FLAWED SOULS

CHAPTER 10: ZARAH'S SHITTU

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Amirah landed in Kano hours prior and was now in a taxi heading off to her family house. It's been hours since the call from Zarah and since then she hadn't been able to reach anyone else.
Zarah wasn't picking up, Khadijah's number wasn't going through, Hajiya's was switched off and she had chosen to steer clear of ya Lawal.

Since her two older siblings had dumped the family problems on her, she'd had to step up, after all she was used to it.

The house was eerily quiet she noted as soon as she stepped into the sitting room.

"Zarah!" She called out but was answered by silence, Amirah shook her head before going upstairs to her old bedroom, it was still as she'd left it: clean.

She was on her way back downstairs when a door opened and Na'eemah poked out her head.

"Ya Amirah!" She screamed and ran out to hug Amirah.

Amirah chuckled lightly before hugging her back, "how are you?"

"Fine, I've missed you so much. Ya Khadijah is barely around, ya Zarah shouts at me at the littlest of things, ya Fareedah is busy with her final exams, ya Samir doesn't hangout with me anymore. I get very lonely wallahi."

Amirah simply patted her head, she didn't have time for Na'eemah now, she had Zarah to deal with.

"Where is Zarah?" She blurted.

Na'eemah's eyes widened, "ya Zarah and ya Khadijah had a fight."

"I know." Amirah said trying to not sound exasperated, "but where's everyone now?"

Just immediately, she heard a commotion going on downstairs and she hurriedly walked towards the sound in time to catch Lawal give Zarah a slap.

Samha began shouting, "Please calm down haba. Am I too small to talk to you?" She asked. Khadeejah was sitting on the couch, her head was bent and her shoulders were shaking as if crying. Zarah stood glaring at Lawal and Amirah immediately covered the pace between them to give her another slap on the same cheek.

Samha gasped audibly and Zarah whimpered as tears pooled in her eyes.
Amirah was about to hit her again when Samha grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her away.

"Calm down! What's wrong with you? In as much as Zarah deserves it, violence isn't what we should focus on now. Aunty amarya and Samir are still in the police station, we need to think of how to get them out and besides, when did you get here? Who called you?"

Amirah ignored her and went to kneel before Khdeejah, "I'm so sorry about Hajiya, please stop crying."

Khadeejah hugged her, "My mother slept in jail Amirah, all for what?"

"I hadn't been around when it had all happened, I only heard vaguely about all that happened and so did ya Lawal so please Khadeejah  can you enlighten us more?"

Fareedah entered the house and stopped short when she saw Amirah, she began walking towards her when Lawal shouted at her,

"Find somewhere to sit, we are in the middle of something serious here."
Fareedah pouted but obediently sat on the couch next to Zarah who sent her a glare in response to the questioning look she gave Zarah's tear streaked face.

"Mama had sent ya Samir to deliver something for her and he went with the Honda." Khadeejah began, "few minutes after he'd left, Hajiya came out dressed and started asking who took the Honda out and that it was the car she wanted using. Mama apologized to her that she had sent ya Samir out with it but he'd soon be back, she threw a few snide remarks Mama way before going back inside to wait."