Posts tagged “city life”

Tunde & Anaya: Part 15

Posted on 17/04/2013

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Aman Balewa rubbed his temple before lowering his elbows to the table. “I’m sure you’ve heard from Anaya…” he said to the young man sitting across the table from him. His eyes scanned the man’s attentive stare, his brow furrowed in concern.

Tunde dipped his head affirmatively, lifting his penitent gaze. “I am very sorry, Mr. Balewa, for all this.”

Aman managed a smile, waving off the apology. “It was inevitable to happen to anyone.” He sighed heavily. “I just wasn’t expecting it to happen to any of us.”

The two men fell into contemplative silence, both thinking about the familial conflict that erupted into full-blown chaos once their communities had caught on to Tunde and Anaya’s courtship. They both wondered if things would’ve been different if there was no political strife between the two communities.

Picturing the elders snarling at him, Tunde pushed back the regret. It didn’t matter now. He wanted Anaya Balewa as his wife, regardless of the rift between their people. Lifting his gaze to her father now, Tunde cleared his throat to grab the man’s attention. “Sir… I want to marry Anaya.”

Aman lifted his head and studied the young man’s steady gaze, hesitating as if mulling over the obstacles before them. “What does your family say?”

The corner of Tunde’s lips curled in a wry smile. “They love her and support us both.”

Aman managed a smile, regretful that Anaya’s side would be less supportive. Hadiza had yet to speak to any of them since Abdul’s ill-omened visit. “I am grateful for that…” he said softly.

“Sir…”

Aman blinked expectantly at Tunde.

“I won’t let anyone or anything hurt Anaya. I want to protect and love her for as long as God wants it.”

Aman’s heart twisted painfully, staring at this brave young man before him. He could see a younger version of himself sitting before Hadiza’s ailing father, offering the same promises to keep her for as long as Allah willed it, vowing not to take another wife as their customs would allow. He’d devoted his entire heart to Hadiza and would not share it with another.

“If God wills it,” Tunde continued, pulling Aman from his nostalgic reverie. “I will make her happy and secure for as long as we both live.”

He nodded. “I know you will…”

The bell over the door of the café sounded and Aman watched as Tunde’s eyes lifted from him. He noticed the warmth that now filled Tunde’s gaze and knew immediately who had stepped into the café. Tucking a smile, Aman shifted his head to watch his eldest daughter walk to their booth.

“Hello Papa,” Anaya said softly, her gaze lowered under Tunde’s open staring.

When Aman smiled and gestured for her to sit by Tunde, he watched as she shuffled shyly to Tunde’s side. His heart twisted tightly as Tunde shifted in and watched the young couple before him. Tunde’s broad shoulders and tall physique dwarfed his slender daughter; the man’s unwavering eyes contrasting Anaya’s bashful gaze. The young man’s steady words echoed in his ears as he continued to stare at them, heartbeat picking up speed when Tunde gave Anaya a gentle smile and she ducking her head, tucking back hers. He recalled her words that she wanted this man.

“Anaya…”

She looked up and blinked at her father. Her face warmed as she noted the gentle but conflicted look in his eyes and suddenly felt guilty for wishing she could hold Tunde’s hand under the table. “Papa…?”

“Are you sure about this?”

His soft, hesitant words caught her off guard. She glanced quickly at Tunde who now focused his attention on her father. Returning hers to her father, Anaya nodded slowly. “I’m sure, Papa. I love him.” Her heart skipped several beats when her father’s brows lifted.

“It won’t be easy,” Aman said gently, eyes moving from hers to Tunde and back to her again. “They will not leave you two alone. There will be many times you might cry and wish things could be different.”

Anaya swallowed hard, recalling Uncle Abdul’s forceful way to keep her in line. “I won’t regret it.”

Aman then smiled although it didn’t reach his eyes as it normally did. “I know you won’t, my dove.”

That was when she felt Tunde’s fingers seek hers. Her body warmed, comforted by the way his strong hand held hers, encouraging her that she was making the right decision. She smiled back at her father. “Thank you Papa.”

He nodded and looked over at Tunde. Then he lowered his hands, palms up on the table.

