok, send me the address please” I muttered.

“Toh, inazuwa” She said and ended the call.

Just then, the address arrived. It was house No. 56 at New Estate, here in Minna. No one need to tell me she was working with AEDC, because the estate was built for their staff members only. Thus, I dropped whatever I was doing and unhesitatingly drove there.

…

As soon as I knocked the door of the house, someone opened it for me. It was a cute little girl. And wallahi the moment I saw her, the thought of my mother came into my mimd. They looked so much alike. Was she the one Safiyah told me about earlier? I wondered, examining her. Some sicklers can hardly be known, but the girl’s case is different. It was practically apparent, and her eyes said alot.

“Our minerals has finished, sir” She said. It seemed they sell things in the house. Nice, business is really good. “But we have zobo”

“Zobo?” I said as I bent down closer to her.

“Yes” She said as she smiled like my mother.

There was no need for a DNA test, I would only like to hear it from Aminah. If she said the girl is mine then that’s it, but she would have to answer why she chose to lie to me…

“Yusuf, har ka zo?” Safiyah showed up with apron, she must be working in the kitchen.

“Yes, Safiya” I said raising up.

“Ok, come inside please” She said.

And just as I was ushered in, I noticed the little girl couldn’t walk properly. Was it the anaemia? Or some kind of an injury in the leg? I wondered, sitting in one of the sofas.

“Farzana” She called the girl.

“Yes, auntie Aminah!” The girl responded.

“Go to my room and play with my tab” She said, thus the girl screamed in excitement.

“Thank you, auntie!” The girl said walking slowly towards a room… The way she was walking made tears to accrue in my eyes!

This is pathetic!

“Where is Aminah?” I asked Safiyah, who looked sad as well. “Tell me where she is”

“Hold on, she’s in the bathroom” She said.

“Go and call…” I was saying when Aminah came out of a room wearing bathrobe. She was surprised to see me, and just as I stood about approaching her she ran back to the room again. It was clearly that she realized what she did. It was clearly she fooled me!

And about the little girl…

What could I possibly say?

We had ruined her life!

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