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Translation in English
Sadik was sitting on the veranda at the edge of their house, dressed in a dark blue shadda attire complete with a matching cap, making him look like a very important man. Farhan could not help but let out a proud, charming smile. He also looked up, smiled back at her, and let out a series of deep sighs.
As they reached where Sadik was sitting, she lowered her gaze, playing with her fingers.
Sadik said, "Madam, I was just looking for you everywhere at school and couldn't find you. Why did you stop coming? You made me search all over for you."
She couldn't speak, out of fear that someone might see her or that her father might return, especially with Khairat standing right there.
Seeing how uncomfortable she was, Sadik said, "Let's go behind your lane; I see you are not comfortable here."
Even though Farhan was anxious, she could not refuse Sadik, so she followed them to where they parked.
Upon arrival, Khairat opened the front passenger door and got in, leaving Sadik and Farhan behind.
Seeing that Khairat had given them space, Farhan let out a sigh of relief and said, "Good afternoon."
"Now is when you greet me? You refused to even look at me, keeping your gaze fixed on the ground. Lift your head and look at me properly."
She smiled, covered her face, and said, "The clothes look really good on you."
Sadik asked, "Really?" She nodded in agreement.
He smiled and said, "Alhamdulillah. Since you like them, I ran into Abba outside and we talked for a long time. Your father is very kind. I pray that when people come to ask for your hand in marriage for me, he gives you to me and doesn't say I'm still too young."
She remained silent, lowering her head again with a smile.
He smiled too and said, "Anyway, why did you stop coming to school?"
Her heart skipped a beat at the mention of the accusations Sir Nazir leveled against her, but she brushed it off outwardly and said, "Nothing, I just felt like nothing much is being taught at school."
"So you stopped coming, and all your thoughts stressed me out. Plus, you don't even have a phone so I can call you."
She stayed quiet and said nothing.
Sadik asked, "Now, will you come to my older brother's wedding?"
Farhan replied, "You brought the invitation card; I will be allowed to go, insha Allah."
Sadik smiled, filled with joy, and said, "Alhamdulillah, I am very happy."
Farhan asked, "Why are you happy just because I'm coming?"
He wanted to tell her his exact reason, but stopped himself because he knew she might decide not to come if he did. He adjusted his stance and said, "My dear, how am I going to reach you on the phone? You see, holidays are starting, and I want to be hearing your voice, or coming over to your house to see you."
Farhan widened her eyes, shook her head, and said, "No, Abba will ask for the reason behind your visit."
"So what's wrong with that? We can just tell him the truth."
"No, please don't keep coming."
Sadik said, "Okay, I hear you. Now give me a number where I can reach you on the phone."
Farhan hesitated for a moment because she genuinely wanted a way to talk to him on the phone—after all, besides her studies, no one else relieved her boredom quite like Sadik.
Softly, she said, "Give me your phone number, and when I get a phone, I will call you."
He said, "Just give me a flash, and I will call you back, insha Allah."
He took out a jotter, wrote it down, and handed it to her.
She said, "Let me go back inside before they start looking for me."
"Okay then, but wait let's take some pictures—ones I can look at and feel happy."
She didn't say anything, just offered that captivating smile of hers.
He brought out his phone, took pictures of her, looked at her, and said, "May Almighty Allah keep us alive until the wedding. I love you, take good care of yourself."
She turned around, smiling, feeling the profound impact of his words on her heart.
As for him, he walked back to their car.
The moment he got inside, Khairat hissed.
He looked at her and asked, "What is wrong with you?"
Khairat twisted her face and said, "Just what do you see in that local, poor girl?"
Furious, Sadik glared at her and said, "I swear, if you ever insult her again, I will deal with you disrespectfully. I love her just the way she is."
"May God grant you patience, but honestly, she is too dull. The idea on how to step out was something I had to tell her. She is too timid, acts like she has no exposure, and she is far too young."
Sadik didn't utter another word to her and started driving. Realizing he was ignoring her, she kept her mouth shut, knowing that pushing further would only lead to a fight.
As they drove, he occasionally stroked his hair and smiled, feeling the deep love and affection for Farhan coursing through him.
