Tears of Zubaida.

•••••TEARS OF ZUBAIDA••••• •••Chapter Twenty-two•••

"Next time you see it, don't panic. Just do as I told you okay?" Hajja Maimuna explained to Zubaida.

"Yes." She nodded her head and began to fold the piles of clothes that were washed by her and Amina earlier.

Hajja Maimuna remained in the room and assisted Zubaida in folding the clothes.
"Zubaida." She called.

"Na'am?" She answered raising her head to look up at her.

"What of your husband or your family members?" She asked the question that has been itching her right from day one; the day Zubaida came into their lives— she and her family.

Zubaida felt a heavy pang in her chest, it felt like a stone was shot at her with a catapult.
She looked up at Hajja.

"I don't have a husband." She said, feeling so light, like hindering those words from her lips was a burden and now that she has verbalized them, she felt like it has been lifted off her.

"I don't get you, Zubaida. Please make me understand."

"I don't have a husband, besides I'm just in SS2, but I guess even my education has come to a halt talk more of me myself." Zubaida replied like nothing was actually bothering her mind.

"You mean your pregnancy is illegitimate?" Hajja Maimuna asked curiously "what happened? How?" She bombarded.

"I don't want to talk about it." Zubaida said, feeling so down.

Hajja Maimuna did noticed the sudden mood swing in Zubaida and let it be. A feeling of guiltiness washed over her, she felt remorseful of her queries and left the room.

Zubaida sighed heavily and wiped a stinging tear that she didn't even noticed. Another tear rolled out of her left eye, she wiped it angrily but that just gave a room for many unstoppable tears. She has no reason for her tears, but she's just emotionally down.
Her subtle pink lips quivered as she released some hiccups within her cries.

Amina walked into the room and met Zubaida wiping her tears and quickly stretched and pretended to be asleep.

"Did I miss something?" She walked towards her. "Ba bacci kikeyi ba. Idonki biyu."

Zubaida decided to ignore Amina and continued feigning her sleep.

"You better wake up. And tell me why you were crying."

"I wasn't crying." Zubaida croaked.

"Why is your voice croaking then?" Amina sighed and adjusted her sitting position. "Zubaida, you've been in this house for more than six weeks already. Why don't you feel free with us; me especially and discuss your worries with me." She held her hands and helped her sit up.

Zubaida wiped her face and sniffed, she sighed over and over again. Just how does she expects her to open up? Just how does she expect her to say, I was raped? Just how does she wants her to say so? How?

She opened her mouth in attempt to say something, but nothing lolled out; just some hot air she exhaled. "I can't Amina. I just can't." She shook her head.

Amina held her hands and squeezed them gently, she can see the unadulterated innocence in Zubaida, something terrifying must have happened. But what could it be?
Only she knows and only if she's willing to open up will something be able to be done.

"My stepbrother will be visiting today, I and Hajja told him of you. He would love to meet you I guess." Amina beamed.

"Stepbrother?"

"Yes, my father has three wives. Maamaa; his first wife she's late tho. She birthed him, Mamana; my mother or Hajja and then Aunty Amarya; the third wife, she lives in Palladan. You know Palladan?"

"Yes, Zaria." Zubaida answered. "So, what's the name of your brother?" She asked enthusiastically.

"He's name is Yasar. Yasar AbdulFatah Yasar Kudan." Amina answered.

"Your father is AbdulFatah Yasar Kudan?" Zubaida asked.  

"Yes, you know him right?"

"Former Chairman of Hunkuyi/Kudan." Zubaida nodded.

"Yeah, you're right." Amina said. "We were also living in Zaria in Samaru, then we moved back to Basawa."

"Okay?" Zubaida dragged not knowing what to say next.

"My brother is a lawyer, and I'm studying Linguistics at ABU Zaria." Amina explained enthusiastically.

"That's great." Beamed Zubaida.

"Zubaida?" Amina called unsure of what she's about to say.

"Hmm?" She turned to look at Amina whose focus was now on the fan running on the golden rubber ceiling, while tamping her feet in the tiled floor.

"You were raped. And got pregnant as a result right?" She sighed.

Zubaida skeptically stared at Amina, before she closed her eyes. Not wanting to talk about it. She feels like people will blame her for it.
She fears the stigma she will get from people.
The fake concern and affection that will be shown to her and behind her back will be disgust is what she fears.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." Amina broke the silence. "That's the reason why we left Samaru and came back to Basawa much to Hajja's insistence."

"You were also raped?"

"No, I was molested, then I told Mamana and she got infuriated and told Baba. Baba was exasperated beyond words, he beat him, flogged him and even sent him to a rehab center." She laughed "he thought he was into drugs, which lead to such act. Then I was eleven years. I could remember how remorseful he was.

He was crying and pleading with Mamana and Baba not to take him to a rehab center, but they didn't listen to any of his plea. Well it served him right, that shaped him into a good and responsible person now. So Mamana insisted to move from the house and to another. At first Baba refused. But she insisted, she was on her words, if he's itchy fingers could take control of him to do so, then one day, the curios and eager urge in his teenage hood will take the best of him.

So Baba separated Maamaa and Mamana— Maamaa felt so guilty, she begged Mamana to stay, but Mamana was on her words. To cut things short, she decided not to stay in Zaria at all. She then preferred to be either back to her homeland— Maidugri or somewhere away from him. So the easiest and nearest place Baba could think of was Basawa, since he has a house there and some of his relatives too live  there, so Basawa it was." Amina smiled.

"That was tough, for her and you as well."

"It was, but it's for the good of us all, he's now a responsible guy, helping a lot of people in need of help and for me too as well, I stopped seeing him as a monster, he apologizes every time we talk, on phone, on his regular visits and so on. Even Hajja is no more angry at him. His mother forgave him too before she passed away, she asked for Mamana's forgiveness on his behalf as he was still in the rehab when she died."

"Who's he?" Zubaida asked clueless.

A salaam from a voice in the living room made them quiet. And soon Hajja's voice was heard welcoming him.

Amina stood up and smiled "that's him. Yasar. My brother." And she left the room.

Glossary.

Ba bacci kikeyi ba. Idonki biyu.             
You're not sleeping. You're awake.

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Thank you.🙏