Mama sat in the living room, glaring at every furniture in distaste. She hated how everything looked, and she hated how it smells. She remembered how she had been the intermediary between Maryam's grandmother and the incense hawker. She had been the one who had specifically hand-picked this certain incense that oozes in every inch of the living room for Maryam's grandmother. It's a big surprise that she had maintained it, even after all this years.

Maryam's grandmother came into the living room, with her shoulders slumped. She could guess the reason why Mama had visited. She did not bother greeting her though, she had quietly lowered herself on the sofa, as she prepared to put a gigantic mask of disbelief to any accusations that might be thrown her way.

"What brings you to my humble abode, Amina?" Maryam's grandmother asked mama causciously, trying to pin point any emotion she could handpick from Mama.

"As if there's anything humble about this kiosk, Habiba" Mama retorted, not being able to help the anger that coersed through her veins whenever she saw the one person whose betrayal had cut deepest.

Maryam's grandmother sighed softly, knowing the probability of having an insult-free conversation is definitely zero. She knew she had hurt her friend, but she knew she did what she had to do to save her daughter. Besides, she had not just shipped her daughter to him. He had exclusively showed interest, and her husband took it to heart even after she stressed on how pathetic it is.

"I understand you're upset and you will never forgive me, but I have made peace with that already. How about you inform me why you are here so we can talk about it. This visit is far from amicability obviously" Maryam's grandmother said sternly, trying to act strong. Mama had on a bored expression instead.

Both of them sat in angry silence, for some moments. Before Mama cleared her throat loudly, successfully getting back Maryam's grandmother's attention which she had lost to deep thoughts.

"You already know why I am here. My husband demands you help us unravel the mystery behind Noorie's birth. Your daughter is convinced that the child is hers, so we believe you were in it all alone..." Mama had stated mockingly making the other woman go rigid with shock. "My husband would like to know what you did to his child and ofcourse how and when you'll be breaking the news to your granddaughter Noorie" she added with a smug look.

Maryam's grandmother stared at Mama in both shame and agony. She hated how the table had turned and how Mama was enjoying herself at the expense of her misery.

"Amina, if anyone told me you would one day bask in my misery I would have sworn that they are lying. I would have sworn you would have my back forever" she lamented making Mama actually laugh in joy. The thought of the immense amount of shame and anger that would be directed towards her ex-bestfriend when everyone finds out what she did brought her an incredible amount of joy.

"And if anyone told me you would betray my trust, and marry off your daughter to my husband, I would have sworn they were lying. Listen Habiba, this is not why I am here. I am here because I want to know what happened that day. We all deserve to know how Noorie came into my home when she shares nothing with my children.

Maryam's grandmother jerked up dramatically, trying to sway Mama's attention, but ofcourse Mama did her math before she visited. She knew she wasn't wrong, something had happened that day. She had informed her husband, but like always he shrugged it off, saying she was always poke nosing into things that weren't her concern.
"If you came to insult me in my home, I would appreciate it if you leave. I will not allow you conjure up stories that aren't true. Get out" she had stated pointing to the door.

Mama scoffed.
"Stories that aren't true? Do I look like a tale teller?"

Maryam's grandmother shrugged, but she was so stiff it's obvious Mama was striking a chord.

"The day your daughter have birth, you left the labor room with one child and came back with another. When I stopped you while you were trying to leave, the child is different from the one you brought back. Whose child is Noorie?" She yelled and Maryam's grandmother started trembling. She started pacing while her hands shook. She kept cleaning off the sweat on her thighs but her palms kept getting sweaty.

She stared at her friend who was watching her every move like a hawk. If she could remember, Mama was always the type with facts. She never talks unless she is sure. Her facts were wrong, but she was on the way and she was never going to back down without an explanation.

"I did not return with another child" Maryam's grandmother whispered enough for Mama to hear.

"Where the heck did Noorie came from then?" Mama stated through gritted teeth.

Maryam's grandmother wiped her hands on her wrapper, and then she composed herself. She knew if she was going to open up about how she meddled with her daughter's life, it should be to her daughter and not her co-wife. She knew her daughter deserves that much.

"I am not going to say another word to you Amina. Just allow me do this at the right time. My daughter has been through a lot already and telling you everything about her, which she obviously is oblivious to is not fair. Do me a favour and allow me come clean in my own terms" she had stated composedly.

Mama shrugged nonchalantly, she knows relaying this message to her husband would only rile him up and she is forever ready to do so. She picked up her bag, and with one very last distasteful look around the living room, she exited it. Maryam's grandmother plopped down the sofa with a huff, as her body trembled in fear of what her daughter's reaction might be to the truth. She sighed loudly, then rested her head on the armrest, trying to calm her nerves down.

