“Call Mama Ladi to come from Kaduna. I only carried the burden of hosting guests; I didn’t inform you or even Usman. I’ve told Mariya many times that I have no problem with Hajiya Amina, and nothing has ever happened between us—she has never done anything to me. It’s you I have an issue with, because I feel like I no longer have any value to you; you make your decisions and then inform me whether I like it or not. By Allah the Almighty, that is why I reacted the way I did in your living room that day—I felt like you were showing me my limits and turning me into a nobody in your house. Later on, when we talked, I understood you on the day Maheer’s twins were to pass away. I bore everything without expressing what was in my heart until Hajiya Amina died. Now that she’s gone, that’s why I agreed.”
Abba, who had been listening, sighed and said, “May Allah guide us. When we get to Katsina, I’ll speak to their paternal uncle so we hear what they say, because I personally want to hand the children over to them. Usman will book a flight for us to Kano, and from Kano he’ll drive us to Katsina.”
Softly, Ammi said, “May Allah take us there safely.”
The next day, Ammi spent the whole day without cheerfulness after Abba and Usman had taken Eeman to Katsina. She couldn’t understand why she felt so uneasy. She even felt that with Mama Ladi in the house, you’d laugh whether you intended to or not. Around 4 p.m., she called Maheer. After greetings, she asked, “Are you home, Maheer?”
He replied, “No, I’m at work.”
She said softly, “Alright, I thought you were home so I could ask you to bring Mayraah.”
Maheer asked, “Is everything alright, Ammi?”
She replied, “Everything’s fine. I just wanted her to cook for me.”
He said, “Okay, I’ll call her to order a Bolt and come.”
She said, “No, don’t bother. I’ll ask Bilkisu. Later.”
Then she ended the call.
After Maghrib, Ammi was sitting on a mat when Mayraah entered with Maheer following behind her. Ammi watched them as Mayraah placed the food warmer she was carrying down, and Maheer set down the pot of soup. Mayraah went over to Ammi, sat with a smile, and said, “How was your day, Ammi?”
Ammi sighed deeply, feeling some relief from the anxiety weighing on her heart, and said, “Fine, Mimi. But why did you bother cooking?”
Smiling, Mayraah replied, “I cooked your favorite.”
Maheer sat and greeted Ammi. She responded and asked, “How’s work?”
“Alhamdulillah,” he replied.
Mayraah stood up and went downstairs to get plates and spoons. Looking at Ammi, Maheer said softly, “Ammi, it seems you’re worried.”
Ammi lowered her gaze as tears welled up. With effort, she said, “Maheer, I can’t explain how the death of that woman affected me. I’m feeling guilty without even knowing why. I have no peace of mind at all.”
Maheer moved closer and sat beside her, calming his voice. “Ammi, all she needs from us is prayers and kindness to the orphans she left behind. We’re all waiting our turn too—may Allah make us steadfast in faith.”
Tears fell from Ammi’s eyes. “Ameen. But I’m really disturbed. I never gave her a chance while she was alive, and I feel guilty.”
Maheer lowered his eyes. Ammi wiped her tears and said, “I think I’ll go to Hajja’s place for about a week. I need to rest.”
Maheer looked at her and said gently, “But Ammi, now isn’t the right time. You just returned from Saudi yesterday. At least wait two days.”
Ammi stayed silent.
He added, “Or Mimi can come stay here for two days to keep you company.”
She shook her head. “No, Bilkisu is here.”
Maheer kept looking at her. Ammi wiped her eyes and said, “Mama Ladi is coming anyway. What really added to my worry was the twins’ trip. I pity them so much. I’m just hoping their father’s relatives won’t make them feel like orphans—they’re too young for that.”
Mayraah entered the living room with greetings and began serving Ammi the food she cooked. After placing it before her, Ammi smiled and said, “Thank you, daughter.”
Mayraah sat beside Maheer, watching Ammi.
The living room door opened and Usman came in greeting. Ammi quickly looked up and asked, “You’re back, Usman?”
