Za'afar

iv

Maryam's POV

The trip to Baba's part seem to take forever when it was only some foots away.

Yaya Rahama was the one who rang the door bell with a Bismillah.

We waited for a while before it opened revealing Aunty Hawwa our father's young wife, who is merely yaya Aisha's age mate.

Like all the cliché Cinderella stories, aunty Hawwa is not so generous to us, sometimes she goes on our favour, sometimes she doesn't, she's very unpredictable.

"Come in" she rarely gave us a glance as we followed her inside.

She went upstairs to call him as we wait for him to show up.

We dare not to sit on his Porsche chairs, instead we kneel on the carpeted floor.

"What do you think he's going to say" Khadija mumbled to no one in particular.

Yaya Rahama shrugged.

Footsteps descending down the stairs and chuckles made me raise my head.

It was Baba and aunty Hawwa clinging unto his arm with no shame whatsoever and giggling like a school girl with her crush, I mentally rolled my eyes.

Can he hurry up so we can just get over it.

He leisurely took his time before he sat down and cleared his throat.

"Baba ina wuni" we all greeted in unison.

He grunted a reply.

"Rahama" he started going straight to the point "Alhaji Auwal ya kawo kudin auren ki, and we have already decided, your marriage will take place upper week per his say, because he feels it's not right to rush you into this too quick, what a thoughtful man....and I hope you will give me your full support" he finished in a monotone.

"Yes Baba" she replied in a strained voice trying hard not to cry.

"And khadija, Alhaji Habu has seek your hand for his son, Kamal, he's not yet ready, but this is to notify you that I have approved of him"

"Yes Baba" she also answered.

"And Maryam" he drawled "is it that you have inherited your mother's black faith, or you're not beautiful enough to find a husband, no one has come for your hand, absolutely no one, your younger sister is already ahead of you, you're 21 for God sake, you have started getting old at your father's house, what a shame" he shake his head in disappointment "I think I will just have to find you one by myself" he mumbled, but I heard, dread fill my mind, oh God please let it not be true.

"You can go" he said after a while.

With a heavy heart, we dragged our soulless selves out of his place.

Am not one to cry, but this really got me.

Mama is already in the compound spreading the already washed clothes on the line.

She took in our moods and choose not to say anything.

"Kawo na shanya" yaya rahama requested.

"No, it's alright, am done already" mama replied keeping the empty bucket aside.

Yaya rahama and mama sat with the two of us on the mat, neither saying anything.

"So, what did he say" mama asked.

We all gave each other a look, deciding on who's to go first.

Khadija started with her less bad story.

"He said Alhaji Habu has seek my hand in marriage for his son"

"Which one"

"Kamal"