#8
Silence unleashed itself in the room, as Majida kept looking at Fadwa unable to protest or add more to her words. She knew what Fadwa told her is the truth wether she would keep denying it for the rest of her live, it's as rigid as a rock seated at the shore of an ocean, nothing in the world would break it, not even the roars of the ocean.
She softened her hands on Fadwa's and more tears began gushing out of her eyes. "I just wish we can that fact, Addah Fadwa. He doesn't deserve us, he deserves nothing good in life. I wish sometimes we can erase our names under his and write Ammi's. We are worthy of a father much better than him, what is he to our lives rather than burden, pain and tears that have no time of stopping? When are we going to stop his torture on us? Most especially, Ammi, she deserves a good life."
Fadwa looked at her without being able to utter a word, what she had said what was had never crossed Fadwa's mind not even for a second, but now; she might think of this. Ammi deserved a good life, a life with nothing in it rather than being loved and happiness. But what she's gotten for herself was sometimes that scared the word 'happiness'. One couldn't see her hidden beauty because a frown almost adorned her face, even when she smiled; it was nothing but a fake one. What was her fault because Allah gave her the girls as the gift of her life? And even when she gave birth to a bo... no, she couldn't go back to that memory.
She closed her eyes and opened them together with her tears, she so much hated the life she is living. She hated waking up every day with the fear of seeing her mother being beaten mercilessly by her father and calling them names just because they came out as girls. Did he proved otherwise of his habits when he had the male child? Fadwa groaned at that.
"I concur, Ammi deserves a good life, Majida. She deserves to be in a happy home, a place where she would wake up everyday without no fear of being abused physically and emotionally. She deserves a place where she can relax at night without no worries of what to eat the next morning because she has a husband that seems just a name and acts nothing of his..." she was cut off by Ammi, whom had being hearing all that they said and decided to cut her off because she could never let the hatred of Baffah bloom in their hearts.
"That's enough, Fadwa. I've always warned you to stop saying these words towards your father, he's your father and has done what no amount of money could buy to you on earth." Ammi sat down beside them and put the tray she transferred the food Fadwa came with into, she motioned for them to eat; and they compiled.
"Ammi, what has he ever done to us? I can't make mention of a day he makes something close to happy or neutral feeling in my heart, it has always been pain." Majida groaned and brought her filled hand to her mouth, she took in the first bite.
"Do you what he has done to you that nothing could buy? He gave you a name. By name, I don't mean your names, no; he protects you from the word: bastards. If he wasn't married to me legally, you all couldn't bear the name Mamman Jalo. Be it he was your father but out of wedlock. He provides you shelter..." and she closed her eyes, regretting that she had brought the issue herself, and it reminded her, just some months left before their rent fee is due.
"Which shelter, Ammi? It's his house for god sake, but he makes you pay for rent every year. What about it? We should be thankful for it as well?" In these kinds of situations, it's only Majida that had the emotional strength of saying whatever it is eating her up.
"Majida, it's enough. You're sounding like you're criticizing Ammi, like she was at fault for marrying him in the first place. Why don't you calm your horses and enjoy the meal? You haven't even asked me about my work, the kind of boss I have or anything, busy worrying about we all can't change." Fadwa smiled as she was lucky enough to divert the focus of their discussion, they ate while she told them about her first day at work, how the house looked, even the paintings Fadwa described them for them.
"What of your boss, how does he look like?" A curious Sabeehah asked, looking attentively at Fadwa.
Fadwa gulped down a lump in her throat and looked at Sabeehah with a smile. "Let me see, I know I'm so god at description, I might do justice to how he looks." It was supposed to be an inner talk, but she didn't know she voiced it out and none in her family pointed it out.
"You've always said we should trust you, and we trust you good enough to know you will describe him perfectly fine as you've described his house, paintings, even the way pillows were kept in the house. Go on." Majida smiled mischievously and patted Fadwa's shoulders, eager to hear how he looked, that dope house would never have an ugly owner, would it?
Fadwa smiled and spoke, "He walks with a gait able to put the heroes into shame. Rigid like an elephant. He stands 6'6 and shy away with a broad chest that scares off his everyone looking at him. His hair is a combination of brown and black, which makes it so hard to decipher the exact colour; curly and dangling on his forehead.
He has eyes that stares back at people with pale blue orbs even the morning sky would envy; squinty in shape. He has almost touching eyebrows that looks scary and a long chisel nose that stands proudly just above his shamelessly pink lips. With a beard running down from his cheek bones down below his lips. Majida, I can't remember everything about him, this is all I've looked at for today."
She felt herself being hugged tightly by Majida as she chuckled. "Adda Fadwa you're an expert when it comes to description Ya Allah! You need to see more tomorrow, like his complexion, his fingers, the texture of hair, as in everything. Are you sure he's Nigerian, wait, I won't jump into conclusion until tomorrow."
Fadwa chuckled and broke their hug, "Majida you're something else, I'll make sure to look at all you've asked tomorrow," she said and took Sabeebah on her shoulders, laying her down on the bed. She knew Majida as the talking type and always wanted to know everything, she wasn't even surprised because she knew this would happen, and she planned to take her black veil tomorrow before her attention get back to it.
"Since you've all prayed, ate and talked a little, go to bed. Fadwa, I know you must be tired and would love some sleep." Ammi said and walked out of the room, Fadwa had noticed how uneasy she looked since the last statement that was made by Majida because she turned their focus of talking. What can she do to make things right? She wondered.