Patsy (the victim)

9

Zahra'u wouldn't have ask for a better place to work, for the past two days she's been enjoying her stay in the house, do bashir forbid her from going inside the main house and the two mysterious building but nonetheless she's happy, he did take her to the main building once and introduce her to the middle age woman he call ammi as his step mum and three teenage girls(binta,qudrah and amal) and a boy probably in his early twenties named khalifah, everyone seems pretty much OK with her staying but zahra'u still wonder why bashir forbid her from going there,
  All she does is the regular chores, cleaning and cooking for the old woman who always let her cook whatever it is she want.

It's a Saturday evening zahra'u is cooking the yam porridge the old woman say she's been craving as they talk.

"Inna can i ask you please if you don't mind." Zahra'u say the old woman node.

"Where is bashir mother?" Zahra'u ask curiously she's been wondering.

"She died few years ago during delivery." Inna say and zahra'u node.

"Bashir has a sister then?" Zahra'u ask and inna node.

"He have a brother,
kamal he's schooling abroad and two sisters they both married last year they live in Lagos."inna explain and zahra'u node.

The place fall silent only the chattering of the cutleries zahra'u use in cooking, as she wonder where bashir has been for the past two days, she only heard the old woman on the phone with him few times.

"bashir is a nice guy,
Regardless his strictness,
I'm really suprise he bring you home with him he barely pay attention to people especially women." Inna say as the parlour door open.

"Inna." The familiar voice call gaining there attention.

"Bashir,
I thought you say you will be back tomorrow?" The old woman say as zahra'u close the pot on the stove.

"Welcome." Zahra'u greet as he enter the kitchen.

"Thank you,
How are you doing grandma?" Bashir ask and sit on the prayer mat the old woman is sitting on the kitchen floor.

"Fine,
How was your trip?" She ask and bashir node.

"Alhamdulilah,
Is zahra'u taking care of you?" He ask glancing at zahra'u who's smiling and his grandmother chuckle.

"Yes,
She is." The old woman say as bashir glance at zahra'u who's staring at him.

"Where's mamah?" He ask and zahra'u clear her throat.

"Khalifah take her for a wa.......

" what did i tell you about them,
Didn't i ask you to stay away from everyone, why will you give her to him? "Bashir say upset as he stand up.

" he was nice to me,
And I didn't see anything wrong in giving him.........

"It's an order,
Don't mingle with them,
I didn't ask you not to greet them or do some stuff if they ask you to but stay away from them,.where did he say he's taking her?" Bashir ask and zahra'u shrug.

"This is ridiculous,
How......

" bashir take it easy, he's your brother and he's just trying to be nice."his grandmother say and he exit the kitchen slamming the exit door to the apartment very loud.

"Zahra'u just do as he say,
It's always for the best kinji." The old woman say and zahra'u node.

Sauntering out of the apartment bashir head to the main building but stop in the front porch as the familiar black SUV drive into the house, he watch as khalifah exit the car with the little girl in his hand and a small shopping bag.

"What did I tell you about staying away from people I bring to this house?
If i ever see you or hear you take this girl anywhere with you, be ready to face my wrath." Bashir say and collect the little girl from him as khakifah stand still.

"I just took her with me to the nearest supermarket." Khalifah say not looking at his elder brother.

"Daga yau,
Should be the very last time you will meddle into my business, avoid whoever it is i bring to this house especially them.
Did you hear me?" Bashir warn and khalifah node.

"What is happening?
hayaniyan meye haka?" The middle age woman say coming out of the a
Building.

"Tell your son to stay away from anybody I bring to this house especially zahra'u and her daughter if not he won't like the consequences." Bashir warn.

"You can't continue to boss everyone around, khalifah has same right as you do in this house, why do you always make him uncomfortable in his own father's house, I won't tolerate that now, we are all feed up with you and how treat everyone,
She's an ordinary maid and him trying to be nice to her should rather be a favour to her and the stupid daughter of hers." Ammi say and bashir stare at the middle age woman.

"The next time you ever take mamah from her mother you won't like the consequences, not our father or your mum or anybody in this house can stop me from teaching you a lesson you will live to regret." Bashir warn and leave his step mum yapping unnecessary.

"Inna the food is ready should I take it to the bedroom or zaki chi a parlour." Zahra'u ask dishing the food into a warmer.

"Just drop it in the parlour,
I will be right there." Inna say as zahra'u exit the kitchen.

The parlour door open and she look up suprise to see bashir with her daughter.

"Don't ever give mamah to that useless boy,if he want to play with her let him do it here in your presence,
Did you hear me?" Bashir say and zahra'u node.

"Give her some food she's hungry. " bashir say and zahra'u collect the little girl who's all cranky from bashir as his grandmother walk inside the parlour.

"Grandma i need to go somewhere i will be right back." Bashir say and the old woman node.

"A dawo lafiya Allah ya tsare." She say and he mutter Ameen before leaving the apartment.

"Inna i will be right back let me go and feed mamah and bath her." Zahra'u say and enter the bedroom.

She sit on the bed with a sigh and begin breastfeeding her daughter,
She wonder why bashir is overreacting to everything, khalifah is the only single person that's nice to her, his two sister's barely speak to her whenever they come to check on there grandmother.