CHAPTER 10- When The Pretense Begins.
1159 Words
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"So the doctor said something about you not feeding appropriately the way you're supposed to" Bashir's fresh cologne enveloped her senses after notifying his presence with a Salaam.
"It's just that I.. I lose my appetite easily" She didn't know how to start telling him that she hardly gets fed. And even if she does, it doesn't calculate as a meal.
He nodded, staring at her bruised wrist. She followed his gaze and instinctively hid her hands in her hijab. Mentally scolding herself for drawing the sleeve of her shirt up.
Nothing goes unnoticed by him.
He stared at her for a moment fully knowing that she would never tell him the secret behind why her wrist has purple bruises that her fair skin failed to hide.
"I just remembered something"
"What is it?" she asked pausing from fiddling with the edge of her hijab.
"You never told me your surname"
In the midst of how cool the weather was, Fatimah's atmosphere changed as she began dripping with sweat.
Never has one ever asked her that question in her entire life. But with Bashir, it has already been established that he's fond of doing what no one has ever done to her. Of asking what has never been asked of her.
"I don't... I don't know my surname" She replied honestly, helplessly. "You?" she asked, wanting to turn the focus on him feeling pathetic.
"Abubakar Bello" he replied firmly taking a hold of her right hand, gently this time.
"Where did you get this?" he asked, pertaining to her injuries unable to stop himself. "Who did this? I know what they are so.." he left the sentence hanging in the air. He witnessed such type of injury on his sister, Khadijah's face when she got kidn*pped by her husband's possessed ex.
"I got into a fight" she admitted. He quirked a brow at her reply waiting for more to be revealed. "I got into an argument with my.." she halted, thinking of just what to address Basira as afterall she told him she has no siblings, which is not a lie "with a relative yesterday"
"I'm not gonna indulge for more but you should definitely avoid such happenings"
"In Shaa Allah I would. Thank you for everything" she smiled at him.
He rewarded her with a lopsided smile that stole her breath.
Ya ilahil Aalamin. Fatimah sighed dreamily.
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"You would behave yourself and turn a blind eye to whatever she does and whatever I and your brother do. No one can treat you like a punching bag and get away with it" Uwale finished her long lecture with a sigh.
She's trying her best, calming her volatile heart from exploding her hot venom on the witch that Fatimah is by trying to follow Musa's plan.
His strategy to deal with Fatimah is way better than whatever she could come up with and she's proud of him as a mother.
"To nidai aci ubanta tun yanzu bazan iya jure bakin cikin nan ba. All I want is to see that she's been dealt with soon. I can't stomach her presence and all this nonsense" Basira angrily clamored, banging her fist on the nearest furniture.
"Tsk tsk just let us be, my daughter. Yarinya batasan wuta ba he ta taka (Hausa proverb- A girl doesn't know how hot fire is until she matches it)".
"And pa Uwale.."
"Shhh I think she's back. Be quiet" Uwale pressed a finger to her lips, ears perked confirming whose movements she was hearing.
She knew that if it was Musa he would walk into her room straight but Fatimah never enters this area of the house.
"She's back" Uwale whispered.
"But don't you think we should use the pesticide too? To weaken her first before he does it and she dies" Basira whispered back in her mother's ear.
"I thought as much but it will draw too much attention when she starts convulsing and besides we're going to make money from her. Haven't you seen the one thousand naira note she gave me yesterday and the day before it? Nasan juye takeyi" Uwale warily muttered.
It was 5pm already.
"Kuma (And) Uwale I have an appointment with Alhaji Talle but now I can't even walk properly. How appealing is that?" she asked sarcastically "I would be of no use to him until I recover. Naso in tatse shi dakyau kuma yau na rantse kinga yadda yake sake kudi? Tab kaman a bishiya yike tsinka " Basira uttered in annoyance. She wanted to extort money from his system.
"Don't worry you would soon get better and everything would be back to normal just wait and see"
Fatimah glared at the plate that was kept by the door when she got back from the toilet.
With an annoyed huff she jerked her door open and slid the plate into the room by her foot. She has eaten enough to last her a day or me.
After praying she took the bowl and sniffed it.
It's bad news. She noted.
With an exaggerated roll of the eye ball she counted the money gathered from today's sale. She refused to accept money from his today with a turbulent ferocity. He left without even wishing her farewell like he does each and every time they meet. He got really annoyed because she rejected his help.
They argued for some minutes before he left angrily. Afterwards, she felt bad. He was just trying to help but she feels like it's not fair to be accepting money from his like a reincarnation of Basira.
Hell no. Fatimah thought, waiting for the Adhaan for Maghrib to be said.
A knock sounded on the door and before she could welcome the person at the other side of it, the door opened and in walked Uwale.
The creepy smile once again on her face.
"Pati se naji ki shiru ai na zata cewan zaki dan leqo ciki? (I thought you would come into where we are but you didn't)" she spoke her gold tooth glinting as she smiled. Her hands drawn forward waiting for money to be placed there.
I wonder how she got the gold tooth but it has been there ever since Fatimah could remember.
Fatimah scoffed at Uwale's words, they never let her enter the house talkless of Uwale's room. So how can they expect her to just walk in. Pathetic.
Fatimah handed her the change which consisted of even 10 naira notes which wasn't what Uwale anticipated for amd expected. She counted the money and there was no extra.
"Bakiyi juyen bane yau?" Uwale angrily let the words slip through her lips. Scolding herself afterwards for it, now Fatimah will think that she's faking the truce. She was asking of why Fatimah didn't trade the groundnuts with her body today which is what Uwale has been thinking that Fatimah does this days.
Bewildered, Fatimah faced Uwale "Juye kuma?" she asked incredulously.
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- Writer