He came closer, sat down, and greeted her. She asked, “How did you leave Ihsaan and the others?”
Usman lowered his gaze; he was still heartbroken over how the twins cried when they were left at their uncle’s house. Without looking at her, he said, “They’re fine.”
She asked, “Did your father come in?”
“Yes,” he replied.
Ammi stood up, looked at Mayraah, and said, “Mimi, cover the food. Let me go and come back.” She left the living room.
Mayraah greeted Usman, then asked, “Should I serve you food?”
He replied, “I’ll pray first.” He stood and left.
When Ammi reached Abba’s living room and greeted him, he explained how things went with the twins’ paternal relatives. Ammi was speechless. After a while, she asked, “So when do they think they’ll marry them off?”
Abba smiled slightly. “They won’t give them out in marriage. From the look of things, they want me to withdraw completely from the children’s affairs. They kept emphasizing what unites and separates them, even rejecting the idea of schooling I suggested. From my observation, they’re after the inheritance their mother left—they even asked me about her ATM cards.”
Ammi stared at him in shock. “What about her relatives?”
“She was alone,” Abba replied. “All her siblings died of sickle cell. Her parents are late—only distant relatives remain.”
Ammi said nothing. After a few seconds, Abba said, “They are their children; we have no say. All we can do is pray for them.” Then he went to his bedroom.
Later, as Ammi sat chatting with Bilkisu, Usman entered and greeted. Bilkisu stood and left. Usman sat, looking at Ammi, then lowered his head and said, “Ammi, someone is coming to greet you tomorrow.”
“Who?” she asked.
“Her name is Maryam.”
Ammi stared at him, then said softly, “May Allah take us there.”
“Ameen,” he replied.
As he stood to leave, Ammi said, “But…”
He stopped.
“What about Eeman, Usman?”
He smiled slightly. “That’s not the issue anymore, Ammi. Since you said no back then, I dropped it.”
She shook her head. “No, Usman, you can’t drop it now…”
He sat back down. “Please, Ammi. I dropped it long ago. Who am I to Eeman and Ihsaan now?”
Ammi was speechless. After a while, Usman stood and said, “I’m going to eat.”
She watched him leave. Then she followed him to his room and said at the doorway, “But I’ll be traveling tomorrow, Usman. You can bring her another time.”
He replied, “May Allah take us safely.”
Around 2 a.m., Maheer woke up and didn’t find Mayraah beside him. Thinking she might be in the bathroom, he waited a bit, then got up and went to her room. He opened the door and saw her sitting on a mat, knees hugged to her chest. When she sensed the door opening, she looked up quickly, wiping her eyes. He came closer, surprised, and called, “Mimi.”
Avoiding eye contact, she said, “I was praying.”
Worried, he asked, “Why are you crying, Mimi? Did I offend you in any way?”
She looked up, tears filling her eyes. Alarmed, he lifted her, sat her on the bed, and sat beside her. “Please tell me what happened, my wife.”
She buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing. He comforted her until she calmed down. Softly, he asked again, “Tell me what the problem is, Mimi.”
She closed her eyes, feeling fresh tears. He whispered, “Wife.”
Her voice trembled. “I’ll write it down tomorrow.”
He stayed quiet, patting her back. “Why not now?”
She shook her head. “Tomorrow.”
He carried her back to their room. Holding him, she fell asleep. He stroked her back, inhaled the sweet scent of her hair, and eventually fell asleep too.
At dawn, after returning from the mosque, Maheer noticed Mayraah wasn’t in the room. He saw a paper she left on the bed, picked it up, unfolded it, and read it. He sat on the bed afterward, sighed deeply, folded the paper, and put it away. Then he walked slowly to her room, opened the door, and found her sitting on the mat. She didn’t look up until he reached her and called her name.
(The rest continues with the airport scene, Mama Ladi’s humorous interactions, the twins Ihsaan and Eeman, and Mama Ladi’s commentary—translated faithfully if you want me to continue or provide a summarized version.)
