Her Little Secret(Prior)

Chapter 26 *sightsaver*

Mudathir

I waited for the morning Sun to rise so I can leave this hell hole my parents called a home.

Mother had been throwing a tantrum since yesterday for a reason unknown to me and it just became worst in the night. The whole house is in uproar.

The maids are scared to leave yet, they were not allowed inside. So everyone stood around, outside at alert.

I had to come out too, because they wouldn't stop trying to make me interfere which is just as fruitless.

Baba simply walked to his room and bolt it. I don't think he's really sleeping but he refused to pay attention to anything going around.

Mother would shout ridiculous orders to the maids to break the door or something and when they try to, she'll tell them to get out of her sight and dare Baba to ignore her rants once again.

My two younger twin sisters snuggle up on me on each side of my arms. They were the only reason I stayed back in this house at my age. At twenty, they understood that they'll never have a normal family. Or a normal mother.

I can't imagine how hurtful that is to them. So when they each snuggle up on my arms as I stood watching my mother helplessly, I took their comfort as a way to calm my raging heart.

She'll calm down in few days and all the workers who had witness this event will be replaced. But I wonder why she doesn't really care to replace the memories we had of her displaying such distasteful drama with something else.

It doesn't have to be something extra, just a normal mother child interaction. Not the high and mighty mother expecting everyone to bow down for her, even her children.

"Iman"

"Ihsan" I called. When I was sure I have their attention both, I smiled down at them and said "let's leave to the Sa'ads tomorrow for the wedding"

They nodded happily and come what may, I'll leave this house tomorrow morning with my sisters. At least, for now. Until the wedding is over.

*

"So that was what happened?"

Baba nodded. It was after subh in the morning and we were walking back to the house with Baba while he was explaining what happened.

Apparently, Anty Fatima who had applied for her masters in Switzerland and refused to come back home for years to save mother's face had just gotten married and Baba had attended.

It was a shocking news and even I wanted to throw a tantrum. Baba didn't even think it's necessary for me to know or any of her sisters.

It was enough that Ibrahim was there, he said. But I felt my heart breaking into several pieces at the realization. Baba really wouldn't work towards making us family again.

He wasn't happy with it, but he still isn't going to say anything about it. He seem to think that was a way to make mother realize her mistakes. But I knew it'd just push her to make more mistakes. And my heart ache for my younger sisters.

They are too delicate to face such trial like Mrs Yagana as a mother and Alhaji Muhammad as a father.

You see, I have two elder siblings, Ibrahim Khalifa, and Fatima. When Ya Ibrahim got married, he relocated to porthacourt and bang a job in Agib. I didn't know how he did it but luck was on his side and he was transferred to UK.

Anty Fatima had gone for holidays and without a word, he relocated to UK unannounced with her. And since then, neither of them came back home. They only call once in a while.

That was about seven years ago. And now Anty Fatima is married in Switzerland and she didn't even bother to let us know.

"Uhm! Baba, I was thinking ni da su ihsan zamu wuce gidansu Alhaji sa'ad acigaba da shirye-shiryen damu" I completed in a breath.

Baba looked at me for long and I was scared he'll sense my hostility towards his decision so I lowered my head.

"It's okay, Mudathir. Keep up the good work" he said patting my shoulders.

I watch him walk past me towards mother's wing.

"I'll go talk to Yagana" he said and I almost laugh remembering how she waited by his door until he open his door to leave for mosque this morning before she emptied a bucket of water on him leaving the maids to clean her mess.

"It was quite a sight" ihsan had muttered solemnly and fear gripped me.

She's very uninterested in her parents!