The Precious Figure (Episode Eight)

“I....” I tried to speak, floundering my words but what came out were breaths of air. I felt an agog exhilaration seeping away.

‘What is wrong with me? Why can’t I talk? Is this really true?’ I thought, imagining that it was night and my eyes had widened from my dreamy sleep, only to realize that it was all a dream.

 “Fareedah, I know this is all too fast and...” Najib prattled but I could hardly comprehend what he was saying.

My thoughts were clogged with his words, “Will you make me the happiest man?”

Yes! I’ll make you happier than the happiest man...but, isn’t this too fast?

...What more do you want, Fareedah? Isn’t this what you want? To be with Najib? To be the air that he breaths and the reason for the smile that lingers on his lips? What more do you want?

Najib stood up and placed his hands over his face. He was evidently shivering. “I’m sorry Fareedah. I shouldn’t have said this. I know you need time...” he was saying beseechingly.

“No, Najib. Please sit.” I whispered and he returned to his seat, immediately, eyes fixed on me.

His stare made me very uncomfortable but I mustered the courage to give him an answer. To tell him how I felt about him.

Say it. Say it. Tell him how you feel!

“Najib, I’d love to make you the happiest man. My answer is a yes!” I grinned at him.

“Yayyyyy!” He screamed in delight and raised his hands into the air.

The people that were sitting close to where we were, turned to give us curious looks but I wasn’t bothered. It didn’t matter. What mattered was that I was experiencing a different feeling; the feeling that had captivated every part of me. What mattered was that I had won the heart of a handsome man...with the kind of looks that we see on the TV and magazines cover...the kind of look that had been rendered impossible for us to win. What mattered was that I’ll spend the rest of my life with him...the dark-complexioned man with the breath-taking smile that could rend mountains apart.

That was what mattered!

***

It was twenty minutes later and I was in Najib’s car; sitting beside him as he was driving and narrating his story of growing up in the UK and relocating to Nigeria with his sister. He wanted me to know more about him. It was really sweet!

“Guess my dad’s profession?” he drifted his gaze from the road and turned briefly to me, flashing a bright smile.

For a moment, I faltered. Why would Najib’s smile make me unable to comport myself? Well, I’ll get used to him soon.

READ ALSO: Love by Fate.

“Erm....he’s a doctor?” I said with uncertainty, simpering.

Najib roared in laughter. “No. Okay, let me give you a hint. It’s not the regular medicine, engineering or law profession. It’s something different.”

“He’s a geologist?”

Najib rolled his eyes. “You’re very wrong. He’s a movie producer.” His lips twitched amusingly and I laughed in response.

Really? A movie producer? Of all occupations in the planet earth?

“What of your mother?” I asked him.

READ ALSO: Dhakiyah and Hayrah.

“She is a tour agent.”

“Oh, I see.” I rubbed my palm, trying to imagine the look on my mom’s face when I would say, “Najib’s father is a movie producer.”

                                  

Throughout the journey to my house, I ended up knowing a lot about Najib and his family. So his parents were actually divorced. His mother did not have a specific residence as she travels all around the world. She was currently in Dubai, touring the cuisines. His father was the famous Aasad Bernard. A very wealthy man, he got married to two wives after the separation from Najib’s mother. After Najib completed his Master’s degree in Software Development, he had relocated to Nigeria to start working and enroll his sister in a university.

I was curious; I had to know why they had decided to return to Nigeria. “Why didn’t Fauziyyah school in the United Kingdom? Why do you have to relocate to Nigeria, to work?”

Najib sighed very deep that I wished I hadn’t asked. I could see how he struggled to respond.

“It’s really complicated, chocolate... there are some family issues that can’t be explained. We just had to return to start a new life here. But, I am happy that I came here. How would I have met you?”

I felt a flush of joy. Everything was happening like a dream. Everything was too smooth and lovely...too sweet to fathom.

Najib parked in front of our gate and turned towards me. “I can’t explain how I feel today. You’ve made me very fulfilled. Thank you, for giving me a chance into your heart. I promise that you’ll never regret it.”

“I know.” I smiled shyly, staring at his brown eyeballs.

“I’ll be travelling to Abuja tomorrow morning but I’ll be back before Saturday. I have a little surprise for you, but you have to wait till then.” He said as his cheeks glowed.

“Alright...I should get going.” I reached for my bag and held my phone.

“I love you.” Najib blurted as he bestowed on me, a sweet smile.

I cleaned my eyes nervously and opened the car door hurriedly. “Bye Najib.”

I jostled into the gate and close it with a thump, without turning back; without bothering to see if Najib was still in his car as he would be wondering why I had behaved really weird.

I hurried upstairs to find the entrance door still locked. That meant that my mom hadn’t returned from her shop. I almost screamed in delight, celebrating my luck.

I had no problem with my mom being around but I just wasn’t in the mood to relate all that had transpired during the day. More so, I still found it hard to believe. I was assured that a cold shower would snap me back to reality...would assure me that I hadn’t been hallucinating. 