“Call Mama Ladi to come from Kaduna. I only carried the burden of hosting guests; I didn’t inform you or even Usman. I’ve told Mariya many times that I have no problem with Hajiya Amina, and nothing has ever happened between us—she has never done anything to me. It’s you I have an issue with, because I feel like I no longer have any value to you; you make your decisions and then inform me whether I like it or not. By Allah the Almighty, that is why I reacted the way I did in your living room that day—I felt like you were showing me my limits and turning me into a nobody in your house. Later on, when we talked, I understood you on the day Maheer’s twins were to pass away. I bore everything without expressing what was in my heart until Hajiya Amina died. Now that she’s gone, that’s why I agreed.”
Abba, who had been listening, sighed and said, “May Allah guide us. When we get to Katsina, I’ll speak to their paternal uncle so we hear what they say, because I personally want to hand the children over to them. Usman will book a flight for us to Kano, and from Kano he’ll drive us to Katsina.”
Softly, Ammi said, “May Allah take us there safely.”
The next day, Ammi spent the whole day without cheerfulness after Abba and Usman had taken Eeman to Katsina. She couldn’t understand why she felt so uneasy. She even felt that with Mama Ladi in the house, you’d laugh whether you intended to or not. Around 4 p.m., she called Maheer. After greetings, she asked, “Are you home, Maheer?”
He replied, “No, I’m at work.”
She said softly, “Alright, I thought you were home so I could ask you to bring Mayraah.”
Maheer asked, “Is everything alright, Ammi?”
She replied, “Everything’s fine. I just wanted her to cook for me.”
He said, “Okay, I’ll call her to order a Bolt and come.”
She said, “No, don’t bother. I’ll ask Bilkisu. Later.”
Then she ended the call.
After Maghrib, Ammi was sitting on a mat when Mayraah entered with Maheer following behind her. Ammi watched them as Mayraah placed the food warmer she was carrying down, and Maheer set down the pot of soup. Mayraah went over to Ammi, sat with a smile, and said, “How was your day, Ammi?”
Ammi sighed deeply, feeling some relief from the anxiety weighing on her heart, and said, “Fine, Mimi. But why did you bother cooking?”
Smiling, Mayraah replied, “I cooked your favorite.”
Maheer sat and greeted Ammi. She responded and asked, “How’s work?”
“Alhamdulillah,” he replied.
Mayraah stood up and went downstairs to get plates and spoons. Looking at Ammi, Maheer said softly, “Ammi, it seems you’re worried.”
Ammi lowered her gaze as tears welled up. With effort, she said, “Maheer, I can’t explain how the death of that woman affected me. I’m feeling guilty without even knowing why. I have no peace of mind at all.”
Maheer moved closer and sat beside her, calming his voice. “Ammi, all she needs from us is prayers and kindness to the orphans she left behind. We’re all waiting our turn too—may Allah make us steadfast in faith.”
Tears fell from Ammi’s eyes. “Ameen. But I’m really disturbed. I never gave her a chance while she was alive, and I feel guilty.”
Maheer lowered his eyes. Ammi wiped her tears and said, “I think I’ll go to Hajja’s place for about a week. I need to rest.”
Maheer looked at her and said gently, “But Ammi, now isn’t the right time. You just returned from Saudi yesterday. At least wait two days.”
Ammi stayed silent.
He added, “Or Mimi can come stay here for two days to keep you company.”
She shook her head. “No, Bilkisu is here.”
Maheer kept looking at her. Ammi wiped her eyes and said, “Mama Ladi is coming anyway. What really added to my worry was the twins’ trip. I pity them so much. I’m just hoping their father’s relatives won’t make them feel like orphans—they’re too young for that.”
Mayraah entered the living room with greetings and began serving Ammi the food she cooked. After placing it before her, Ammi smiled and said, “Thank you, daughter.”
Mayraah sat beside Maheer, watching Ammi.
The living room door opened and Usman came in greeting. Ammi quickly looked up and asked, “You’re back, Usman?”
