NOT MARIAM

Chapter 2

Mariam rolled her eyes watching how Bashir hungrily starts to dig into the food like he always does.

"Our three months bride ....this your step wife's food eh! I just had to force it down my gullet."
Bashir complained after devouring all the rice making a popping sound as he licks his fingers one by one reminiscing the taste of the jollof rice made by Basira.

Mariam shrugged nonchalantly and kept on looking at him unbelievably internally hoping that Basira won't actually come back to ask for her food.

Mariam and Bashir began to converse into the recents happening of the country until the conversation was somehow turned towards the recent happenings of the house.

"Is Amir still drinking ?" Bashir asked out of nowhere catching Mariam of guard.

"Yes...uhm..he came back drunk down couple of minutes before you entered." Mariam responded awkwardly.

"Mariam c'mon forgive my bro, he's slowly fading all because of your rejection Mariam." Bashir said trying to stand up for Amir who he knows still loves Mariam, Bashir himself was surprised to find out that Amir had lied to Mariam in order to get her to marry him.

Mariam was about to say something when the sound of some home approaching was heard as she turned her attention behind her to see Basira coming towards the living room in long fast strides.

She came and stood right in front the empty food flask that Bashir just finished, the fuming anger that's visible on Basira's face made Bashir to silently and sneakingly leave the house to escape being warned for finishing Basira's food.

"There should be no valid reason for you to eat up my food leaving the food flask for me to wash !" Basira said while pointing at Mariam with an index finger, the voice Basira used was so loud that Mariam predicated that the neighbors probably heard it since it's just a small wall that separating them.

"I thought you're not going to eat it." Mariam replied almost in a sarcastic tone, trying to defend Bashir in her motion.

"That food was meant to be in my husbands stomach, clearly you don't want to see me impressing him and so you did your act." Basira accused  as if wanting to fight with the quiet Mariam.

Mariam wanted to retaliate back, she wanted to reply back in the deadliest tone possible, but something deep inside her heart was just telling her to act calm and stop it from leading into a fight so she simply apologized still acting as a cover for Bashir.

Mariam sighed before saying "sorry ".

With that, She got up and entered her room banging her almost broken wooden door that termites have already started attacking, not caring whether it will  completely break or not.

Mariam jumped on her low bed that made a small sound due to the jerking movement. She could feel the metal of the bed under the thin matrass causing her and immense back pain.

There's always a small argument between her and Basira since the first day she stepped in to Amir's small house. And it has always been Basira initiating it by blaming Mariam over and over again for any done mistakes.

Mariam stretched her back on the bed as she stare at the white ceiling that has small holes on it with a few cracks.

Nobody needs to tell her that she needs to seek for an advice, at least from someone she can trust and the only person she could think of is Hussaina, a childhood friend of Mariam who is very much in love with nature.

That's what makes them similar, their love for 'Nature'.

She reached for her phone and dialed Hussaina's number which she has crammed. Hussaina picked the call almost instantly.

"I thought you'll never call me again !" Hussaina's loud voice was heard from the other line that Mariam had to take the phone away from her ears before bringing it back when the loudness of the voice subsided.

"Look please bestie, this is not the right time for all this 'I thought you'll never call me' talks, I mean of course I'll call you... " Mariam said, her voice sounding so calm and relaxed.

"I have something more important to tell you " She added.

"Alright, I'm all ears madam." Hussaina replied in a serious tone.

"He lied to me, he has a first wife already. " Mariam now said going straight to the point . The other line was quiet for some seconds before Hussaina now replied.
"You mean Amir ? " Hussaina asked still unsure of what she just heard.

Mariam rolled her eyes even though she knows that Hussaina can't see her since it's not a video call.

"Yes, of course ! Who else ? " Mariam replied back almost shouting, she wanted to be sure that nobody is hearing them so she went and fully closed the door that was slightly open before coming back to the bed.

"Ouch !" Hussaina winced in shock.

Mariam went ahead and narrated the whole story to her best friend, from how Amir lied to her, deceived her and brought her to a house where even basic needs like food is scarce.

".........so I stopped interacting with him " Mariam said as she finished summarizing the whole event.

"Are you sure you still want to stay with Amir ?" Hussaina's voice was heard from the other line.

"Just file for a divorce girl, if I was you I would have done that since when the man can't even feed me." Hussaina advised.

Mariam shook her head before replying with "I just got married to him three months ago, it's too early to file for a divorce ..."

Mariam heard the other line being quiet for some time before she heard Hussaina's voice saying "You can't stay and allow hunger to kill you in that house Mariam, you aren't even used to that type of lifestyle."

Mariam responded "I was thinking of being more patient you know..."

Hussaina hissed form the other line "Mariam you are not a robot without feelings, I don't know for how long your patient level can go. Like seriously...or do you need me to come and beat Amir up for you ?"

Mariam chuckled lightly before responding with a "No don't worry, you don't need to."

Hussaina replied "Trust me I have my stick ready, I can't believe he deceived you like this."

Mariam heard someone from the background of the other line shouting Hussaina's name. Hussaina shouted " Well talk later, Mama is calling me! Bye!" Before cutting the call.

Mariam sighed and threw her phone on the bed side drawer, it made a loud sound when she dropped it and she just hope that the screen did not break due to the amount of force she used.
 
Mariam soon closed her eyes and drifted into a deep sleep so that she'll not have to think about this whole situation going on in her life. Just the thought of having to wake up in Amir's house sickens her.

Thinking about it makes her to regret not obeying her parent when they told her not to marry Amir. Her mothers instinct turned out to be right, Amir's sincerity is fouled.

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