AMAL: hope

CHAPTER THREE.

  

AMAL.

  

    Mama was sitting on the bed counting her gains from today's sales. I was playing with Jummai on the floor teaching her how to count numbers and alphabet. Which she exposed her toothless gum laughing at Godsknown what. I guess up till today none has the ability to translate a baby's language. She crawled to Mama and started tapping her legs making Mama's attention to be divided, after she was sure she got Mama's attention she just started laughing and them hid behind me, making both me and Mama to laugh to her humor. This lively moment was cut short the moment Abu entered our room without knocking, you could see he had a furious look on his face, ready to tear apart anyone that was the cause of his anger, which was unfortunately Mama. What the hell did those vile women told Abu that made him burst in fury as he entered our room not even acknowledging Jummai who squeak when she saw Abu. On a normal day,he did carry her, but today the situation seems different.

     " How heartless are you Aminatu. What is wrong with you?" He shouted angrily. Jummai hid behind me in fear.

   " What did I do today." Mama asked as she kept her money aside. It looks like she wasn't going to be quite today. She stood up looking at him with her furious eyes matching his.

    " How dare you slap Basma and push her to the ground. What of she loses her baby?  Why are you wicked?" He shouted. Mama gave a sacastical laugh, not of joy but of being lied against again and again.

   " So that is what they said I did today." Mama said. She wasn't shocked again this wasn't the first time neither the last. She picked Jummai who was making a mess of the money she had arranged, I admire Jummai love for freedom. She doesn't even care about what is happening around her.

    " What if she loses her baby? What kind of jealous woman are you? All the things you are doing to my sister and Basma don't think I am aware of them." He said pointing an accusing finger at Mama, who just laughed and took a wrapper to strap her baby on her back.

   " Firstly, you barge into my room. I won't complain cause it's your house. Just to tell me nonsense. I pushed Basma? Is she worthy of my time? Secondly I didn't even know she was pregnant, cause no one told me and as a matter of fact I don't care to kn.." mama couldn't complete the word know as a slap landed on her cheeks. Yes, Abu slapped her. We were both shock and the look on Abu's face said he wasn't regretting it.

  " Sanusi Abba Dogari, you slapped me." Mama asked to be sure that it wasn't her illusion.

" And I will slap you and slap you again and again without any remorse. If you dare do anything to hurt Basma. Am tired of all this your nonsense. Just cause am just tolerating you. You are so useless that you couldn't give birth to a boy rubbish." He spat out. Is this my father or an imposter?

He bang the door on our face. Mama held her cheeks in shock as she slumped to the floor. Jummai as if understanding her mother's pain crawl and sat on her laps with a hand on mama's cheeks. I came close to Mama and she hug us together. I heard Mama sniff back a tears back.

" Are you crying mama. Let's run away and go to Kebbi I don't like here also." I said. Mama cupped my face in her palm, as she looked into my eyes with her teary eyes.

" Baby T, am not crying something flew into my eyes, and no need to go to Kebbi,. Your father was angry that I pushed aunty Basma which I admit I was wrong." Mama said as she held me looking deep into my eyes that I felt pain as if there was a telepathy communication that can send her pain to me. Which I wish it could, but I knew I couldn't handle the pain.

" But you didn't push Basma. Her and Ina said a lot of wicked things to you." I said trying to see if mama will reason with me which she didn't.

" Baby T go and perform ablution and pray." She said to let me leave her which I did to give space, but it seems I gave her enough space that Mama drown herself deeper into the problem.