INNA WILL BE SO HAPPY TO BE A GRANDMA

Sixteen-year-old Aliya waved in response to the greetings of her friends, who were washing at the river as she strolled past them. She was heading to in particular. She just wanted to get out of the house and have some breathing space from her nagging parents and headstrong younger brother.

 As she walked through the village, she greeted no one, only waved to a few people who called out her name. Her mind was racing through different thoughts. 

Maybe, I should go see him and tell him. Yes! That would be the best option, Haliya thought, and she began to increase her pace. “I will meet him before he leaves for the farm,” she said, assuring herself.

She got to Hassan's house just as he was about to leave. He was already locking the door when she walked into the open-spaced compound with no gate. He put up a broad smile when he saw her, and in his usual manner, he hailed her. 

“What a wonderful morning to behold the beauty of the priceless gold of Arabia.” 

“This is not a morning for your jokes or flattery words, Hassan.”

“How are you doing?” He asked, ignoring the harshness in her tone.

“Bad! Really bad.”

“And what is that thing making my beauty sad this bright morning?”

“Something that concerns us.” 

“I'm all ears then.”

Aliya paused for a while and delivered the bombshell news. “You are going to be a father, Hassan.”

“What!” He exclaimed in shock, the smile he had been putting on since she came in disappeared instantly. 

“How did this happen?”

Aliya managed to laugh. “What kind of silly question is that? Were you under a spell when you sneaked into my quarters the night my parents were in Kastina?”

“That was about three weeks ago.”

“And so?” Aliya replied sharply.

“You didn't tell me anything since then. I have completely forgotten about that night, Hassan replied in a shaky tone. 

“Whether I told you earlier or not is not the problem. What we should be discussing right now is how to manage the situation.”

“We?”

“Yes, of course. Or are you not planning to come see my parents?”

“Look, Aliya. This is your problem, not mine. That thing in your belly is your child because I'm not in any way certain it's mine.” It was his turn to act unperturbed as the softness in his tone disappeared.

“You must be very crazy, Hassan, very crazy! So you are referring to me as a prostitute who goes about sleeping with men?”

“Only if you put it that way. How can I be sure the child is mine? I mean, you are no longer a little girl who doesn't know how to respond to passes from the other boys in this village. Only Allah knows what has transpired between you and them.”

“Allah ya hukunta ka, Hassan!” Aliya retorted in Hausa.

“Insulting me won't solve the problem. The best option is to abort that thing. I can take you to Gaiku. He'll help with some herbs.”

“You are a beast, a fool and a coward for saying that! You expect me to abort your child?”

“That's not my child, Aliya.”

“Wait till the whole village hears of this. You just wait,” Aliya replied, fuming in anger.

On hearing this, Hassan burst into hysterical laughter. 

“You are so naive. I'm not that stupid, Aliya. If you do that, I will deny it and by then the whole village will see your shame. Imagine what your father will do to you when he gets to know that his only daughter has gotten pregnant in his house.”

“You can't do this Hassan,” Aliya replied, her voice breaking.

“Look Aliya, the best thing you can do here is to take my advice and we can go our separate ways without anyone knowing about this. It's that simple. Besides, I am late for work. The sun has risen fully.”

“I regret the day I met you, Hassan,” Aliya replied soberly.

“Again, regrets won't solve the issue. You decide! The ball is in your court.” Tears began to trickle down Aliya's face while Hassan stared at her in contempt, saying nothing. 

The silence between them was broken by some rattling in the bushes which around Hassan's hut. Almost immediately, Abdul, Aliya's eight-year-old brother jumped out of the bush, screaming. “Snake! Snake! Snake! It climbed my leg.” Aliya and Hasan stared at the boy in utter surprise.

“What are you doing here, Abdul? You are supposed to be at the farm with father,” Aliya shrieked at him, ignoring the boy's wails. Realizing he had given himself out, the boy stopped screaming immediately. He had been listening to their conversation all the while and was about to creep back home in the same manner he had crept in when he noticed the snake's movement on his leg. “Stupid snake,” he said to himself. He now looked at the two teenagers, smiled deviously and burst out.

“Aunty Aliya, so you are going to become a mother very soon? That means I will be an uncle. Hurray!!! I must tell Baba and Inna. Inna would also be happy to become a grandma. He said this and scurried away, almost immediately.

“Come back here, Abdul,” Aliya howled while running after him.

“Do you think anyone will believe that boy?” Hassan queried.

 “My parents certainly will!” Aliya replied in terror.

“Na Gama!” Hassan exclaimed and joined in the chase.

MEANING IN ENGLISH 

Allah ya hukunta ka: May God punish you 

Na gama: I am finished.

Inna: Mother