Usman’s wedding with Sa’ada transpired. They are gleefully married, although Usman’s attitude changes a lot. He barely speaks even so he always smiles, but his mind says something different. Sa’ada always Sees pain buried in his eyes despite how hard he’s trying to conceal everything. Sa’ada is certain with time he will eventually get over Abu.
His kids are still with his mom though. Sa’ada proposed bringing them back, but Usman said no he needs more time alone with his wife.
The kids’ life changes a lot too, notably Ummi’s attitude. She hardly speaks, and always has a false smile on her face, she’s actually turning into a solitary. Whenever she blundered and Hajiya forewarned her, she will lock herself and whimper, thinking Hajiya dislikes her.
Ummi’s thinking towards others changed. All she sees in people is detestation, as she put it on her mind that Hajiya hates them because she isn’t their mom.
The problem is not only about her but how she’s trying to plant a seed of hatred in her sister’s heart, Whenever Amira did something wrong and Hajiya give her a warning, Ummi will hug her and they will weep together and she will be telling Amira not to fret Hajiya dislike them because she isn’t their Mum that’s why she’s shouting over little mistakes.
*****
It is raining and it is evening, Hajiya and Ummi are sitting in the parlor, it’s cloudy outside Ummi was sitting beside Hajiya writing some Qur’anic Verses, when the drizzle begin to fall.
“Ummi where is Amira? I didn’t see her for a while” Hajiya asked her total attention to her granddaughter
“She is outside playing with Bashir,” Ummi said while writing.
“Ok go and call her” Hajiya instructed.
Ummi’s mood changes a little “Hajiya pls tell aunty Balaraba (the maid) to call her I need to finish two Simuni before tomorrow, you know how slowly I write” Ummi complained.
“Ok then call Balaraba for me,” Hajiya said.
“Aunty Baraka!” Ummi screamed.
An average woman of not less than 40 years, showed up.
Hajiya who is watching Television look at the maid and says “Balaraba pls call Amira, fine rain is falling she might catch cold” Hajiya mentioned.
“Ok mam” Balaraba answered before walking towards the door.
Balaraba went outside to call Amira and the girl is busy playing with her friends in the wet sand, they do not care about the mud and dirt around them.
“Amira come inside it’s raining,” Balara mentioned after getting out of the main parlor Amira looks at Balaraba showing her disappointment on her face and starts to grumble. She then looks at Balaraba and said “Aunty why do you call me?” she asked looking sad.
Balaraba smiled and said “because it’s getting dark, and it’s drizzle,” she said while looking at the girl who looks like someone who wanted to cry.
Amira turned around and look at where her friends are before saying “But we are seeing what we are doing is not that dark, honestly I have to go and finish our House.” Amira said stubbornly and begin to walk toward the door.
“Amira!” Hajiya who was standing in the varender watching them shouted, “If you step outside again I will beat the hell out of you, just look at yourself.” Amira start crying, Hajiya hissed and take a step closer to Amira, saying see how dirty your body as she grabbed her hand and walk inside.
Hajiya do not care about the way Amira is crying, she carried her to the toilet and washed the mud on her hand and feet with warm water. As Amira entered the parlor she hug Her sister Ummi, saying
“Yaya Ummi I believed you Hajiya hate us but am not feeling anxious since she is not our mom…”
“Ummi is that what you are teaching her, who told you a granny will ever hate her grandchild I never hate you.” Hajiya step in.
The little Amira smile and run to Hajiya’s happily She gripped Hajiya’s Hands and say
“Hajiya is that true you do not hate us.” Amira asked grinning,
Hajiya smiled, “Why will I hate my angels.” she replied,
“I knew it you will never do that Yaya Ummi is mistaking,” Amira said happily.
Ummi left the palour boiling, telling herself if Hajiya do not hate them, then why will she let their father married another woman, and a woman like Sa’ada who destroy their mom’s happiness she hissed and grumbled I hate betrayers.
******
Sa’ada was sitting watching one of her favorite movie Ga duhu ga haske ( The Darkness and the lightness), it’s an old Hausa movie. Usman come out from his bedroom, He wore a sky blue kaftan, his cap matched with his dress, the scent of his perfume informed Sa’ada of his present, she glance at him, accidentally make an eye contact with him like always he smiled at her she couldn’t help smiling back. He looks so handsome to her eyes, “good morning” that’s what she said.
He smiled “Is this morning to you?” he asked grinning while looking at his wristwatch, “am going out,” he said plodding along the door.
“I thought today is mine,” Sa’ada said raising her voice for him to hear, he turned back rubbing his hand across his lip peering apparently to her face and say, “your day like how?”
“What I mean is since it’s weekend at least you have to remain at home I think that’s what civil servant men do,” she said languidly.
Like always he smiled before saying “It’s my choice to remain at home or not you don’t have to remind me I know what am doing.”
She smirked before saying but Abban Umm…he raised his Palm to stop her ” Pls if you have nothing important to say I have things to do” he said and left the room.
Sa’ada have nothing to do but watch him leave she tilted her head and licked her lips before saying “oops.”
When Usman comes back it’s already 2 am, he packed his car in the parking lot, and moves to his room, as he stepped into their main parlor the silent and the fact that the light is off make him know Sa’ada was a sleep.
He switched on the light, he glanced at everything like always everything is there, he doesn’t know what he is thinking but the room felt empty he also felt something is missing.
He moves at slow pace to his bedroom as he moves he look at the dining area, he has to rub his eyes to confirm what he saw it was Abu sitting staring at him smiling, like she always did when he come back late, he smile back at her and go to her saying “I told you not to wait for me you need to sleep early but you refuse.” He complained trying to open the food flasks on the dining table.
She smiles again in a way that show her upper teeth and take a step closer to him she gripped his hand and say “Please Usman stop going to bar” before he could say a word she vanished.
He bit his lips and slapped himself, Usman please wake up, what are you thinking stop dreaming Zainaba will never be yours again he said to himself.
He opens the food set on the dining table, nothing special it’s the same food he ate yesterday he hissed and move to his bedroom.
To his surprise Sa’ada was on his bed comfortably sleeping he stared at her for about 2 minutes before he slapped her thighs.
“Please Usman what is this” She mumble half asleep.
“Sa’ada leave this room” Usman shouted.
She does not say a word rather begin to sleep again.
“Sa’ada didn’t you understand, I said leave, you are pissing me off,” he roared at her furiously.
His flexible voice made her leave the room without any hesitation. She slammed the door and move out.
He hissed and said “Nonsense!”
He sits on bedside, it’s surreal Abu is his world and he lose her, he knows Abu loves him with all her heart, she cares for him as she care for herself she never sleep until he is back and she has to make sure he eat before going to bed.
He pushed the thought away and go to the toilet to take a shower.