Alhaji Abdullah just touched down in Kano and was on his way to his in-law's house. He'd sent Hajiya Waleeda a few days ago and they'd summoned him to try to find ways to sort this mess out.
His father in-law wasn't in support but her step-mother was in full support. The only thing they agreed on was not wanting her to suffer but they'd already complained enough. Now they sought a solution in their hopeful wish to send her back to her husbands house.
The driver has just stopped at the gate and he went out, slinging his small bag onto his small shoulder as the gate was opened for him.
He rang the door bell and used his large toe to push the loafers off his left leg and did the same to get it off his right leg.
Arfa, one of his twin sister in-laws opens the door, greeting with her knees to the floor without her looking at him for fear he'd see the shame she felt in her older sisters place.
"Ina inna da baba?" Where's mother and father? He asked as she faces him after closing the door.
She continues to the living room as she answers his question "Suna cikin parlour." They're in the living room.
He enters with a salam and squats to greet them whilst holding the arm of a chair. The heaviness of the bag weighed on his shoulder but he waited till they acknowledged his greeting before he moved to sit on a chair.
"Abdullah, ya..." how's...
Alhaji Abdullah hoped he wouldn't finish that sentence because he wouldn't know which children to answer correctly for.
Baba clears his throat, scratching the back of his neck nervously "Ya hanya?" How was the trip?
"Lafiya kalau Baba." It was fine baba. He kept quiet, waiting for them to speak of the elephant in the room.
Mama doesn't know what to say so she just stands up to bring drinks for their visitor. She returns just as Hajiya Waleeda stumbles into the living room to kneel before her husband in greeting before going to sit beside her mothers legs.
Alhaji Abdullah only looks at her and nods then turns his attention to her parents.
"Our son" Her step-mother joins her hands together in manner of pleading "Please, let your wife return to her house."
"She betrayed me inna."
"And we're sorry." Baba adds.
"Please accept our apology on her behalf." Her mother began to inch closer to the edge of the chair slowly till her knees met the floor.
Alhaji Abdullah shakes his head " Mama ki tashi." Mama stand up. His frown deepens when she doesn't move "I think it's better if she stays here for a while."
"Will you take her back?" She stares deeply into his eyes which only make him shy so he looks away.
He cleared his throat "Yes."
"Thank y.." Hajiya Waleeda begins but he ignores her. He didn't want to do it but he fathered those children and breaking the only home they know wouldn't do him or them any good.
He stands up, opens the door and leaves. If Hajiya Waleeda was to follow him out he'd get more angry than he already was. She did follow him but he'd already went out when she got there so she went in quietly to sulk in her room.
She caught her sisters watching from their room and frowns. She was an embarrassment and they knew it.
"Inna, he's still angry." Hajiya Waleeda bursts into tears as she enters the house and meets her mother at the door.
YOU ARE READING
I See Fire
ChickLitFather, mother and children all have secrets. A child finds out and decides to use it to help them. She decides to run away but without forgetting to write each of them a letter so who's going to find what first? It's a fight to the death. Everyone...
