The Lurking Sin

5. The Meeting

But she's just a tender soul. I fear that all of the buildup will just break her down someday.
I fear for her heart.
She's my mother... I'm concerned about her well being.

💫💫💫

"Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi Raji'oon! (From Allah we are, and to him we shall return). What are you doing here?" Maa asked as she woke up to see me all curled up beside her.

"Whoa! You mean you don't remember anything?" I asked amused.

"Remember what?" She asked firmly.

"You don't remember how you begged me to come over to your room after Baa left you here, lonely?" I said with a smirk.

"Daleelah! What sort of joke is this?"

I knew I had let the lioness out.
But I needed to find things out for myself, there's no going back!

"Maa, calm down. It's just me, your daughter, Daleelah."

"Do you think I'm not aware?"

"I doubt so,Maa. With this tall fence that you've built between us, I'm doubtful about you being aware." I said with a straight face and some sort of anger with a swish of bitterness.

She turned to look at me with awe.

"So you think you're old enough to talk to me like that ehn? You now think we're mates because you've started seeing your period, right? You no longer have regards for me, Maryam, the woman that gave birth to you." She said hitting her chest lightly.

Ya Ilahee. How's this even related?

"Maa, please don't change the topic"

"Who are you to tell me what to do? Ni tsarar ki ce? (Am I your mate?), when did all of these start? Before I count to three, ki tattara kayan ki, ki fita min a daki! (Pack your belongings and leave my room!)"

"Maa... we can talk about it. A problem that's shared is half solved."

"I don't remember mentioning having a problem."

"You don't have to."

"I repeat, leave my room!"

"Why?"

"Because ba na uban ki bane! (Its not your father's)."

I couldn't help but burst into laughter

"Toh fahh...  I won't say a word again. Since its making my poor father's spirit uneasy. He probably can't sleep because of how you've been calling his name."

Maa looked at me with so much amusement. She was probably wondering where all of the courage came from.

I was wondering where it all came from too.

Then she shuffled to the other side of the bed to pick up her phone from the bedside table, to probably check the time. I tilted my neck also, to have a look at the wall clock that's opposite the bed. It read; 3:15 am.

It didn't seem so though.

"Daleelah. What  do you want?"

"I need you to consider me your daughter. Tell me what's eating you up. Why are things like this when it comes to you and Baa? Has it always been like this? Do you know how much all of these is affecting Mansur and I? I'm sure you don't even know what we have to go through with all of your distance and how cold the household always is.
My friends have homes. I'm afraid I can't say same for myself. I don't lack anything. Both my parents are alive. Yet, I still find it hard to find solace at this tender age."

I stop to see Maa lost in thought.

"Are you even listening? My words don't affect you, do they? I'm just some sort of irrelevant being to you right? I know my place now. I'll be sure to not cross the limit next time." I said calmly, hoping she would spill.

She did.

"It all started when Ameen, your father came back home from Birmingham. He had studied Mass Communication where he majored in Public Relations and Advertising. He opened up a PR firm where different types of goodwill and image maintenance services were offered.
His parents decided it was high time he settled down.
Both our Parents grew up in thesame neighborhood. His father was much more successful though.
My dad was an average earner. We never lacked, but we were sure to keep track of expenditures. Everything flowed perfectly until Ameen's father decided that we don't let the bond die by becoming family.
I fell the victim. Ameen was really arrogant. He felt as though he was on top of the world. I thought he was supposed to woo me. But no. He came with his phone and went all tap tap tap till the bubble  gum in his mouth slacked and loosed taste. The second day he came was the actual meeting for us both..."

Flashback
Maryam (Maa's ) POV

"Assalamualaikum." I said as I walked into our living room where Ameen was sitting.
He wore a crispy white shaddah (material). He had the full sunnah beard that was black and thick. I couldn't help but notice how his pink little lips pouted slightly as his head was bent low and focused on his phone. Phones weren't really common then. So, having a phone as a young boy was a real deal.

He raised his head and smiled.

"Wa alaikumussalam, Daso" (a nickname for anyone that's called Maryam, mostly in Northern Nigeria) he replied with a smirk that exposed his white teeth and a facial deformity. A dimple! I don't remember him having any dimple from our early days.

Or I probably never noticed because his sight wasn't worth a penny to me.

"Too forward, don't you think? You're supposed to wait for us to atleast settle in before you act all cool. I've not seen you in ages" I said with all seriousness.

"You didn't wait for us to be 'all cool' before you shamelessly threw yourself at me all in the name of bonding " he said as he used his fingers to make an air quote.

"Wait...what?"

Toh fah!
First impression matters, don't you think?

QUICK QUESTION: What are your thoughts on arranged marriages?

To get a dedication, say something extraordinary😉

Don't forget to vote, comment and share.

UmmieLovesYou❤️💯