They drove straight to their house. Upon arrival, he parked outside and looked at Khairat, saying, "Get down, I'm going somewhere now. Someone might bring my jeans trousers, so collect them and give them to Mother to keep for me."
Khairat rolled her eyes slightly and said, "Okay," opened the door, and stepped out. He then drove off.
Khairat walked into the house, which was already buzzing with preparations for the upcoming wedding.
In the living room, Khairat ran into Nana, who was chatting with Talatu the maid. She looked at Nana and hissed.
Nana looked at Khairat and said, "Hello, busybody."
Ignoring Nana completely, Khairat went into the kitchen, got a bottle of milk, and walked back to the living room drinking it.
Not long after her return, Sadik called her phone.
She picked up and said, "Yaya, I'm listening."
"Go to the gate, collect my package, and keep it for me."
Khairat said, "Okay."
She dropped her milk bottle and went outside. Shortly after, she returned carrying a very fine, branded shopping bag.
She sat down, opened the bag, and brought out a gorgeous pair of designer jeans trousers. Anyone could tell they were very expensive, but unfortunately, the trousers were completely ripped and shredded from the thighs down to the knees, looking as though a dog had chewed them up.
Nana looked at the trousers and thought to herself, 'What kind of trousers are these?'
Faruk, walking out from Mother's section, asked, "Khairiyya, whose trousers are those?"
Khairat replied, "They are Prince's. He told me to collect them and give them to Mother to keep, but I haven't seen her."
Faruk said, "I've seen these trousers advertised online. They cost over ten thousand Naira."
Khairat said, "Well, Sadik loves drama when he wants something, but the trousers are really nice."
Faruk said, "True. Since Mother isn't around, just keep them somewhere safe for him."
"Or should I give them to you to keep?"
Faruk said, "No, keep them yourself. If anything happens to these trousers, Mother or no Mother, he will drive me crazy."
Khairat said, "Okay, let me just keep them aside."
Nana continued pondering the situation silently. 'Now, this rag-like pair of trousers costs over ten thousand Naira? Truly, people in this house do not know the value of money. This is pure waste.'
Faruk left the living room. Suddenly, Khairat's phone started ringing, so she stood up and stepped outside to answer it.
As she stepped out, Nana's mind began racing with different thoughts. She was already deeply resentful of both Sadik and Khairat. Standing up, she glanced around the living room to ensure no one was watching her.
Slowly, she picked up the bag containing the trousers, pulled them out, and hid them inside her hijab. She walked around the veranda to where a bucket of dirty mopping water had been left—it was pitch black from dirt. She shoved the trousers right into it.
She let them soak thoroughly in the dirty water, squeezed them out, threw them aside, and walked away.
Thinking to herself, she muttered, "Tomorrow, try insulting me again—you and that foolish Khairat. You'll learn your lesson."
As for Khairat, when she returned inside, she continued with her business, completely forgetting about Prince's trousers.
(Note: The text includes promotional blurbs from the author, Aisha Adam (Ayshercool), about the book "Ruɗin Ƙuruciya" and its availability on ArewaBooks).
Nana just watched and waited to see how this drama would unfold.
Prince's trousers had already been turned into a useless, heavy, dirt-soaked rag because they had been used to wipe down muddy pots.
The trousers were pitch black and completely ruined.
As for Sadik, he went out on his outing and didn't return until around 11:00 PM.
He came back with takeaway food, purposely avoiding entering the main family house to dodge the girl he hated seeing the most—Nana.
He wanted to go into the house to check on his trousers, but decided against it given the late hour, opting to head straight to their boys' quarters.
Usman watched Sadik pass by and head straight into his bedroom. Sadik sat down, ate his food, took a bath, and lay down to sleep. However, the moment he lay down, the familiar intense feeling began creeping up on him. Sleep instantly fled his eyes, replaced by thoughts of Farhan swirling in his mind.
No matter how hard he tried to close his eyes and drift off, it was impossible. He tossed and turned in bed, squeezing his eyes shut, but the physical sensation only intensified.
Despite the discomfort, a smile crept onto his face whenever he remembered some of Farhan's traits—her timidity and extreme shyness.
Sleep completely evaded Sadik. Instead of getting up to grab his rosary or pray, he dragged his laptop over and switched it on.
