Hidden Sun

chapter three

Chapter three
Two weeks after Alhaji’s marriage and Laylah has started having problems with her father’s wife, Salma. Salma is a young woman, tall and fair in complexion, she was Dalilah’s best friend, and adviser because she trusted her more than her own sister but she ended up betraying her by marrying her husband. Salma did not treat Laylah fairly; she always looks for opportunity to make Alhaji punish her.
Once she went to aunty bilkisu’s house, and that was one of the things she regretted doing in her life. Alhaji had gone to Abuja for a business meeting leaving Salma at home because Laylah went to school on that day, Alhaji told Salma to inform Laylah that she should wash some of his cloths which he kept on his bed, with this Alhaji left with his driver, Laylah returned early that because she was planning to visit her aunt.
“Good afternoon aunty”
“Good afternoon, do you decide to return early today” Laylah ignored her comment and turned to leave the room
“Oh your food is in the kitchen and also your father is out of town but will return tomorrow morning”
“Ok, but actually I was even planning on going to see my aunty today, so I will just go and return in two hours”
Salma was quite for a while thinking that was the right opportunity to get Laylah in trouble; she has already lied to her that her father would return the next day
“Why won’t you stay there till down, after all when you return what will you do at home and your father is not even here, you will be bored so just stay with your aunt for a while as it is she misses your mum so just be with her till down.”
“Ok thank you aunty, but what if my father comes back?”
“Will I lie to you, I told you your father is coming back tomorrow or didn’t you hear what I said as it is, I am fed up with you in this house so if you like go to hell not your aunt’s house I don’t care” Laylah left the room crying because she remembered her mother and thought if she was here she wouldn’t have to face all this humiliation and go through all this pain. Laylah went to her aunt’s house and as Salma said, she was to come back in the evening.
Shortly after Laylah left, Alhaji returned and went straight to his room
“Salma” he called out angrily as his cloths were still lying where he left them
“What is it, why are you shouting, you just returned from a long trip why are you shouting?”
“Why are these cloths still here? Didn’t you tell Laylah to wash them?”
“What can I do about it, Laylah has become so disrespectful these days, just because I told her to wash your cloths she nearly beat me, she said I was the one you told to wash the cloths but because I wanted to make her suffer I am giving her the work and she said she would not do it”
“I see, so you mean Laylah told you all these?”
“Yes she did, would I have lied to you or do you think I just want to make you hate your daughter, tell me; what will I achieve if I do so?”
“Ok just calm down, where is she now?”
“Well, she returned home early, changed her cloths and leave again, I really don’t know where she went to, I tried to ask her but she said I am not her mother and I don’t have the right to ask her”
“Oh I see, she has the guts to disobey you, doesn’t she know you are her mother?”
“Toh, Alhaji I don’t know but I think it’s her aunt, bilkisu that is teaching her all this tactics, but don’t worry she is still a child, she will understand when she is more older”
“No not this time, she has gone too far, I can’t give birth to a child that will disrespect my wife, don’t worry, today I will deal with her in such a way that she won’t even disrespect someone younger than her, she will come back and meet me in this house”
“It is ok Alhaji, please control yourself “Salma in her mind was happy about this but tried to look concerned for Laylah. When Laylah returned her father was praying in the living room, she entered her room and sat quietly because she was surprised to see her father at home, as she was thinking, suddenly she had her father’s voice “Laylah!, Laylah!” her father called her, she was scared because of the hard tone he used to call her name. “Yes daddy” she answered and she was shivering because of fear, she knows that her father will ask her why she was late but she was more confused on why he returned or has her aunty lied again to put her in trouble, so many thoughts were running through her mind, she reached where he was and sat down but before she could say a word he got up and gave her a tight slap on her cheek
“Where are you coming from!” he shouted, “So because I am not at home you got the opportunity to disrespect your mother and leave the house without informing her of where you are going because you think you are old enough, and you also have the guts to refuse what I asked you to do simply because you don’t regard me as anything right! I don’t have anyone to blame but Delilah, so tell me where you are coming from before I deal with you and break all your legs”
Laylah started crying because she does not know what to tell her father any more, blaming her mother was one thing that made her not to speak, Salma has now come from her room;” Welcome back Laylah, so where have you been to and look at the time you are coming home, is that what your mother taught you” Laylah was again shocked at what Salma said
“Aunty Salma, but I told you where I was going to and you told me to come back at dawn”
“So you want to involve me in your foolish act right, didn’t I ask you where you were going to and you told me it was none of my business? So now that your father is here you want to frame me and put the fault on me right, what will I achieve by making you fight with your father? Tell me”
“Calm down Salma this girl is trying to trick us because she thinks we are still children, back to my question, where the hell are you coming from, if you don’t tell me then I swear …”
“Alhaji take it easy she is still a child but not too young for marriage, just don’t beat her, if she is tired of staying with you and wants to break my marriage, then she should also get married, this way everybody will have peace, but if you think what am saying is wrong then you can do what pleases you, as it is she is your daughter not mine”
“No Salma, you are also her mother and I really agree with you on this, Laylah hope you heard what your mother said and it is also a good idea since you don’t have a good course to study”
Laylah got up and left the room, she was once again reminded of her mother, her mother had promised her that she would not get married until she was done with her education and also promised her she will read the course of her choice which is fine art, Laylah was shattered; she wept for a long time also, she did not eat for two days because of the thought of her getting married.

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The door opened and Laylah’s thoughts were cut off, the nurse has returned with the food and medicines, she was also holding a bag which contained cloths
“I am back, the doctor said I should bring all these for you, hope I did not wake you up?”
“No, there’s no problem, I was just about to get up”
“Ok have your food, then take these medicines, they will help improve your condition” Laylah looked carefully as the nurse showed her which medicines to take and how to take it. ”Also there are some cloths in the bag take your bath and change your cloths, I will leave now and return to take the plates, if you need anything don’t hesitate to tell me”
“No thanks, I don’t need anything else, these are all I will need, thank you for everything, only God can reward you for your kind treatment”
“It’s ok, you don’t have to thank me, it is the man who brought you here that paid for everything, so wait for him and thank him, I will see you later just don’t forget to take the medicines”. Laylah nodded her head and the nurse left, ‘who is it that brought her here and is spending a lot on her’ Laylah thought within herself “whoever it is I pray God should bless him and give him what he wants” she said to herself as she rose to take her bath.
Laylah finished taking her bath; ate her breakfast and took the medicines, she was about to fall asleep when she heard the door open, it was the nurse she has returned to take the plates
“Hope I am not disturbing you?”
“No not at all I really wish you were free so that you will keep me company”
“Oh, I know you will definitely get bored of staying alone, but don’t worry, when I am done I will come and stay with you before I leave”. The nurse went out and left Laylah in the room, Laylah was now alone, so she went back to her thoughts.