Two

Saturday dawned, bright and crisp, with rare sunshine and a brisk breeze. It was a welcome relief from the constant rain and Juwairiyyah made up her mind to go out for a drive. The past few days had been boring with no lectures to attend to, Juwairiyyah's mother limited her outings coupled with the rain that had showered Gombe for two consecutive days. 

She withdrew from her bed, took a quick shower and got herself dressed. Clad in a pink Ankara with red polka dots sewed into skirt and a blouse, Juwairiyyah applied little makeup before draping a pink veil on her head. Her legs were clutched in a pink flat shoe while she held a blue Gucci bag with one hand and her phone on the other. She walked out of her room to the foyer where her mother was, hence kissing her mother on her cheeks before saying, "I'm going out mom, this house is kind of suffocating these days. Don't say 'NO' please mom, just one hour okay? I promise, one hour".

Her mother smiled, held her hand in hers and kissed them. "Just an hour right?". Her mother asked.

"Yes mom, please".

"Okay fine. You can go, but take care okay?".

"I will mom, thank you!".

Juwairiyyah left in haste to her car in the parking lot and drove off, with the car speakers blasting with a song, 'Cheap thrills', while she sang along. She took the road that would lead her to BCG quarters so she could give her friend, Sophie a surprise visit. But unfortunately, her car broke down half way. It was a very sad moment.

Juwairiyyah groaned angrily. Stepping out of the car, she looked around in hope to find someone who could help fix her car. Luckily for her, she spotted a mechanic in a garage few meters away attending to an old man. 

Juwairiyyah dragged her legs to him and scrutinized the area with her eyes before finally speaking up. "Hey you!". She called out. "Come over here and check my car, I'm in a hurry."

"Wa'alaikumus Salam to you miss. As you can see, I'm very busy here attending to a customer. I will attend to you as soon as I'm done, please do stand under that shade". The mechanic pointed his finger at a wooden bench in the shade made by a mango tree.

Juwairiyyah stood there stunned. Did he just told her to wait? Who the heck did he think he is? She smiled mischievously before replying him. "Excuse me mister, I'm paying you for your job. Do I look like someone who'll wait for something?".

The mechanic stood up from where he was lying beneath the car. And that was when she saw him. A dark skinned guy with strong jaw, a sharp pointed nose with beard and sideburns. His hair, even though dirty, was dark and curly. How could a mechanic be that cute? She wondered.

"I'm sorry, if you think you're too big to wait then feel free to leave. I can't leave the work of the customer that first you just because of your work, okay?".

"No my son" the old man spoke. "She'll wait, okay? You don't have to get angry, kids of nowadays are ill-mannered, we just have to ignore them."

Juwairiyyah's eyes bulged out, did the old piece of garbage just called her ill-mannered? She swallowed a lump down her throat and approached him. "Excuse me here oldie, why don't you respect the white hair on your head and mind your damn business? How dare you call me ill-mannered? Just look at yourself, look at how dirty you are. You even stink oldie, and yet you had the right to call me ill-mannered. Do I even look like a cheap lady to you? I can bet that the cloth I'm wearing can feed your family for a whole month, yet you're here trying to disrespect me. Well excuse me oldie, I'm far beyond your thinking!".

Tears were already rolling down the old man's cheeks, while the mechanic stood there stunned to even lift a finger. 

"Oops, the poor oldie is even crying. Are you hurt? Did I hurt your feelings? Oya here, take this" she threw a ward of money towards him. "You can use that to wipe your tears okay? Next time, do learn to mind your business, okay? Oh, and yeah..." She was saying when a resounding slap landed on her face.

The mechanic slapped her!

Juwairiyyah stood there so astounded of what had just happened. Her, Juwairiyyah, slapped by a common mechanic?

"It seems you lack self respect, a well respectful girl will never raise her voice to an elderly person no matter what the case maybe. Now miss, get the hell out of my garage!". The mechanic exclaimed. 

Juwairiyyah stood still, she couldn't believe someone as dirty as him could have the guts to slap her pretty face.

"Arfaat please forgive her insolence, she's just a girl and you know ladies are sometimes unbearable" The old man said.  

"I know baba, but this one is too much. I can't really stand and..."

"This really can't be!" Juwairiyyah outcried. "I won't let this slide so easily. You will have to pay the consequences". She added with a hiss and left.

She couldn't go to her desired destination. So she stopped a tricycle and went home angrily. She fled into her mother's room while crying and yelling her name. "Mom, mom! come and see my face, just look at my face mom. Someone had the guts to slap your beautiful daughter's face!" 

"I know you princess, you must have done something for that person to slap you, tell me what happened." Her mother cooed.

"I knew it, you never loved me as much as dad does, goodbye!". Juwairiyyah snapped at her mother finding her way out of the room.

*****

Later in the night, Juwairiyyah and her parents were all seated in the living room. She looked at her dad and gave him one of her best smiles. "Dad, I need a favour".  

"Sure princess, anything for you". Replied her dad. 

"I saw a mechanic today on my way to visit Soffie. He is so talented but has a very small garage. Why don't you employ him to work in your company?". Juwairiyyah said sweetly.  

"You think I should take him in princess?". 

"Yes dad, please". 

"Then it's done!"

"Wow! I love you dad, you're the best!. I'll take you to him tomorrow In Shaa Allah". 

*****     *****     *****