KHAIREE

CHAPTER SIX

"SHUT UP" I heard Umma whisper-yelled, her face was covered with tears as she spoke in between sobs

"Is that why you prefer to runaway from home, do you have any idea how we will feel when we learned that you ran away, do you even care what kind of humiliation we will face, or do you think we will ever live in peace knowing that you are not with us anymore?"

"Umma please allow me to do this, i have to do this Umma I really need to do this please Umma try to understand" I pleaded letting my tears fall freely on my cheeks, she looked at me intensely and then spoke

"I know this day will surely come, I know you will try to run away from home, I know how persistent you are, am your mother after all, I know everything about you" she said giving me a look that I couldn't explain, she hold both my hands in hers before she continued

"I also know that you haven't thought of where you are going and also the consequences, am I right? " She asked widening the tips of her lips into a tight smile leaving me totally confused, why will she smile in this kind of situation. She nodded her head gesturing for me to answer her question.

"Yes Umma you are right, I don't know where I will be heading to and neither do I know the consequences of my actions. I just know that I have to do this , and so everything became just too complicated for me".

"Thinking too much is not good for you my dear, wait here I will be right back". She wiped away her tears and quickly went back into the house and came back with an old folded sheet of paper in her hands.

"Take this" she uttered handing me the piece of paper.

"what is this" I said collecting the paper from her hands

"Do you remember my Uncle's daughter that is living in the city?"

"Do you mean Inna Asiya?" I said after much thought

"Yes you're right, lambar wayantane wannan"

"where did you get it from Umma and what I'm I going to do with it?"

"Where I got it doesn't matter now, I want you to go to the bus station straight from here and take a bus that is going to Kaduna, Immediately you reach there find someone with phone and beg him to call her for you, I know she will be glad to see you"

"But Umma do you think she will take me in? " I asked

"Asiya is very kind and considerate, I'm sure if you explain everything to her she will understand and accept you wholeheartedly" she answered blinking back the tears that were threaten to fall from her eyes.

I leaned In and hugged her very tightly, I don't want to leave my Umma, she's my life, my everything but I have to leave, I have to be successful and show the people of this village the true worth of girls/women, I have to prove to Abba that western education is not as bad as he thinks it is.

Umma detached her body from mine and said

"You should get going Khairee, before your father comes back".

"Umma"

"shhh khairee you don't have to say anything my dear just go and make sure you make me proud. I will be waiting for you right here in this house inshaAllah " Umma said trying as much as possible not to break down.

"InshaAllah I will make you proud and I will surely come back to you 'God willing'". I was about to step out of the house when Umma called me

"Khairee"

"yes Umma " I answered turning my face towards

"Don't forget to be the good girl you are, fear Allah and pray for guidance from your lord in what ever step you are going to take, pray khairee pray" she said lastly.