CHAPTER SEVEN

Khairee's pov

As I lay on the carpet in yesmin's room , everything started to come back to me in a flash 'so this is how it felt to live without your family' I thought, I feel so empty and loney. After Umma gave me my aunts phone number I thought everything will be fine, I will go to her,  explain everything and then she will be convinced and she will then take me in after that she will enroll me in a school and I will study hard and become a journalist and happily return to my family.

But little did I know that everything I planned will be ruined right in front of my eyes.

Last night after I finished eating I took the plate outside where I meet yesmeen and she collected the plate from me and took it to the kitchen herself . I then came back to the living room and sit.

(Flash back)

I was seated on the floor near two sitter couch in the living room when mama (as yesmeen called her) and yesmeen came in and sat down on the two sitter couch.

"yasmeen go to your room I need to talk to 'her'" mama said pointing at me with her index finger.

"Toh mama" Yesmeen uttered while standing up and heading to her room.

"What is your name again? " mama asked looking at me which made me nervous all of a sudden

"Ummulkhairee" I simply answered

"Do you feel pain anywhere? " she asked

"No except for the heaviness, I'm fine Alhamdulillah ".

"Yes it's because you fell quite hard from the bus, take this it's a pain killer it will help you because tomorrow the heaviness will be a bit worse". She handed me two pills and cup of  water in which I collected and gulped down immediately .

"So where are you from?" she asked again

"Kano state"

"How did you end up in that bus" I looked at her trying to figure out what she meant.

" I mean were you travelling alone or were you with any of your family members? "

"No I was alone, I was supposed to go to Kaduna to visit my aunt"

"You mean you were traveling all alone  all the way from Kano to Kaduna to visit some aunt, how old are? " she asked a little bit surprised

" I'm twelve and a half" I answered, she nodded

"So where is this your aunt's house, where does she live in kaduna" she asked

"I don't know exactly, I was supposed to call her through her cell phone after I reached Kaduna but unfortunately we met with an accident and I lost the number together with all my belongings" I said trying to blink back the tears that were threaten to fall, how am I going to contact her now.

"Don't you know anything about her,  like her name or her husbands name or address?"

"I only know her name which is Asiya, I don't know her husbands name or her address"

" Asiya? But there are lot of asiya in this city how are you supposed to find her? " I kept quiet not knowing what to say.

'So this is kaduna' I thought

"Where do you live in Kano? " Mama asked

"I lived in Sumana, it's a village in the outskirts of Kano"  I said as a silent sob escape my lips

"Then I think the best solution now is to send you back home, since you don't know anyone here".  She uttered after much thought

Oh no I can't go back home now, I promised Umma that I will not come back until I am able to make her proud, and Abba.......Abba will get me married right away that I know of, so to me the best solution is to stay here.

"No please don't send me back, I can't go back now please"

"Hey you see kaduna is a very big town you can't just start looking for someone especially when you don't know anything about her except her name. And I know by now your parent must be worried sick about you, You can't stay here, and you don't even have 'the aunt's number' so you see I have no other option than to send you back Ummulkhairee " mama said while standing up

  'Oh Allah please forgive me I have no other choice now' I muttered under my breathe

I quickly hugged her legs tightly letting my tears fall from my eyes

"My.....my parents passed way" I whispered in between sobs, she stared at me intensely before she went back and sat down again.

"Your parent passed away?" she asked and I nodded "Then who are you living with, you must have some relatives right? ".

"Hmmm yes....yes... Ermm... I'm living with....my...... uncle and his family" I stammered

"So if you are living with your uncle  I'm pretty sure he must be worried sick by now"

"No he won't, him and his wife doesn't like me at all, they think am a  burden to them and they were forced to take me in by the district head of our village after my parent passed away ". Wow what a big liar I am, am I doing the right thing? I thought.

She kept quiet looking straight ahead probably thinking, she dropped a heavy sigh and spoke

"So did you runaway from home?"

"Yes.....No... I mean yes you see the thing is my uncle was hell bent on getting me married, and I try every possible way I could to convince him that I want to further my education, I don't want to get married but he refused to listen, he went ahead and fix a date and so I ranway on the day I was supposed to get married."

