Rabo Ajali Part 1 Complete Hausa Novel

As she stepped out, she walked a short distance and entered Jabeer’s house.

She greeted Ado, the gatekeeper. He said, “Jabeer’s little darling, you’ve been hard to see for two days.”

She replied, “Honestly Baba Ado, we’re about to start our exams.”

He said, “Oh really? May Allah grant you success.”

She said, “Ameen,” and went inside, her eyes fixed on Jabeer’s car—she knew for sure he was home.

She went straight to Ummi’s room, turned the door handle, entered, and greeted her.

Ummi returned the greeting and raised her head; their eyes met.

She stood there staring at him, her eyes filled with tears, while he smiled at her, clearly happy to see her.

She shook her head and went into the kitchen where she heard Ummi’s movements.

When Ummi saw her, her face lit up and she said, “Afee, my daughter!”

Afiya squatted to greet her. Ummi responded and helped her up, saying, “You avoided me for two days—even helping me cook, you stopped coming.”

Afee lowered her head and said, “Honestly Ummi, exams are about to start, so I don’t go out much. But I came on Saturday and you weren’t around.”

Ummi said, “Yes, that’s true, I went for a naming ceremony.”

Afiya said, “She’s at home; she sent me and said I should bring this to Aunty Asiyah.”

Ummi collected the medicine and said, “Allah sarki, tell her thank you very much, okay?”

Afiya nodded and said, “Let me help you wash the dishes.”

Ummi replied, “Thank you, you know I’m tired. Dayyaba still hasn’t returned.”

Afee started washing and asked, “Ummi, what about Amirah?”

Ummi rinsed her hands and said, “She’s still in Kaduna at Asiyah’s place; she hasn’t returned yet.”

Afeeyah said, “May Allah bring her back safely.”

Ummi replied, “Ameen, blessed child,” and left.

She met Jabeer sitting down, pressing his phone.

She said, “Oh, so you didn’t go out?”

He replied, “Honestly Ummi, I’m very tired.”

She said, “Since you’re tired, I’ll go and lie down a bit before Asr.”

He said, “Alright Ummi, may Allah ease your tiredness.”

She said, “Ameen,” and went inside.

After he was sure Ummi had slept, he stood up and went into the kitchen.

She was standing, drying the plates she had washed, muttering and shaking her head.

He laughed inwardly and thought, Today I’ve entered trouble with her mood.

He moved closer and picked up the plates she had dried to arrange them. She quickly grabbed them and said, “Sir, put them down—I didn’t even see you.”

He said, “I know you didn’t. I just want to help you.”

She replied, “Well, I don’t want it—must you?”

He smiled and said, “Of course it’s a must. If I don’t help you, who will I help?”

She clicked her tongue and said, “The one you found during those two weeks. Just go outside. If I had known I’d meet you at home, I wouldn’t have come in.”

He laughed, held her shoulders, and said, “Liar. You agreed to be sent because you wanted to see me.”

She said, “God forbid! If I see you, what will I even do?”

He replied, “You’ll be happy, of course. And if you’re not happy to see me, look into my eyes and tell me.”

She lifted her head angrily, ready to make trouble, but when their eyes met she quickly lowered her gaze because of something she saw in his eyes.

He smiled and said, “I know you missed me.”

In a sulky voice she said, “I didn’t miss you.”

He said, “Hmm, keep pretending. What if I go somewhere you’ll never see me again?”

Her voice began to tremble as she said, “What else is left, when you can stay two weeks without looking for me?”

He lifted her face and looked into her tear-filled eyes and said, “Weren’t you the one who told me to go?”

She clenched her fist and hit his chest hard, saying, “I wasn’t joking! You stopped letting me see you, you didn’t even care about how I’d feel. You know even one day without seeing you makes me uncomfortable. I know now you don’t love me anymore since you could go two weeks without seeing me and still be fine.” She finished speaking in heavy tears.

He rested her head on his fast-beating chest and said, “I’m so sorry, Afee. I’m the one—you don’t listen when I talk to you.”

She said, “Honestly, I’ve stopped. Go and ask Hajja. Even when they tease me, I don’t respond.”

Jabeer said, “Okay, calm down and stop crying, alright?”

