Sa’ada was so excited to hear about the kids, the fact that Hajiya insisted on leaving with the kids herself makes her day, it’s her wish to raise them and make them her own for that she wanted Zainaba to experience the same pain she experienced.
They did not leave Hajiya’s place until late at night.
*****
Sa’ada was nice to them, she cooked whatever they wanted and never yell at them, in spite of the fact that she did all the good things to them, but Ummi never acknowledge her effort, her gaze and her words reveals how much she distaste Sa’ada such attitude of Ummi actually did dere to Sa’ada.
It’s part of Sa’ada’s plan to not only steal the kids but rather to make them love her, see her as their Mum so she thinks trying new tricks will help in improving their relationship, she already knows all about their likes and dislike so she decided to suprise them by planning on taking them to their favorite store after school.
Like always, it’s 2pm Amira and Ummi are all seated on the back seat of the car, while Amira was busy looking at the road Ummi is busy with her books, Sa’ada look at them through the mirror and smiled before driving the car away.
At the store while Amira and Sa’ada are busy picking things happily Ummi followed them enragedly. Sa’ada turned back and say “My daughter joined us let enjoyed the moment.” She said smiling.
Ummi look at her indifferently and say “You aren’t our mum but stepmom, so don’t call me your daughter again.” that actually cut Sa’ada deep, her eyes smarted and she suppressed the lump in her throat. She slunk away telling herself to give them more time.
*****
Usman was lost in thought, though he’s trying all his best to be happy and buried his pain but he’s in agony, his life without zainab was a torture to him, for him love is loved and never failed, his love for Zainab was sincere, deep and stable and therefore easy to reciprocate difficult to turn down, even so he’s trying the best of him to take her out of his mind but his efforts seems in vain.
He actually don’t know why did he entreat her. Now that he is alone his mind is trying to overpowered him by making an effort of convincing him to hire some one to marry her for couple of days, “No way” he shouted “I can’t do that,” he said again, “Maybe I should go back to drugs I might forget everything, yes the pain and Zainaba.” He thought.
******
Sa’ada’s simple preception towards the kids, will make Ummi cry deeply in her room, nothing make her happy to her everybody hate them and is entreating them because there mum isn’t home.
“Ummi!!!” Sa’ada shrieked.
Ummi who is in their room laying down hearing her stepmom shouting her name but did nothing, “Yaya Aunty wanted your presence.” Amira who is playing with her doll said, Ummi smiled, “Let her be am not going any where.” She said without making the effort of going.
Usman who is sitting beside Sa’ada eating said, “What’s wrong with Ummi? am sure she heard you calling.”
Sa’ada smiled, “may be she did not,” she yelled again the name “Ummi!” but non of the girls show up.
Usman rise to standing posting and strode vexedly to the kids room, just for him to overheard Ummi telling Amira, “let her be, am not going anywhere, she can keep shouting.”
He rushed inside furiously, “Is that the habit you developed, so you are offensively impolite person.” He said boiling with rage.
He beats her up and asked her to apologise to sa’ada but she refused, he has to beat her again for her to say she was sorry.
“Please Usman stop beating her she’s still a child,” sa’ada implored.
He looks at Sa’ada with straight face “What are you telling me to let her act however she wanted, so you want me to be indulgent father, she’s 7th at her age she needs to know what is right and what is wrong.”
“Being lenient to a child isn’t the right way to rise them, it’s ok to beat or warn a child if they made a mistake.” He said in rage.
He takes a deep, “If you truly love me help me raise them in to well mannered children, beat them as you can beat your child when they blundered, warn them as you will warn your child.”
“Never care about what others will say, or what the kid feel, as far as are doing the right things, they will understand your good intention with time. He said before seating on the chair.
He keeps Quiet for seconds and then continued, “For now they will never see you as their mum, it’s only when they grow up, that’s when they know what’s right, so how you raised them will determine your position in their life, if you trained them in to well mannered people you will have a child for life.”
“Raising someone’s child is not easy as you think one have to be patient and careful.”
He asked Ummi to sit, she sat in his feet.
Ummi,he began abruptly.
“I find it difficult to believe you could be that rude, please be a good girl, keep away that new habit you adopted, be the girl I know don’t make me feel disappointed.” He said softly.
“Do you want to make me proud?” he asked, pinning her with his eyes, she shake her head indicating “yes,” he smiled “ok then be a good girl please you can go now it’s your food you can have it.” He insisted.
She took the food and move to their room.
She just dropped the plate and began to cry after reaching their room, all she has in mind is that her father beat her today because of Sa’ada asked him to for that he never did touch her before.
The Little Amira hugged her sister, and tell her not to fret if nobody like her she love her with all her heart.