Chapter Six: Humiliation and Kindness
1311 Words
The afternoon sun hung high above the village, bathing the earth in a golden glow. A gentle breeze swayed the palm fronds surrounding Isaac's compound, but the atmosphere inside the compound was anything but peaceful.
Isaac lay on a wooden bed in the open courtyard, his injured leg carefully placed on a folded mat. Sweat glistened on his forehead as waves of pain shot through his body.
Beside him stood Malika.
She was dressed in a beautiful orange native attire that wrapped elegantly around her slender figure. A white wrapper was tied around her waist and draped gracefully over her legs. Her short braided hair was decorated with white cowries, while matching white beaded earrings and a necklace hung around her neck, making her appear like a village princess.
Yet despite her beauty, jealousy burned fiercely in her eyes.
She glared at Nadia, who stood nearby holding an food flask with food inside.
"Why are you still here?" Malika snapped. "Can't you see that Isaac doesn't want you? You're always forcing yourself on him."
Nadia lowered her eyes.
Each word struck her heart like a knife.
Malika continued mercilessly.
"How many times does Isaac need to ignore you before you understand? He doesn't love you. He never has."
The humiliation was almost unbearable.
Nadia swallowed hard and fought back her tears.
Instead of responding to the insults, she looked toward Isaac.
"Isaac, are you okay?" she asked softly.
Then she turned to Malika.
"This is not the time for all this childishness. Can't you see he's in pain? You're more interested in insulting me than worrying about his condition."
Malika scoffed.
"I don't need your lectures."
She pointed toward the compound gate.
"Leave this house and never come back."
Before Nadia could respond, Isaac's mother stepped forward.
Her face was dark with anger.
"Who are you to decide who enters my house and who leaves?" she demanded.
Then she pointed at Nadia.
"And don't ever speak to Nadia like that again. She is more respectful and decent than you will ever be."
Malika rolled her eyes.
"Stay out of this, Mama. I wasn't talking to you."
The disrespect shocked everyone present.
Nadia noticed the growing tension and quickly tried to change the subject.
She looked at Isaac again.
"How do you feel? What exactly happened?"
Isaac winced in pain.
"I fell from a mango tree while plucking mangoes for Malika."
Nadia's heart sank.
She absentmindedly touched the red beads around her waist.
A painful thought crossed her mind.
So he would climb a tree and risk his life for Malika... yet he pretends not to see the love I have for him.
A lump formed in her throat.
Malika noticed the sadness in Nadia's eyes and smirked.
Then she turned to Isaac.
"Tell her to leave."
Isaac opened his mouth to speak, but his mother interrupted.
"No. Nadia is not going anywhere. Isaac needs her now."
Malika's face darkened.
"Stay out of this, old woman. This doesn't concern you."
That was enough.
For the first time, Nadia's patience broke.
"Don't talk to Mama like that!" she snapped. "She's old enough to be your mother."
Malika folded her arms.
"But she's not my mother."
Her eyes narrowed.
"And who are you to tell me what I can or cannot say?"
She stepped closer.
"Desperate girl. Why are you still here?"
The insult stung.
Isaac's mother looked directly at her son.
"Nadia is the kind of woman I want for you."
Isaac immediately panicked.
The last thing he wanted was for Malika to misunderstand.
Even through the pain, he forced himself to speak.
"Mama, please stop. It's Malika I love, not Nadia."
The words shattered Nadia's heart.
She looked away quickly, pretending not to care.
Malika smiled triumphantly.
Without warning, she shoved Nadia.
The hot food flask Nadia was carrying slipped from her hands.
It crashed to the ground.
The lid flew open.
Hot food spilled directly onto Isaac's uninjured leg.
"Ahhhh!"
Isaac screamed in agony.
"My leg! It's burning!"
Instead of apologizing, Malika pointed angrily at Nadia.
"Leave my man alone, you witch!"
That was the final humiliation.
Tears streamed down Nadia's face.
Without saying another word, she turned and ran out of the compound.
---
The dusty village road stretched before her as she walked blindly through her tears.
Not far away, she almost collided with a young man.
It was Emeka, Isaac's closest friend.
Emeka was dressed in a black traditional shirt and matching black trousers. A red beaded bracelet circled his wrist, and his neatly trimmed beard gave him a mature appearance.
He stopped immediately.
"Nadia?"
His face filled with concern.
"What happened? Why is a beautiful girl like you crying alone on the road?"
Nadia wiped her tears.
"It's Isaac."
Emeka frowned.
"What about him?"
"He fell from a mango tree while plucking mangoes for Malika. He fractured his leg."
Understanding immediately dawned on Emeka.
"Where is he now?"
"At home."
Emeka turned to leave.
But Nadia gently grabbed his wrist.
"Wait."
Emeka stopped.
"No one has attended properly to his wounds," Nadia said. "Please, let's go and get the village herbal healer."
Emeka nodded.
"Alright. Let's go."
Together, they hurried toward the healer's compound.
After explaining the situation, the healer agreed to come immediately.
Once the healer was on his way, Nadia quietly returned home.
---
Back at Isaac's compound, the atmosphere remained tense.
Isaac's mother sat beside her son, wiping tears from her eyes.
"My poor child," she whispered repeatedly.
A few moments later, Emeka arrived with the herbal healer.
Relief washed over Isaac's mother's face.
"Thank you for bringing him."
The elderly healer examined Isaac's swollen leg carefully.
After several minutes, he nodded gravely.
"The fracture is serious."
Everyone became silent.
Isaac swallowed nervously.
"Will I be okay?"
"You will recover," the healer replied. "But it will take time. At least three months."
"Three months?" Malika exclaimed.
The healer handed several herbal medicines to Isaac's mother and carefully explained how they should be used.
After giving his instructions, he departed.
Isaac's mother turned toward Emeka.
"Thank you, my son. I didn't know what I would have done without your help."
Emeka shook his head.
"The person you should thank is Nadia."
The compound became silent.
Even Isaac looked surprised.
Emeka continued.
"I met her on the road. She told me what happened. I wanted to come here immediately, but she insisted we first bring the healer."
He glanced briefly at Isaac.
"We even went together to fetch him."
Isaac's mother smiled sadly.
"Nadia truly has a good heart."
Emeka nodded.
"Some people don't recognize a treasure until they lose it."
His words hung heavily in the air.
Isaac lowered his eyes.
For the first time, guilt stirred inside him.
Malika immediately sensed the change.
She stood up.
"I can see I'm not welcome here."
No one responded.
"I'll come back another time."
Isaac's mother folded her arms.
"You don't need to come back at all. Leave my son alone."
Malika hissed angrily.
Without another word, she stormed out of the compound.
---
Meanwhile, Nadia returned home looking exhausted and heartbroken.
Her mother immediately noticed.
"Are you sad because of Isaac's injury," she asked softly, "or is there something else?"
Nadia forced a weak smile.
"I'm alright, Mama."
But her mother knew better.
"I just need some time alone," Nadia added.
Her mother sighed.
"You can have all the time you need."
Then she pointed toward the food.
"But first, you must eat something."
Despite her sadness, Nadia couldn't refuse.
A few minutes later, she sat quietly and ate.
Her mother watched her carefully.
A deep sadness filled her heart.
I cannot continue watching my daughter suffer like this, she thought.
I need to do something before this love destroys her.
And as darkness slowly descended upon the village, a plan began forming in her mind.
- Writer