Both Tunde and Anaya glanced once at his hands and then at each other. Then they loosened their hold on each other’s hand from under the table and pulled them up to place on top Aman’s.

Tears gathered at the corners of Anaya’s eyes as her father’s rough hand cupped hers. She sought the warmth from his gaze through her cloudy one and held her breath, waiting.

Wordlessly, Aman guided Anaya’s hand to rest on Tunde’s open hand. Tears slid down his cheeks and he sniffed them back, caressing Anaya’s palm once more before shifting his eyes to Tunde. “I will hold you to your promise… my son.” The tightness eased off his heart. He would not be losing a daughter but gaining a son. It was always what he’d wanted and if things were different, he would’ve slaughtered three cows and four goats to celebrate at the feast for his new son.

Anaya choked on her tears, blinking to see her father’s face. His acceptance of them, of her decision was the greatest gift he could ever give her. She wanted to embrace him, wanted to hold him forever and comfort him for taking this step with them. “Papa…” she whispered in a trembling voice.

“Thank you,” Tunde said, equally choked with emotion. He blinked back his tears and reached over with his free hand to grasp Aman’s hand. “Thank you, Father.”

—

The room was filled with solemn silence as the Halliday family sat on the other side of the dining table from the Balewa family. Tunde and Anaya exchanged worried glances as both set of parents remained silent, watching each other. Leeza absentmindedly scratched at a chip on the table and Anaya nudged her knee.  She frowned at her older sister and caught Silas’ amused smirk before smiling openly at him.

Josephine eyed the quiet woman with her veiled head bowed. Stirred with compassion over the woman’s sullen eyes, she managed a kind smile. “Don’t worry, Hadiza… my son will take care of Anaya. We’ll beat him into shape if he does otherwise,” she added in attempt to draw a smile from the woman.

Hadiza didn’t even raise her head or acknowledge Josephine.

Aman chuckled to cover for his wife’s impoliteness.  “I surely hope so. He has given me his word and I intend to hold him to it.”

Silas and Tunde grinned openly at the man’s good-natured response. “Don’t worry, Uncle Aman,” Silas reassured the older man. “He won’t step out of line.” He nudged his older brother with his elbow.

Smiling shyly at Aman’s teasing eyes, Tunde shifted his gaze to Anaya whose eyes danced at him with contained mirth. He winked at her and grinned fully when she quickly looked away.

Ebenezer Halliday watched curiously as his eldest son and his fiancée played cat and mouse with their eyes. It was clear that this bashful girl loved his son as much as he loved her, affirming Josephine’s gushing words once they were alone in their bedroom. He’d been curious about the girl since then. And although the girl’s mother was notably rude by her stiff silence, the rest of her family made up for it in overwhelming warmth and hospitality. His aging heart settled in peace and he nodded.

“Dear Aman,” Ebenezer began, leaning his elbows on the polished table. “We should discuss the day of the wedding.”

Everyone’s smiles waned at the patriarch’s words and Aman nodded solemnly. “What do you suggest?”

Anaya snuck one look at Tunde as the two fathers shared their thoughts for the wedding day. She caught him looking back at her and this time she didn’t turn her eyes away. Instead, she gave him a grateful smile and watched as his lips curled in a slow smile. Her heart fluttered, thinking about how that smile would forever be for her and felt the peace settle in.

<<Part 14 || Part 16>>

Categories: From The Binder

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Tunde & Anaya: Part 13

Posted on 15/04/2013

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The calm ended swiftly and the storm rushed in with great force, knocking both Tunde and Anaya from the steady ground they’d been standing on from the past glorious weeks together. It hit Tunde first with a fateful phone call while he was at work.

Tunde frowned at Chen across the desk as he ranted off the next objective for their project. He watched the man’s mouth move with lightning speed and even though the man’s accented speech wasn’t normally an issue, in nervousness Chen tended to spill over his words.

He shook his head, raising a hand. “Slow down,” he said calmly. “I can’t pick out everything you’re saying.” He couldn’t blame the man for his frantic state. Their clients and the upper management were demanding more than requested initially. “Calm down. We can handle this.”

