Against All Odds

Chapter One

Habeebah! Habeebah!! Habeebah!!!
That's my stepmother calling me, i just finished fetching 6 25litres kegs of water from the next street, since the public water hasn't been running for about a week now.
   Am presently experiencing a bad headache after fetching the water, but she won't allow me to rest, she's calling me to the kitchen to come and prepare dinner which am not ready to do
Though am the first and eldest but non of my siblings help me in the kitchen.
My stepmother never treats me as hers and i feel bad about that.
  
     I've been the one cooking both breakfast and dinner since I completed my secondary school about 2 months ago, except when my father is around.

   My father is Sufyan Abubakar, he's from Kano state, but my mother is Yoruba, i was born and bread in Lagos, I've lived all my life in Lagos. We only travelled to kano as a family on few occasions usually Eidul Adha.

    My father worked with a ceramic company in Ogun State before the economic recession made the company to fold up operation.
Since then, he's been struggling to make life easy for his family.
He took up teaching job in a nearby Islamic school as Arabic teacher and also works as a cobbler, making shoes for men.
He learnt the work from his uncle when he's young.
These are what put food on the table for the Sufyan Abubakar household (A family of 8).
     Despite my father's struggle umma(my stepmother) is never satisfied, she's used to the flamboyant life of a general manager's wife, going to parties and wearing expensive clothes and jewellery.
Despite her ungrateful attitude, my father's always calm and gentle with her.

She's still calling me when my father entered with Salam, she answered with a wide smile on her face, giving him a warm hug(that's how she does everyday)

Dad just entered my room (which I shared with zaynab and fatimah)
Am on my bed now, looking up at the ceiling, thinking about what the future holds, his Salam brought me out of my thought and i responded.
He was shocked to find me lying down at this time of the day. He quickly sat at the edge of the bed,he touched my forehead and exclaimed, Olabisi mi, kin lo sẹlẹ, are you OK?, i can see you have fever!
Sorry dear, go and take a cold shower and come have a pain killer. (that's my dad for you, as caring and devoted as a mother would,) but sadly, the mother of the house is too nonchalant, even to her own children.
I sluggishly left the room to the bathroom at the corridor, to shower and make ablution for salatul ASR, even though its past 5pm now.
I quickly performed my Salah and moved to the living room to find dad and the the boys watching TV.
I moved to the kitchen and met ummah cooking egusi soup, ummah am sorry, I've fever, that's why I couldn't come to the kitchen earlier, i said,
sorry dear , eat and take pain killer, she responded
Thank you ma, , i said.
Go back to your room, Fatimah will bring your food and drug for you.
OK ma, i said, and left to my room.
Atleast, make i enjoy the moment while it lasts.
I know when daddy leaves on Monday to his work in Badagry, the story will change.
Fatimah brought my food and drug few moments ago, i ate and took my drugs after which I prayed my Magrib and started reciting the Qur'an till the time for salatul Isha.
After Isha, i read suratul Mulk, which I have memorised due to daily recitation every night and also make ablution and quietly climbed on my bed to sleep.
Although am still feeling feverish but i know with a good sleep I'll be better by daybreak in shaa Allaah.

Thank you for coming along with me
Pardon my grammatical errors, perfection belongs to Allah alone
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Love you all Lillah 💞