Tears of Zubaida.

•••••TEARS OF ZUBAIDA••••• •••Chapter Ten•••

TWO WEEKS LATER.

Mariya peeped into Zubaida's room and found her sleeping.
She tiptoed to her bed and gently patted her.

"Wake up Zubaida." Mariya shakes her.

Zubaida slowly opened her eyes and closed them. "Leave me alone, I want to sleep." She yawned.

"Zubaida ki tashi mana." Mariya whined.

Zubaida widely opened her eyes and looked at Mariya, a scowl made its way to her face. "So its even you, had I known I wouldn't have woke up." Zubaida hissed.

"What's wrong with you these days?" Mariya enquired.

"Nothing." Zubaida replied shrugging her shoulders.

"Why haven't you been in school for the past three days?" Mariya interrogated again.

"Nothing, I've been sick lately. Just some stomachache and vomits." Zubaida said.

Mariya was quiet for some seconds then she asked "are you sure you are okay?"

"Yes, why the questions?" Zubaida asked.

Mariya shook her head in a negative way and urged Zubaida to get ready, she will be accompanying her somewhere.

"Where are we going?" She queried.

"Kasuwa zamu, saida ke zanyi." Mariya eyed her.

"Have I told you that Sule has changed for good?" Mariya spoke as they walked through beneath the pregnant cloud whose water could break at any moment.

Zubaida felt a pang on her chest at the mention of Sule's name; how she aloof him with passion. She had told no one about the incident that happened, not even her best friend; Mariya.

"And how's that my business if I may ask?" Zubaida fiercely said.

"Wonders shall never end, why the sudden outburst? Sai kace na zo miki da abin bakin ciki." Mariya defended.

They became silent and walked more faster as breeze that has began to arouse had started blurring their vision. Little droplets of rain fell from the sky hitting the earth surface, giving it an earthy scent which Zubaida found amusing.

"Humph..." She sniffed.

"Are we safe? Mu gudu ko mu tsaya?" Mariya wondered. "I'm coming, that tofu looks so inviting; let me go and buy some for us."

Zubaida waited for Mariya to come back before they continued walking.
"Har kin siyo?" Zubaida asked.

"Yes, here's yours. I will be leaving you here, till tomorrow." Mariya handed a nylon containing the tofu in it.

Zubaida scrunched her nose and quickly walked to the drainage of their house with Mariya who trailed behind her worriedly.

"What's wrong with her Mariya?" Zainaba asked taking a grip of Zubaida who was throwing up.

"I don't know too, I just gave her this tofu and she scrunched her nose and ran here." Mariya stated worriedly.

"Its okay, help me take her to her room." Zainaba requested as she rinsed Zubaida's mouth.

Zubaida felt dizzy and quickly drifted to sleep immediately her body met with her soft mattress.

"Mariya, its after isha'i prayers, why don't you go home." Zainaba said to Mariya who just finished praying and was seated on the prayer mat.

"No problem inna, in taka ma in kwana anan sai in kwana." Mariya replied folding her hijaab.

"No Mariya, its better you go home, I'm sure they must be looking for you. Go so that you won't be scolded." Zainaba insisted.

"Inna, I'm sure they will even scold me if I go now, and its late I rather stay here overnight."

"Since you've insist Mariya, its alright if Malam comes back I will tell him to go and inform your home." Zainaba said. "And you still haven't ate your food, calm down and eat." She counseled.

"Alee, just leave us. Can't you see you're distracting her; she almost spilled the cake batter on you, yet; you still won't let us be." Khadijah ranted.

Aleeyu kept the tumbler which he had poured some orange juice in it and raised his hands up in surrender.
"Fine, I will leave. But, I would love to taste the cake when you're done." He conditioned fixing his gaze on Ruqayyah.

Ruqayyah just kept quite like a servant whose attention is on his master's orders.

"Wonders shall never end. Are you commanding us?" Khadijah chuckled.

"No, I want to be your judge, you know as a learner, she needs someone to criticise and correct her work." Aleeyu said flashing a grin to his sister.

"I can do that myself, and speaking of judgment; what can you even prepare in the kitchen?" Khadijah asked.
"Let me just get going, I will be in my room; when you're done." He said and left the kitchen which Khadijah uses as her bakery.

The beep sound of the oven diverted Ruqayah's attention to the oven. Picking a glove, she opened the oven and brought out the cake.
"Its done." She said to Khadijah whose attention was on her phone.

"Okay, now you pick up a tray and place the cake there." She instructed.

Ruqayyah picked a silver tray that has some gold petaled designs at its edges, she gently picked the pan and turned it on the tray which made it landed on the tray forcefully; and as a result, the cake got destroyed.

"Ruqayyah! How many times do I have to tell you that you don't just turn the pan with full force else the cake will be destroyed?! Do you think all these things I'm using to teach you are for free or do I pluck them from a tree!" Khadijah barked.

Ruqayyah didn't say a word and waited till she had finished talking before she looked at her and said "I'm sorry..."

"Sorry! Sorry won't mend anything, you've been doing this since when you started baking! I'm tired of it." Khadijah cut her.

Ruqayyah can tolerate anything but not humiliation and she had noticed how Kahdijah is fond of doing that, not to her only; but even to their house helps.

"Khadijah! I've tolerated more than enough, ya fara isan ki haka. This baking thing isn't a must, so I quit. I won't tolerate such humiliations you are fond of doing." Ruqayyah roared.

She removed the gloves that were on her hands and left the kitchen almost bumping into Aleeyu who heard or rather eavesdropped the commotion that transpired between the two.

Glossary.

Ki tashi mana ... Come on wake-up.

Kasuwa zamu, saida ke zanyi ... We are going to the market, I'm selling you.

Sai kace nazo miki da abin bakin ciki ... As if I came with some bad news to you.

Mu gudu ko mu tsaya? ... Should we stay or runaway?

Har kin siyo? ... Have you bought it already?

Inna ... Mother.

In takam in kwana anan sai in kwana ... If am to stay here overnight then it won't be a problem.

Malam ... My husband.

Ya fara isan ki haka! ... You should better stop it now!

0⃣6⃣/1⃣0⃣/2⃣0⃣1⃣9⃣
Thank you.🙏