Meanwhile, Maryam and Khalid stood by the car at the motor park where she had escorted him so he would go back to Zaria. Maryam hated motor parks because of how every citizen acts as if they were on their rights. She hated how some people have no regard for others when they decide to take on some nasty attitude, like the man smoking cigarettes beside them.

She had shifted and turned in different directions, but Khalid is so occupied with his broken heart that he took no notice of her bothered expression. They had the talk last night after Iman had left, and she had made it clear that she was not interested in him. He took it really hard, infact he got offended but Maryam only saw more reasons why they weren't compactible even though he thought she was wrong.

"I can e....explain" Khalid stuttered, even before Maryam asked him. She stared at him with an unreadable expression, which he could not understand. "I was jealous, okay. It's obvious you're not yourself whenever this guy is involved. I blocked his contact number out of irritation" Khalid defended lamely.

Maryam shifted her weight to the other leg as she stared at Khalid wondering, how long he had stayed in Abuja to know Iman had changed her.

"You've turned into someone else, and it's bothersome. The Maryam I know would never raise her voice at her mother. You even dodged her punishment. You were so disrespectful, I wondered if at all you are the Maryam I know. Maryam you even yelled at her, all because of that annoying Iman. That's why I believe if I cut you off him, we will all get back the timid, submissive Maryam we once knew" Khalid explained, with a sad smile.

Maryam went rigid, she heard him right, but she did not want to believe what she had just heard.
A timid and submissive girl?
Was that all he saw in her?

"You were the type of girl who would bury her own feelings for the sake of others. Now, you......"

"Put myself first!" She cut him off bewilderedly. He nodded foolishly, while she stared at him wondering why she had ever considered allowing herself live the whole of her life with him. She wondered why she had ever considered pushing Iman away for his sake.

"Don't stare at me like that, I am only stating the obvious....."

Maryam chuckled softly making him frown. He could not understand what she found funny. He furrowed his brows questioningly.

"You only loved me because you knew I was submissive and I would be easier to manipulate into your yours, right?" Maryam had asked, and it was his own turn to shift his weight from a leg to another.

"You make it sound so bad. A woman is supposed to be submissive to her husband. A woman is supposed to be obedient and respectful, you know this Maryam. Why are you making me explain these things. How did you think our mothers lived happily with our fathers? Because whatever the man decides, stands. Now that you've started talking back at your mother, any sensible man would doubt his intentions towards marrying you" Khalid explained like some marriage expert with his hands flying in every direction to stress his point.

Maryam stood transfixed watching him. She silently thanked God that she had not ended up being married to Khalid before she realized the kind of man she is.

"Our mothers were never happy Khalid. They endured everything your gender served them on a silver platter because they were taught to be blind...." She stopped talking when she saw the incredulous look on his face. What was she explaining to Khalid when he obviously believes she is saying rubbish. What explanation could you give a blind man? "Khalid, you and I cannot be together" She deadpanned and he staggered a little.

He expected her reaction towards him, but he did not think she had the balls to actually go through with it. "It's obvious we are two different people, and it's obvious I have changed from what you had officially wanted. I am not the Maryam you used to know......."

"Maryam, just because you've changed doesn't mean my feelings for you have changed. I was just being open....."

"My feelings for you have changed Khalid, I do not like you that way anymore" She concluded.

Khalid knew he needed to accept defeat, and even though it hurts him to leave her, he knew it was better to let her go because he never stood a chance anyway. Other than her mother's sudden interest in him, nobody genuinely likes him here.

The driver sold the last ticket and started demanding for the passengers to board the bus according to their numbers. With a sullen expression, Khalid bid Maryam farewell before getting into the bus. Maryam did not wait for the bus to leave before she headed towards the exit of the park, away from the smoker, and away from Khalid.

Her phone started vibrating and she quickly picked up the call seeing it was Iman. He greeted her, before asking where she was. She told him she was at the motor park, and she was there to send off Khalid.

Maryam did not miss the glee in his voice when he asked if Khalid was already in a bus.
"Muhammad Iman, are you excited he's gone?" She teased and he cleared his throat. She chuckled because she could already picture his expression.

"Not at all, I was just watching something funny" he lied blatantly and both of them started laughing. As she closed in on the gate, Khalid's bus honked, so she shifted. Khalid thrusted his hands from the window and waved at her with a sad smile, and she returned the gesture as she watched his car leave the park.

****
"Are you really going to go see her?" Zarah asked, highly irritated at Maryam's simplicity. Maryam nodded slowly with a small smile. "Allow me to refresh your memory, when you had that head injury, she did not visit you and we both know she did not have an upcoming test in the evening that day" Zarah warned, her eyes turning to slits.