He opened the films that Nasir had sent him, planning to watch them just to take his mind off what was bothering him.
He got deeply absorbed in the movie. Surprisingly, he found himself enjoying it and wanting to see how the plot would unfold.
When he finished one episode and intended to sleep, he realized he actually wanted to see what would happen in the next episode.
Gradually, the film shifted in style. It was a royal romance between a prince and a palace maid.
Slowly, the movie progressed into scenes beyond conventional boundaries. At first, he tolerated the cuddling and kissing shown on screen. He braced himself and kept watching, but it soon escalated into intense romance, showing the characters meeting secretly in a garden to talk as lovers, starting with kissing.
The series deeply fascinated Sadik, but his head began to burn because he could no longer handle what he was continuing to watch on his system.
He slammed the system shut, letting it drop to the floor, clutched his head, bit his lower lip, let out a deep breath, and whispered, "Subhanallah, Nas, why? Why would you send me this kind of film?"
Slowly, he got up, went to the bathroom, took a cold shower, and returned wearing only his boxers before lying back down.
He felt around for his phone and searched for the pictures of Farhan he had taken earlier.
He just started zooming in on her beautiful face until her facial features filled his phone screen.
He zoomed in further, revealing her gorgeous lips and white teeth, showcasing the smile she wore in the picture.
He just started imagining himself kissing those beautiful lips of hers.
He let out a series of deep sighs, slowly placed his phone down, lay face down over it, and hugged his pillow tight, feeling his heart beating rapidly with a strange sensation racing from his head down to his toes.
That was how sleep finally overpowered him.
Sadik overslept for the Subhi (dawn) prayer because he hadn't gone to bed early, compounded by the chaotic dreams he had all night.
He got up, took a bath, performed the Subhi prayer, and went back to sleep.
It wasn't until around 9:30 AM that he came out to the living room for breakfast.
In the living room, he found Faruk also eating breakfast. He sat down looking grumpy, like someone forced to do something against his will.
Faruk said, "I saw some trousers at Khairat's place; she told me they were yours. They looked really nice."
Only then did the trousers pop back into Sadik's mind. He replied, "Oh, they were brought yesterday. When I go into the house later, I'll ask her to give them to me."
Faruk said, "Good." After that, neither of them said anything else. Sadik grabbed his food and moved to the side.
As for Farhan, back at home, she kept Prince's phone number as a treasured keepsake, smiling every time she remembered how dashing he looked in his grand attire—he had looked incredibly handsome to her.
She spent the rest of the day in high spirits and joy, occasionally pulling out the paper where he wrote his number just to catch the scent of his perfume lingering on it.
The next morning, since there was no school, Farhan finished all her household chores and retreated to her room to have breakfast.
Umma and her father were sitting in the open courtyard having breakfast when Farhan's father remarked, "Yesterday, those young men who brought that girl the invitation card—aren't they the sons of Alhaji Abdullahi the perfume seller?"
Umma exclaimed, "Goodness gracious! Where did she even meet that man's sons?"
"Ah, at school of course! Have you forgotten the school she attends?"
Umma replied, "I haven't forgotten, but I just pray she finishes that school safely and gets married, because I am scared of her mixing with children from wealthy families."
"Come on, always think the best of her! We know the upbringing we gave her. Besides, I found those boys to be well-mannered and not boastful, which is why I allowed the young lady to come in. And regarding your thought of marrying her off right after school to that boy Sunusi..."
Umma interrupted, "Which Sunusi?"
"Your prospective son-in-law, of course! That staunch boy, the senior student of Malam Abbas. I was deeply impressed by the young man's maturity. Malam Abbas himself came to me expressing Sunusi's interest in marrying her. I was satisfied with his composure and told him it was fine, but that she needed to grow up a little bit more before we talk about it."
Umma said, "Alhamdulillah, may Allah establish what is best. Once she finishes this school, we can talk about it. May Allah make it successful."
The morsel of food Farhan was chewing in her mouth suddenly became impossible to swallow; she struggled with it for minutes until all sense of taste vanished from her mouth.
Truly, Sunusi had not been fair to her. Their relationship was strictly based on formal greetings and mutual respect—why would they do this to her?
