THE SEVEN BROTHERS’ SISTER

CHAPTER 2

Ruma was an expert when it came to children's games.

She was especially good at rinto.

Within minutes, the game became intense.

The other children watched helplessly as Ruma kept winning.

Soon, what had started as harmless play turned into an argument.

The argument became a fight.

And before anyone could stop them, they were wrestling.

Ruma was not gentle.

She fought with the strength of someone twice her size.

At one point, she knocked one of the girls to the ground.

The situation quickly became chaotic.

Fortunately, a man nearby heard the shouting and rushed over to separate them.

By then, Ruma had already beaten several of the children.

The man warned her severely.

"If you don't stop this nonsense, I will tell your older brothers."

That finally frightened her enough to back down.

But the other children were furious.

They had lost their game, been beaten, and now they were looking for revenge.

The girl Ruma had fought with noticed the shopping bag.

Before Ruma could react, she and her younger sisters grabbed the palm oil Ruma had bought for Mama.

They also took the money she had been given.

They tore open the bag containing the kuka.

Some of the kuka spilled onto the ground.

Ruma desperately tried to recover whatever she could.

By the time she was finished, most of Mama's shopping was ruined.

She picked up what remained and started walking home.

Every step of the way, she wondered what lie she could tell Mama.

Anything to avoid her mother's anger.

She hated being scolded more than anything in the world.

At the same time, she was already planning what she would do to Safiya when they met again at Qur'anic school.

She was going to make her pay.

By the time Ruma reached home, the call to Maghrib prayer had already begun.

Several nearby mosques had started the prayer.

Fear suddenly returned to her heart.

She crouched near the entrance and carefully looked into the compound.

Mama was performing ablution beside the water container.

Mama raised her eyes.

She saw Ruma.

She stared at her for a moment.

Then she calmly looked away and continued with her ablution.

Ruma swallowed hard.

She entered quietly.

She expected Mama to say something.

But Mama said nothing.

Ruma quickly placed what remained of the shopping beside her.

Then she slipped into the bathroom and performed ablution.

She returned to the room and stood behind Mama.

When Mama began praying, Ruma joined her.

After Mama finished her prayer, she went outside and examined what Ruma had brought home.

The mess was obvious.

She returned to the room and waited.

Ruma deliberately prolonged her prayer.

She finished her obligatory prayer and immediately started praying additional voluntary prayers.

Mama watched her.

The girl who sometimes needed to be forced to pray was suddenly behaving like a saint.

Mama waited.

And waited.

Finally, she could no longer tolerate it.

She grabbed Ruma by the back of her neck and pulled her down.

She stared at her angrily.

"Where on earth did you go after I sent you on that errand?"

Ruma shook her head.

"Nowhere, Mama."

"You're lying. I sent you before Asr, and you didn't return until Maghrib. Where did you go?"

Ruma's eyes darted around.

She swore repeatedly.

"I swear, Mama, I didn't go anywhere."

Mama's anger intensified.

"You won't tell me?"

"Mama, I swear I'm telling the truth."

"Assalamu alaikum."

A young man's voice suddenly came from the compound.

Mama answered.

The young man entered.

"Mama, I'm back."

"Welcome."

He greeted her and then looked at Mama, who was standing over Ruma.

"Mama, what happened?"

Mama sighed angrily.

"Because of this girl's stubbornness. I sent her to Laure's house to buy ingredients. She left after Asr and only returned at Maghrib. She brought back almost nothing, and my change is missing. I've asked her where she went, but she keeps lying."

The young man looked at Ruma.

"You're not going to tell her where you went? And where is the change? Did you spend the money?"

Ruma's attitude suddenly changed.

"I don't know. And who asked you to interfere? You big-mouthed—"

Before she could finish, Mama slapped her hard across the mouth.

Ruma stumbled backward.

She covered her mouth, shocked by the pain.

The young man shook his head.

"Mama, leave her. If she has no respect, don't waste your strength. Let Baba or Haidar come home and question her."

The mention of Haidar frightened Ruma.

She immediately changed her story.

"Mama! Please, I swear. The change fell somewhere on the road, and the palm oil spilled. Please don't tell them."

The young man quickly added,

"She's still lying, Mama. You know she never tells the truth. Let Baba come home. He'll deal with her."

Mama nodded.

"That's exactly what I'll do."

The young man secretly made a face at Ruma.

She glared at him.

"Mama, you saw that! He's laughing at me. Please forgive me."

Mama ignored her.

She gave Huzaifa money and sent him on another errand.

Ruma moved to one side and sat quietly.

Her heart was racing.

She was terrified of what would happen if Baba or Haidar heard what she had done.

There was no way she could tell Mama the full truth.

All she could do was pray that Allah would conceal her secret.

Deep inside, she even cursed Huzaifa for suggesting that Mama involve Haidar.

After a while, she heard Mama and Huzaifa talking outside as though nothing had happened.

Then someone greeted them.