Mama brought her elbow on the thigh and supported her head with her palm before she spoke

"I'm not sure if I should believe what you just said".

"believe me please, I'm not lying"  I said while sobbing softly

She tapped my shoulder in a comforting way

"it okay I believe you but still I can't leave you here, there is an NGO I know which take care of such matters, I will inform them about you". She uttered

"An NGO...... What is that?" I asked totally confused

"It's an organization that take cares of women and children whom are victims of domestic violence" she explained

"So what exactly are they going to do to them".

"They will be taken care of" she said blankly

"Taken care of......how?" I asked

"I don't know, but you don't have to worry"

Oh no I can't let them know about this, what if they discovered that I'm lying what will happen to me then

'they will take care of you instead' a naughty voice from my head said.

Oh No that can't happen

No!

" No... Can we not tell them... the NGO I mean,  we can just let them be, beside my uncle and his wife have been taking care of me ever since my parents passed away, so to me it's a great honor even though they maltreated me at some certain time, I will forgive them but I can't go back to them".

"So what do you want me to do with you? " Mama asked but I just kept quiet oblivious of what to do next. After a minute an idea pop into my head

"I think I have an idea...but I don't know how you will take it" I said hesitantly

"Go ahead and say it" she said giving me her full attention

"Since the main reason I runaway from home is because I want to further my education, and I can do anything as long as it's lawful to achieve my dream.." I stopped for a moment and looked at her

"Continue I'm listening"

"Ehmmm and after all you've done to me, I can't ask you to take me in freely, So why not you take me in as a house help so that when I gather enough money, you will use the money to enroll me in a secondary school where I will continue with my studies....... Please"

"But I don't need any house help now, am good and there is no work to do here" she answered

"Oh" I nodded in disappointment

"But....i think there is another way"

"what is it?"

"There is a woman am acquainted to, she's been pestering me to look for a girl maid for her daughter who can take care of a little baby, but I told her I don't bring young girls as maids,  I only bring adults. I can take you there if you want, can you do it?"

"Taking care of a baby? "

"Yes, and since the woman is a very nice woman, I think her daughter will not differ". She added, I'm not sure what to say or what to do

"Listen this is the only thing I can do for you since you don't want to go back home, but I want you to know that no matter what you have to go back home to your family someday you can't just stay here forever, understood?" she asked

"Yes I understand, thank you very much for your kindness, May Allah grant you whatever you want".

"Ameen, so now go to yesmin's room and rest, I will talk to the woman tomorrow morning inshallah".

End of flashback .

"Hey! Back to earth" Yesmin snapped, I raised my head and looked at her flashing her a smile

"I've been talking to you but your mind is somewhere else, what are you thinking about".

"Oh sorry, what were you saying?"

"I said why are you lying down on the floor, you should get up and climb the bed"

"No am Okay like this,  thank you"

"Oh! no I won't take no as an answer, Oya stand up" Yesmin held my arms and raised me up from the floor, and I climbed the bed.

Wow! it's so soft

"So UmmulKhairee which class are you in school? " Yesmin asked curiously

"You can call me khairee, I.....I finished primary school july this year," I answered

"Khairee it's short and sweet. So you're in jss1 now right? "

"No I haven't been in school since then" I answered looking down

"Ok" she nodded

"Mama said you were involved in a car accident, are you hurt? " she asked worriedly

"No I'm fine Alhamdulillah" I said nodding my head

"Awwn it must have been tough on you"

"Well not too tough actually, I passed out immediately when the bus started shaking, I can't really remember how it happened."

"Ayya sannu" and I smiled at her

"So where are you from? "

"Sumana a village in Kano state "

"Wow so you're from a village,  in your village do you go to dandali at night?"

"Yeah but I don't usually attend"

"why, it's must be fun"

"It's noisy and I hate noise and crowds" she nodded in understanding

" So do you have any sister or a brother? "

"No I don't have any,  I'm the only child"

"Really, you must be pampered by you parents right? " she asked and almost immediately I remembered the day Abba flogged the hell out of me which made me shiver

"Hmmm? " she asked and I gave her a short nod.

"Are you also the only child?" I asked since she's the only child that I saw since I woke up.

