Bunza,

Kebbi State.

3rd May, 2011.

Ameerah's step mother swiveled her head in the direction of Lami, her co-wife; her lips curling into a sly smile, "Why not?"

Lami offered her a wide smile, one that anyone could tell it is fake. She then leaned down and picked the leather the woman handed over to Ameerah. Pulling out her co-wife's hands, she put the leather in it before pulling her hands away, "You have a pot, a stove, and food ingredients for a reason. Make use of it"

The woman hummed, a smile dancing on her lips, "Maman Ameerah kenan" She started as she opened the leather that she held in her hand, "It's dried fish" She showed Lami the content, and sure enough, it was dried fish. "I brought it because I know you like it"

Lami didn't let the smile on her face falter as she replied, "Nagode. But keep it with you" She glanced at her daughter before looking back at her co-wife.

Just then, Hamisu's first wife, a light skinned woman walked into the house. She had on a big veil that covered the blouse and wrapper she had on. Judging by the small Ghana must go in her hand, she must've returned from one her numerous businesses. While Lami and the other wife were so busy trying to kill the other, she focused on her business and does not get involved in the whole co-wife jealousy whatever.

She simply minded her business, and only talked to either of them when it was extremely necessary—the same goes for her children. She didn't have the energy to quarrel with them over a husband that might just take another wife soon or later.

What's the point? She always thought.

Her gaze fell on the two that stood, engrossed in a staring contest. She simply rolled her eyes and headed towards her room, ignoring both women that only spared her a five second glance.

The second  wife scoffed, "Toh, Ke  kika sani kuma" She muttered before she turned around and walked back into her room, head held up high with arms swinging by her side like an agama lizard.

"Once you're done, just come in kinji?"Lami turned to Ameerah who nodded. She then offered her a sincere smile before she walked into her room to rest.

~*~

4th May 2011.

It was a cold Wednesday morning—the sun wasn't up yet. It was around subh prayer time when Ameerah woke up, an unsettling feeling at the pit of her stomach. It made her uneasy for some reason but she shook it off, scolding herself internally for being paranoid when there was no reason to be.

She made her bed before she stepped out of the room, noticing the fact that she couldn't hear the melodious sound of her mother reciting the holy Qur'an as she usually does every morning after subh prayer. She dismissed the thought and got water from the well outside, using it to perform ablution before she returned back to her room and prayed. After her prayer, she recited the Qur'an, the few verses of surah Maryam which Lami taught her the day before.

When she concluded it, the sun has risen but Alhaji Hamisu's household was still as quiet as ever. Aside from the sound of birds chirping, no other sound could be heard.

But that was what didn't settle down right with Ameerah. The house was too quiet. There's no sound coming from Lami, and that was simply odd.

She stood up from the prayer mat she was sitting on, keeping the Qur'an back in place, she folded the prayer mat and kept it back in its original position—at the top of the shelf.

She then slipped into her faded green bathroom slippers and fixed her wrapper as she made her way over to Lami's room, knocking on the door a few times. She knew Alhaji Hamisu wasn't there because it wasn't Lami's turn; it was rather the second wife's turn so Lami was alone in there.

When she got no response, she knocked again and just like the other times, silence followed. That had her brows drew in out of confusion. She held the door knob and twisted it and pushed it open, stepping into the room with a salaam.

The first thing her gaze fell on is the figure that lay on the floor, crouched in an odd angle—unmoving. She stepped closer, faltering in her steps when she noticed the puddle that surrounded the figure. Her feet stepped into something that felt like water, but the smell told her otherwise.

Due to the fact that the curtains were close, the room remained dark since they had no electricity supply at the time. So, the only source of light came from the slightly opened door that Ameerah left.

The door creaked due to the slight morning breeze following the opened living room door that allowed airflow. This provided an avenue for more light to radiate the room thereby letting the girl see the figure clearly and what her feet landed in.

Her eyes widened as her lips curled opened but no words came out. Her body shook slightly as she leaned forward and shook Lami's body that lay in a puddle of blood. She couldn't see any sign of injury on her body and that only scared her more.

Somehow, she managed to run out of the room and ran across it, over to her step mother's room—the first wife. She knew the second wife well, she could spend the entire day knocking and the woman wouldn't move an inch to open it. What more, since Alhaji Hamisu is there, she's sure she won't even glance at the door.

