Mariya sat up from her fetal position beside Zubaida whom hasn't woke up since last night.
After much insistence from Mariya, Zainaba let her spent the night there and pleaded her husband Malam Musa to go and inform her home.
She walked out of the room to perform ablution as the call for the subh prayer was done; which was what woke her up. She met Zainaba outside too performing ablution.
"Good morning inna." She greeted.
She picked a kettle that was filled with water and walked to the toilet, after which she performed ablution.
Zubaida was awake when she returned to the room, "Zubaida, how are you feeling now?" She asked.
Zubaida stared at her confusingly, "did you spent the night here?" She asked.
"Yes." Mariya nodded, she picked her hijaab from the Chesterfield and spread the prayer mat on the floor.
"Go and perform ablution and come and offer your missed prayers, you zoned out before Maghreb and is now you woke up." She narrated.
Zubaida had finished offering all the prayers she missed plus her subh prayers and turned to face Mariya whose attention was on the floor as if it has a television attached to it.
"Marii" Zubaida called.
"Yes, har kin idar?" Mariya questioned.
Zubaida nodded and removed her hijaab.
"Zubaida." Mariya called calmly.
"Yes." She replied waiting for her to continue.
"What is wrong with you?"
"Nothing." She replied.
"You can't tell me its nothing, I've known you for long to the extent I can sense if something is wrong. You've never hide anything from me, so why start now?" Mariya stated.
She sighed and held Zubaida's hand in a caring way. "Don't you trust me anymore to tell me your problems? This your sickness isn't normal; not at all..." She paused as if something had dawned to her and she quickly shrieked in fear which made Zubaida looked at her scared.
"Zubaida, wait... Four weeks ago, we met those hoodlums under the verandah we stayed for shield against rain, and I could remember them threatening us which I said was an empty threat. And later that day we went to Fatima's place to watch the finales of a series..." She paused as if the puzzle is joining itself together.
"Could it be that..." She quickly palmed her mouth and widened her eyes. "Inna lillahi wa..."
"Its Sule, not them." Zubaida bursted into some little sobs.
"What!" Mariya blinked her eyes trying to sink down the news. "How?" She couldn't help but ask.
"That day while I was going home. I followed that shortcut which is around that brothel, I heard some footsteps when I lost vision of the brothel.
Before I could turn to see whom it was, something strong was inhaled into my nose and I lost my consciousness, I don't know for how long..." She sniffed and Mariya used her thumb to wipe away the tears cascading from Zubaida's eyes.
"When I regain my consciousness, I heard Sule's name being called and then his footsteps as he ran away. I don't know how but then I opened eyes and saw me at home." She finished wiping her tears.
The room was quiet with the sobs of the duo being the only sound heard.
"What do you think is the best thing to do now?" Mariya broke the silence although that'd be the silliest question and thought for the moment.
"I will have to tell my parents." Zubaida replied.
"But how?"
Zainaba walked into the room with a salaam which they both answered and greeted her respectively.
" 'yan nan, we will be going to the hospital later." Zainaba announced and turned to look at Mariya.
"Mariya, I hope you had a splendid night? Badai ta dame ki da munshari ba ko?" She joked.
Mariya giggled and eyed Zubaida who had a worried look on her face trying to make her giggle too so as to lessen the tension.
"Innaa, I don't snore please." Zubaida whined.
Zainaba just shook her head and said "You all should calm down, I know your fears. By God's grace it's not what you're thinking."
With that she walked out of the room and started the preparations for breakfast.
"Mariya am scared." Zubaida said.
"Matsoraciya, everything will be fine." Mariya soothed, "let's go and assist inna in making the breakfast."
Zubaida stamped her feet for the umpteenth time and sighed. They have been in the hospital for the past hour and are waiting for results of the test the doctor had recommended for them.
A nurse dressed in a blue uniform and a white shoulder length hijaab came out of the laboratory and ushered them in.
Zainaba walked into the laboratory with Zubaida trailing behind her.
"Here is her results, you should take it to the doctor that checked her to announce the results to you." The doctor in the lab passed an envelope to them.
The doctor that looked at Zubaida back to Zainaba. "Who amongst you is Zubaida?" He asked.
Zubaida nervously answered "Me?"
"Okay, you're four weeks gone." He said passing the paper to her.
"I don't understand." Zainaba said.
"She is pregnant." The doctor explained.
Zainaba hadn't said a word ever since they left the hospital which Zubaida found so uncomfortable. She watched as her mother started making preparations for lunch and decided to assist her.
"Leave it, go and rest." Was Zainaba's reply when Zubaida wanted to pound the groceries her mother was pounding already.
"Inna, are you angry?"
"No, am not." She sighed.
"Why haven't you said anything to me ever since we left the hospital and why are you refusing my help?"
" 'yan nan, its not what you think it is, am still thinking of how to break this news to your father."
"Please, don't tell him." She pleaded.
"I have to, it'd be better than for him to find out."
"Please, inna, ba dan ni ba." Zubaida pleaded.
"Ki yi hakuri, amma gaya masa yazama dole."
"Na shiga uku." Zubaida said and walked into her room before she burst into silent sobs.
Glossary.
Har kin idar? ... You are done already?
Inna lillahi wa... From God we are and...
Badai ta same ki da munshari ba ko? ... I hope she didn't disturb you with snores?
Inna ... Mother
Matsoraciya ... Scare cat.
Hijaab ... Veil
Ba dan niba ... Not for my sake
Kiyi hakuri, amma gaya masa ya zama dole ... Am sorry, but telling him is a must.
Na shiga uku ... Am doomed.
0⃣9⃣/1⃣1⃣/2⃣0⃣1⃣9⃣
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Tears of Zubaida.
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