"How could you let this happen?" Hajiya Rahama said through her tears. Salma was gently rocking back and forth on the carpet silently, her tear stricken face reflecting nothing but sorrow.
"Answer me!" Hajiya Rahama snapped, several people holding her back as she lunged at Salma. The latter barely moved. She wasn't even listening to what her mother was saying. There was a dull buzzing in her ear as she hugged her knees. Safiya was beside her, wrapping her arms around her shoulders in a bid to comfort her. Salma barely even registered her presence, or the presence of all the people sitting in the living room. Of course they all claimed to be here to comfort her, but Salma didn't want anyone beside her. She wanted to be alone; to wallow in her own pain. She wished Mansur hadn't called her
