FLAWED SOULS

CHAPTER 40: SLIGHT TOUCHES

Dedicated to khayr_Souf I hope you have a birthday that's as beautiful as you are❤️ May Allah bless you in abundance.

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April 3rd 2003

"What's that noise?" Khadijah asked Amirah, they just got back from school and were yet to enter inside the house.

Amirah shrugged as she chewed her biscuit nonchalantly while they both made their way into the compound.
Hajiya was shouting and cursing aunty Amarya yet again, was there ever a day Hajiya didn't have an issue with aunty Amarya?

"Not again." Khadijah groaned. Her mother was on a stool, sitting quietly as Hajiya dished her insults upon insults.

"Useless fool, stupid woman. Better go and look for where to sleep tonight because wallahi you won't step a foot inside this house." Hajiya swore. Aunty Amarya still didn't flinch.

Amirah simply stared at her mother while Khadijah left and went to meet hers. Baba had travelled to Katsina the previous day, he was due to be back in one month time.

She knew her mother was able to carry out her promise and Aunty Amarya wouldn't sleep in the house tonight. There was no one to oppose or plead on her behalf.

Ya Hamidah and Ya Lawal were in a university in Zaria, it was a 2 hours drive from Kano. Ya Samir was in a boarding school, the only person left was Ya Adnan but she didn't like her brother, not after Hajiya had spanked her few years ago after she'd complained he touches her bum and rub his hands all over her chest when no one else was around.

And besides, he was usually now grumpy since he'd been withdrawn from the University. Since he's been back, he was barely at home. Sometimes he goes out and comes back late at night, intoxicated. Other times, he just stays locked up in his room.

No one was told what had really happened but Amirah and Khadijah had eavesdropped and heard Baba and Hajiya arguing about it with Hajiya defending Adnan. He'd raped a girl in school and gotten withdrawn for it but Hajiya still defended him with her whole heart.

"He's a boy, boys have urges. You can't blame him for something he can't control Alhaji, that's unfair. Hasn't he suffered enough? He regrets his actions and he's even out of school because of it."

"Lolo I can't even believe this is coming from you. You've pampered and shielded Adnan from the consequences of his own mistakes which keeps causing him to make more because you never let him bear the full consequence of his actions."

"What kind of mother would I be if I don't protect my son?" Hajiya's asked in a slightly louder voice, "Why can't I protect him and shield him from this world?"

"Because what you call protecting him is causing harm for him and he's in turn harming others but he never gets punished for it!" Baba deadpanned.

"I can't believe you're saying all of this Alhaji, he's our son fah. What do you want? I should tell everyone what he's been accused of? Soil our family's name?"

"He hasn't been accused Lolo, he did it! He said so himself."

"He didn't rape her, they both agreed on it. I know my son."

There was silence before Baba said in a soft voice, "may Allah open your eyes to see the glaring truth in front of you. Even if he hadn't raped her, does that change the fact that pre marital sex is Haram- unlawful ?"

Hajiya scoffed. "He's a boy, he has urges. It's up to the girl to refuse him and stay away from him, if she doesn't, whatever happens is then her fault. Boys are built differently from girls and they're some things that's beyond their control."