10 Years Later
As the seasons came and gone, the avenue change it’s colour palate, so much had happened.
It’s 10 years since Zainaba is mssing, and still no where to be found, her parents give up searching, though she is in their mind, but Usman never gives up, for that he always visit any police station he hard missing woman was found.”
Zainaba’s parents and her ex in-law including Usman decided not tell the kids about what’s really happened to their Mum so they where told she’s dead.
Ummi knows everything about her mum, the fact that they hide the truth from them about what actually happened made her anger grow stronger, she keep everything to herself as she doesn’t want her sister to worry, but pray for her mum secretly in her daily prayers.
Ummi and Amira grown up in to beutiful young ladies.
Ummi was just like her mother, she’s her look alike, but with different personalities and attitude, she’s not friendly, always trying to be alone by isolating herself, and she always had a sour expression on her face, all in her attempt to not be close to anyone to protect herself from deceivers and betrayer.
She’s 17 and she wrote her WAEC this year, when the results come out she performed brilliantly. She’s so happy that she will study the course of her choice to be an architect just like her mom.
She never speaks to anyone about what she applied for, or the school not even Amira.
Usman registered Mass communication for her but instead she asked him for money to change the course he did not hesitate.
It’s when the school she applied for set UTME exam day that Ummi decided to tell her father about it.
They were all in parlour including Amira when Ummi comes in.
“Dad I want to have some words with you,” she said looking at the floor she’s always like that trying to avoid contact..
He look at her for some moment, he can’t recall when last she speaks to him.
“Ok have a sit,” he said showing her the chair near his.
Without any hesitation she settles herself besides him before saying “It’s about my UTME exam, date was set and it’s near.” Ummi said.
“Ok remind me day before” he said smiling.
She takes a silent but deep breath all in her effort to gather all her courage in place “But it’s Zaria”
“What, Zaria are you mad?, didn’t I myself register BUK for you, when did you change it?” he cut her angrily.
“Yes! You did but I don’t like the school.” Ummi said languidly with her voice trembling.
He look at her with long face his eyes narrowed together “No! I can’t allow my daughter lives away from me in the name of studying, yes it’s over my dead body, it’s either you buy another green card to change the institution or wait until next year to write another jamb”, he said boiling with anger.
Tears flows down her chin she use her palm and wipe it away before leaving the palour without saying a word.
He looked at her and hissed even if he’s to let his other daughters but he can’t let Ummi, after all she’s mentally unstable he thought.
Sa’ada who hasn’t said anything decided to speak “But can’t you just let her go, you know her condition she’s suffering from paranoia, not letting her, will only make her condition worse,” Sa’ada who was sitting beside usman breast feeding her daughter step in.
Yea Sa’ada was right but to him letting a female all alone. Is a kind of risky act, he thought without replying to Sa’ada and she never care.
Back in her room, Ummi called her only friend Ahmad and told him everything.
“Didn’t I told you not to change the institution, now that is late you have to wait for another year or applied for polytechnic.” He giggle, am no longer your mate, will soon be level one student” he said jokingly even after knowing how much she hates sarcasm.
she just ended the call angrily, Ahmad is only adding salt to her injury, He is not useful any more,stupid boy she groaned and lay slummed in her bed.
Usman went to his mum the next day, he narrated everything to her including Sa’ada’s words.
Hajiya thinks for a moment before saying “I think it’s better if you let her go, Sa’ada was right, we only need to be vigilant, I have a friend in Zaria She can stay in her place” Hajiya insisted.
Usman smiled, now that Hajiya said that he felt a relief washed over him.
*****
Ummi was in her room laying down on her bed staring at the ceiling when her father come in.
He stared at the room, he always wondered, what’s there in this room that she enjoys staying in all the time, he hardly see her out, it’s only when she wanted something important, or while going to school.
He later sit on bed side and say “why are you not reading?” she only stare at him without a word.
He already knows her nature, speaking is a hard thing to her so he never care about her silent.
He continued “I thought you have exam tomorrow, you better be ready on time we will be leaving early in the morning.”
She pulled herself to a sitting position “Dad are you telling me that am permitted she” asked eagerly
He smiled “only if you are admitted.”
“Wow!,”she said delightedly and Hug him “Thank you Dad” she said excitedly.
Seeing how glad she was made Usman happier, so she knows how to smile like this, he couldn’t remember when last he saw her so cheerful like this, may be when she was 6 before he got divorce.
If only he know letting her go will make her this happier, and make her smile shine brightly like this he wouldn’t have said no from the beginning.
Ummi was lucky enough to be on first batch of the admission list, she was so happy that she could be away from home for sometimes.
The day she saw her name on the admission list was the happiest day of the family.
She waited for her Dad the whole day roaming around from parlour to gate, Sa’ada was so happy seeing how Ummi was, this is her first day seeing real smile in Ummi’s face since after she married their Dad.
Usman come back late in the evening, it’s after he ate that Ummi comes in looking happy and excited, he was sitting on four sitter chair and her half sisters are playing around him.
She was like “Daddy guess what”, he smile “who am I to guess what made my angel this happy” He Said grinning.
She blinked her eyes and giggle “I was admitted.”
“What, are you sure?” he replied happily
“Yes Dad very sure.”
“Awwww! am so happy for you dear, congratulations.” He said delightedly
She smiled, “thank you Dad am grateful for everything and will never let you down”.
“Come to think about it what is that you applied for.” Dad asked
Oh she tapped her for forehead, “I forget to tell you that I wanted to study architecture”
“Oh wow just like your mom,”
“yes Dad” she said delightedly.
Sa’ada and everyone of the family congratulate her for being admitted in to the university of her choice.
It’s after she goes back to her room that she called Ahmad, and told him about her admission, “oh congratulations, finally you gonna leave me.”
“Said who? You will always be my friend.” They chatted for a while before ending the call.