𝐑𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐈: 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑦𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑏𝑎𝑛

chpt 2

Fadimatu let out a hearty laugh as she ran after three piglets trying to catch them. The three piglets went different ways and she had to settle on which one was easier to catch first. She was deep into the farm but she had come too far and even though she was tired, she kept on going. A thought came to her and instead she ran for the mud swamp where the pigs played in the day.

She slowed down when she saw the three little animals tumbling happily in the mud. She looked down at her clothes, she was going to change it after all so she stepped into the thick mud water and gathered all three baby pigs in her arms and walked back to the barn feeling accomplished. A wide smile on her face, she dropped the piglets off and headed back to the main house.

She saw her oldest brother getting down from his car and went to him.

"Yo nigga!". She greeted and he eyed her.

"You look...". He looked her over as she waited for him to continue.

"Dirty. Wash up". He started walking towards the house.

"Couldn't you have said I looked beautiful so I wouldn't feel bad". She walked next to him.

"You want me to lie?". He shook his head.

"It's not a harmful one".

"Still a lie". He opened the door and waited for her to remove her boots and going in then went inside after her and closed the door.

"You are no fun. Hey Daddy!". She greeted her father who was seated on a chair beside the window and a newspaper in his hands.

"Lafiya?". He looked her over like her brother had done.

"I had to catch the pigs. Do I look that bad?". She whined and looked between her father and brother.

"No, you look stunning. You just need to wash up and look even better". She smiled at her father and stuck her tongue out to her brother and went upstairs to her room.

She went straight to the toilet and stood in front of the mirror, she screamed when she saw her reflection. She looked like a monster from cartoons, she quickly splashed water on her face until it was clean and then looked at her reflection again, she smiled in satisfaction and proceeded to strip her clothing.

"Baba, I told you to stop lying to her". Hammad told his father after he heard his sisters' scream.

"I didn't want her to make a fuss. You know how she is".

"Are the farm workers on leave?". He asked his father.

"No, she likes to do everything herself".

"Where are your brothers". The older man asked.

"I don't know, let me check their rooms". He stood up and started making his way upstairs.

He opened the first door to his right and saw his immediate brother sprawled on his bed, sleeping. He went further into the room and tapped him on his shoulder, he knew yunus was not a deep sleeper, he just didn't want to wake up.

"Baba na Kira". He told him and watched him stir in his sleep and open his eyes.

He went out and closed the door and opened the door next to it and saw his other brother sitting in front of his TV as he struggled to kill whatever in his video game.

"Zakari. Baba na Kira". He told him from the door.

"I'm coming, let me just... Ahhh!. Yes!". Zakari pumped his fist in the air as he jumped.

Hammad shook his head and told him again to go downstairs.

"Na ji". He stood up and followed his brother out.

Hammad made his way to his own room where he saw his wife, nusaiba reading a novel.

"Are you still reading that novel". He asked coming into the room.

"You're back". She stated looking up from the book.

"Yes". He bent over to kiss her cheek.

"This is another one. I finished that one earlier". She told him.

"You'll tell me about it later. Let's go down for dinner".

"Aw. Let me finish this chapter".

"Okay, come down soon". He kissed her again and left the room.

*********

"I've told you many times to follow us here". Fadimatu said into her phone.

"And stay with brothers like yours?". Her friend, A'isha replied.

"Even for a week?". Fadimatu asked.

"And return home with a depressed heart?". Fadimatu laughed.

"So you guys are rocking wedding abi?".

"I didn't even want to go oo. It's fa'iza that dragged me there". A'isha replied.

"You still went and enjoyed it. Me I'm here working my back and hands".

"I tell you one day you will look like a man". Fadimatu hissed.

"You're just jealous of my shaped body".

"Your lucky you're not built".

"Don't worry, I like women body".

"Hnmm. So when are you guys coming back".

"Haba, we just got here last week and we're spending  two months. Still got a long way".

"You're happy you get vacations like this. I'm here working my butt off".

"I thought Hammad was giving the whole office two days off?".

"He changed his mind". A'isha said, annoyed.

"If I try to convince him, I'll get insulted, sorry".

"No problem. Keh, I have to go back to work now".

"Okay. I'm going down to the farm now too, bye!".

"Later!". She hung up and smiled.

Her best friend since secondary school. A'isha Gaura. She had a huge crush on all three of her brothers but Hammad got married six months back so she ticked him off and remained on yunus and zakari, though fadimatu always suspected her crush was really on yunus but she didn't confront her.

Yunus didn't have time for girls, it was always work, home and his bed. He was most affected by the death of their mother, fadimatu didn't know her mother as she died few minutes after she brought fadimatu to the world. She only heard stories and saw pictures of her very beautiful mother with an equally beautiful heart. Yunus was very close to her and when she died he didn't find it easy to cope.

It never disturbed fadimatu though, she couldn't mourn someone she didn't know. Yes, when she was smaller she used to get jealous of her friends' mother's but now, it didn't bother her anymore. She was most thankful that her father didn't marry again, he said the love he had for her mother, Zainab would not let him marry again and they were happier just the five of them, with nusaiba, six.

She felt her life was perfect, she didn't want more to what she had. A very happy family, a job she liked doing even though people didn't think so much of farming in this time and age. She had money, she didn't need anything more but if she wanted something she could easily get it.