So close, yet so far

14

KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

Sa'eed stood tall, his broad shoulders squared in a crisp white babban riga, the intricate embroidery on the sleeves glinting in the soft light. His zanna bukar cap sat perfectly atop his dark hair, framing a face that was chiselled and strong. He looked every inch the handsome groom, ready to embark on a lifelong journey with the woman he loved.

Sa'eed's happiness was palpable as he sat in the mosque waiting for their marriage to be solemnised. He felt like the luckiest man alive, as if he had finally found his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Hauwa was his light, his guiding star, his reason for being. She was the sunshine that brightened up his day and the calm in every storm.

To him, Hauwa represented a new beginning, a chance to leave his past mistakes behind and start anew. He was willing to do whatever it took to make her happy, to be the man she deserved. He felt like he could conquer the world with her by his side.

He felt like the luckiest man alive, and he knew that he would do anything to make this feeling last. He was willing to put his bad life behind him, to leave his reckless ways and become the man Hauwa deserved. He was ready to settle down, to build a life with her, and to create a future filled with love, laughter, and happiness.

But little did he know, his happiness was short-lived. The rug was about to be pulled from under his feet, and his world was about to come crashing down.

As he  gazed at Alhaji Muhammad Gimba,  he sensed a hesitation that made his heart skip a beat. Alhaji Gimba's eyes, normally warm and welcoming, seemed to hold a deep sadness, a reluctance to speak the truth.

"Alhaji meyafaru;  what's wrong?" Sa'eed's father, Alhaji Mato, who had also noticed his off behaviour asked, his voice firm but laced with concern. "You've been delaying this marriage from going on for hours. Tell us, what's going on?"

Alhaji Gimba's eyes darted around the room, as if searching for an escape route. "I...I don't know how to say this, kuyi hakuri: I'm sorry," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sa'eed's heart raced with anticipation, his mind conjuring up worst-case scenarios. "Just tell us, Baba," he urged, his voice firm but gentle.

Alhaji Gimba took a deep breath before speaking, the words tumbling out in a rush. "Mai-Jidda saw something, Sa'eed. Something that made her question everything. Kayi hakuri; I'm so sorry, my son."

Sa'eed felt like he'd been punched in the gut, the wind knocked out of him. He knew what Alhaji Gimba was talking about, he thought of all the promises he'd made, all the vows he'd whispered in the dead of night. He'd been willing to change for her, to become the man she deserved.

But now, it seemed, she'd seen through the facade. She'd glimpsed the darkness he'd kept hidden, the shadows that lurked beneath his charming smile. And she'd fled, leaving him with a chasm of despair that threatened to consume him whole.

"Hauwa'u ta gudu; has run away."

Sa'eed's world crumbled around him as Alhaji Gimba's words hung in the air like a challenge. He felt like he'd been punched in the gut, his breath knocked out of him. He thought of all the promises he'd made, all the vows he'd whispered in the dead of night. He'd been willing to change for her, to become the man she deserved.

As reality set in, Sa'eed's legs buckled beneath him. He stood up, but his knees almost gave way, sending him crashing to the floor. His brother Fahad caught him, holding him upright as the expensive zanna bukar cap fell from his head, landing with a soft thud on the carpet.

The room was silent, the only sound the soft gasps of the Gimba and Mato families as they struggled to process the news. It was as if time had stopped, leaving only the echoes of shattered dreams.