She knocked on the woman's door hoping she'd open it. After a couple of knocks, she saw the door knob twist open and her step mother came into view, clad in a grey Hijab that reached her knees. A wrapper of some sort peaked from under the hijab covering her legs downward. "Ameerah?" She said, her tone held confusion, "Meya faru?What happened?" She asked, her usual cold eyes around her co-wives soften as she took in the tear stricken face of the sixteen-year-old.

"Mama..." She chocked on the sobs she held in, "She—she--"

"Calm down Ameerah" The woman said, resting her hand on the girl's shoulder, "Breathe slowly kinji? Tell me, what happened to your mother?"

"Help. Please help my mother"

That was all Ameerah needed to say before her step mother sprinted at the direction of Lami's room, Ameerah right behind her. She pushed the door open, and stepped into her co-wife's room, eyes widening slightly at the sight of blood that surrounded her. "Inna lillahi was inna ilaihi rajiun" She muttered as she scurried to Lami's side. The smell was so sickening that she almost gagged, but she held it in and focused on helping her up.

Along with Ameerah, the two took her out of the room and outside the house, where the woman's first son, a man in his early twenties who just came back from the mosque ushered them into his Honda Accord car when he noticed the situation.

The woman stayed with Lami in the back seat while Ameerah sat in the front seat, tapping her foot repeatedly on the floor as her step brother drove to the hospital in a speed that one might consider reckless; but none of them complained knowing the urgency of the situation.

In a couple of minutes, they reached the nearest hospital where Lami was immediately taken to the emergency section by the few nurses that were available at hour leaving the three there.

The first wife took out her phone to call their husband while Ameerah and her step brother stood waiting . Ameerah had so many scenarios running through her head as she thought of losing Lami. She couldn't endure it.

Just when she thought her life was getting back on track, this happened.

She didn't realize that she was crying until she felt the tears that stream down her face like waterworks.

~*~

"Doctor! Is she okay?" Alhaji Hamisu asked the minute he saw Lami's doctor approach them. He had left the house the minuet he received the call from his first way about the situation Lami is in much to the second wife's displeasure, but that was the least of anyone's concerns.

The doctor sighed and offered the family a small smile, "Yes. She's stable now"

"Alhamdullilah" Came a simultaneous reply from all of them, relief washing over their features but there were still unanswered questions in the air.

"What happened to her?" Alhaji Hamisu asked the question that's on everyone's mind.

The doctor glanced at the people behind him, wondering if he should say it in front of them. But, it looked like they are a family, so, he spoke, "She lost blood due to the miscarriage"

"You mean..."

"Yes. She was pregnant, but not anymore" the doctor answered the question Alhaji Hamisu couldn't finish. However, this time he really did think twice about the next words he'd utter, "Although we're not sure if it's really a miscarriage or an abortion. By the looks of it, she took something that made the miscarriage happen"

~*~

"Oh Allah!" Alhaji Hamisu's mother exclaimed from the chair she sat on in the living room of his house. The biggest living room in the house, one belonging to the first wife. Her gaze swept across the room as she looked at her son and his three wives who had their heads down. "Toh nidai I believe Lami won't do something like this" She said, backing up Lami on the statement she made earlier.

She got released from the hospital a couple of hours ago. However, by then, the news of what happened to her has already spread round the household. Even the neighbors knew about it. Rumors do spread faster than wildfire.

While the rest believed that Lami aborted the child she was carrying, she denied the accusations. However, by the looks of it, the only ones that believed her were the first wife, her mother in law and Ameerah. Even Alhaji Hamisu didn't believe her. At first, he seemed conflicted but not anymore.

"Someone in this household must've fed her something that made her have a miscarriage. After all, it's not the first time something like this is happening right?" She spoke up when none of the four said a word.

"Amma Hajiya, who would do such thing to her?" The second wife asked, raising her head to look at her mother in law who glared at her, then shrugged.

"How will I know? A tsakanin ku ne ai"She moved her gaze to the first wife who held her gaze unwaveringly. "Whoever it is, Allah zai tona mishi asiri! We will eventually find out who did this and wallahi zai gani a rayuwarsa. Wannan ai mugan cine. What did this woman ever do to you?" She looked back at the second wife who looked away, rolling her eyes in the process.

Her gaze moved back to the first wife who had a bored expression plastered on her face. "Allah ya tona wa mutumin asiri!" She repeated, and waited for the 'Ameen' that never came from any of them.

~*~

5th May, 2011.

"Another case of rape has been reported just last night. An eight-year-old was raped by her guardian in the city of Bauchi, resulting in the death of the girl. Police say all ongoing investigations are made to make justice prevails for the deceased. The governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Hamza Shagari, during the interview he had earlier, announced that anyone found guilty of such crimes will face severe consequences..."