He was entirely out of her league and against her preferences. She didn't even know what romantic love felt like, except when it came to her Prince—a stylish, handsome guy with class. Where on earth would she place Sunusi? He was dark-skinned like he had been dyed, with tribal marks etched on his face like small calabashes. He could wear the same fabric for a whole week, and the concept of fashion was completely foreign to him. To be fair, Sunusi had memorized the entire Glorious Qur'an and was a noted scholar who could even write out Qur'anic verses entirely from memory.
He knew the Qur'an exceptionally well, but apart from Qur'anic knowledge, he lacked knowledge in Hadith or Fiqh. Yet, if he sat down, he could tell you the exact number of verses in every Surah of the Qur'an, how many times Allah mentioned each Prophet, how many times the names of Allah appeared in the Qur'an, and where they were located—all entirely from memory.
Even though her room fan was blowing hard and fast, she was sweating profusely and completely unable to find peace of mind.
While her parents continued their conversation, Farhan sank into deep anxiety and distress. In her heart, she felt that if it wasn't Sadik, she could never marry anyone else.
Even though people often told her that teenage love like theirs was a delusion and that he might not even marry her, the way Sadik treated her made her feel he could never fail to marry her. But if they forced her into a marriage with Sunusi, her life would be ruined. Now she knew her own worth and understood what true love felt like; her heart could never accept Sunusi as a husband!
Meanwhile, Sadik walked into the main house. Upon arrival, he found Inna in the living room with Nana close by, along with other domestic staff rushing back and forth as preparations peaked for receiving guests, since the wedding was just two days away, and the house was packed with people.
Seeing Inna, Sadik frowned slightly because he hated dealing with the old woman, but he brushed it off, bowed a little, and said, "Good morning."
Inna raised her head, looked at Sadik, and offered a meaningful smile as she replied, "Fine, did you wake up well?"
"Very well," he answered, turning to leave.
"Are you not going to greet the rest of the people in the room?"
Annoyance washed over Sadik. That old woman simply never wanted peace! Since he had greeted her, what was the point of demanding he greet everyone else in the room?
He turned around and stared at Inna, refusing to speak. Nana's heart was beating frantically, terrified that he might discover what she had done to his trousers.
Right at that moment, Mother walked out. Her eyes landed immediately on Sadik as she said, "Sadik, you're waking up this early in the morning?"
Inna looked at Mother—it was almost 10:00 AM, yet Mother was calling that waking up early in the morning.
Pouting, Sadik said, "Mother, where are my trousers?"
"Which trousers?" she asked, looking confused.
"The ones Khairat was supposed to give you to keep for me," he replied.
Mother said, "No, she didn't give me anything to keep for you. When last did I even set eyes on Khairat today?"
Sadik said, "Yesterday I told you someone would bring a package, she should collect it and give it to you to keep."
"Well, she didn't give it to me. Go and sort it out yourselves."
Sadik exhaled a breath and asked, "Did she sleep in this house today?"
"No, she slept at their house, but I know they'll be here shortly."
Without saying another word, he shook his head and left the living room.
Inna looked up at them and simply shook her head.
As for Nana, her stomach began churning with fear; if her secret leaked, she was doomed.
She realized she had acted wrongly. She shouldn't have done that. Even though she was deeply bitter toward Sadik and Khairat and did it to vent her frustration over their maltreatment of her, she now felt she had crossed the line.
Around 11:00 AM, Khairat and her family members arrived at the house. She was busy running around fitting clothes and visiting salons, completely forgetting about Sadik's kept package.
As if summoned, Sadik walked back in. He found Khairat in the living room with some of their relatives about to leave for the tailor's, while Mother was giving them instructions.
"Madam, where are my things?" That was the first thing Sadik said to Khairat without acknowledging anyone else.
Seeing him, her heart skipped a beat because she had completely forgotten, though she thought she had given them to Mother.
"I gave them to Mother since yesterday."
"I asked Mother, and she said you didn't give them to her. Where did you keep my things?"
Mother chimed in, "I told you she didn't give me anything."
Khairat began rolling her eyes nervously, having completely forgotten about the trousers as she got caught up in her own chores.
In a fit of anger, Sadik barked at her, "Where are my trousers, Madam? I am talking to you and you're just standing there staring at me!"
