"Mother why?" I ask her in passionate anger.

She takes a sip of her juice and gurgles it before swallowing with mock relish. 

"This passion fruit juice is amazing.  Want to try some? " Anger wells up in me and bubbles out. 

"Mother!  Why on earth would you try to kill Safiyya's mother?" I shout and she eyes me, showing emotion for the first time since I came thirty minutes ago. 

"I did it for your own sake. I did it to secure yours and my place." She turns on her phone and begins to flick through it.

"My sake?" I ask incredulously.  What place? What does she mean?

"Yes.  Your sake. You are my only child and I will not let you throw half of your inheritance away because you want to be a good Samaritan." I stare at her in shock. 

"Besides, I didn't even touch your so-called sister,  I only stopped that shameless Niqab wearing gold digger." She finishes with a sneer on her face.  Ya Allah.  Is this the woman I've known all my life?

Tears sting my eyes and I shut my eyes tightly to hold them in. I try to open my eyes.  Safiyya's mother was almost killed by her and her excuse is my place? When have I ever shown interest in inheritance? When?

"Mother?" I call unbelieving

"Daughter." She replies with a smirk

My heart shatters, no one is to be trusted anymore. No one except your Lord.

"I'll tell you now. I'm disappointed in you. I'm sorry you are my mother. I expected better from you. You stooped so low as to trying to take the lives of two humans. Two humans that Allah cr-" A slap stops me from finishing my statement.  My right hand goes to my cheek in shock.  She's so unrepentant.

"I did at all for you.  And By Allah I would do it over and over again. I cannot let you suffer, not after how much I've suffered." She's heaving after shouting and I think of what she said. 

"Mother." I begin softly.  "Why do you keep saying me.  Why do reaffirm you did it all for me? Why? When did I ever ask you to kill a human for me. When mother? When?" I shout and she slaps me, this time on my left cheek, it is stinging even worse than the last slap.

"Aren't you married now? You will soon see what I mean. Isn't he a man? You think he's pure at heart? That's how one woman from somewhere will steal him right under your nose." I hold my left cheek in silent thought. It's all so complicated.  Wallah. 

I pack up my purse and walk out of her presence with her calling out for me. The secret heavy on my tongue and mind.

How long can I hold it in?

******

"Nabeela, it's a huge secret but it is up to Safiyya's mother to decide whether or not she wants to press charges. You have to tell her soon so she knows." I nod absentmindedly. I'm seating in Maama's work area three days later.

I twist the ring on my left finger over and over in thought. How will Safiyya's mother react that my own mother tried to kill her and her youngest daughter. It's so heavy a confession.

"But Maama." I begin slowly, tears clogging my throat.

"How can I tell her. And I don't think I'll sleep at night if I don't tell her.  I'm loosing sleep as it is already." She nods and pats my hand. She's sitting with me on teal sofa in her work space.
Her eyes hold mine in sympathy.

"Pray. Pray hard. Allah might soften her heart. Because wallah I have no idea what could have pushed your mother to do this." She shakes her head and stares at the muted television on the wall.

She pats my hand and gets up from my seat. "I have something for you. I made it yesterday. I know you'll love it and in all of this, you sure need comfort food." She smiles at me and walks out the door. 

I told Adeel all about it and he offered to help.  Safiyya's mother and Humairah will be moving to a two bedroom apartment near Maitama. Humairah woke up so tired and listless. I've been unable to look Safiyya's mother in the eye since the day I knew. 

How could I?

It's just so heartrending. My own mother. The one who birthed me, turned so wicked and heartless. 

I sigh again and look up as Maama holds a tray as she tries to come into the room.  I rush to help her and she shoos me away. 

"It's Cherry Yogurt."  I crack a smile and my smile slowly widens. Yogurt?

"Aww Maama. But cherries in September?"  She smiles back at me. 

"There is this cherry farm that Baban Adeel owns in Bwari. Somehow three trees bloomed and they brought some for us to sample." I say my thanks and she waves her hands as its her custom. 

"Just tell Umm Safiyya. She'll be merciful." I nod and smile relieved for the advice.

********

"I don't blame her."  I look up in unconcealed shock.  What?

"Yes.  Afrah, I do not blame your mother. Of course, I would never have done something like that, but I would have taken action." She nods and I look outside the window to the ambulance downstairs, someone is being rushed into the hospital. 

"I remember when I met your father. I was a nineteen year old naive idiot. Who had met this man who said she was the love of his life. Oh, Affy. How I gobbled up his words. They were what I needed to hear in all of the spite and hatred I lived in with my parents. 

I remember the first time he brought me stuff from Paris. I thought I'd found my dream man.  I thought life had become set for me, only to be slapped in the face when Safiyya's conception came and your father denied me in front of everyone.  Saying he had a wife and didn't intend to marry another.  Imagine my heartbreak.

But, there was none to blame than my own foolishness and stupidity.  My father threw me out, my mother although annoyed at me still gave me the baby items she had used for our last born. Better than nothing right?" I nodded. Tears clogging my throat.

She wiped her eyes before continuing. "I don't know how I gave birth to Safiyya, all I know is, one night I went to sleep and the next morning, my baby came. My Safiyya became my beacon in all of that trouble."  She sniffed again and broke down in tears.  My heart feels like a bludgeon is going at it over and over. 

"A month after I gave birth, with no help, only money from hawking pure water.  I found a way to meet your father, he met me at your house after your mother had thrown me out, I know that was when you saw me. Your father gave me one thousand Naira. And asked me to never return there anymore." My heart breaks over and over.  Baba could have easily taken Safiyya in. But, I'm sure mother would have treated her badly.  I remember that day in 2001, when I looked outside my window and saw this fair skinned woman on her knees with her arms raised in begging.  I remember breaking my ceramic piggy bank and pouring it's contents into a jewellery drawstring bag.

"You know, that day, if you hadn't given me that money, I'm sure Safiyya and I would not have survived." I nod stiffly.  I know the rest of the story, I didn't find them until many years later when I started University and began sharing my monthly allowance with them.

When I married Husband Number one, they suffered. I couldn't contact them, I just had a phone, it was useless. All through that time, only Allah knows how they fared. 

".......So, thank you." She begins with her hands together, I had zoned out for a moment. 

"For what?" She smiles, it's a sad twist of her mouth. 

"For everything. For loving your sister like you do, for not hating me for being a bane in your mother's existence. Thank you." I nod stiffly. 

Life has been unfair to Umm Safiyya.

Surely.

******

Hi guys, how are you all doing?  Ikr, today is Sunday and I'm updating.  I just felt like it(more like I need more time to work on more chapters)😝😲

Enjoy your week.

God bless you

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TheOmoope