BIBA (The fulani girl)

Chapter sixteen

The more Alhaji Bappah watched the relationship between his son and Biba, the more he was convinced a grave error had been made.  But who would have guessed there would come a time when children decided fully what to do with their own relationships.

Has a little pocking and nudging toward the right direction when it comes to relationship became that archaic to today's youth? But the more he thought of it the more he realized what they did was far more than a nudge.

It is during such times that he came upon the idea of sending Biba home during her semester holidays. Distance, they say, makes the heart fonder. He mused.

When Biba learnt she was going to the village, she became ecstatic. She made a list of names and wrote an item or two to each name, least she will forget someone in her excitement.

To say this break was what she needed is an understatement. Anwar too seemed to be in a good mood after learning she was going. It seems for once they were on the same boat.

A few days before she left, he came home with a lot of stuff. A very expensive peach brocade lace, a light blue Swiss voile and some perfume for Nini. Two getzner, a Ferragamo strap sandal, and a perfume for Basebo. The rest of the stuff were atampa of different design for the women in the house.

Biba went to wuse market and bought some bright colored veils, red and pink lipsticks for her cousins, toys for the kids, as well as some bright yellow atampa with orange and red butterfly pattern for Nini and similar colored ones for her aunties. On her way out of the market she spotted a beads shop where she brought some beautiful glass beads necklaces for Nini in every color she could find, except black and brown.

Early the next day, the whole household saw them off as Anwar and Biba left for her village. This too was a genius stroke in Alhaji Bappah's eye. For he fancied how it will stir his son's heart to leave Biba and come back.

On their way, Biba asked him to stop at oasis bakery and she went in for a while only for her to come out followed by two shop attendants carrying huge plastic bags filled with breads of all shapes and sizes. It took nearly half the back seat of the car. He grind his teeth against each other to keep from speaking until they were on the road again.

"Are you fucking crazy? Why will you embarrass yourself by buying truckloads of bread?"  he tried to control the building anger in him. All he wanted was to drop her in the village and come back to his life as it was.

"You could have given me a fucking heads up and I would have plastered a placard on the car that reads" we are bloody fulanis headed for the bushes," for full effect."

Biba shrugged "Baba said I could get them anything I want."

She bit the lower part her lips to keep herself from adding that all she did was get them something she knows they will love, not something she thinks they will love.

She fell asleep halfway through the journey until she felt a jab on her side. She gave a start, then realised where she was and relaxed. She noticed they have reached the village.
In her excitement, she didn't hear Anwar's question. Instead she craned her neck to see if she could spot someone from her homestead, or an old classmate or the hunchback shopkeeper whom Nini always bought sugar and soap from.

"I am asking you again. Which road should I take?" said Anwar.

As they took the dirt road that lead to the old church and school, she felt a lump form in her throat. For in the familiar environment, she saw memories of the girl she left behind to become someone she never would.

Anwar eyed her from the tail of his eye. "I thought by now you would have jumped out and start dancing. But I was mistaken, clearly someone is missing Abuja already."

Biba deliberately refused to reply knowing fully well how being ignored pisses him off. But she has long passed that line where she doesn't care how he felt even though she didn't know this herself.

Upon reaching the compound, she literally jumped out of the car without waiting for Anwar to fully back into the shade beneath the old mango tree.

She ignored the kids running towards   the car and ran towards Nini who was just coming out of her hut upon hearing their car pull up. She enveloped her in a big hug, literally lifting the shriveled old woman from the ground, to the amazement of the women that had gathered around who let out a collective gasp.

"oh oh, she has broken a bone, here and here... Oh my." said Nini as she tried to feign pain.

Biba let go of her, eyed her suspiciously, broke into a smile before hugging her again.

All this while, Anwar waited while a mat was spread out for him. He watched as she took turns in carrying all the kids that surrounded her. Their laughter and giggles filled the compound. He realised he has never seen her this happy since he has known her. And it wasn't yesterday.

He didn't realize she had disappeared into Nini's hut as he was swarmed by family members who took turns in greetings and asking the same about his family over and over again.

He nervously checked his watch as he  begins to worry how late it is getting. Soon they heard the sound of Basebo's motorbike and soon enough he buzzed into the compound and parked beside Anwar's car.

After the usual pleasantries, he was offered refreshments which was basically water and fura da nono. He joked and laughed lightheartedly with Nini who kept calling him her husband. Joking about how she will be the one to go back instead of Biba.

He watched as Biba came out and went to the car and brought out some  breadrolls and began pulling it apart and sharing it amongst the kids who cheered and jumped as they received their share. Even the adults were eyeing the bread nervously as if to stop her from finishing it before it was their turn.

It was already evening when Anwar left despite pleas from Basebo that he should spend the night and set out early the next day.

Biba sat with the women and children around the large fire made from dried cow dung and twigs. It was weird that this same compound where she grew up feeling alienated except for when she is in Nini's hut gave her so much warmth tonight. She felt at home in the giggles of the kids and hushed voices of the women and the crackling of the twigs. Even the occasional moo from the cows was comforting.

*****************************
Biba is back inshaAllah
Look out for the next update which will be soonest
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