I entered the stuffy living room and hurried to peek at Najib through the window. I wondered what he would be thinking about me. ... ‘boring...what was I thinking? She isn’t even beautiful, haven’t you made a mistake? She’s more religious...can she suit my taste?’

Najib’s car pulled away and entered the path that led out of the street.

“You need a cold shower,” I muttered with a tizz, walking to my room and hauling my bag on the bed. I changed into a towel and entered the bathroom for a quick shower.

Leaving the bathroom, I felt much better and reality had dawned on me. Najib had said ‘I love you’ and I just couldn’t reply. I changed into a skimpy red gown and re-packed my hair with a band, staring at myself in the mirror and wishing my skin was lighter in colour and my nose was more pointed.

I sauntered to the kitchen, clutching my phone at one hand and checking effortlessly for a new notification. I placed a pot of water on the fire and broke spaghetti into it, a minute later. I had just covered the lid of the pot when a new notification flashed the light to my screen.

I almost spilled salt on my body as I hastened to unlock the phone. Much to my disappointment, it was a message from MTN, telling me to subscribe to sports news.

“Ugh!” I almost yanked the phone away but the background picture of Najib and me made me pleased. I returned to my purple-painted room, where I found solace always. It was a medium-sized room that composed of a bed, a reading table, and a small wardrobe. Several paintings and inscriptions of Muslimah quotes were on my wall. I had designed them when I was in my final year in secondary school and I never cared to clean them off.

I laid on my bed and reached for Professor’s Audu’s lecture note, comparing the note with what I had written in the test. My thoughts darted to when Najib and I left Tantalizers and walked to the mosque for prayers; the crowd peering at us as we walked side by side. I was just imagining ‘us’ in a few years time, married and walking together, to the mosque as a couple.

My phone buzzed and I hustled to grab it from my bed. In the process, it fell to the ground with a loud thud.

Hi sweets. How are you?

-Najib

Heyyy... now it is sweets? How about chocolateJ

-Fareedah

Hahaha. It’s barely an hour and it seems like a day. I’m seriously missing you.

–Najib.

I grinned broadly as I was typing,

J

 -Fareedah.

“It’s that all? You don’t miss me too?”

-Najib

Najib called me instantly and I was hesitant to pick up. “Hi, Najib. This is all new to me...I mean that this is my first relationship.”

“I understand. You don’t have to worry, I’ll groom you. But first, you have to stop calling me by my name.”

I raised my hands nonchalantly as I pressed the phone closer to my ear. “What then?”

“Sweetheart.”

“Sweetheart?” My eyes widened in shock.

“Oooh...my heart just skipped hearing that from you. You have to patient and let things flow. Our love for each other will grow every single day. We’ll make the best couple...” he was saying.

I bit my lips in anxiety. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Okay, go on.”

“Why did you choose me? Why did you decide to start a relationship with me?”

“Fareedah!”  I heard my mom’s voice very close to my room door.

“I’ll talk to you later.” I hung up, without waiting for his response.

My mom opened my door that minute with furrowed eyebrows. “What is wrong with you?” she yelled at me.

I stood and walked towards her. She was putting on a brown gown and gold veil. She had two bags in both hands and it was obvious that she had just entered the house.

“Nothing,” I replied enigmatically, watching her in fear.

She yanked the bags she was holding to the floor and felt the side of my neck. “You are not sick. What’s wrong then? Why did you leave the entrance door open? What if those neighbours children barge into the house without your knowledge?”

“I’m sorry mom. It skipped my mind.” I returned to the bed and my mom sat in front of me, raising scrutinizing eyes on me and doubting every bit of my gesture.

“Fareedah, when did you start to hide things from me? I thought that we are best friends? Tell me now.” She raised her eyes and I cleared my throat.

My mom was so observant. She didn’t even make me wait for a day before telling her. “That man that dropped me at home the other day?”

“Yes! I know it would be about him.” My mom smirked and I shoot her a warning glance.

“We met again and... he proposed to me.”

“When is he visiting?”

I raked my hair. “Not yet, mom. We want the relationship to progress with time.”

“Are you serious? What do you even know about him?”

“He has told me about his family. I know his sister.” I replied adamantly.

“Is he religious? Where are his parents?”

I couldn’t tell my mom about Najib’s parents...at least not now. “I have no knowledge of his level of righteousness. His dad is in the United Kingdom.”

“What then? What do you like about him?”

“Mom, this is my first relationship and I’m trying to get used to the fact that I’m with someone. These questions are pulling me off and making me feel anxious.

“Okay...okay,” My mom stood up from the bed and reached for her bags that were lying on the floor. “I need to see him as soon as possible...and be careful.” She shot me a warning look before leaving the room.

A/N: Thanks to everyone that follow The Precious Figure enthusiastically. I say a very big 'thank you' to you. You're always appreciated. I'll try my best to update on time...thanks for reading!!!

Don't miss out on the previous episodes:

Episode One

Episode Two

Episode Three

Episode Four

Episode Five

Episode Six

Episode Seven