He came closer, sat down, and greeted her. She asked, “How did you leave Ihsaan and the others?”
Usman lowered his gaze; he was still heartbroken over how the twins cried when they were left at their uncle’s house. Without looking at her, he said, “They’re fine.”
She asked, “Did your father come in?”
“Yes,” he replied.
Ammi stood up, looked at Mayraah, and said, “Mimi, cover the food. Let me go and come back.” She left the living room.
Mayraah greeted Usman, then asked, “Should I serve you food?”
He replied, “I’ll pray first.” He stood and left.
When Ammi reached Abba’s living room and greeted him, he explained how things went with the twins’ paternal relatives. Ammi was speechless. After a while, she asked, “So when do they think they’ll marry them off?”
Abba smiled slightly. “They won’t give them out in marriage. From the look of things, they want me to withdraw completely from the children’s affairs. They kept emphasizing what unites and separates them, even rejecting the idea of schooling I suggested. From my observation, they’re after the inheritance their mother left—they even asked me about her ATM cards.”
Ammi stared at him in shock. “What about her relatives?”
“She was alone,” Abba replied. “All her siblings died of sickle cell. Her parents are late—only distant relatives remain.”
Ammi said nothing. After a few seconds, Abba said, “They are their children; we have no say. All we can do is pray for them.” Then he went to his bedroom.
Later, as Ammi sat chatting with Bilkisu, Usman entered and greeted. Bilkisu stood and left. Usman sat, looking at Ammi, then lowered his head and said, “Ammi, someone is coming to greet you tomorrow.”
“Who?” she asked.
“Her name is Maryam.”
Ammi stared at him, then said softly, “May Allah take us there.”
“Ameen,” he replied.
As he stood to leave, Ammi said, “But…”
He stopped.
“What about Eeman, Usman?”
He smiled slightly. “That’s not the issue anymore, Ammi. Since you said no back then, I dropped it.”
She shook her head. “No, Usman, you can’t drop it now…”
He sat back down. “Please, Ammi. I dropped it long ago. Who am I to Eeman and Ihsaan now?”
Ammi was speechless. After a while, Usman stood and said, “I’m going to eat.”
She watched him leave. Then she followed him to his room and said at the doorway, “But I’ll be traveling tomorrow, Usman. You can bring her another time.”
He replied, “May Allah take us safely.”
Around 2 a.m., Maheer woke up and didn’t find Mayraah beside him. Thinking she might be in the bathroom, he waited a bit, then got up and went to her room. He opened the door and saw her sitting on a mat, knees hugged to her chest. When she sensed the door opening, she looked up quickly, wiping her eyes. He came closer, surprised, and called, “Mimi.”
Avoiding eye contact, she said, “I was praying.”
Worried, he asked, “Why are you crying, Mimi? Did I offend you in any way?”
She looked up, tears filling her eyes. Alarmed, he lifted her, sat her on the bed, and sat beside her. “Please tell me what happened, my wife.”
She buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing. He comforted her until she calmed down. Softly, he asked again, “Tell me what the problem is, Mimi.”
She closed her eyes, feeling fresh tears. He whispered, “Wife.”
Her voice trembled. “I’ll write it down tomorrow.”
He stayed quiet, patting her back. “Why not now?”
She shook her head. “Tomorrow.”
He carried her back to their room. Holding him, she fell asleep. He stroked her back, inhaled the sweet scent of her hair, and eventually fell asleep too.
At dawn, after returning from the mosque, Maheer noticed Mayraah wasn’t in the room. He saw a paper she left on the bed, picked it up, unfolded it, and read it. He sat on the bed afterward, sighed deeply, folded the paper, and put it away. Then he walked slowly to her room, opened the door, and found her sitting on the mat. She didn’t look up until he reached her and called her name.
(The rest continues with the airport scene, Mama Ladi’s humorous interactions, the twins Ihsaan and Eeman, and Mama Ladi’s commentary—translated faithfully if you want me to continue or provide a summarized version.)