Lami lowered the volume of the radio, having heard enough of such news already. Such cases have slowly begun to rise not just in the Northern part of the country but in the other parts. Listening to politicians like that governor give speeches like that leaves her in doubts each time. Most times, she wondered if they would say the same thing if their children are the ones found committing such heinous crimes.

Her friend that's sitting beside her scoffed, shaking her head in the process, "Allah ya shirya. Rayuwa ta zama abunda tazama. How can people be so heartless?" She asked in a high pitched tone that anyone outside the room could hear her. She didn't do it intentionally though; it had just become a part of her since it's a habit she had since childhood.

Lami shrugged, not really having the energy to say or do anything after hearing that news. She could barely think straight, certain memoirs started to cloud her mind and slowly overwhelm her as she thought about it.

"Lami" Her friend snapped her fingers in front of her to gain her attention, "Are you okay?"

Lami blinked but nodded, a small smile making its way on her lips, "Yes. I'm okay" Her eyes flickered to where the radio lies before she looked back at her friend.

The woman narrowed her eyes slightly, not believing her, but she had an inkling what Lami's behavior could be about. "Is this about that girl?" She watched her friend closely as Lami's gaze snapped to meet hers, eyes slightly dilating unintentionally. This made her hum, "So I'm right. It is about her. Tell me, you know more than you're letting on right?"

Lami shook her head, "I don't know anything" She said, somehow managing to hide the nervousness in her tone.

"Lami Kenan" The woman said, shaking her head as she chuckled lightly, "I've known you since childhood. And I know when you're lying. Kigaya min, who is it?"

Lami held her friend's gaze, internally wondering if she could tell her or not. But if she did tell her, what would be the consequence? Shaking those thoughts off her head, she leaned forwards and whispered one name. "Tahir"

~*~

12th June, 2011.

Days turned into a month. The void in Lami's heart hasn't been filled with anything—nothing could fill it up, not even the presence of Ameerah by her side. The fact that the culprit hasn't been found still bothered her to no ends. It also didn't help that Hamisu basically buried that question away, refusing to speak about it anymore or let it be spoken about in the household.

Hamisu. He's another problem entirely.

He's changed. Changed in a way Lami never thought he would.

It was like he couldn't stand her mere presence nor that of Ameerah's. At least he talks to Ameerah when it's necessary, he refuses to even spare Lami a glance. Times without number she had tried to talk to him, into knowing what the problem is but he never budges. He refused to tell her what she did wrong and that made her worry more. However, she had a gut feeling that it has been be about the miscarriage, or abortion, as he believes.

Ameerah had written her WAEC, she concluded the exams a couple of weeks ago. She didn't know if she could get to study in the university despite the fact that all her siblings do, she wonders if she'll do too but considering the change in Alhaji Hamisu's behavior, she fears not.

Not long after she came back from an errand Lami sent her too, Hamisu summoned her to the living room. So, she put on her hijab and walked to the place, muttering as much supplications as she can remember at the moment and with her right foot, she stepped in.

Alhaji Hamisu, a man in his early fifties is a moderately tall man with features one would still strike as 'handsome'. It also helped that he was a successful business man in Bunza owning about five provision stores and a lot of cattle that brings him money. He wasn't the richest, but he certainly was not poor either.

"Salamu alaikum" She said, the minute she stepped foot in the room.

Alhaji Hamisu looked up, a small smile dancing on his lips, "Wa alaikum mussalam" He replied and that almost unnoticeable smile helped ease her nerves.

She walked further into the living room, finding a spot opposite him, and sat on the carpeted floor. "Ina wuni Baba" She greeted.

"Lafiya. Kun tashi lafiya?"

"Alhamdullilah"

"Toh Masha Allah" He kept quiet afterwards, building as much suspense as he could, and that scared her more than the smile calms her. "You've chosen the university you want to attend right?"

She nodded.

"Which university?"

"BUK" She replied, a bit hesitantly. She wasn't sure if he'd let her study there but since one of her step sisters is studying there and she was hoping she'd study there too.

He nodded, "Ok toh Allah bada sa'a. I know someone there who would get you admission into the course you want. Just start preparing"

She nodded, a wide smile etched on her face, "Toh Baba. Nagode"

Maybe if she had known what she'd encounter there, she wouldn't have grinned or agreed to go at the moment.

But because she didn't, she grinned wider.

~*~

Supp

How have yall been?

How is the story so far?.

I ahve nothing to say today so goodnight❤️👋

Love, Jannah.