Mayraah came in with Eeman. When the living-room door was opened, a young lady entered carrying a cooler containing rice and soup and placed it in the living room. Mama Ladi clicked her tongue and turned her face away. Aunty Mariya looked at the girl and asked,
“Have you finished sharing the food, Hussaina?”
The girl replied, “Yes, we have.”
Aunty Mariya then looked at Mayraah and said,
“You girls should go and eat, Mimi.”
Smiling, Mayraah said,
“No, Aunty, I’m already full. Maybe Eeman.”
Eeman quickly shook her head and said,
“I’ve eaten too.”
Aunty Mariya said,
“Then go and take a drink from the fridge. You behave as if this is not your own home, Mayraah.”
Mayraah smiled lightly and stood up. Seeing this, Eeman also stood up and followed her. As they were leaving, Mama Ladi said,
“This arrangement in your house is nonsense, Mariya. Imagine people starving until they are weak before being given food, and that too from an old cooler. Village people—once they get money more than yours, you’ll see strange behaviors. How can a big house like this, full of people like refugees, insist on cooking everything in just one pot? Even that useless soft drink—you have to go inside and open a huge fridge to get it. Honestly, you are trying, Mariya, but this is nothing but a hard life. A mother-in-law with three co-wives, five stepchildren, countless boys and girls almost thirty in number, and grandchildren nearing forty… I can never do this, wallahi. Now you even have guests and can’t offer them a drink without sending them inside.”
Aunty Mariya simply kept pressing her phone. Then Mayraah returned to the living room.
Mama Ladi asked,
“Did you get the drink, or has it all been taken?”
Mayraah replied,
“No, they said we should first get spoons and eat over there.”
Mama Ladi burst into loud laughter and said,
“So they served the food on big plates, right?”
Mayraah had already gone to the kitchen and returned with two spoons. Mama Ladi said, still laughing,
“So that charity case you went to collect drinks with—did they force her to sit and eat with them too?”
She laughed so hard she almost lay down. As Mayraah was about to leave, Aunty Mariya asked,
“Did you come with her from your house, Mimi?”
Mama Ladi quickly responded,
“No, she’s not from Saminu’s house. I know all the children there.”
Mayraah said calmly,
“They’re going to Kano with Ya Usman.”
Aunty Mariya asked,
“Who is she?”
“She’s Aunty’s daughter.”
“Which Aunty?”
“Aunty Amina.”
Mama Ladi widened her eyes.
“Do you mean Mamuda’s wife?”
Mayraah said nothing.
Mama Ladi continued,
“I was looking at the girl and she looks exactly like Amina—same posture, same attitude. Where did you find her to be traveling with Usman?”
“They’re returning to Kano together,” Mayraah replied.
Mama Ladi said sharply,
“What joined them together to travel to Kano? Are you looking for trouble?”
At that moment, the living-room door opened and Usman entered. Mayraah turned and left. Usman sat down and greeted everyone. Aunty Mariya responded,
“So you’re in Kaduna, Ussy?”
“Yes, I arrived this morning.”
Mama Ladi said,
“Mera was telling us you’re going to Kano with Hajiya Amina’s daughter.”
Usman ignored her and took out his phone.
Aunty Mariya asked,
“Should food be served for you?”
“I’ve eaten.”
Mama Ladi added,
“The girl is really pretty and cheerful.”
Usman kept his eyes on his phone.
A text from Aunty Mariya came in; he looked up, read it, and after some minutes stood up and went to the guest room. Mama Ladi watched him closely.
Aunty Mariya went to the kitchen, brought a plate and spoon, and placed them in front of Mama Ladi. Mama Ladi complained,
“They didn’t even add a drink for me today—maybe it wasn’t enough.”
Aunty Mariya then went to the room Usman entered, locked the door, and asked him,
“Usman, where did you get that girl you’re traveling to Kano with?”
“They came together with Mimi from Kano yesterday.”
“You should quickly think of how to change this story before Mama Ladi reports you.”
“Even if she tells Ammi, there’s no problem.”
“Don’t you have sense?”
“No, but seriously—is it wrong to travel with her, Aunty?”
The door opened suddenly. Mama Ladi stood there angrily.
“This is an insult—serving me food without water like a horse. You leave me sitting in the living room while you lock yourselves in a room talking.”
Usman stood up and returned to the living room. Mama Ladi followed him and sat in front of her food.
“If not for necessity, why would I even come to her house to be treated like this? She should cook separately for me. I didn’t come to stay permanently. I only came because I met Alhaji Saminu when I went to greet Ramatu, Mera’s grandmother. He offered to sponsor my Umrah and asked about my passport. I told him my daughter was here to accompany me. That’s how I ended up here.”
Usman smiled lightly.
“May Allah put goodness in it.”
Mama Ladi lowered her voice.
“I begged her not to tell Ammi. You too, keep quiet until everything settles.”
“Alright.”
She asked again,
“What’s the name of that Hajiya Amina’s daughter?”
“Her name is Eeman.”
Mama Ladi covered her mouth.
“Wallahi, the girl is beautiful and calm. She couldn’t even sit on a chair out of shyness. How old is she?”
“About eighteen.”
Mama Ladi whispered,
“Wallahi, you should just marry her. Her mother is a good woman, wise and experienced.”
Usman only smiled, pressing his phone.
Later, Usman and Aunty Mariya prepared to leave for Kano with Eeman. Mama Ladi gave Eeman money, Aunty Mariya gave her perfume and cash, and Mayraah watched quietly.
When they left, Mama Ladi whispered to Mayraah,
“Don’t you think she suits him? She really appeals to me.”
