After Agony...

|Fifteen|

"You what?" Ammiey yelled at Imam. At first she was confused,but then she turned angry.

"Imam,how could you? What am I going to... Ya Allah! Imam why?"She couldn't deal with the embarrassment of telling her friend.

"Ammiey calm down,okay? We've both discussed about it and... in fact she informed me about it first" Imam replied as he took of his cap.

"She did? Imam are you sure?"

"Yes,I have never lied to you and I will never. But there is-

Just then,an incoming call from Imam's phone rang,he checked the caller ID and it was Huda.

"Ammiey let me pick this call" he said as he stood up and left the living room to answer the call.

"Assalamualaikum,have you told her?" Huda asked with uncertainty attached to her voice.

"Yes..."he trailed off.

"And she didn't take it likely as predicted,but am sure she's trying to digest the whole information"he added.

She heaved a sigh of relief.
"Well,at least she now knows. Have you figured out how to tell my mom,because I was thinking Ammiey should tell her,that way she wouldn't really freak out." The whole situation was making her tensed.

"You know, I have an idea,but I wouldn't want my plan to turn into a fiasco"Imam said as he brought out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe away the sweat forming on his forehead.

"You'll never know if you don't try. Just think it over and then we will talk afterwards,bye."

"I will."he replied as she hung up.

He exhaled deeply as he returned to the living room to be met with Farha and Ammiey discussing about her future plans. Well at least,that will buy him some time,or that was what he thought. Speaking of which,now he has to also inform his father about his interest in her. With that thought at the back of his mind,he drove off to see Bello whose wife gave birth a month ago to a baby girl. That will clear his mind,for now.

*****

"Are you ready?" Fawaz enquired as he walked into the room where he found Maryam grabbing her bag from the bed.

"Yes" she replied as he walked off with her trailing behind him.

It was a sunny Tuesday when Maryam thought it will be very pleasant to visit her sweet mother,how sarcastic of her.
So Fawaz promised to drive her there when he comes back from work which was normally at three o'clock when there is no much work to handle.

As the black Volkswagen halted at the gate,the driver honked and the gatekeeper immediately rushed to open the gate.

Even after over fifteen years of divorce,Umma Saude whom is Sophie and Maryam's mother still lived the life she had always dreamed of which was that of riches. According to her,the only reason she filed for a divorce was because Alhaji Umaru as of that time was barely earning enough to meet up to her wants,such a silly excuse if you ask me. But clearly now the table has turned and he is now living a life of luxury and glamour . How she acquired her own wealth remains a mystery.

As the couple descended from the car,they walked hand in hand to the door,mostly with Maryam trying to walk faster,she was really anxious!

"Relax" Fawaz had to calm her as he patted her shoulders.

Not long after the bell was rung,a mid aged woman opened the door as she welcomed them with a smile.

"Mairo! Yau ke ce ah gidan?"The woman asked in amusement as she made way for the both of them to enter.

Maryam had to direct her husband to the living room since it was technically his first time inside of the house.

"Ah Baaba Laure,nakawo miki angon ki ne"Maryam joked with the same expression as Baaba Laure. She was literally the woman whom raised both children up as their mom as always on supposedly business trips?How pathetic!

"Ina wuni?" Fawaz squatted as he greeted the woman whom replied as she was more than elated.

Minutes later,her mother made way to the living as she was receiving a call,she sat down across them as they waited until she hung up before they greeted her.

"Lafiya kalau"She coldly replied as the couple exchanged glances. Lucky for her she informed her husband about her past as well as current relationship with her mother,they were now on the acquaintance relationship which is absurd! How can a mother and her child act like acquaintance to each other.

After the much long awkward and anticipated silence,Fawaz left to which Maryam accompanied him out. As she came back,she was met with a scowling facial expression on her mother.

"I see you have finally gotten into your senses"she huffed.

"Well hello to you too,mother"she sarcastically replied.

"So after raising you singlehandedly for eighteen years,you chose to betray me? After what your father did to me?" She asked with a painful expression.

"I choose not to succumb to your words,mother. And my father did nothing to you,you have just been feeding us with nothing but big fat lies"and that did it,before she could comprehend the whole situation,a slap landed on her face.

"How dare you call me,your mother a liar? Your nothing but an ingrate. After saving you and your sister from a life of misery,you dare stand before me and call me a liar?" At this point in time,to say she was angry would be an understatement.

As stubborn as Maryam could be,she chose to continue.
"Well maybe your the ingrate!"She found herself saying. She sniffled as she furiously wiped her tears.

"You separated a child from her father because of your own selfish interest. I grew up without a father figure in my life,do you know how it left like when people refer to me as a bastard even though I wasn't given birth out of wedlock?...