UNDER 168 HOURS [BOOK 1, 168 HOURS SERIES]

Chapter 75: Food Hawking business.

It was very early in the morning. Humaira prepared rice and beans and carefully but them into two big nylon bags. She made delicious stew with fresh, boiled meat and poured it into a small cooler. She placed everything on a stainless tray and placed it on her head. Meanwhile, She tied Hadee to her back and hand him a toy to play with.
She placed her tiny Nokia phone inside a small black purse and hanged it to the side of her waist and set off to  go out.

Just about closing the gate, she saw Star's Jeep coming towards her. She stood by a corner, waiting for star to pass. She wind down the window and pocked her head out to see who it was.

"Omg! It's Humaira?" Star muttered in disbelief.

"What are you doing outside this early and where are you going?"

"I'm off to hustle, Star. I won't be long, I'll be back by afternoon."

"Seriously?" Star stared at her speechlessly. It's just 7:30 am. What if Hadee catch scold? You know he easily gets sick. Why don't you stay at home and take care of your son?

"Would you take care of him for me?"

"And why would I? I'm not his mother."

There's nothing to worry about, I need to get to the junction as quick as possible. Excuse me... Humaira turned away with the tray of food on her head, leaving Star with her annoying questions.

'When I stay at home, she called me lazy. Now, I want to hustle and she's calling me heartless. It might be difficult at least it's better that going into prostitution. I'll be proud of myself if I suffer like this than suffering and sleeping with elderly men. What unbearable life... I wonder how she manage.' Humaira thought as she crossed the road path shouting buy Your delicious food here! Ofada Rice and honey beans!! Good meat for twenty naira!

(Star's P.O.V)

'What unbearable life? I wonder how she copes. Only if she would join me even once? Isn't it better than going through all these unreasonable stress? How long would she gather #50,000? Poor boy, I hope the Alhaji realises his mistakes. He should come and get her out of this poverty Abeg.' she opens the gates and drives her car into the wide compound.

***

Humaira went round the area. From shop to shop and street to street. People love her food. It tasted so delicious that they quickly bought it all. Carpenter and kiosk owners ordered for her food the most. After 3 hours of hawking, the whole leather and cooler of food were empty. She had sold everything except for two pieces of meat in a small cooler.

Yeeehh! Yeeeeeehhhhh!! yeeeeeehhhhhh!!!

Hadee started crying again. He had woken up, played and even urinated in his diaper before Humaira could attend to him.  Hadee was still breastfeeding so, his mother sat down in a corner and breastfeed him a bit. He wasn't feeling comfortable all through. Humaira noticed is diaper was wet so she took it off and went home to rest.

When she got home, she happily counted her money. It was #1,545 in totality but two customers were owning her #55 change. She was meant to collect it the following day.

Humaira took Hadee into the bathroom and gave him a warm bath. He sucked breastmilk and slept almost immediately. She gently laid him by her side and stared at him with a happy-sad look. As if she was happy about something and wanted to cry too.

'Alhamdulillah, today was successful. Everything worked out well. Nothing bad actually happened and they're living in a good house but... How long would she be able to gather that much money? What would happen to Hadee if he don't receive his treatment on time? What would happen to my poor baby?...' Tears flowed down from the side of her eyes as she watched him  sleep soundly.

'It's  so painful, she always had to go through one struggle or another. As one pain goes, another arises? When would all of these end Ya Allah?' She thought and gently kiss his forehead.

Just then, she felt a sharp pain at the side of her neck and shoulders. Definitely, it was the pain of the weight she had carried on her head. She had wanted to go again that evening but she decided to rest.

***

Later that evening, Star entered the kitchen and prepared dinner. Humaira wanted to join in the cooking but Star stopped her.

"Just go to your room and rest. You must be tired, from today's work."

"No I'm not tired. I'm just stressed."

"You see? Just leave the cooking for me. I almost through with it anyway."

"Okay." Humaira smiled.

"Wait..." Star called back. "So how was it?"

"What? Humaira turned back at star, trying to recall what she's asking about.

"Today's business. Did it move well?"

"Oh Yes!... I think everybody loves my food." She joyfully admitted.

"Wow! That's good to hear but..."

"But what?" Humaira moved closer. She couldn't understand why Star was questioning her like this but she guessed she's just being concerned.

Are you really happy hawking food around? How long would you have to hawk before you gather enough money?

Star, just let me be would you. You've done a lot for but but please stop questioning me as if you don't know the answer to the questions you're asking. It's not the matter of being happy hawking food, it's the matter of what I want. It's not as if I have a choice here, since you aren't willing to help me with the treatment money, I had to find a way. I know it would take a lot but I'm ready to face the world and do anything for my son. If this is what I'll do for him to live a better life,so be it! It's not too much for a mother to sacrifice herself for her child's happiness, is it?"

"What about school? You're resuming next weekend. How would you cope?"

"I'll hawk after school hours?"

"Really?..." Star espanciates as she felt surprised. She couldn't believe those words just fell from Humaira's mouth. "Wouldn't you have loose your customers but then or have you forgotten food are best eaten in the morning."

"Whatever... I can skip classes or better still stop going to school."

"You don't mean it? You want to drop out because of Hadee's Autism? You want to give up on education."

"There would always be time Star, learning has no age limit. I would go into business little by little. If I make it in life, I can go back to school."

"Is... Is that what you really want? What about your sister? What would you tell her when she asks you why?"

Humaira's lips rambled something incoherently as if she was confused, herself.

"You said what?!"

"I don't know, Star." Humaira mumbled.
"Destiny can be delayed not denied. It's might be slow and difficult but it's definitely better than Prostitution!"

"It's not what you call it, Humaira. It's runs, it's husling. It's using what you have to get what you want. It's not as if I'm asking you to sleep with all the men in the world... Am I don't doing it?"

"I can't Star! I'm not you and It's not my lifestyle."

"What are you hiding from the world? Isn't that what that stupid Alhaji did without paying you five naira till today? What have you done about it? What had happened to you instead? You got pregnant and you're taking the responsibility. It's you, Humaira! Only you!" She closed her eyes and slowly let out a deep breath.

"Follow me, Humaira. I'll link you to someone very rich. It's not as if you'll satisfy him everyday... Just do it for a while, then you'll stop pamarnently, whenever you want..."