WHISPERS OF ENCHANTÉ

21: never say never

Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Siyama woke up the next morning and hurried through her routine, ready to meet her supervisor. Yasmin had already left for work; Madam Gloria wasn't feeling well, so she wanted them there early.

Siyama yanked open their old, creaky wardrobe, and the loose door nearly came off its hinges, making her shriek before she hastily shoved it back into place. She glared at the rickety thing and rifled through the pile of neatly ironed clothes.

She finally pulled out an ankara gown that had faded slightly, tied the matching headscarf, and wrapped a brown veil around her head that complemented the fabric's pattern. She slipped on her worn slippers and made her way to the door.

Just as she was about to step out of their flat, her Tecno phone buzzed in her hand. Her supervisor's name flashed across the screen. Knowing all too well the reputation the woman had, she quickly answered and greeted her.

Dr. RF was notorious for her iron will; she was a woman who never bent to anyone, not even the polytechnic's rector. Siyama had tried to figure out what made her so unyielding, but all she knew was that the woman carried herself with an air of authority that intimidated everyone.

"I'm not coming to school anymore. Finish your chapter four and send it to my WhatsApp in PDF form before next week," Dr. RF's voice came through sharply before the call ended abruptly.

For a moment, Siyama stared at her phone, unsure whether to feel relieved or worried that her supervisor hadn't asked for chapter three, which she had only just completed the day before. Maybe she wouldn't request it, and Siyama would be done with it.

She let out a squeal of delight and rushed back into the flat to hug her mother. She hadn't been looking forward to a day filled with Dr. RF's constant critiques of every line in her project.

Who even made their students handwrite entire chapters these days? Only Dr. RF, who seemed to think her doctorate was a level above everyone else's. But Siyama knew better than to complain.

"Now I will definitely go deaf. Another daughter squealing like that? Please leave that for Baby," Fatima joked as she walked out of the room she shared with her husband.

"Dr. RF isn't coming to school, Maa!" Siyama exclaimed, hugging her mother tightly, inhaling the soft scent of her Mousuf perfume, a gift from last year's birthday.

"Ah, barka," Fatima laughed, patting her daughter's back affectionately.

She knew how much the project had stressed Siyama. She had seen a seriousness in her usually carefree daughter that was new. While she didn't entirely agree with the supervisor's methods, she could see how they pushed her daughter to work harder.

"Now, with this transport money, I'm going to buy kosai. I've been craving Baaba's kosai for a while now," Siyama declared, pulling out a crumpled green five-hundred-naira note from her bag.

"And what will you do if she decides to see you tomorrow?" her mother asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She won't. There's no way she expects me to finish a whole chapter in one day. Besides..." she grinned, wiggling her brows. "Tomorrow is the 25th, which means...?"

"Payment day," Fatima chimed in, playing along. They high-fived each other with a loud clap.

"Exactly! I'll surprise Yasmin tomorrow with some fish. She's totally forgotten what day it is," Siyama beamed.

"I've noticed she's been distracted since yesterday," Fatima said, her eyes narrowing as she observed her eldest daughter. "Is there something I should know about?"