It Pains

It was the first week of resumption for the first semester. Fatima is just a fresher(Jambito as they call it) in one of the renowned universities in the northern part of the country. She was hurrying to a class when her purse slipped out of her hand inadvertently. The purse consisted of her admission letter, N5000, and a form that contained her name, E-mail and phone number. Fatima couldn't notice until after the first-period lecture and so she was so gloomy; all she could tell was that she was earlier with her purse and she couldn't think of where it exactly slipped out of her hand.

Fatima scrutinised but it was all in vain as she found nothing and began to panic. So she slightly gave up. All she brought to her mind was, "If it's meant for me, it won't pass me," so she continued her activities.

The sunset as Fati layed down on her bed. Shortly her phone rang. It was an unknown number and so she picked fearfully; a mellifluous voice beat into her hearing nerves.

"Hello," the person uttered. She replied, "hello". "Please am I talking with Fatima Muhammad," the caller exclaimed. "Yes, sure," Fati retorted. "Well, I'm by name Aliyu Haidar Yusuf calling from the main campus. I found your purse". Fati was enthralled. She chirruped instantly. She even cried profoundly.

"Please how can we meet?", Fati uttered. "Well, let's make it tomorrow", Aliyu insisted and the call was hung up with "Thank you".

The day has dawned and Fati was so excited to the extent that it has even shown up on her gentle face. She dressed up as usual for she only had one lecture. After the lecture was over, all that was on her mind was just how to get her purse back. So she quickly called Aliyu's number. "Hello," Fati uttered and Aliyu replied, "Hello! how are you doing?" "Fine Sir," Fati retorted. "Well, where are you and where are we meeting for your belongings," Aliyu put in. "Okay, but I'm to ask where I'll meet you," Fati responded. "Well, I'm currently at the love garden but, I've to go and carry your purse along. If you'll not mind, wait for me there. I'll call you when I'm with the purse. "Alright, it's okay dear," Fati responded.

Fati straightly went to love the garden and find a seat. She spent not more than 10mins before the high-pitched ring of her phone alarmed her. "Hello, are you there?" Aliyu asked. "Yes dear," Fati answered. "Well, stand up and look Eastward, I'm on a white kaftan," Aliyu put in. "Yes, seems I've seen you holding a phone with a red patch to your ear."

"Yes, exactly," Aliyu put in. Before the blink of an eye, they came close to each other.

What a unique creation! Aliyu's mind responded. Fati wore a black Abaya, black veil, purple handbag, and shoe which severely fitted her. Fati is neither fat nor slim being just the intermediate of the two. She's chocolate colored with a small mouth, big eyes, and an average nose.

Fatima was born in Adamawa by a noble and respected middle-class Fulani family but based in Kano. Her Daddy is a well-established businessman and her mother a nurse. Fati is the third child and only a female child of her parents. She's loved and pampered by her family is just 19years old. Fati just got admission into that prestigious University, Ahmadu Bello. A word will be less to describe Fati, she's soft-spoken, gentle, brilliant, friendly, and very humble.

Aliyu gave Fati her purse and asked her to check if that's exactly what was inside. But Fati insisted she'll check later.

Fati was too thrilled. She thanked him ceaselessly and turned to walk away. "Fati,"'Aliyu's voice beat Fati's eardrum, "Please I'd like to see you again and be your friend if you'll not mind. "Alright dear," Fati responded.

That's all how their love story started.

Aliyu was born in Maiduguri to a noble family. Aliyu is from an affluent background, he's the first child of his parents and he's so much loved by his two amazing parents. Both Aliyu and his parents are living in Abuja.

Aliyu is a 300level medical student. He's more than handsome for his mother is a Shuwa Arab. He's fair complexioned with a pointed nose, black curly sleep hair, and somehow countable beards. He's 24years old, a very intelligent and a kind-hearted person.

Their love has grown stronger (how?)

Time went by, and Fatima was now in 300level, while Aliyu was undertaking his internship.

Fati and Aliyu both informed their beloved parents about their relationship and they agreed. But they all insisted they should go for HIV and genotype test. However, it seemed like Fati and Aliyu haven't taken it seriously.

It came to real as Aliyu's family approached Fati's family seeking her hand in marriage to their beloved son.

Well, unlike Fati who hadn't taken this part seriously, Aliyu has known both his genotype and blood group. And this time around that their parents began their marriage talk, a lot of things needed to be done and so Aliyu forced Fati to go for both the genotype and blood group test before the HIV test.

Everything was set as Fati went to the hospital for her test. The result was out; her blood group was AB and her genotype AS.

She called Aliyu to ask of his own and at the same time tell him her's. "Hello darling," Fati uttered. "Qalbiy," Aliyu responded. "Well, I'm back from the hospital," Fati put in. "Okay, how was it? So tell me your genotype," Aliyu retorted, "It's AS and blood group AB," Fati responded" "Ohh my God!" that was what inadvertently came out of Aliyu's mind. All he was able to do was to hang off the call.He felt like his two legs can't truly hold his whole body. So he had to sit as tears were rolling down his cheeks.

"God is great", God is so wonderful for how he made me forget about this test since the day I met Fati. I can't do without Fati. I surely know you know better than I do. God, why?" It brought to an extent that Aliyu's mind started to sin.

In the side of Fati,she couldn't actually recall Aliyu's genotype when he once told her but the word "Ohh my God" he uttered affrighted her. It weakened her as she panicked. She knows the matching must be the avoidable one, she knows it's the unlikable one. She fell into an ocean of thinking, an ocean of regret for why she failed to know her genotype right from the beginning.

"Oh my God" was what kept on escaping from her mouth as her face was filled up with unceasing tears. I just can't live without that soul. Oh God!, come to our aid, make it not how I'm thinking of.

