Hurdles

CHAPTER 10

Surah An-Nahl, Verse 127:
وَاصْبِرْ وَمَا صَبْرُكَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ وَلَا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا تَكُ فِي ضَيْقٍ مِّمَّا يَمْكُرُونَ

And be patient and your patience is not but by (the assistance of) Allah, and grieve not for them, and do not distress yourself at what they plan.

Zaitun

"Ohh my dear aren't you the best, never cease to amaze one"

Aunty Halima appraised impressively at the Italian salad I just prepared which was much to my insistence making my heart flutter warmly and a smile gracing all over my face at the compliment which still feel foreign to my ears since its being a quite a while I was made to relish that feeling.

'Oh what a world_funny how what we once took for granted becomes that which we now long for'

"Aunty, should I dice.....I started but was cut short by the forced glare I was receiving.

"I thought I said its not aunty but mami and no there's nothing more for you to do here we've got it covered so shoo go and catch some rest and I think its already zuhr prayer time so off you go dear, will also head out now"

She said with a warmly and motherly affection as she always does which is just her nature as I've witnessed in my span of time here hence making me always crave and seize every opportunity I get to be in her company.

"Assalamu alaikum, mami the girls are back, where are you" came a shrill voice to whom the owner is very coherent to decipher.

"Ya Allah, I think that girl is set on a mission to deafen our ears" Mami said sighing earning giggles from the number of helps working in the kitchen and myself as well because we all know that this is just a norm to Hany_the drama queen.

"Zuzu" came an awfully close voice which made me dash quickly for the door to evade them making Mami to chuckle knowing very well the reason but much to my luck I was interjected by them at the door.

"OMG" I can't believe she ditched  the mall for the kitchen, ooo am so hurt"Hany clutched her heart dramatically feigning hurt.

"Well I guess everyone is just about seeing how pathetic and boring you are" said the voice of the person I hate encounters with laced with venom.

"Well, I will only forgive you when you try this killer gown I got for you dying to outshine on this damsel"

Hany said wiggling the shopping bags on her hand trying to clear the atmosphere and dragging me up amidst obviously to experiment the clothing but I didn't miss the intense glare by the one whom I've come to understand hate my very existence and think stupidly that I always usurp what's supposed to be hers_Sarah, my step mum's daughter.

No one dare not to be amazed at the magnificent and alluring view on which my eyes are feeding on from the French window I stood at which was perched proud on the east part of the guest room am occupying making me stare bewildered and surprised at the tremendous preparation going down in the garden and the whole of the humungous and exquisite mansion which had left me in awe on my first day here all for the arrival of their son who I heard went for a business project.

The view reflects serene peace, tranquility and harmony which I've found in my stay here contrary to our house which has now turned a living hell_to me alone I guess.

"Well, well, well am sure that sly mind of yours is conjuring up another mischievous thought right" I heard a voice from behind me drawling on each word and I know too well who it belong to than to be surprised.

"And what if I am? I answered squarely with a pointed look not in the mood for her antiques.

"Hahaha she laughed coyly, was that supposed to intimidate me, then I'm sorry you've got the wrong girl, BTW just came here to warn you to quit being all clingy with the Mafa's , faking the good one aye?well then back off, they are mine"

"Even that girl who I thought was wise couldn't see through your facade and kept drooling about you non-stop at the mall_nonsense" she scoffed annoyed.

"Try changing your attitude and I bet you wouldn't have to beg for attention and please that's the door" I said in a monotone having no energy to drain.

"Loon" she huffed banging the door too loud for the ears convenience which was nothing new to me.

I slided down the wall putting my head in my hands my earlier mood all muddled wondering what I did to deserve people like them. Ever since I said yes to my grandfather's proposal some months back in quest for peace turned out to be a quest for doom. There's an analogy that people correlate a bad encounter with the saying 'as if wire shock me' well that was exactly and definitely what I felt when I was mistreated and betrayed by the one in whom I thought I've found a mother in_aunty Hadiza.

My father married her after my consent and much pleas from my grandfather who harboured a harmless thought of finding solace for me in the form of a mother to which she fit the equation following her excessive care and concern for me and immediately their knot was tied we all moved to abuja since both I and her daughter Sara got posted there for our NYSC .In the midst of all this my father hid from me the fact of him being appointed an ambassador of Nigeria to Korea to avoid my tantrums which I only learnt of on the day of his departure a week after our arrival in Abuja.

I vividly remember how I had almost cried my life out at the airport on my father's departure clutching direly on him but had to let go when they were called upon. My father hardly portray his emotions but  a stray tear betrayed him escaping the clutch of his eyes and with one last look towards us he left to which he never visited Nigeria till date.

You know when they said it is silence before the storm well that was what I experienced, aunty Hadiza tended to me like a mom would in the early days which all came to a halt when I and Sara had a serious fight to which she clearly knew I wasn't the initiator but much to my wonder they made me the predator when I was pitifully the prey and from that day things only went for the worst, always insulted and my panic attacks made an object of mockery and I did that to seek for attention was how it was termed.

Much to my endless discoveries was how I witnessed how dynamical people could be specifically our relatives giving preferential treatment to aunty Hadiza and Sara to be on the receiving side since she's now the lady of the house, casting me aside like a stranger.

I endured all that with pain and muffled cries concealing it from my dad because I don't want to cause him another source of worry but all hell broke loose when she humiliated me in the presence of our guest and unable to absorb it I called my dad crying out which he immediately lash out to her but to my dismay she clearly played innocent making the villain.I was so shocked with the way she lied professionally coming out so clean that no one could resist buying it making my father so disappointed in me and after that incident I avowed never to voice out my plight to anyone.

I miss my father and brother so much and I almost harboured anger towards them for leaving me here alone and using work and studies as a cover because I  know deep in me that they all escaped here for what is left when those who give meaning to it are no more.

"Assalamualaykum, Zuzu Mami has been looking for you,everyone's downstairs,ya Navid is back" Haneefa said enthusiastically breaking me from my reverie of thought and the theory behind how we ended up in this house the subject of another day.

"Let me just get a veil" I said forcing a smile to her and wishing I'd just be left in the confines of my room.

How y'all💖