Binta

Chapter Twenty Seven

Mom what is happening here, why is the main house locked? Why are you in the guest house? Why are our things outside? I managed to ask as my heart pound heavy in my chest.

"Binta your uncle said he wants to move into the house with his new bride and said we should stay in the guest house" my mom said in ease.

"WHAT! and you accepted that?" I was becoming very angry.

"Binta I'm tired of fighting, since your father's death he kept insisting that he is the rightful owner of the house...and worst he threatens to go public...." She chokes on a sob.

"Just please don't do anything, please let him have the house I beg you" she pleaded amidst tears.

"What did he threaten you with?" I asked softly

"I told her I will tell the world you a bastard and she is a whore, my brother cannot impregnate a woman so even his so called children are Bastard" my uncle's voice interrupted us from behind. It was as if a knife went through my heart, I have never felt so blood thirsty. I opened my mouth to speak my mom hurriedly use her hands to cover my mouth and drew me away from the compound, the look in my eyes must have said it all. I was ready to do something stupid that night.

"The bastard is all grown up now....come and beat me Binta" my uncle shouted as he rains curses on my mother and i.

"Mom allow me address him please! It's high time" tears streaming down my cheeks.

"I'm fed up of keeping quiet and they keep hurting us, how can you allow him treat us this way and do nothing" I sob.

"I accept I have no right to any inheritance but Kamal and Zainab...I will fight for their right mom, I won't seat and do nothing about it, I don't care if he goes public with anything I will fight him with everything left in me, and please Mom don't stop me because for the first time in my life I will disobey you". I said vehemently.

"My daughter please let God fight for us, this people are very dangerous I don't want you dealing with them directly please, just stay out of it, I have a plan" her voice was a soft drawl.

"God will use me to fight for us, that's why I'm a lawyer, I won't take infringement of innocent people right likely most especially when it got to do with my family" I couldn't believe how strong and determined I was feeling.

"You won't do anything Binta!" she rebuked.

"So when Kamal and Zainab comes back from school what will you tell them?" I retorted and my mom went quiet.

"Mom trust me I can handle this it's my specialty, remember I promised dad I will take care of this family, please let me do it, all I need is your blessings and prayers and with God we can stand tall against our enemies" I pleaded calmly.

"Binta I'm scared if anything happens to you I won't be able to forgive myself, let's just go far away from here, my parent will be glad to accommodate us before we are able to sort out a place for ourselves....please Binta this people are dangerous, it not worth fighting for" I nodded not because I agree with her.

"Mom do you have the paper to this house" I inquired

"No, this land your father built on he inherited it from his father, I don't think he formalized the paper before he died" She explained.

"But religiously his legal heirs are his children" I screamed.

"Can't you hear your uncle denying their legitimacy?" she cried.

"Then he will have to prove it in the court of Law, mom if not for anything we have to prove they are not bastards and Aliyu is their father". I tried to make her reason with me

"Okay. But please be careful and I don't think we can continue living here with your uncle. I have decided we leave for Bauchi.

"Mom! What about my work?"

"You can stay with your friend Maryam, I will speak with her mom, and I don't think she will have a problem with that" she assured.

"Mom I can't live without you, I will go with you" I said.

"What if you get married? You better start learning how to." She preached and I smiled at the thought of me getting married to the man of my dreams.

"Why can't we rent a self-contain apartment? So we can all remain here" I don't really like the idea of staying at a friend place even though Maryam is a friend turned sister and we have slept in each other's house on several occasions .

"I have some savings, we should be able to get a self-contain we can manage before we sort things out". I tried to sound convincing enough because I know my mom so well it's not easy to persuade her.

"Binta the burden is too much for you, you just finished paying school fees and my medical bills, we can't continue demanding this much from you".

"Mom I'm not complaining and God has been merciful.

My mom thought about it for a while before she accepted.

"I will hasten to get a place hopefully before he moves in with his bride" I said.

**********

I retired to bed very late and tired but yet I couldn't sleep I kept thinking of ways I will speak to my uncle that will make him wish he had never stepped on my toes. Why are people this wicked? What have my mom done wrong to them? Why do they find joy in seeing us in pain? I really think it's high time we created boundaries. First thing tomorrow morning I will file a motion exparte and an interim injunction to restrain him or any of his family from invading our legal right. So let's see how he will move into this house with his bride. I smiled at my calculated plan.

Then in court I will face him mercilessly, next time he will know better than to mess with a lawyer.