"Assalamu alaikum."

Ruma immediately became nervous.

Several of the men's voices sounded similar.

But then she relaxed.

The voice was not as deep as Haidar's.

It was Usman.

Mama called out happily.

"Fodiyo, you're back."

"Yes, Mama. How is everyone?"

"Alhamdulillah. Welcome home. Go and take a bath. I'll finish cooking soon."

Usman, whom Mama affectionately called Fodiyo, placed a plastic bag beside her.

Ruma immediately stood and peeked through the window.

She wanted to know what was inside.

Please let it be fish, she thought.

If it's fish, I hope Mama gives me some.

Because if she puts fish inside that terrible black soup, I won't eat it.

Before she could see inside the bag, another person entered the compound.

Ruma froze.

Her eyes met his.

He had entered without saying a word.

His expression looked frightening.

Perhaps it was only because she was already terrified.

This was Umar Faruk—the man Mama referred to as Baba.

Ruma's heart sank.

"Oh no," she whispered.

"If he finds out what I did today, I'm finished."

Umar walked calmly into the middle of the compound.

Then he greeted everyone.

Ruma immediately placed a hand on her head.

"I'm finished today."

Umar did not say anything else.

He handed Mama another bag and went into his room.

A short while later, he came back out carrying a small kettle to perform ablution.

Ruma approached him cautiously.

"Yaya Faruk, welcome home."

He looked at her.

He did not answer.

He simply continued with his ablution.

Ruma's stomach tightened.

She quickly grabbed a broom and began sweeping Mama's room.

She swept as though her life depended on it.

It was obvious she was not sweeping for the sake of cleanliness.

She was trying to look useful.

Huzaifa secretly followed her and began laughing.

Under normal circumstances, Ruma would have started a fight with him.

But with Umar in the compound, she knew better.

Fighting Huzaifa now would only create another problem.

Then Mama called out.

"Why don't you come out and eat?"

From the room, Ruma answered,

"I'm not hungry, Mama."

Mama frowned.

"Then what exactly did you keep aside to eat later? Come out and eat."

Ruma remained silent.

Usman spoke from outside.

"You know why she's refusing. You cooked her least favorite food again. Maybe she already ate."

Mama replied angrily.

"Am I supposed to cook something different just because she doesn't want to eat what I have?"

Umar finally spoke.

"Leave her. If she wants to sleep hungry, let her."

Ruma's heart sank at the sound of his voice.

She immediately began praying that Mama would not tell him what had happened.

The young men gathered around Mama, talking and joking.

Everyone joined the conversation except Umar, who remained focused on his phone.

Ruma was relieved.

Mama had not told him.

She quickly prayed Isha and spread out her sleeping mat.

She lay down and continued praying silently.

Then—

"Assalamu alaikum."

Everyone answered at once.

A young girl and a boy had entered the compound.

Mama looked at them carefully.

At first, because of the electric light, she did not recognize them.

They greeted everyone.

Then Mama looked at the girl.

"Habiba, what happened?"

Habiba looked around.

"Is Ruma here?"

Umar immediately looked up.

"Why? What happened?"

Habiba became nervous.

She took a breath.

"Earlier today, when Ruma went on the errand you sent her on, she came to our house and asked to borrow a tire. She said she would return it immediately. But she hasn't returned it yet."

Mama's eyes widened.

"A tire?"

Habiba nodded.

Ruma suddenly remembered.

She had completely forgotten about the borrowed tire.

She had abandoned it near Hanne's house after the fight and gone straight home.

She placed both hands on her head.

"I'm finished. Habiba has killed me."

Mama stared at her.

"Come here, you stubborn girl! So all this time you were lying to me? You went around borrowing someone's tire? What kind of behavior is this? You are a girl, yet everywhere you go you behave like one of the boys!"

Ruma trembled.

"Mama, I swear I only borrowed it because I wanted to hurry. I completely forgot that I left it near Hanne's house."

Mama was speechless.

Huzaifa shook his head.

"If Allah ever gives you sense, please use it. Where have you ever seen a girl behaving like this?"

Mama turned toward Habiba.

"Please forgive her. I didn't send her to take anything from your house. Tomorrow morning, God willing, I'll send her to look for it."

Habiba and her younger brother accepted her apology and left.

Mama sat down and began complaining.

Ruma remained on her mat, pretending not to hear.

Her heart pounded as she waited for Umar to say something.

But he remained silent.

That silence frightened her more than anything.

She eventually fell asleep.

She had barely settled into a deep sleep when—

Someone lifted her off the ground with one hand.

Ruma screamed.

"Ah! My arm! Mama, my left arm is going to break!"

She was carried outside and suddenly found herself face-to-face with the person she feared most.

Umar Faruk.

Her entire body began trembling.

She looked into his eyes.

For the first time that night, she knew there was no escaping punishment.

Deep inside her heart, she whispered:

"That's it. I'm finished."

"May Allah let me die with faith and a good ending."