So close, yet so far

15

KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

"Hauwa'u Amma kin bani kunya; I'm honestly disappointed in you." Mama said as she sniffed and wiped the tears from her face.
"I expected better from you, tarbiyan da na miki kenan; are these the values I instilled in you?!" Mama yelled, making Hauwa who had been silently crying on the floor to flinch.
"Answer me Mai-Jidda! Is this the values I instilled in you?" Hauwa who had been sitting a bit far away from mama, Aisha and Ali immediately scrambled to where the where and tried to hold mama's hand.

"I'm so so sorry mama, I know these aren't the values you instilled in me but I just couldn't help myself. Mama how can I marry a man I no longer—" Ali didn't let her finish her sentence and he snatched mama's hands away from hers and yelled at Hauwa,
"You are the reason our real mother died and now you want to kill this one too? But I will not let you." He screamed with bloodshot eyes.

Hauwa felt like she had been punched in the gut, her breath knocked out of her. She was shocked, heartbroken, and utterly devastated by Ali's words. She had never seen her brother so angry, his eyes blazing with a fierce intensity that made her recoil. She tried to defend herself, to explain, but her voice caught in her throat. No words could escape the lump of pain and hurt that had formed.

As Ali's accusations hung in the air, Hauwa felt like she was drowning in a sea of guilt and shame. She had never imagined that her brother thought she was responsible for their mother's death. The weight of his blame crushed her, and she felt like she was suffocating under the pressure.

Finally, she managed to stammer out a response, her voice barely above a whisper."So all along you thought it was my fault she died... when I'm also a victim? Well, I'm sorry for ruining your lives, and I'll try to stay away from Mama from now on so I don't get her killed." The words felt like acid on her tongue, burning with the pain and hurt she felt.

As she turned to run from the room, Hauwa felt like her heart was shattering into a million pieces. She couldn't bear the thought of being blamed for something she couldn't control. She couldn't bear the thought of losing her family's love and trust and it was all because of Sa'eed.

Mama's calls to stop her fell on deaf ears as Hauwa fled to her room, seeking solace in the darkness and silence. She felt like she was losing everything, like her world was crumbling around her.

Meanwhile, Ali's anger began to clear, replaced by a deep regret and sorrow. He realised too late that he had spoken out of turn, that his words had caused irreparable harm. He wanted to follow Hauwa, to apologise and make amends, but Aisha's firm hand on his chest held him back.

"Let me go talk to her," Aisha said, her voice soft but firm. "You're not thinking clearly when you're angry, Ali. You'll only make things worse."

As Aisha went after Hauwa, Ali was left standing alone, his heart heavy with the weight of his mistakes. He knew he had to make things right, to find a way to heal the wounds he had inflicted on his sister's heart.

Aisha entered the bedroom with a gentle knock, the soft creak of the door a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing inside. She saw Hauwa laying on her stomach on her bed, sobbing uncontrollably. The sound of her sister's anguish pierced Aisha's heart, and despite her own anger and disappointment, she couldn't help but feel a deep sense of compassion.

She sat beside Hauwa on the bed, her hand reaching out to rub her sister's back in gentle, soothing strokes. "Mai-Jidda, my dear, please don't cry," Aisha whispered, her voice barely audible over Hauwa's sobs.

Hauwa's body shook beneath Aisha's touch, her tears soaking into the pillow. She couldn't bear the weight of her family's blame, the crushing guilt that had been building up for so long.