"Um... I swear, Sadik, I thought Mother..."
"Shut your mouth! I swear you must find my property. All I asked was for you to collect it and give it to Mother to keep, and you went and misplaced it! I even saw the branded shopping bag of the trousers discarded outside in the compound. Wherever it is, go and find my property, I'm telling you!"
He hurled all these angry rants right in front of Khairat's mother without blinking an eye.
Mother said, "You are always too impatient. Khairat, think carefully—where did you keep them?"
With tears filling her eyes, Khairat said, "I can't remember. I thought I gave them to you, and right then..."
"I swear you must find them for me. I told you, tomorrow—if Allah keeps us alive—I'm going to wear them. Just go and find my things, careless girl!"
Nana was busy reciting prayers and seeking refuge, praying that this mess she caused wouldn't be traced back to her.
Huffing and puffing with rage, Sadik stormed out of the living room.
Mother sighed, "Oh Hauwa'u, may Allah reform my lastborn. Khairat, try hard to remember where you kept those trousers for him, please, so he doesn't come and stress us out again."
With a heavy heart, Khairat said, "Mother, I honestly thought I gave them to you. I swear I forgot what I did with the trousers."
As Sadik stepped outside, he bumped into something on the veranda. What caught his attention was the company logo printed on the packaging of the trousers he had bought.
He stopped, reached down, and picked up the trousers. Sure enough, it was them! They were completely crumpled, ruined, and stained all over with black soot as if they had been used to scrub cooking pots.
Something pierced his chest, and his body immediately started trembling.
Furious, he marched back into the living room, huffing heavily. The moment he entered, he threw the ruined trousers right at Khairat.
She quickly dodged them as the trousers—now reduced to a useless, unrecognizable rag—flopped down.
"Is this the property I gave you for safekeeping? Is this what it has been turned into?"
Mother gasped, "Are these really the trousers?"
Indeed they were, but how on earth did they end up like this?
Crying, Khairat wailed, "I swear I don't know how they became like this. I know they were inside their bag..."
Summary
In this chapter, Sadik and Farhan share a quiet, affectionate moment outside her house before Khairat interrupts them by heading to the car. Sadik expresses his deep affection and secures Farhan's phone contact for future communication, though Farhan remains anxious about her strict background. Meanwhile, back at Sadik's house, a wedding is fast approaching. Sadik asks Khairat to keep a newly bought, expensive pair of designer jeans for him, but Khairat carelessly forgets about them.
Deeply resentful of Sadik and Khairat's arrogance, Nana (a maid/family member) takes revenge by stealing the expensive trousers and using them to scrub dirty, soot-covered pots before throwing them away. When Sadik returns demanding his trousers, chaos erupts as Khairat fails to locate them, culminating in Sadik discovering the ruined, tattered trousers discarded on the veranda and aggressively throwing them at a shocked and tearful Khairat.
Description
The chapter captures a vivid contrast between youthful romance and domestic tension in a bustling household. On one hand, it highlights the tender, shy, yet passionate bond blooming between Sadik and Farhan, complete with secret phone contacts and daydreaming. On the other hand, it paints a chaotic picture of a wealthy household deep in wedding preparations, bubbling with underlying classism, teenage carelessness, secret animosities, and petty workplace/household sabotage executed by the overlooked and oppressed members like Nana.
Analytics
- Character Development: Farhan’s attachment to Sadik deepens, solidifying her emotional reliance on him despite looming pressures from her family regarding suitors like Sunusi. Khairat's negligence and arrogance are starkly exposed, while Nana's hidden resentment manifests into active sabotage, proving she is no longer just a passive observer.
- Themes:
- Classism vs. Financial Recklessness: The stark contrast between expensive designer wear (such as Sadik's 10,000+ Naira jeans) treated as disposable items versus the harsh economic realities of others.
- Secret Rebellions & Revenge: Nana's petty sabotage reflects how marginalized individuals within wealthy homes fight back against snobbery.
- Teenage Infatuation: The intoxicating nature of young love and the distractions it causes.
- Plot Progression: The tension surrounding the missing and destroyed luxury trousers serves as a ticking time bomb that will likely trigger severe conflicts, expose Nana's mischief, and strain relationships among the household members right on the eve of the wedding.
