" Mama, did I do something wrong?" I asked. Deep inside me, I am not in the mood to talk.
" Koko, you've done nothing wrong" she replied approaching my bed. " what is wrong with you? You hardly talk these days especially since Rabbi left for Lagos".
Now this is the problem with these adults, you can't satisfy them; before, the complain was I talked too much, now,it is that I don't talk. If I smile, I smile too much. If I don't, a woman shouldn't have an hard face. What exactly do they want?
"Mummy nothing is wrong, I just don't have anything to say" I said dryly.
"Koko... Really? You have nothing to say" she asked amusingly . " Haba! Koko, I gave birth to you , so you should know that I know when you are not yourself" she stated.
" Mummy...." I went off not knowing what to say. Its true she always knows when I am off my normal self. I will rate her a hundred percent for observation.
" Is it Rabbiyatu?" She asked bringing me out of my thoughts. "you miss her right?"
" I don't miss anyone" I said with a smile. " I am just worried for her, I hope she is good?"
" I understand, you should, but you should be hopeful, she would be and don't be all worked up about it"
" Okay mum" I agreed .
" That's my girl, now lets see that dimples of yours" she said with a smile. Well I had no choice but to smile back. Satisfied with her result, she stands to leave. " Get back to reading"
" thanks mum.... But" I said and quickly cut it off
" but what?" She stopped
" nothing"
" I am listening" she said now looking at me
" elm"
" say it"
" I just feel we could have stopped her and helped her out" I said.
" Now I know you are back" she laughed.
It wasn't funny to me, but I knew my mum was only trying to evade the matter. She always act so scared. I don't know what she is scared of.
*****************************************
Something terrible happened in school today. Well not in school precisely. It actually happened in one of my friend, Hauwa's house. Her elder sister was returned from her husband's house and branded a witch for not wanting to give birth by herself. According to what Hauwa a friend from the fulani tribe said, her sister sefiyat was married off last two years to this husband of hers. During her first year she had to fight battles with her husbands other wives. Hauwa said, the fights are always brutal and that sefiyat once had a miscarriage during one of it; but she was strong and she overcame them. What that meant, I do not think I can phantom.
Due to the miscarriage, the second year was another battle for her to conceive; between her, her husband and his mum. Hauwa Stated that sefiyat was returned home about four times in the second year, but her dad kept taking sefiyat back because he claimed he couldn't harbour a married woman in his house and he couldn't refund the money given to him during the marriage ceremony. Hauwa said her dad had used the money to purchase a farm land.
Finally, Sefiyat took in and when due she went into labour but the child wasn't coming out. Instead of getting sefiyat to the hospital, they had retained her for two full days, wanting her to deliver herself. When they saw, she couldn't really do it, her husband had returned her almost lifeless claiming she was a witch for not wanting to deliver by herself. It is a miracle sefiyat is still alive in the hospital, the baby had died and had been evacuated but had been advised they started praying.
After listening to her " how old is your sister, Hauwa? I had asked