Chen threw his hands in the air. “This has gotten bigger than you and me, Halliday—“ He paused as the door flung open and a woman stepped inside, holding up a box in front of her face. Chen shifted from the desk as she plopped the white boxes full of documents on Tunde’s desk. “See…?”

Tunde nodded, standing to his feet. He eyed the documents warily and rubbed the back of his neck. It was going to be a long day.

A vibration from the table on which his thigh leaned against pulled his attention to the phone beside the documents. He frowned. Who would call him?

Chen picked up the phone from its cradle and placed it to his ear. Tunde watched the man’s scowl ease off his face and noticed as alarm filled his eyes. A cold shiver trickled down his spine as he waited until Chen nodded and said. “I’ll tell him right away.”

“What is it?”

Chen lowered the phone, looking back at Tunde with concern in his eyes. “Your brother said you should come to his garage now. That there is trouble for you there.”

Tunde frowned. Something was lost in translation somewhere. What did Silas mean?

“What about the meeting?” Gina Davis said as Tunde pulled his eyes from Chen to look at her. She bit her bottom lip in worry. Their jobs were at stake. “Do you have to leave now?”

Chen nudged her. “We can handle it for right now.” He gestured to Tunde, forcing his eyes back on him. “Go. Take an early lunch.” He managed a smile. “Go find out what happened.”

Tunde didn’t have to ask twice. It had to be serious if Silas called his phone. They both knew he never used it. He stepped around the desk and patted Gina’s shoulder. “I’ll be back soon. Just go through the documents and make a list of what’s important.” He glanced up at Chen who nodded silently. Then heaving a sigh, he turned for the door.

Heart racing with trepidation as he strode quickly across the street toward Silas’ garage, Tunde wondered what could be waiting for him on the other side of the sooty brick walls. Chen’s worried face had him picking up his feet, hands swinging forcefully beside him as he hurried to meet his younger brother.

Pushing open the door, Tunde immediately halted with his hand on the doorknob. Just inside the waiting area, the parents of the late Femi and two elders from their church sat in the sole leather sofa while Silas leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. No other customers or Silas’ part-time workers could be found loitering around. The unexpected visitors must have driven them out. He pursed his lips, already feeling the annoyance brewing in him.

His younger brother watched the four visitors guardedly, his jaw in a taut line. When the little bell over the door signaled a customer, he lifted his eyes to Tunde.

Tunde shifted his eyes back to the four now standing to their feet. He pushed himself into the lobby, already dreading to hear the reason for their visit.

Silas stepped around the sofa to stand in front of Tunde. “Remain calm and quiet,” he mouthed, concern showing plainly in his eyes.

Tunde peered over Silas’ shoulder at the four. Femi’s parents wore grave expressions while the elders bore identical scowls. “Good afternoon,” he said politely, stepping around Silas to face them. “Is there a reason why you are meeting here at my brother’s place of work?”

Elder Thomas Akindele, a stout man in his early sixties lifted his disapproving glare to Tunde. “We couldn’t come to your office. It would disturb the oyinbo.”

“My brother’s workplace is just as important,” Tunde said evenly. “If this is an issue with me, why involve him?” He ignored Silas’ hand on his shoulder. “In any case, Uncle Akindele, what is the matter?”

The older man’s gray eyebrows squeezed in. “It was brought to my attention that you have begun a relationship.”

Tunde frowned at the disdain in the man’s voice when  he said relationship. “Yes. I am about to be married.” He raised a brow. “Is there a problem?”

The other elder scoffed, gesturing to Tunde. “Look at how he is speaking already.” He paused when Elder Akindele lifted a hand to still his mouth. He sagged his shoulders but maintained a snarl in Tunde’s direction.

“You are courting a family member of the young man that killed Femi.”

The accusation hit Tunde like a freight train. “What?” His eyes flew to Femi’s parents who huddled together, Femi’s mother lifting a trembling hand to her mouth. He shifted his eyes back to the scowling man.

“It seems you were not aware. Sanusi, he is a relative of the girl you are dating.” The older man’s jaw tightened in anger, eyes flashing with fury. “How could you be so careless?”

Tunde shook his head. “I don’t understand…” Then he recalled the uproar caused when Anaya’s father stepped into the funeral.

