Impulse

THREE : STRANDED

The streets of kano was full of traffic, Fridays are the worse days to be going around town especially immediately after Friday prayers. Lala was in a rush to pick up Adilah from the airport. Adilah who was coming back from Egypt through Kano arrived an hour ago.

The light was counting down and she knew she might not beat the red light but still she tried to, immediately she passed the line where she was supposed to stop the lights went red and cars from the other sides began passing. She hit the breaks "damn it" she cursed, she tried to move backwards but the car behind her was too close.

To make things worse karota officials were now approaching her car. "Just my lucky day"
The karota man knocked on her window, she opened with a smile "Hajiya kin wuce layi" (Hajiya you've passed the line"

"Dan Allah kayi hakuri" she pleaded hoping he'd let her off with a warning.
"Baki ga layin bane? Ai ba'a hawan sa" (didn't you see the line, you're not allowed to cross it)
"Kayi hakuri, ban gani da wuri bane" (please pardon me, I didn't see it in time) she explained.
"Ai ba zancen hakuri Hajiya dubu goma ne" (nothing like a pardon Hajiya it's 10k)

Other officials came and the made her park by the side asking for her papers, which she provided them with. When they insisted she must pay, she opened her purse and brought out the cash. "Gashi dan Allah ni kuna bata min lokaci" she said hissing.

The karota official looked at her from head to toe "banki zaki je ki biya" (you're paying in the bank)
"What? Ni zaka bata wa lokaci?" (You think you can waste my time?) Lala picked up her phone and dialed her husband's number, Muki told her to hold on while he pushed a call to the commissioner. A few minutes later the commissioner called her phone, she explained the situation and he asked to speak to the karota man in charge.

They talked for like 10 minutes and it still didn't look to her like progress was being made, later he gave her back her phone. "Hello?"
"Hajiya ai kiyi hakuri kawai ki biya a bank din, akwai strict paper work ne kuma sun riga sun yanka ticket" (please just be patient and pay through the bank, there are strick rule and they've already cut you a ticket)

"la hawla wala quwwata illa billah, it's already 3:30 i wont get to the bank in time" she complains. The karoto man was eye balling her from the side, she could see him.
"Yi hakuri, sai dai ki bari sai monday" the commissioner apologized.
"Toh na gode"

Immediately after a call from Adilah phone call came through, again. "Adilah will kill me" Adilah who has been calling nonstop but this time Lala picks up "so sorry i had a problem with en karota wallahi, you might have to take a taxi"

"In this heat? Is this a joke?"
"Chill lemme call Muki so he can send a car"
"A simple pick me up from the airport you can't deliver? Lala!! I've been waiting for hours after the jet lag you're still keeping me here" Adilah mercilessly complains.

Lala was getting more frustrated so she hung up. She looked at the man who was still writing some stuff "kaji dadi? ka shiga rayuwa ta, ka ji dadi?" (Are you happy, you intervened in my life)
"Ba ni na sa ki karya doka ba" (i didn't ask you to break the law) and gave her a ticket.
***

Adilah was so pissed she went straight to her grandfather's house instead of Lala's house.

At 7pm Mukky drove Lala to see Adi, she found her at the kitchen. The first thing she said to her was "I thought you were staying in my house before proceeding to kd?"

"What can i say right now?.." Adilah did not even look up "..I took a plane all the way from Egypt only to be stranded in the airport by my sister" she clapped "what do you want? A 'sister of the year' award?"

Lala became furious "you ungrateful brat, thanks to you I can't use my car till Monday and you're here ranting..."

"How is it my fault that you ran into a red traffic light, you had one job.. to pick me up, simple"

"Keh!!! Dont be stupid, ni drivern ki ne?" (I'm i your driver?)
Muki who was in the corridor waiting heard then fighting like 5 year olds and stomped into the kitchen. When Muki came in Adilah kept quiet and Lala continued "Did you see how i suffered through traffic just to pick you up in time?.."
"Ya isa" (that's enough) Muki said

Her anger toppled with her emotions and her husband's presence wasn't helping, Lala started crying. Her voice was a mixure of anger, frustration and sobs "ke kika fi kowa zuciya? Would I purposely just keep you waiting for no reason" said said almost inaudible because of all the ways her voice twisted.

Imagine when your day was nothing but a heap of frustration, add that to the person who was the reason you went through it all upsets you. That was how Lala felt at that moment. She stormed out of the kitchen in tears, leaving Adilah and Muki shocked.

He couldn't believe his grown up wife was crying over an argument with her twin sister. They both stood in silence for a few seconds and then he said "apologize to your sister Adilah, she did her best to pick you up in time, but for now please pack up so you can stay in our home like you promised"

He followed his wife to make sure she was alright, had it been any other person other than her family that upset her that much, they would have had it from him.

Adilah stood in the kitchen feeling very bad, she didn't think she hurt Lala that bad. She went to their room before they both got married and picked up her things, then said goodnight to grandaddy and met Muki and Lala in the car outside.

The ride to Lala and muktar's was silent, afterwards Adilah met Lala in the parlor closing up the house "hey!" Adilah said

Lala stopped, sitting on the hand of the couch. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you.." Adilah stated apologizing.

"Of course you did" Lala interrupted "in fact i am 100% sure all you wanted to do was upset me"

"I know i was a.."

"B**ch? Yeah definitely" Lala interrupted again
"Would you stop interrupting and let me apologize?" Adilah snapped

Lala kept quiet. "I'm sorry, i was unfair"

"Ok! Off the lights when you're done" Lala simply replied and walked away to her room. It was obvious Lala was still mad at Adi.