Only In Jannah

32: Proceedings

Yelwa dusted her hands on her wrapper straightening her back to see who entered "Ah ah Mariyah, you're back" she smiled "how was school?"

"It was fine" Mariyah slowly walked towards their room debating with the voices in her head on whether to tell Yelwa about what Sir Alfred said or to tell it directly to her Uncle. She remembered the conversation she heard a few weeks back but she also remembered when morning came Yelwa had acted as if nothing was wrong and till date it felt like she supported Mariyahs education.
"Yelwa..." she trailed off mentally smacking herself when the words started to come out "I have been offered a scholarship"

Yelwas lip arched "What is that?"

"My school wants to pay for me to further my education overseas" she replied curling her toes producing a bulge in her shoes "I am among the three people who were picked"

"Overseas? You mean the white mans land? Keh 'yar nan (you this child) do you know what you are saying?" Yelwa pulled Mariyah closer to her so she could make sure she heard her clearly "first of all, I don't even see the importance of this western education you've given yourself the job of learning but because of your Uncle I have kept mute and now you think I will allow you to go far away so that you can finish rotting eh? So they can turn you into a non-believer and they can turn you against your culture ko, toh baki isa ba- kin yi kadan wallahi (you're too small to make your own decisions)" by the time Yelwa had finished talking, Mariyah had tears rolling down her face.

"I am sorry Yelwa, I just wanted to let you know" she said and left. Yelwa continuously paced the house to and fro with her hands akimbo waiting for Abbas return.

"Ka gani ko, I hope you're happy now. She now wants to go away with the white men, I am sure they are feeding them something to brainwash them. This cannot be normal Abban Ladidi, na shiga uku (I am finished)" she said clapping her hands together to emphasize her point "now that she has finished the second part of the school it is enough, this small girl will not make me the topic of discussion in this town oh we can't all have what we want, she has had a little of it now she must obey her elders. Or am I not big enough to tell her what to do? Is it because I am not her mother? Toh ko Abu bata isa in fada ta qi ji ba (even her late mother respects me) and the same way I am getting Ladidi married so will Mariyah too."
Abba had long placed his palm on his forehead anticipating a headache, he sighed before looking down at his wife wondering how a person so small could make so much noise.
"Keh Yelwa, you didn't even let me enter my home completely before you started with your daily disturbance. What is your problem? You have just been shouting but I didn't even get your point" he moved closer pulling her to him so his arms were around her "come and sit" he said leading her to the mat that was spread at one corner of the house under the shade of a guava tree "I want you to breathe before you talk to me my darling wife, breathe" she searched her heart for the anger to pour out but it was gone, for that reason she loved and hated her husband. He could always manipulate her into forgetting her anger and sometimes doing what he wanted.
She looked at his face which carried the smile that she loved so much and melted away, how could he even stay calm? How did he rub off his calmness on her? He was indeed the coolness of her eyes.

"I just want what is best for Mariyah, she is also my daughter and before my own time comes I would love for all my children to be married. At least let me have that feeling of security" Abba played with his mustache listening to his wife go on "What will I tell my God if I go without fulfilling that?"

"You should know better than to force a woman into marriage Yelwa am, you of all people should see reason after what almost happened to us. The same love that made you rebel against your father when he tried to marry you off to the same village head you now want your daughter to marry- I want you to let your daughter find that love, it is beautiful and as a mother you should want that for her." He cleared his throat " and concerning Mariyah I will talk to her about Musa, if she gives me her consent fine but if there is someone else she wants to marry then I will not force this decision on her. I want you to exercise more patience, the poor girl just lost her mother and perhaps she needs a change of environment"