Against All Odds

Chapter Two

Waking up today, am feeling better and more energised.
I completed all my chores, made oat and fried plantain for breakfast.
I called other members of the family for breakfast in the living room and i went straight to bathroom to take my bath, and dressed up in a flared jean gown, then went to the living room to have my breakfast, then it's around 10am.
After my breakfast, i went back to the room to  take a rest, as i was putting my head on the pillow, i heard a knock on my door
Who's that?, i asked, its me zainab, daddy is calling you, zainab replied,
Ok dear, I'll be right there.

Olabisi mi, how are you doing this morning, daddy asked,
Alhamdulillah am fine sir, i replied.
Did you hear anything about your WAEC result? He asked, No sir i replied.
OK! The result is out!
U was nervous, daddy when?, was the next word i uttered.
I think yesterday, he replied.
Go and change your clothes and let's go to the cyber cafe inside university of Lagos ( Unilag).

We live in Akoka, Unilag campus is a stone throw from my house.
I went to the room to change to a flared purple gown with a pink kneel length hijab (am not a fashion freak)
We walked hand in hand to the cyber cafe, discussing about random issues and dad telling me about his new job in a shoe factory in Ikorodu Lagos.

Getting to the cyber cafe, the crowd was wooow!
We got two plastic chairs to sit on, waiting for our turn.
Thinking about what the outcome of the result will be, what the future holds and my quest for university education despite my father's financial predicament.
I was lost in my thought, when I heard dad call my name, Olabisi mi, his voice brought me out of my thought, "Olabisi mi, what are you thinking, don't worry yourself, am sure you will make all your papers, am very sure of your success bithnillah, i can see you're nervous, don't be, my dear" he concluded.

About 30 minutes after, we finished checking the result, and it's a success.
The result was excellent, i made all my papers
I was so happy that i quickly made prostration of thankfulness to Allah.
My father was so happy that he couldn't hide it

Sufyan pov

Habeebah was dazed when she saw her result 3As and 6Bs.
I knew she'll pass excellently, if only Rasheedah (her mother) is here, to share in this joy.
We walked hand in hand back home, stopping at a suya spot along the road to get some, for celebration at home.
On getting home we celebrated as a family, everybody was proud of her, we all prayed for her, and i particularly asked Allah to ease the remaining part of her academic pursuit for her. And i also encouraged her to study more for her post UTME exam and pray for Allah's guidance.

"Olabisi mi, put more effort in your studies, don't worry about my financial predicament, no matter the condition, I'll struggle to send you through school in shaa Allaah" i told her.
Aamin they all chorused, except for my wife, who believe i should let Habeebah get married and continue her education in her husband's house.
This is something I'll never do to any of my daughters.

Habeebah pov
Here i am packing my stuff getting ready to travel to kano for my post UTME exam.
The screening is holding on Monday but dad said we should leave Friday night to give me time to relax and settle down before Monday morning.

We left Lagos immediately after Isha on Friday night, the journey was interesting with dad, telling me different stories of his childhood, before i finally slept off resting my head on his shoulder.
Getting to Kano on Saturday morning, we took a cab to my paternal grandmother's house in Tundun-Wada.

Upon entering the house, hajia mama couldn't believe her eyes, she used both palms to wipe her face before she even answered our tasleem,
She was so exited, shouting Allahu Akbaar! Alhamdulillah!
Is this my daughter, Habeebah?
She open her arm widely to give me a warm hug, she even attempted carrying me.
Alhamdulillah! Baby na, kin i girma, se aure ke nan (my baby you've grown up, marriage is next)
We all laugh at her compliment.

   My grandmother has never been this friendly with me even when she came visiting in Lagos.

Her maid Larai served us  chilled zobo and awara(soybean cake) and later brought rice and stew with plenty of meat (hajia mama love meat even at her age, she's around 70)

Hajia mama is a very strict and traditional woman, she believes girl child education is a waste of money and time, since she'll end up in her husband's kitchen, to her a girl child should be groomed for marriage to be a dutiful wife and mother.

As mother as son were catching up, i excused myself to go freshen up and catch some sleep, which i did.
I was woken up by the adhan for zuhr prayer from the nearby masjid. I perform ablution and observed my prayer and moved to the living room to watch TV with my grandmother, she's rolling her prayer rug when i entered the living room.
"Habeebah, how are you doing,
How's your stepmother and your siblings, hope you're all doing fine?" she asked
Alhamdulillah we're doing fine hajia, i replied.
Hope sakeenah is treating you well? She asked
Yes ma, i said
While we're discussing, she gave me her phone to call uncle salman(dad's younger brother) while i was checking her phone book for uncle Salman's number, hajia asked me a question that almost made me pee in my pant.
"when are you getting married Habeebah, how many proposals have you gotten"? Hajia asked
I was still thinking of what to tell her, when she added, do not waste your time going to the university, since you will still end up in a man's house.
With all these coming from my grandmother, i became nervous and was sweating all over my body, Habeebah, you're not responding, she said.
Just as I was about to open my mouth, uncle Salman and dad entered with Tasleem

Alhamdulillah! They rescued me from Hajia mama's hot seat

Another chapter completed 💃💃💃💃💃💃

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