Baba came out of the bathroom after performing ablution. He put on his large robe, adjusted the bundle of money in his pocket, and stepped out, heading for the mosque for the 2:00 p.m. Zuhr prayer. On his way, he heard a young girl selling bean cakes (akara). He called her, gave her five hundred naira, collected the bean cakes in a nylon bag, tied it firmly, took it into his room, locked the door, slipped the key into his pocket, adjusted his robe again, and left for the mosque.
At the gate, he met Sumy returning from school. He looked at her and asked,
“So you’re just getting back now?”
“Yes, Baba. They just dismissed us.”
He said,
“Why did Aisha return earlier than you when you’re both in SS3?”
She replied,
“Yes Baba, I’m in Class A while she’s in Class B. I stayed behind to finish copying notes.”
He paused briefly, then turned back and said,
“And you didn’t meet any boy on the way who said he loves you and wants to come to your house to marry you?”
She secretly curled her lips but replied,
“No, Baba. I didn’t meet anyone.”
He said,
“I’ll be back. There’s still that ‘favor medicine’ for you and Aisha. You’d better take it and rise early.”
As he walked away, she muttered inwardly,
“So even the road to school must include questions about boys? ‘Wake up early,’ as if we are airplanes.”
She turned and entered the house.
She didn’t greet anyone in the compound. She only saw Mama Sa’ada performing ablution. Mama Sa’ada, knowing Sumy’s character, avoided eye contact because she knew the girl would soon be rude—Sumy spared no one, not even her own mother.
Sumy pushed aside the curtain and entered the room without greeting anyone. Mama and Sadiya looked up. The moment Sumy opened her mouth, she said angrily,
“Which disaster of a greedy person with oily hands took my food and gave it to that useless boy?”
She walked to the center of the room, hands on her waist, glaring at them.
Mama spoke softly,
“Please forgive me, Sumayya. I was the one who gave it to him. You know the child was hungry—”
Sumy cut her off sharply,
“If I agree to that, then I’m a fool! And don’t ever say that child is mine again. My own child is the one I’ll give birth to in the future!”
Mama replied calmly,
“May Allah grant you.”
Sumy continued angrily,
“I want my food money paid to me now, not later. Since my father is the one who searched for it, why didn’t he give it to me instead of humiliating me by feeding someone else what Allah made his responsibility?”
Sadiya, her eyes red from crying, said,
“Sumy, please watch how you talk. Am I your mate?”
Sumy snapped,
“Did I lie? If you want respect, stay in your husband’s house!”
Sadiya stood up and raised her hand to slap her, but Mama quickly intervened.
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