HEART OF GOLD

CHAPTER 7: HOW WORSE COULD THINGS BE!

The day had been hectic and stressful. Making it even worse was the sun whose heat seems to be at its peak at the moment. 

It was a fact that Sokoto is one of the hottest cities in the world with maximum daytime temperatures generally under 40 °C (104.0 °F) most of the year, and the dryness makes the heat unbearable. 

Also, the fact that work for Tony these days was at the top of the almost completed mast at about 40 meters above the ground makes things frustrating.

He was on his way from work. His friend, Alex had gone to check out something in town. So, Tony was alone, eager to get home on time so that he'd gift himself with a refreshing bath of cold water. 

As he lifted his head, he saw Miriam sitting on the pavement of his house. He stood transfixed to the spot for a couple of minutes, just staring, trying to figure her out.

Something was very wrong - Her hair that was usually neatly packed was unkempt and tears were flowing incessantly down her face and her clothes was damped with a mixture of tears and sweat. 

His heart was instantly drawn to her and with his leg on autopilot mode, he hurriedly covered the distance between them.

"Miriam, why are you crying?" He asked,  checking her over, he was a bit relieved when he found no physical harm inflicted on her but she kept crying and does not seem to be in a position of answering him anytime soon. So, he held her tenderly and spoke again, looking her right in the face, "Miriam, listen to me, you have to put yourself together and talk to me because I can be of no help to you not knowing what the matter is. You know you can trust me, right?" This got a response from her as she nodded through her tears. 

"Good, well since we are here already, let's go inside so we can talk."

He took her inside and sat her down, "now tell me, what is the matter."

She sniffed and wiped tears off her face with an handkerchief Tony gave her a moment ago, "sorry for coming here, Mma Rasidat and the family have been transfer and I don't have anywhere to go." Her eyes were glassy as she blinked severally struggling to hold her tears back.

Tony held her by the shoulder and stared into her eyes, "see Miriam, you don't have to be sorry for coming here. You are always welcome here. You are now my friend now, remember?"

She nodded.

"Good, so a person doesn't have to be sorry for visiting a friend." He paused a little and continued. "So, now that we are cleared on that, can you tell me what is bordering you."

At this point, she narrated everything that transpired earlier to him. To say he was shock was an understatement. He never expected the matter to be this bad. 

For her sake, he managed to conceal his shock and suppress his boiling rage. 

How could her father be this insensitive and callous? Do people still practice child marriage in this age? He thought.

75 years old man, currently having five wives. For real! How worse can things be! 

What kind of father is that? The man had no shame at all.  Firstly, he exposed his eleven years old daughter to child labour, now this? He didn't even have the decency to marry her to someone younger and unmarried.

I doubt if he understands the gravity of the consequences of his erroneous and rash decision. He is so blinded by greed that he cannot foresee the effects his action will have on Miriam, his own daughter. 

He clenched his right fist very hard as he drew her in for a hug with his left hand, allowing her to empty her grieve.

And for that shameless old man, Alhaji Sani or whatever his name is, he clenched his fist harder imagining himself crushing his windpipe. For a man who has almost exhausted his lifespan, he is very wicked. Can he take this from any man? 

It's very painful to know that men like him still exist out there. I am very certain that he ensures that all his children and grandchildren have the best of life but here he is ready to make miserable and shatter the world of another man's child just because he has the money to throw around.

I can't just sit back and allow this to happen to Miriam, no way. He shook his head, I just can't do that.

Marrying a 75 years old husband is not what I will pray for or imagine for any woman let alone a child - it is good for nothing else but making an early widow. 

Beside, how can an eleven years old girl survive the competitive nature of polygamous marriage? Especially in a case where she will be set up against five others, most of whom are old enough to be her mother, already having children that are older than her, some even had grandchildren.

And the most annoying part of polygamy as practiced in this part of the country is the fact that they will all live together in the same house. 

This is inhuman; it is totally unacceptable.

Though having trouble calming down himself, Tony managed to calm her down and send her home with a promise to help only that she would have to give him a little time to work out a plan.

A/N: What is your take about this chapter.

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