Maryam sighed softly. She had explained it thoroughly, yet Zarah was still refusing to let the sleeping dogs lie.

"Maryam, that girl hates you. She will never ever love you, it's that obvious. Did you not notice the stunt she's pulled about Iman. Your happiness irks her. She will never......."

"Zarah stop it. I don't care about everything. Do not repay evil with evil, or have you suddenly forgotten that phrase?" Maryam countered making Zarah groaned frustratingly. She picked up her bag and stormed out of the room, banging the door as she left. Maryam shook her head with a smile and picked up the keys. She secured the room, and then she headed to the gate.

She refused to tell Iman about Noorie's accident, because it was embarrassing that her sister was trying to kill herself because of him. A guy who barely spoke three words to her. She knew today was his day off from the hospital, not wanting to run into him she had decided to visit Noorie today.

***
Maryam remained seated on a chair, staring at Noorie's laying figure. The room has been silent ever since her siblings left, leaving her alone with Noorie. The very moment they left, she had turned her back against Maryam feigning sleep. She wasn't totally feigning the sleep because she's answered multiple calls, and had been giggling to chats on WhatsApp.

When Maryam graced them with her presence, Noorie had immediately frowned her face, which had not gone unnoticed by Maryam and the others. She ignored every single greeting Maryam sent her way, infact she continued chatting with everyone specifically ignoring her sister. The funny thing is Maryam's mother was seated there, yet she did not seem it necessary to call out Noorie's misbehaviour.

Maryam felt bad because she had ditched one of her lectures and the time to study for her evening test to come see Noorie, and ofcourse a cold shoulder was her greatest welcome. With Noorie facing the wall, Maryam seeked out her phone for her company.

A smile crept up her face, when she saw the billion messages Iman had sent her. For a medical doctor, Iman seemed to have the time on the world for her. He would drop a message at every chance he got. Her phone had started ringing, and she picked up.

Noorie's eye widened in realization of who Maryam was talking to. She could clearly hear the happiness in her sister's voice, and it irritated her to the core. She hissed loudly and shuffled on the bed clearly showing her disdain.

Maryam did not falter, because she has made up her mind to be with Iman. Neither her grandfather or grandmother spoke about Noorie's suicide attempt, it seems like nobody cares enough to even bring up the reason for that drama. Noorie clearly wasn't receiving the kind of response she had hoped for, for her misbehaviour.
Infact, she had invited therapists into her list of daily activities, as if juggling the million men after her was not enough.

When Maryam laughed at something and said the word lover, Noorie could not bare it anymore. She turned away from the wall and faced Maryam who ignored the daggers she was sending her way. When Iman asked where she was, she had lied but he had caught her because Zarah had told him she came to visit Noorie and now Iman was coming here.

"You really are a sly humanbeing, and I understand the reason why I've always hated you" Noorie stated, making Maryam go rigid."Nobody sees it, but I do. You are a manipulator and you always make people do your bidding with that innocent face and demeanor. You can not fool me, and you never will. You always have things go your way, you're always trying to please people which I find pathetic by the way. By Allah, I am always surprised how you and I are sisters" Noorie seethed.

Maryam gathered her bag, trying to leave seeing Noorie was really ready to cut it out for her. But Noorie stopped her.

"I met Iman first. I started liking him first. You said you wanted your village boy and now just because you realize I am head over heels in love with Iman, you've dumped your village boyfriend for a man clearly way above your league. That guy will be mine, and whether you like it or not, you must leave him for me because I always win and I always get what I want" Noorie stated sitting up.

When Maryam stared at her with a blank expression, Noorie became agitated. She picked up the knife which had been used by her mother to slice some apples, he cut her second wrist which she had not inflicted with pain the first time. She yanked off the cannular, staring at her sister dead in the eye with an eerie expression. She threw the knife at Maryam's feet, and let out a bellowing scream.

Maryam stood rigid, staring at her sister comfortably trying to frame her, for hurting her.  Just as Maryam tried to move to the door, the door was pushed open by her mother, who after seeing her daughter crying for help, let out a deafening scream. She ran to her daughter who was pointing at Maryam crying. When her mother saw the knife at Maryam feet, she screamed again.
"What have you done Maryam?" She yelled marching towards her in anger, after dialling the emergency button which would have the doctor be with them in a few seconds..

Maryam wasn't opportune to answer, when the doctors came running in. Maryam and her wailing mother were excused, while the doctors went to work.

"What did you do to your sister. You know she's unstable, what did you do to her Maryam?" Her mother wailed shaking Maryam who was now crying, after registering the amount of confusion Noorie is willing to showcase for her to get what she wants.

Have a pleasant night💝😫