Breaking free

Episode 36

2 months later:

" Sani ina kake?" I said through the phone while holding my suitcase. ( Where are you?) Sani is Baba's driver

" Ganinan, yanzu na ke shigo wa" ( Here I am, it's now that I'm coming in)

I just came back from Paris for work. I've been there for 2 weeks and I already miss my children.

They were staying with Mami when I was gone but went back to my parents house yesterday.

I saw Baba's car and pulled my suitcase toward the car. Sani got out and put my suitcase in the back.

I got in the car and we drove out the airport.

" Mummy mun iso" I say through the phone. ( We have arrived)

" That's good, what do you want to eat?" She asks me.

" Pounded yam Mummy" I grin just thinking about it.

" OK toh, sai kin iso" she drops the call.

It takes us about 45minutes to one hour to get home. As soon as I enter the house, I enter the guest toilet to ease myself.

I hear the twins screams upstairs so I go up and see them playing with Yusuf.

" Maama!" They both run towards me when they see me.

I hugged them and they start telling me about what Uncle Yusuf has been doing to them.

" Yusuf stop terrorising my kids" I gently hit him.

I go in to see Mummy and Baba. I inform them on how my meeting went and while lying down on mummy's lap cause my back hurts

" I'm very hungry, let me go eat." I stand up stretching my back. I've already removed my veil so my hair can breath.

I went to the dining room and that's when I saw the pounded yam. I was soo happy so I quickly washed my hands and began eating.

" Assalamu Alaikum" Ali said entering the dining. He basically lives here now.

" Wa alaykum salam" I mumble due to the food in my mouth.

" When did you come back?" He pulls a seat next to me.

" Now" I say.

" How was parìs?" He put some egusi on his plate.

" I was humbled but it was nice still." I laughed

I gisted him about how one police officer almost made me remove my hijab.

As soon as I was done, I excuse myself and go take a nap in my room.

I woke up to the voices of the twins in my room.

" Daddy look, Maama is sleeping" Amma turned the ipad towards my direction as I squinted to get used to the light.

" Maama here, talk to daddy." She hands me the ipad and she sits beside me.

" Ina wuni" I greeted him.

" Lafiya, how are you doing?" He asked.

" I'm good Alhamdullilah, you?" I reply.

" Alhamdullilah." He says and we both keep quiet.

He looks different, his beard has grown much more and he looks lighter.

Amma snatches the ipad away.

" Meh haka Amma, don't do that again" I warn her.

She looks at me and rolls her eyes.

" Did you just roll your eyes at me?, eh!" I grab her hands.

Tears start forming in her eyes but even though I feel bad, I don't break character.