Elhaam!

Chapter 9

The sound of the bell went through, indicating the end of yet another period, and time for break. It was nearly four months of school, so far Fahaad made three friends.

"Fahaad. I was waiting for you. Come on hurry up" Usman waved over the bench he occupied. With a genuine smile, Fahaad rushed over to their regular table. It didn't matter he was in secondary school and Usman was in primary 5, he still considered him the closest definition of a friend.

"guess what umma made for us today?" he chirped, pulling his lunch bag into view

"chips and egg" it wasn't even a suggestion, what else would umma make to make her son and his apparent best friend happy if not chips and egg.

"yes! she even packed extra lunch for you. she said i should greet you. now eat!"

Usman has always been a chirper, that's what Fahaad adored most in him.

"You know, I want to meet your siblings. Does your mother also not give them lunch for school?" Usman asked mid their meal automatically making the smile on Fahaad's face slouch.

"She does. Its just me. But its okay, I eat when I get home" he replied, pondering over his early days when Usman never knew he didn't have lunch food for school.

How he always got starved until dinner time. How no one knew all the things happening to him except Khalil and later on Almustapha. Even now, Abba is yet to find out his son is being starved by his dear wife.

"Hmm...anyway, my brother's birthday is approaching, I'm inviting you, that's if you aren't occupied" he changed the topic closing the lid of the flask.

"are you kidding me, I'll definitely be there. An opportunity to meet your siblings I'm not willing to let slide, whose birthday is it?"

"The twins. Almustapha and Aisha"

"just tell me the date, I'll make it. are you inviting Sadiq and Karima too?"

"I don't know. I will ask them."

"you don't have to if you don't want to. I won't mention it to them. That Karima is quite annoying I know"

He shrugged, his interest in the conversation slowly dissipating. His mind instead drifted to the approaching weekend, the time to finally see his mother after a whole month, the longest he's been staying away from her for the past few months. So much to tell her, so much to ask her yet so little time. He couldn't wait for the days to approach.

***

"How was the day?" Abba asked Fahaad the usual after school question as he adjusted himself in the passengers seat.

"It went great. I invited my friend to Almustapha's birthday party."

"Really? That's great then. Guess where we are heading to now?"

"We aren't picking Khalil and the others from school today?" he asked with a frown

"no dear, their mother would do that on her way back home. I need to introduce you to someone"

"okay"

***

Standing just outside the flat building, Fahaad's nervousness knew no bound.

What or who should he be expecting?

Would the person hate him just as much as everyone hates him or they'd be as nice as his father?

All this he was yet to decipher and that made him anxious to get the meeting done and over with.

After knocking on the door, a petite fair woman opened the door with a scowl, before finally a smile broke on her face.

"Ibro, sai yau? Shigo" (come in) she summoned in giving access.

"ya muka iya Asmau, the world is moving hard on us" Abba replied with a genuine smile.

Finally, her gaze traveled down to Fahaad, and her smile grew wider.

"Don't tell me! Look at you, you've grown so much" she exclaimed

"Good Afternoon"

"Afternoon dear, come here"

Dragging him to sit next to her, the look of joy never leaving her face.

"You don't know me koh?"

Clearly, the similarity and resemblance between the woman and his father could not be mistaken, but he chose to remain mute and just stare at her till she makes the first move.

"I'm your mother's school mother and your father's sister; Asmau"

Thinking back at his father's story, it was easy to put her face in the story.

"Hello? I'm still standing. Don't forget me so soon" Ibrahim interrupted

"Make yourself at home. Lemme get you something. I am so excited" With that, she rushed through a corridor disappearing.

Sooner than later, she appeared with refreshment on a tray.

"Where are the kids. The house is erring silent" Ibrahim asked

"They went out immediately they got back from school to the neighbor's. I can't deal with them with headache abeg" she replied, settling down just next to Fahaad.

"Where are the others?"

"Hmm. They're with Zulai. She went for a friend's naming ceremony, on her way home she picked them."

"Mummy's kids. Enjoyment" Though she didn't intend the bitter tone to go with it, it was still easily detectable.

"I wanted to call Mama and Baba so they get to know of Fahaad?" Ibrahim uttered

"great. I'll be here just when you need me"

Fahaad couldn't help but feel like a puppet. From one decision to the next, he never got to choose what he wants for himself. He wondered

what would happen if voiced out that he doesn't want to be introduced to anyone. That he doesn't want to be bullied by Zulai anymore. Or that

he just wants to go back HOME, Katsina his real home. What could possibly happen then?

By the end of the day, Fahaad listened to his suppose grandparent's argue on the topic of his acceptance into the family. He listened to his father and aunt speak back adamantly about the fact he is Ibrahim's first child and son, the rightful inheritor of his father's property. He listened to the strained defeated voice of his grandfather finally agreeing to his acceptance. He later had to endure Zulai's routine painful words towards him. He took in the sympathetic words of cheers from Khalil. He couldn't help craving his life to just stop. He was tired of everything.

He never got a say to any of this. His life was never normal, but also not tragic; so why now?

That night, Fahaad couldn't help but cry himself to sleep.

&&&

A quick one, sorry. But its still an update, so enjoy.