“Don’t you understand the consequences of your choices? Your family and theirs,” he gestured to Femi’s grieving parents. “They will suffer more because you have opened our community to them.”

“How do you know they are not just looking for a way to hurt our people and used one of their females to get to us?!” the other elder shot out.

Silas scowled from behind Tunde. “That is ridiculous, Elder Amoeba. This girl and her family are Christians. Like ours!”

Tunde scowled openly, fed up with their baseless accusations. “You came all the way here to accuse me of what? Spit it out and take your leave.”

All four of them gaped up at him. The normally polite and gracious Tunde Halliday wouldn’t have spoken to them in this manner. Elder Amoeba was besides himself. He stood to his feet. “Forget reason with this fool. He is blind with love and has caused havoc for his family. We will not sit here and be insulted. Let’s go.” He gestured for Femi’s parents to rise to their feet.

Elder Akindele remained seated, glaring at Tunde. “You don’t know what you’re doing…” He then rose.

“I am completely aware of what I’m doing, Elder Akindele,” Tunde said evenly, annoyed that they would accuse Anaya and her kind faced father of doing anything to harm him and his family. Or Femi’s for that matter. “Thank you for your concern, but it is not needed.”

“Or wanted,” Silas finished, glaring at the visitors.

Elder Amoeba scoffed, leading the grieving parents toward the door. “You will regret not heeding our advice. You will suffer at the hand of those barbaric people and we won’t be there to help you.”

The two brothers merely watched the fiery elder step out of the building.

“Is she worth it?” Elder Akindele asked once Tunde turned his attention back to the man in the room. His scowl had eased off his face, replaced with evident concern. He searched the young man’s face. “Is she worth losing the support, acceptance and protection of this community?”

Tunde didn’t hesitate a moment. “Yes.” His family loved her as much as he did. He knew they would have many trials but if he caved in like this, how would the rest of their lives together play out? He straightened his back and stiffened his jaw. “She is worth more than a baseless suspicion and prejudice, Elder Akindele. Again, thank you for your concern.” He stepped away from the man’s path. “Have a good afternoon.”

Elder Akindele took one last look at Tunde and heaved a sigh. “I did what I could for you, son…” he said sincerely and Tunde knew he spoke for the people. It was obvious that this had become bigger than just them now. The whole community had heard of his intention to marry a Fulani girl and begged the elders to step in to intervene. He watched with a grave expression as the older man trudged out of the garage before he turned to face Silas.

“You’re prepared to fight, aren’t you?” his brother asked with a wry but proud smile. He’d never seen Tunde fight for something or someone this hard.

Tunde unclenched his jaw. “Next time, come get me yourself… I’m going back to work.” He started for the door when Silas grabbed his arm to stop him. He reluctantly looked back at his brother.

Silas grinned. “I’ll support your decision. She’s the right choice.”

Tunde gave him a weary smile. He believed he’d too, that he’d just won the greatest battle he’d ever faced… but why did he feel like this was just the beginning?

—

The sharp pounding at the front door pulled Anaya’s head from her books. She gaped at the door from where she sat. Who could be visiting so late an hour? Cold wrapped tightly around her spine, holding her at her seat.

With a puzzled frown, Leeza rose from her seat and shuffled to the door. She peered out from the window and gasped sharply. Anaya quickly stood to her feet at the sound of Leeza’s alarm. “Who is it?” she whispered loudly, walking to meet her sister.

Leeza turned to her sister, dread in her eyes. “It’s Uncle Abdul.”

Anaya halted with the cold squeezing so tightly around her. She could barely breathe as she pictured the perma-scowl of Ibrahim’s father. What was he doing here?

The sound of shuffling feet behind them alarmed the two sisters. They turned to see their sleepy-eyed mother adjusting her veil over her head. Hadiza frowned at the two of them, tucking one braid inside the veil. “It’s Brother Abdul. Open the door.”

The two sisters shifted their gazes back to each other and Anaya swallowed hard. For some reason, she knew this wasn’t a warm visit from their mother’s cousin. His unannounced visits never were.

<<Part 12 || Part 14>>

Categories: From The Binder

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