KAFTAN

Chapter 21

"Father I know that you hate me so much, but do you have to always ruin everything for me to?"Muhammad asked once he barged into his father's house.

" You seem to have lost your manners young man" Mr Sani Bello eyed his son.

" I lost my manners the moment you decided to go after the woman I love"

Sani Bello laughed " The woman you love yet you cannot tell her about your health status, you are so pathetic"He mocked his son

" It's none of your business what I tell her or what I don't. First mother and then you"

" Just stop ranting, very soon you'd realize how foolish you are. None of my sons have disgraced me as much as you have"

" You think so? "Muhammad teased him, the glint in his eyes. Umar was at the far end of the sitting room and Kassism too.

Umar at once bent his head away from his father's gaze.

"Is there something I need to know?" Sani Bello thundered and directed his gaze to his two sons.

"I'm in love with someone father, I know you might not approve but I really do love her"Umar spoke up.

" Who is she? "

Umar went to Binta's duty post and brought her before his father.

Sani Bello sank on the couch in despair,what were his sons turning into, first an Igbo girl and now a maid, only God knows how Kassism loved, maybe a begger.

"Just get out! All of you!" Sani Bello yelled at the top of his voice.

**
Once Ebere sighted Hadiza in front of Axiom book club building, she knew trouble was brewing. She prayed several times too that nothing would happen.

Hadiza was wearing an ankara kimono, her turban tied firmly to her head and her face devoid of makeup. The looks in her eyes spelt trouble, Ebere could sense it from where she stood.

"Hello" Hadiza stopped Ebere on her tracks, it seemed she was the most wanted person on the planet with the way people were coming to see her.

"Hi" She replied curtly, a smile on her face

Hadiza eyed her wearily and Ebere noticed the contempt in her eye.

"If you stopped me just to look at me at way, then I must be on my way now"Ebere spoke out confidently.

" I wonder why you have so much guts. You are happy right? You are happy he ditched me on my engagement day, how would you feel if you were the one, I know you are cheap but destroying a marriage is way too low even for you"

Ebere chuckled to get on her nerves, she was now called cheap.

"Maybe if you work on your attitude, he may probably spare a glance at you"Ebere advised.

" Home wrecker"Hadiza insulted her.

"Stop chasing men my dear, he actually picked me sis, so stop acting like a child and move on with your life. It's that simple"

Hadiza was done being diplomatic, she slapped Ebere thrice without even counting her breath.

Ebere couldn't remember the last time she fought, of course she fought a lot when she was a teen and somehow she found that strength and before long, she had tackled Hadiza to the floor, covering her face with punches.

"This is for touching me bitch, so don't think I dealt with you because of a man that was never yours from the beginning"

***
Ebere didn't know beating Hadiza would land her in the police station for physical assult, Hadiza's mouth was only swollen, something a cold pack of ice would have solved.

She had spent only an hour in the cell when her parents arrived. Once she got to the counter, she saw the disappointed look on her mother's face.

Before Ebere could ever tender an apology, two hot slaps had landed on her face, the slap had a stinging effect, of course, it was an African mother's hand. She had closed her eyes on the impact and when she opened her eyes, she saw the burning rage in the older woman's eyes.

"You are a disgrace to me, a disgrace to our family, didn't I warn you about that muslim boy, now you had the guts to fight and land in cell, if you were a child, I would have flogged the living demon out of you!"

Tears rolled down freely on Ebere's cheek, her father was quietly looking at her with an expression less face, Ebere wished he could tell at her, the silent treatment was killing, the way he just looked at her. It scared her.

Nobody wanted to hear her side of the story. Her parents bailed her. She was happy to be out of cell,the place was crazy and the police men highly unprofessional.

"Na big man pikin your daughter beat so o,na because na small case we dey collect 20k o"The constable on duty said.

Ebere scoffed, police are your friends was a fake mantra that didn't apply in Nigeria, but Ebere didn't breath a word about it.

She thought of several way to apologise as they drove home, none was forthcoming and so she kept quiet throughout the ride, listening to Mercy Chinwo sing about excess love

***