Mayraah came in with Eeman. When the living-room door was opened, a young lady entered carrying a cooler containing rice and soup and placed it in the living room. Mama Ladi clicked her tongue and turned her face away. Aunty Mariya looked at the girl and asked,
“Have you finished sharing the food, Hussaina?”
The girl replied, “Yes, we have.”
Aunty Mariya then looked at Mayraah and said,
“You girls should go and eat, Mimi.”
Smiling, Mayraah said,
“No, Aunty, I’m already full. Maybe Eeman.”
Eeman quickly shook her head and said,
“I’ve eaten too.”
Aunty Mariya said,
“Then go and take a drink from the fridge. You behave as if this is not your own home, Mayraah.”
Mayraah smiled lightly and stood up. Seeing this, Eeman also stood up and followed her. As they were leaving, Mama Ladi said,
“This arrangement in your house is nonsense, Mariya. Imagine people starving until they are weak before being given food, and that too from an old cooler. Village people—once they get money more than yours, you’ll see strange behaviors. How can a big house like this, full of people like refugees, insist on cooking everything in just one pot? Even that useless soft drink—you have to go inside and open a huge fridge to get it. Honestly, you are trying, Mariya, but this is nothing but a hard life. A mother-in-law with three co-wives, five stepchildren, countless boys and girls almost thirty in number, and grandchildren nearing forty… I can never do this, wallahi. Now you even have guests and can’t offer them a drink without sending them inside.”
Aunty Mariya simply kept pressing her phone. Then Mayraah returned to the living room.
Mama Ladi asked,
“Did you get the drink, or has it all been taken?”
Mayraah replied,
“No, they said we should first get spoons and eat over there.”
Mama Ladi burst into loud laughter and said,
“So they served the food on big plates, right?”
Mayraah had already gone to the kitchen and returned with two spoons. Mama Ladi said, still laughing,
“So that charity case you went to collect drinks with—did they force her to sit and eat with them too?”
She laughed so hard she almost lay down. As Mayraah was about to leave, Aunty Mariya asked,
“Did you come with her from your house, Mimi?”
Mama Ladi quickly responded,
“No, she’s not from Saminu’s house. I know all the children there.”
Mayraah said calmly,
“They’re going to Kano with Ya Usman.”
Aunty Mariya asked,
“Who is she?”
“She’s Aunty’s daughter.”
“Which Aunty?”
“Aunty Amina.”
Mama Ladi widened her eyes.
“Do you mean Mamuda’s wife?”
Mayraah said nothing.
Mama Ladi continued,
“I was looking at the girl and she looks exactly like Amina—same posture, same attitude. Where did you find her to be traveling with Usman?”
“They’re returning to Kano together,” Mayraah replied.
Mama Ladi said sharply,
“What joined them together to travel to Kano? Are you looking for trouble?”
At that moment, the living-room door opened and Usman entered. Mayraah turned and left. Usman sat down and greeted everyone. Aunty Mariya responded,
“So you’re in Kaduna, Ussy?”
“Yes, I arrived this morning.”
Mama Ladi said,
“Mera was telling us you’re going to Kano with Hajiya Amina’s daughter.”
Usman ignored her and took out his phone.
Aunty Mariya asked,
“Should food be served for you?”
“I’ve eaten.”
Mama Ladi added,
“The girl is really pretty and cheerful.”
Usman kept his eyes on his phone.
A text from Aunty Mariya came in; he looked up, read it, and after some minutes stood up and went to the guest room. Mama Ladi watched him closely.
Aunty Mariya went to the kitchen, brought a plate and spoon, and placed them in front of Mama Ladi. Mama Ladi complained,
“They didn’t even add a drink for me today—maybe it wasn’t enough.”
Aunty Mariya then went to the room Usman entered, locked the door, and asked him,
“Usman, where did you get that girl you’re traveling to Kano with?”
“They came together with Mimi from Kano yesterday.”
“You should quickly think of how to change this story before Mama Ladi reports you.”
“Even if she tells Ammi, there’s no problem.”
“Don’t you have sense?”
“No, but seriously—is it wrong to travel with her, Aunty?”
The door opened suddenly. Mama Ladi stood there angrily.
“This is an insult—serving me food without water like a horse. You leave me sitting in the living room while you lock yourselves in a room talking.”
Usman stood up and returned to the living room. Mama Ladi followed him and sat in front of her food.
“If not for necessity, why would I even come to her house to be treated like this? She should cook separately for me. I didn’t come to stay permanently. I only came because I met Alhaji Saminu when I went to greet Ramatu, Mera’s grandmother. He offered to sponsor my Umrah and asked about my passport. I told him my daughter was here to accompany me. That’s how I ended up here.”
Usman smiled lightly.
“May Allah put goodness in it.”
Mama Ladi lowered her voice.
“I begged her not to tell Ammi. You too, keep quiet until everything settles.”
“Alright.”
She asked again,
“What’s the name of that Hajiya Amina’s daughter?”
“Her name is Eeman.”
Mama Ladi covered her mouth.
“Wallahi, the girl is beautiful and calm. She couldn’t even sit on a chair out of shyness. How old is she?”
“About eighteen.”
Mama Ladi whispered,
“Wallahi, you should just marry her. Her mother is a good woman, wise and experienced.”
Usman only smiled, pressing his phone.
Later, Usman and Aunty Mariya prepared to leave for Kano with Eeman. Mama Ladi gave Eeman money, Aunty Mariya gave her perfume and cash, and Mayraah watched quietly.
When they left, Mama Ladi whispered to Mayraah,
“Don’t you think she suits him? She really appeals to me.”
Mayraah only smiled.