Chapter Five

"Fatima you know I'm your father and, the only thing I want for you is the best?"

I stared at my father curiously, him and my mom had called me to his room immediately after fajr prayer saying they had something important to talk to me about. Instead of getting ready for work as he normally did on a Monday morning, last night dad gone to Alhaji Lawal's place and came back home very late.

"Yes sir." I said frowning at how tensed they both looked.

"Well you see uhmm... the thing is..." He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck, mom just stared at me blankly, her eyes were red and I became apprehensive. What was happening that even dad was scared of talking? I mean dad, of all people.

"Dad is everything alright?" I asked knowing the answer already, mom shook her head slightly at my question and dad just cleared his throat again...Ok?

"You remember Alhaji Lawal?" Dad asked...of course I do, I met him only a day before yesterday, but the big question is what has he got to do with all these?

"Yes sir." I replied.

"He wants to marry you." Dad said keeping his eyes on me as he waited for my reaction. I stared at them dumbly, so is that the reason this couple have been looking like the world was coming to end?...seriously oldies?

"That's so sad, well I'm sure you told him that I am getting married soon?" I asked feeling very relieved, I thought something more serious had happened.

"That's the problem, he doesn't care." mom said in a tiny voice I didn't recognize.

"What do you mean he doesn't care?" I asked getting a little bit angry at my parents behavior, hope they aren't expecting me to get married to that old man?...over my dead body.

"He is insisting on it." dad said clenching his fist, I stared at my parents bewildered.

"Fatima, he has threatened your dad."

"Threatened him how?" I asked looking from my mom to dad.

"Alhaji Lawal is very powerful, he always get what he wants" dad said with a serious face.

"Not this time." I said trying to keep my anger in check as I imagined killing that old bastard by lethal injection, if only I could get my hands on one of those maybe I should ask around realizing my thoughts I regretted. Auzubillahi Mina'l shaitani rajeem- I seek refuge from Allah against Satan.

"I might lose my job." Dad said jolting me away from my thoughts.

"He can't make you lose your job, you've been working there for almost 20 years of your life." I argued 

"Yes he can, he is not only the bank director but, also the chairman of the board committee."

"He can't just dismiss you for refusing to allow him to marry your daughter, yes, there is corruption in the country but haba, not up to such extent." I said, their worries just seemed very ridiculous to me at this point.

"He is not a honorable person, he has his hands stained and he has done very bad things to be where he is today." Dad said and mom tensed up more beside him.

"Don't tell me he is going to have you murdered?"

"No, but he will make sure to frame up things about me that will surely get me out of my position and into jail."

"You are joking right?" I asked as the weather suddenly became hot and my heart started beating faster.

"He insinuated so himself and he gave me three days to convince you."

"That man is insane." I screamed.

"This is your fault, why didn't you just agree when he presumed she was your wife?" Mom screamed at dad tears streaming down her face.

"Give me one perfectly good reason why I'd introduce my daughter to my boss as my wife?" Dad asked matching her tone.

"Because he is a pedophile."

"She's not a child." My dad argued.

"Well she's supposed to be a child to him, I'm sure he has children her age, even older."

"Habiba! You are not helping with your hysterics."

"Should I be calm when I know my daughter's life is ruined?" They kept arguing and didn't notice when I took my dad's phone and copied Alhaji Lawal's number to my phone, leaving them to their argument, I headed to my room Safiya was awake getting ready for her class by 7.

"Is everything alright why did the they call you to their room?" She asked.

"Nothing important." I replied as I laid down on my bed and thought of what I will tell that blasted old man, I decided to give myself a pep talk.

Firstly, be nice and mature...secondly, make him understand why you can't marry him...thirdly, convince him to go disturb some other girl.

"What're you thinking about? I've been talking to you and you've just been staring blankly at the wall, are you seeing what I'm not seeing?" Safiya asked, trying to lighten up my mood.

"Just go to school and leave me alone." I said burying my face into the pillow.

"Don't you have class today?"

"No thank Allah, I swear I can't wait to graduate."

"So that you'll marry your prince charming, ms wifey." Ahmad! at the thought of him, I made up my mind that I will surely call Alhaji Lawal today I won't give up.

••• •••• •••• •••• ••••

Even though the weather was cool as it just finished raining almost an hour ago, I was feeling hot and my palms sweaty and shaky so I recited some short surahs-chapters from the Qura'an to calm myself down, I was waiting for Alhaji Lawal. I had called him late this morning and we had set up a meeting, I was to wait for him in front of a plaza. Even as I stood there I had no idea what to say all that pep talk I had with myself were now a hazy, blurry memory.

"Ya Allah, please help me." I prayed quietly as I looked around still no sign of him, I was beginning to carry my phone from my bag when a black sedan parked in front of me the backseat window rolled down and he smiled at me.

"Hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long?"

"No sir and umm... Assalamu alaykum." I was trying to be respectful even though I was fuming inside.

"Walaykumsalam, get in the car please." he said still having that twisted creepy smile of his on.

"Where are we going to?" I asked eyeing him suspiciously.

"Nowhere, the driver will just get a good parking space and excuse us to talk, isn't that what you asked for?"

"Y-yyes sir." I cleared my throat and entered the car, neither of us said anything till the driver parked the car and left us alone.

"I'm not a man to beat around the bush my dear, I know why you are here, your father has already told you about my proposal correct?"

"Yes."

"So when should we set the wedding, I'm thinking this Friday, no need to waste time right?"

"What? No! I'm not getting married to you in fact, the reason I'm here is to reject your proposal face to face." I mentally slapped myself, I'm to talk calmly and gently but still, he ticked me off by saying the wedding will be this Friday WTH.

"You don't have a choice in this, I am going to make you my wife and that's final."

1, 2, 3, 4...9,10

"I'm sorry to disappoint you but, I have a fiance and we are going to get married inshallah in three months time." the counting actually stopped me from killing him... Ermm, not as if I could.

"As long as you're not married to this young man yet, we don't have a problem Fatima."  The tone he switched to gave me the chills.

"Yes we do, I can't just break it off with him without a reasonable reason. We've been planning this for awhile now."

"There is a reasonable reason my dear, just tell him you are not interested in getting married to him."

"I will not do that, I advice you sir to look for someone else to be involved in your shenanigans."

His face hardened, "I always get what I want, don't test me, you won't like the outcome."

"I don't care, I've told you my mind and that's final." I said courageously, I didn't feel as I sounded though.

"You don't want to refuse me Fatima, the implications will be fatal I promise you."

"Empty threats!" I retorted even though my voice was quivering.

"Ask about me, I can make any and everything happen, you don't wish to know what will happen to your father if you refuse me and your dear siblings, should we start from Ibrahim? I could have him dead right now, he's just a phone call away from his death or your sister Safiya, the one with many boyfriends, I could wreck her now. Her core courses in the university, she needs to pass them right? And the twins? They're always together their death will be very easy how about Harun..." I couldn't hear more.

"Stop it! Stop it right now!" I screamed at him.

"I'd see your father tomorrow then we have to start preparing for the wedding, its on Friday and Fatima, don't even try to play smart with me. I have people watching you and if you don't mind, please step out of my car, I have places to be."

Many thoughts ran through my mind as I stared at this devil, my eyes clouded with tears, if I kill him now nobody will know, the driver won't recognize me. Barely anyone has seen me with him, but then of course he'd be able to overpower me. I don't think I have the strength to match his and I don't want to imagine what will happen if he does, so without saying a word, I stepped out of the car and started walking without even knowing my location.