She picked her phone and dialed Aliyu's number. It was all in vain as she heard that the phone was switched off. What a bad day! God! come to my aid, she put in.

Coming to Aliyu's side, it was really pitiful as he was cleaning the tears he couldn't control. This time, he was weak and somehow sick, how could that be! Ya Allah.

They are all on break for both of them went back home to spend the days there. They found this incident very difficult to bear with. It was indeed a terrible shock to both of them, could this be true?

It's exactly 24hours they've not heard from each other and it seemed none of them want to break the silence for it's very hurtful.

Aliyu has long traveled to an ocean of thinking, there's no marriage between them if they are to maintain the health status of their future kids. They can't marry each other if they're to follow the genotype rules. That was what Aliyu's mind refuses to take in.

Aliyu is also AS as that of Fati, and as AS, the best matching is AA except if they want to negotiate their long-term happiness for short time.

AS AND AS might either give birth to a child with SS or even have entire children with SS genotype. There is no guarantee that any of AS AS children will be AA or AS, they could all be SS which is really dangerous.

And of course there are some certain solutions to their case but sadly,all the solutions aren't accepted in their religion, they're not welcome and it's against their religion. They are:

-PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS[Natural conception].

- PRE-IMPLANTATION GENETIC DIAGNOSIS.

- IN VITRO FERTILIZATION(IVF).

-ADOPTION (SOMEHOW ACCEPTED).

- CHILDLESS MARRIAGE.

Aliyu has thought all the possible solutions but to no avail. He took it as a tough trial (what has test their love, togetherness and perseverance to the limits) for their love,he had slightly made in mind that Fati wasn't meant to be his wife. But how'll life be without her is the most toughest question he can't answer, it'll actually be a hard-bitten time for him ever.

Aliyu decided to call Fati on phone and be realistic with her. As he dialed her number, all he could hear was switched off. Warm tears began to roll over his cheeks. she's vexed, I've started ignoring her, that's all she can think for now, his mind guessed to him.

Aliyu tried to message her on WhatsApp but he was shocked when he saw her last seen since after they made called where she exposed to him the results of her test.

Aliyu called Fati's mother directly and asked about Fati and she made it clear to him that all was well and told him that she'll talk to her.

It was night time and Fati's mother called her. To her surprised,these two days Fati wasn't at all in her sense. Though she's naturally gentle, it hasn't come to that extent. In fact she has realized that Fati is loosing weight also. "Fati what's wrong," her mother uttered. "Nothing mum," Fati responded. Her mother sat back and made it clear to her that "you're free to share all your problems with me except if I'm not your biological mother". Often times, Fati's mother use to force her to tell her what's wrong with her if she realizes she's moody. So Fati exposed to her mother all what happened between them. Her mother pitied them. She's a nurse and know all of the kind of their problems.

Fati's mother began to calm her daughter down because she understood everything despite not being told Aliyu's genotype. She understood everything well. "Fati," the mother began to talk, "you both know you've failed yourselves in the first place for not exposing out your genotype to each other. This kind of case really matters in terms of marriage, and even if spouses find out genotype mismatching after marriage, breakup or divorce is the most suitable for them. You might think to yourself "I can handle it". But you can't. Having a kid with sickle cell diseases drains all the happiness in marriage. So what's the need to get married to someone when you'll serve as their problem pointers in the future.

I believe you know,as AS,you can't marry AS, you've to know that's destiny,this is how your creator has written your love story and you can't change it. Accept it and let life goes on. You not being with Haidar isn't a letter directing you to hellfire. No. it's not. Though I know you'll veritably miss each other for it's something very difficult to deal with. Pray hard and God will choose the best for you and always be grateful for everything. Don't let this incident make you lose faith, I'll inform your father. And switch on your phone, Haidar has something to tell you."

Fati was just sitting but the side of her shirt has become wettish. All her mom's words seems to be somehow unfair to her gentle heart but there's nothing she could do. That's her destiny according to her mom. She put in mind that she was accepting this destiny despite the pain she was going through. Yes! she will do it by God's willing.

Fati gently stoodup thanking her mother and move directly to her room. She switched on her phone and kept it close to her. Less than an hour, her phone rang… It was Aliyu.

She picked up the call but all of sudden both of them keep mute. They were all in silence for like 5seconds before Aliyu broke the silence. "Hello," Aliyu uttered. "Hello," Fati responded. Both of them were talking so deeply not because they weren't interested in making the call but because it was important to both of them.

"Fatima, I'm AS as well," Aliyu uttered with a shaking voice, "I've never brought in mind that this very incident will happen to us. We plan but God is the best planner. I just can't imagine my life without you. Fati I can't live without you and I believe you know."

This is all what Aliyu uttered forcefully and Fati could hear his cracking voice. "You know we can't marry Haidar," Fati uttered with a crack voice also. "We are just to accept the destiny, that is all what God has written about us," Fati added forcefully and with tears rolling down her cheeks.

Fati's mother has informed her dad and both informed Aliyu's family and the incident had caused a disastrous pain to both of the family whilst there's nothing they can do about it.

Exactly a month after the incident, Aliyu found it so difficult to return to his normal life. He's often sick and was was recently discharged from hospital due to an untold illness.

Aliyu was given a girl to marry by his dad's friend and the marriage was all set without Aliyu's consent. It was a day to the marriage that Aliyu was informed about it and he can't deny the offer, for he knows he has lost the love of his life, a girl he loved wholeheartedly, a girl of powerful words, a girl that loved him for the sake of God, a girl that he can't describe.

Coming to the side of Fati, her maternal cousin who just graduated from Cyprus International School married her.

That was how life was miserable to FATIMA MUHAMMAD and ALIYU HAIDAR YUSUF.