C7 Manal

Two days ago, as planned, Hilwah ran away from her husband's house. She arrived here in the afternoon and I took her from the garage. Nothing baffled me more than how she totally changed, she had turned dark, bruises in her face and she wasn't that beautiful anymore.

When her husband noticed she ran away, he began calling and texting her to come back. Men would forever be men, the only moment they know the value of a woman is when she finally got fed up by their immorality and left.

Today was Tuesday, Ya Salim as usual left to work as early as possible and so did his wife, Ya Hauwa. She was a biology teacher in one of the government schools. Despite her bump she loved going to work, not always though due to her health condition. She was in her month.

Hilwah helped me with the house chores and together we went to the main road to purchase some foodstuffs for lunch. It was great being with my friend again, she was the kind type.

While on our way trekking back home, some guys tried to stop us. Could you even imagine, the ugliest among them said he loved me...

•••••

"Babes, we've been talking since and none of you cared to say a word to us, why?" Said one of them, they thought we were slay queens.

"Guys dan Allah let us not waste our time, they are not the only beautiful women in this area!" The wise among them said making us to giggle.

"You guys can go if you like but I'm not giving up" The brute guy chasing me said to the rest.

"Okey then, goodluck" They said and retreated.

"Alright, bye guys" The brute guy bade his friends and kept following us. "Babe" He said referring to me. "I know you don't know me but I swear I am not a bad guy. Just because I look so black doesn't mean I am..." He was saying when Hilwah halted and yelled at him.

"Hey mister, if you don't want me to disgrace you here kindly leave her alone!" She uttered.

"But..."

"Shut up!" She snapped at him.

That was how we got him out of our way. Men are really funny, to them every beautiful girl is a toy they would like to play with. Too bad I wasn't like the rest of the girls, I could ignore a guy for eternity. I wished all girls could do that as well, that way men can't temper with them.

Hilwah and I went back home and, thus, began preparing lunch. It was fried rice and chicken, yummy huh? Just as we were in the kitchen parboiling the rice, her phone began ringing. My hunch told me it was her husband but it totally turned out to be someone different.

"Wa'alaykumus Salam, uncle Idris. Good morning" She greeted the person smiling.

And that reminded me of the hospital guy that once came into my life, he was the nicest man I had ever met. How I wish I could meet him again to thank him for all his generosities...

"It's not like that, uncle Idris. I didn't run away, I only want to be alone ne kawai" She uttered.

That moment, something told me the person she was talking to was really someone close to her husband. That is exactly what happens when a woman leaves her husband's house, the relatives and friends of the husband would start intervening not minding her plight...

"I can't go back now gaskiya" She said through the phone in tears. "Your brother is a wicked man, I need some time alone..." she sobbed.

I kept watching her while she made the call.

"...okey, I am in Kano but I can't tell you where. I can come to your house if you don't mind so that we can talk about it..." She kept sobbing until the call was over. "Okey, till I come sir."

"Hilwah, who was that?" I said out of curiosity.

"My husband's elder brother, he lives here too" She said wiping off her tears. "He wants us to meet for a talk today before sunset" She added.

"And you're going?" I lifted a brow.

"Yes, I want him to understand my pain" She sniffed and continued. "Manal, can you please escort me there after lunch?" She asked.

That moment, I knew she was using her heart and not her brain. If this was film, I would for sure insult the actress. She was so very naive!

"You shouldn't have picked his call" I hissed.

"I am sorry, Manal. I respect Idris a lot, he's a nice guy wallahi. If I didn't pick his call he might think differently. Anyways, are you escorting me there? Don't say no!" She said.

"I shouldn't say no? I thought this is democracy!" I said absentmindedly.

"Not in this case, please" She said.

"Alright then" I gave her a thumbs up.

•••••

Ya Hauwa came back minutes later, and Ya Salim came back immediately we were done cooking lunch. We ate together with Hajiya Siyyamah in the dining area before leaving.

The house wasn't really far, I pulled over by the gate and we alighted from the car. Hilwah did the knocking while I waited silently behind her. It wasn't a big house but it was awesome as far as I could tell right now. "Call him now, maybe he's not hearing your knocks" I said.

"Okey" Hilwah huffed and brought out her phone. Just as she was swiping through the phone, we began hearing the sound of the gate - someone was hypothetically unlocking it.

"Hi" A lady came out of the house. "Idris said you can come in" She said with a broad smile.