SECOND CHANCE

6

              *_Mother’s Love._*

Inna Hassatu was really tired by the time she reached Tanko's place.

As she stepped her foot in to the house, she heard Tanko shouting at the top of his voice saying;

“ Pack your things and get the hell out of my house you bitch! Do you think I can let you turn my head like your doll. You bloody gold digger! Your mother should curse the day she concieved you in her womb. I’ve never seen a worthless being as you. I regret setting my eyes on you and the day I married you as my so called wife! I Tanko hearby divorce you, hope you remember this is the last string of the marriage. Now get out before I beat the hell out of you!”.

Inna Hassatu couldn’t believe her eyes, as far as she could remember this is his tenth marriage and last week she heard that he has divorced the other two plus the one she witnessed today means that it’s only Altine that remained (the first wife).

If her calculations are correct Tanko will be marrying bringing a new bride soon because that how he always do.

She slowly entered the compound and saw Tanko standing with a long face. Kaltume ( the wife he just divorced) was struggling to pull her boxes out of the house saying;

“ I pray that you continue womanizing women till you reach a certain point where a woman would be the end of you. I pray you never have a peace of mind untill you have sex regardless of whoever the person is to you! I pray that you die misrable. The way you deceived my parents and prevented me from marrying the love of my life, you raped me severally, treated me as though I was not your wife, I pray your children face worse!” Kaltume ended as she spit at his face.

As she turned to leave the house, she saw Inna Hassatu standing by the door. She went to her and hugged her saying; “ Inna I pray that you recover soon. I pray that whatever Tanko planned for you and your daugther revert back to him. Good bye Inna.” She said walking away.

Inna Hassatu felt uneasy about what Kaltume just said and she couldn’t utter a word to her.

She walked towards Tanko and said; “ Tanko do you think you are fair to your family? What has this innocent child done to you? Remember that if all the accusations she mentioned where to be true then nemesis will catch up with you, one way or the other. Had it been your brother were to be alive…”

“ Cut the crap woman! I marry who I wish and divorce who I wish. Am the man of the house. If your worthless husband was alive, what would he had done? Just take a look of how miserable you look. So ill looking and very pathetic. Had it been you have agreed to marry me, you would have became part of the most influential women in this village. You think am a fool to be spending my hard earned money on you without having something in return? That’s not how things work now. Your poor husband died and left nothing much for you and your daughter. Just marry me Hassatu, I promise not live with you till my last breath” Malam Tanko said trying to give Inna Hassatu a chair to sit on.

The words he said about her husband brought tears to her eyes. She knew how well her husband cared for his brother. She could remember how he would give his last penny to his brother and pretend as though he has more.

Inna Hassatu felt the pain of every nasty word he said. She looked at Tanko with a deadly glare and said; “ My husband was a honourable man. A man that knows how to relate with everyone. He built you Tanko, he made you a man. He never kept a secret from you. My husband met his fate while trying to get you married. Is that how you repay your brother by raining insults on him? Of all the good things he did to you, when has he wronged you that you never say a good thing about him since the day he died? If marrying you is the only way you can assist me then to hell with you! Remember how your brother stood for you when you started losing your business profit. Times when he dealt with whoever dares to touch you. Your late mother was right when she said you are a selfish being and she regretted you being her son.”

Inna Hassatu stopped to breathe and rest because she has talked much and she was tired. Tears kept rushing out of her eyes with her heart being heavier than ever.

A boy ran into the compound and told him that a woman was waiting for him outside. Thinking that it was Kaltume, he held a cutlass and ran out with it.

Inna Hassatu quickly followed him in order to stop him from doing something stupid. She frozed the moment she heard what the woman whom she recognized as Dillaliya Larai was saying;

“ Amaanee has a good physique as I once told you Tanko. She has gotten a filthy rich customer already. Prostitution is the fastest way of getting money I tell you my brother. This am giving you is fifty thousand naira, I’ve taken my share already. Give Hassatu her share and tell her that her daughter is a good house help. Lie in such a way that she won’t figure out what is actually happening.” Tanko was trying to tell her that Hassatu was in his compound but she was busy talking very loud.

“My daughter, prostitution! Did I hear you correct Dillaliya!” Hassatu asked in a gentle but terrified manner.

Dillaliya Larai was startled, she felt out of words because she never knew Hassatu was in the compound.

Tanko summoned some courage and said; “ it’s not what you heard Hassatu. Your daughter is just a mere house help not a prostitute…”

Inna Hassatu raised her fingers to her lips, indicating that both should be quite. She lean to a wall a broke into a very painful cry that she has never in her life done before. She started remembering how life was sweet when her husband was alive.

All of a sudden the dream she had last night stroked her. She saw her daughter crying and calling on her for help while a woman was following her with a stick, she tried saving her but she couldn’t reach her.

Inna remembered the day her husband died. He held her two hands and said; “ My wife do take care of yourself and our only daughter. She’s the only joy we had in all our years of marriage. I love you both. I want you to know that people are after my wealth and am sure they will try to kill the two of you please stay safe. My brother will always be by your side, always trust him.”

Inna looked at Tanko and said; “ He trusted you with his life and family. He loved you to the day he took his last breathe. My husband loved you Tanko! Tanko why? What have I done to you? She’s my only child, my only surviving child Dillaliya. I agreed to the offer because my husband said I can always trust you. Tanko why are you so mean and heartless! Of all the jobs in this world you chose prostitution for my only daugther. Innalillahi wa Inna ilaihi raji’un! Tanko you have killed me. Larai don’t you have a child of your own? How will feel if it were to be you? Amaanee grew inside of me for good nine months, I breastfed her for 13 months. I watched as she grew into a beautiful and clever girl. I taught her Islamic related activities myself before her father enrolled her in school.”

She couldn’t say a word as further as her heart rate had fastened and she fall on the ground because she was feeling dizziness.

Tanko and Dillaliya tried helping her sit up but she gave them a deadly look that stopped them both. The moment she sat up she looked at them both and said;

“ Inshallah she won’t do it, she won’t agree to do such a task, I know my daughter well. With the Lord’s blessings and my prayer, her chasity will be guarded and as for you two, Allah will punish you the way you deserve.” She ended, wiped tears off her face and walked away.

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