She nodded and said, “Promise me you won’t sleep again without seeing me.”

He said, “I promise, baby. As long as I’m alive and healthy, I won’t do that again, okay?”

She smiled and said, “May Allah grant you long life and good health so I can keep seeing you till the end of my life.”

He pulled her cheeks, smiling, and said, “Ameen, my queen.”

She laughed happily, and they continued arranging the dishes, chatting until they finished.

They sat in the parlor, and he asked her about her exam preparations.

She said she was studying seriously, but maths was giving her some trouble.

He said, “No problem. We’ll practice every day before your exams start. Now get up and follow me to Affan’s house.”

She pouted and said, “I won’t go in.”

He glared at her and said, “Today you must come in. It’s been a long time since you entered the house—since before he fell sick. Today, you must enter.”

She complained softly, “I swear, if those yam-like people do anything to me, I’ll retaliate. You know I don’t have patience.”

He twisted her lips until she cried out and said, “Who are these yam-like people?”

She said, “I don’t know; I just know that’s their name.”

He laughed and said, “You’ll never change, Afee—only prayers.”

She replied, “I swear I’ll change, but I won’t be beaten and forbidden to cry.”

He said, “Alright, let’s go—we won’t stay long.”

She said, “Okay,” and they stood up and went into Alhaji Basheer’s house.

As usual, he was sitting by the fish pond, feeding the fish and watching them as if deeply studying something.

Jabeer tapped him, and he turned around in surprise. When he saw Jabeer, his face broke into a wide smile and he nodded happily.

Jabeer said, “Affan, Jabeer’s friend and the fish’s friend.”

Affan laughed in a strained voice and said, “You didn’t come yesterday. I kept watching the gate until night, but you didn’t come.”

Jabeer said, “Sorry, I went on a short trip.”

Afiya, standing there with pity on her face because of Affan’s condition, said, “How was your day?”

He lifted his trembling head, smiling widely at her, staring without blinking. No matter what Jabeer said to him, he didn’t look at him—his eyes were fixed on Afeeya, his head unable to stay still.

Jabeer noticed Afeeya shrinking back, afraid of Affan’s stare. He smiled and said, “Affan, don’t you recognize Afeeyah?”

Affan shook his head, closed his eyes as if trying to remember something, then opened them and said, “I recognize her, but I forgot which cartoon I saw her in.”

Jabeer burst into laughter, and even Affan laughed with him until Jabeer stopped, then Affan also stopped.

Jabeer looked at Afeeya, who was flushed and embarrassed, and quickly stood up saying, “Affan, you’ll get me into trouble.”

Affan also stood up and moved very close to Afiya, almost entering her space. He reached out and touched her face. He felt a strange softness and a chilling coolness that tugged at his heart. He quickly withdrew his hand, jumping and shouting, “Let me go tell mummy that today I touched a cartoon’s face!”

Jabeer pulled him back and said, “Don’t ever call her a cartoon again.”

Affan frowned and said, “Then what is she if not a cartoon? Look at her eyes—aren’t they like theirs? And you touched her face, didn’t you feel it?”

Jabeer said, “It’s your eyes that saw a cartoon. This is Afeeya.”

“Do you remember her? Afeeya, the shy one who cries for nothing,” he said teasingly while looking at her.

Affan closed his eyes again, opened them, and said, “She cries like a cat.”

Afiya clicked her tongue angrily and began to walk away.

Affan said, “Jabeer, tell the cartoon to come back. I don’t even have a Barbie to play with.”

Jabeer followed Afeeya, telling Affan, “Go and tell mummy to buy you a Barbie—this one belongs to me.”

Affan became upset and said, “I’ll tell daddy when he comes back that you refused to give me the Barbie.”

Jabeer ignored him and kept apologizing to Afeeya.

When they reached the gate and were about to leave, Affan also stepped forward to follow them. Suddenly, he heard a frightening roar, and in front of him he saw what looked like wild animals trying to follow him.

He dashed back inside at top speed, screaming and calling his mummy’s name.

Jabeer didn’t notice his reaction at all; he assumed it was just one of his usual behaviors. Affan never went past the gate, so he was even surprised that he followed them that far—just because of a Barbie.