Hearts On Fire

31: Three Generations

She was sitting in the court, but her mind hadn't been in the court ever since Ammi sent her the message. She had never imagined it would turn to this, never imagined something she took as feasible as a game would outgrown this much, but still; she didn't care even if it did. All she did care about was Ammi, and the situation she was in now. It had aready been a month, and she still hadn't seen Al-mustapha since the day she left him at the poolside, and she couldn't enjoy her life as much as she enjoyed it now. Everything was beautiful.

She had gotten used to Jannah more than she had expected, and the girl opened up to her as though she was her own blood sister. And boy, did Fatima Zarah loved the way they conversed when they were together. How they acted when they went out, in the house, when Jannah was in her room to help her with some things, she truly loved it. But now, every good thing that was existent in her life had vanished, she wanted to know the situation Ammi was in.

She rounded up and went out of the court, ignoring the way Aliyu was calling her. He had been telling her that he wanted to come over to her house, to meet Jannah, that she should tell her husband. Funny how he didn't know how they now lived. He had been on her neck since last week, wanting to introduce himself to Al-mustapha since when she told him how Al-mustapha brought Jannah home.

She quickly got into her car to avoid meeting with him and drove out of the premises, she could see him through the rear mirror, trying to call her phone but it was already off. With her heart pounding in her chest, she drove home and parked, Ammi was home. That was surely something. Ammi was never home until after Asr and even if she was, she had something important to attend to.

She quickly got down from the car and entered the house, Ammi wasn't in the living room. Only the hushing sound of the television which she was sure Ammi had used to take off whatever it is that was worrying her this much. She walked directly to Ammi's room and faintly knocked before she turned the door knob and entered. She saw Ammi seated at her studying table and Fatima Zarah felt her palms and she suddenly wished she didn't come. Because she could clearly tell where this was going.

Ammi turned from where she was seated with a file which Fatima Zarah was sure had 'Al-mustapha Muhhamad Maccido' on it and moved to where she was rooted to her spot. The next thing she felt was a loud striking slap on her both cheeks, and with both palms supporting her cheeks; she looked at Ammi, whom was fuming with so much rage Fatima Zarah had never seen.

"Ammi? You slapped me, what I have done?" She asked with a quivering voice, not making the mistake of letting her eyes onto the file in Ammi's possession. Her heart was beating widely against her chest that she got afraid may be Ammi might heard the palpitations it was making.

"You're asking me what you've done, Fatima?! Are you even asking me what you have done? What am I holding in my hands? Tell me!" Ammi clamored, lifting the file up in the air and Fatima Zarah's eyes followed the file, gulping down the lump in her throat. Ammi pointed at her bed for her and she moved with jelly legs and sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at Ammi with misty eyes.

Ammi didn't seat down, she stood up in front of Fatima Zarah and her expression showed she was still demanding for an answer. "It's Al-mustapha's file." she answered, because she wouldn't want to imagine what Ammi would do to her if she didn't tell her who the file belonged to.

"Fine. And who is Al-mustapha to you?" One hot glare and those scorching eyes of Ammi were enough to set Fatima Zarah's heart into a standstill, and she knew Ammi wasn't in for her jokes.

She pulled up her fingers and began fiddling with them, something she had never done before. But in other to get away from looking into Ammi's eyes, she would do everything. "He's my husband, Ammi."