"No am not the only child, we are four in number, there's Ya Amna she's our first born and she's married with 8 month pregnancy". She said excitedly

"And there is Ya shaheed and ya shaheeda they are twins and are in boarding school. They're currently in Ss 2, I know if Ya Shaheeda sees you she will like you instantly, she loves beautiful girls" she laughed wholeheartedly while I just smile at her.

"And then...... "

"Yesmin allow that girl to rest please" Mama cut her before she could finished

"Alright Mama". Yesmin answered

"And then I'm the last one and am currently in Jss 2 am 12year old". She concluded.

"How old are you by the way?" she asked

"12 and a half " I answered

"Hey come on just say twelve, until it's your 13th birthday just say twelve okay, we don't want to be old do we?" she asked and I nodded negatively

"Alright then good night Khairee" she  yawned and switched of the light"

"Good night Yesmin!" I said turning my body to my right side. If I am to describe her in one word I think It will be 'jovial'.

Jovial she is!

***************************

I woke up the following morning with a serious body ache, every single joint in my body is aching. Yesmin had To help me in order to stand up from the bed and pray subhi which I did while seating. After I finished praying, I sat there on the praying mat leaning my head on the bed, while Yesmin went back to sleep.

I wonder how today is going to be I thought.

After like an hour, mama came inside the room with a cup and loaf of bread in her hands.

"Ina kwana" I greeted her

"Lafiya, how is your body? "

"It is alot worse than yesterday, just as you predicted"

"Sannu ko, eat this" she said dropping the cup of tea and bread to me "and take this pain killer afterwards, you will feel good after a little sleep inshAllah" she said before she made her way out

"Thank you" I uttered staring at her, she turn and flash me a smile before she stepped out of the room.

"Such a nice woman " I muttered.

I drank a tea and ate alot bread, and climb the bed to have to have short nap.

I woke up to a smiling Yesmin sitting on the dressing chair in front of the mirror.

"Good morning pretty" she said excitedly.

"Good morning yesmin" I smiled

"I was about to wake you up"

"Oh" I simply answered

"Go to the bathroom and take you bath, before we go out to greet Mama"

"Ok" I uttered and headed to the bathroom

"Hey khairee are you not taking the towel?"

"No am Okay with this" I said referring to the Ankara gown that was on me since the time I've gain conscious, it must be yesmeen's

" Oh No what are you going to where if you finish" she said and I nodded negatively not sure if I can where that short towel. She looked at me for a moment before she spoke again

"Alright I get it" she said walking towards a basket where she took out an old wrapper and handed it to me " Take this, it's better than wearing back the gown.

"Ok" I answered before heading to the bathroom.

Some minutes later I came back to the the bedroom and robbed the body cream that Yesmin offered.

"here" she said handing me a set of cloth "wear this and let's go to Mama"

"Oh no it's okay I will just wear the one that I wore yesterday. It's not dirty"

"Oh no you Won't do that, just wear this one okay"

"Seriously I can just w.... " I started but was cut off

"I insist, just wear it" she said and I sighed

"huh! Thank you, I will make sure I wash both the sets for you when I got the chance" I smiled and she smile back.

I went ahead and wore the clothe its another Ankara gown with a head scarf, it looks so good on me that I want to keep wearing it for the rest of my life but unfortunately it's not mine and I have to return it.

"Wow kinyi kyau" Yesmin chirped

"Thanks"

We marched out of the room together and headed to the parlour where we met Mama

"Ina kwana" we said in unison

"Lafiya, how was your night? " she asked

"Fine, Alhamdulillah" Yesmin answered.

"Yesmin go to the kitchen and take your breakfast" mama said and we walked to the kitchen where we saw a plate of fried sweet potato and two cups of tea and we ate in total silent.

After we're done eating, we washed the cups and plate we used before heading back to the living room.

"Ummulkhairee, I've spoken to the woman I told you about yesterday, I've explained everything to her and she was okay with it. She will send someone to pick you up in the afternoon". Mama uttered with finalty in her voice, and right that moment I wished I could stay here with Yesmin.

"Ok" I answered.

Wow life is such a funny thing, here I am going into another family again. I just hope they're nice too just like Yasmin and Mama.