After Agony...

|Twenty|

By the time she had woken up, an involuntary expulsion of air from her nose and mouth made way as she was struggling to breath through her nose which she was thankful didn't wake her mother up,it was at that moment Huda realized she had contracted an influenza as her body temperature was a bit high.

As she tried to pull herself from the mattress,she realized her mother was laying down on the prayer mat. At that moment in time,Huda felt all the anger disappear into thin air just by staring at her mother's figure. After what seemed like forever,she gently and quietly made way outside where she performed ablution at the tap situated at the backyard of the house. Upon concluding her ablution,she walked to her mother's room since she clearly didn't want to wake her up.

15. And We have commended unto man kindness toward parents. His mother beareth him with reluctance, and bringeth him forth with reluctance, and the bearing of him and the weaning of him is thirty months, till, when he attaineth full strength and reacheth forty years, he saith: My Lord! Arouse me that I may give thanks for the favour wherewith Thou hast favoured me and my parents, and that I may do right acceptable unto Thee. And be gracious unto me in the matter of my seed. Lo! I have turned unto Thee repentant, and lo! I am of those who surrender (unto Thee).

صَّيْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ إِحْسَانًا ۖ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ كُرْهًا وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًا ۖ وَحَمْلُهُ وَفِصَالُهُ ثَلَاثُونَ شَهْرًا ۚ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَبَلَغَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً قَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي فِي ذُرِّيَّتِي ۖ إِنِّي تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

As she was reading the surah Al-Ahqaf meaning The Sandhills,from the Glorious Quran she felt as though the verse was meant just for her as to what she thought of her mother,tears streamed from her eyes;it was that joy,as well as frustration,but she was sure her mother had a reason for hiding it away from her.

Just as she had folded the prayer mat, Umma appeared from the door. Huda knew her mother was definitely going to bring up the topic and she was not ready for it,although she was a bit curious of the unknown.

"Huda,I know your need answers. And am sorry for hiding it away from you,it's just that i couldn't look you in the eyes and say it" Umma inhaled heavily as a sigh followed suit.

"Look,you don't need to explain yourself,I understand. And I am not even asking for a explanation,so I don't want you to stress yourself" she concluded as she got a hold of her mother's hand and soothed it.

"No,you can't say that. God knows I won't be at peace until you know what conspired. So don't even go there" Umma challenged. It was now or never,the moment of truth. She took a deep breath as she proceeded.

Flashback
The class room was full of noise as voices could be heard. Some judging from the fact they had not seen each other for over three months,while others was because they were in their final year in secondary school. As always,corpers were being sent to the school,and this year was not an exception. The head teacher walked into the class alongside a good looking guy probably around the age of twenty four. The students acknowledged them with a greeting.

"Morning class"the head teacher had greeted them back as he ordered them to settle down.

"Welcome back students,it's a new session,new class and that should also mean new attitude. I would like to introduce to you Mr Isma'il,who would be taking you Mathematics" after that,the head teachers exited the classroom to which he left them in the care of the new teacher,but without giving them a warning.

Before school closed for the day,the news about the good looking corper had spread like a disease as all the girls were gushing about him.

That was how it has been,the usual school work and what not. The day was Friday which meant school will be closing by twelve thirty. The last period they had was mathematics where the teacher was solving an equation on the board.

"Solve the equation 2x+9+3=0. So how are we going to go about it?" He had asked as the classroom became silent.

After school was closed,a certain students was having a problem with the topic and decide to go to the teacher for further understanding.

"Good afternoon"she said

"Yes,how may I help you?"he inquired as he closed the file.

"It is about the topic we treated today,am having difficulty in understanding it"she elaborate as he gladly went over it with her.

That was how it began. Each time she failed to understand a topic,she would go to him and he would teach her,it was her own private lesson. They became fond of each other as often at times,she would prepare food and take it to him.

One fateful day,she had gone to visit him in his quarters when things spiraled out of control. As naive as she was,he was able to impregnate her. As the pregnancy became evident,her parents had questioned her about the father,to which she couldn't tell,but because he had already completed his service and she felt like there was no need to inform them. She had become the talk of the town. And so one day,she decided to leave before she dies of embarrassment. And that was how she found herself in Jigawa state from Katsina. Luckily for her,an old widow in Hadeja took her in and that was how she gave birth. And the location of the father is still unknown.

End of flashback.

"Do you know who that girl was? That was me,your mother. And each time I look at you,you remind of him. And each time you asked me of him,I was so ashamed of the truth and I decided to just paint him as dead" by the time Umma was done,she was already soaked in tears as she had regretted her actions.

"Please forgive me"

Huda could only stare at her,she was completely speechless and her eyes couldn't depict her thoughts.