Safiya's heart sank as she observed her mother in distress. It was the first time since their father's passing that she had witnessed her mother shedding tears.
Even when they received the devastating news, her mother had maintained a stoic facade, retreating mostly in solitude, leaving Safiya and Meka to grieve openly.
She understood that her mother mourned their father deeply, and it pained her to see the weight of her mother's sorrow pouring out so rawly.
Safiya realized that her mother was hiding her own sadness from them because she was scared that it would make their difficult situation even worse.
Sitting down beside her mother, who remained unaware of her presence, Safiya spoke softly, "Mama."
