The Lives We Lived

14: Hafisat

Zainab alighted the taxi and paid the driver. He zoomed off immediately in his rickety cab that emitted smoke as thick as cotton. She covered her lips with her veil to prevent the smoke from entering her nose. She stood, watching the four children that played within the compound  protected by a low wall. Small red gates held the walls together and bared outsiders from coming in even though they could see through the bars of the gate.

Zainab stared at the children with longing in her heart. Her hands went to her stomach to hold the treasure that was growing within her. At least one good thing had come from her marriage to that beast. The children in the compound didn't notice her as she surveyed the bungalow behind them.

She tightened her hold around her older child, grateful that she had him for company. Bode had resisted her efforts to adopt a child and she had had to manipulate him with her womanly strengths just so he would give in. A loud laugh from one of the female children drew her attention to the children again. The girl was playing the local game of 'Suwe' and she had just landed a victory by getting a house.

*African hopscotch*

Zainab sighed. She used to love that game. She'd played it all the way into her adulthood and she had only stopped after her husband pulverised her one day just because she had forgotten to take his briefcase in because she wanted to win the game.

She used to be like these children. Young and free. But now, her chest tightened and she choked back a sob. She couldn't remember the last time she did anything for the fun of it. Eating was a mechanical thing she did to survive. She only watched the TV because Bode wanted her to keep abreast with time. Sex was nothing but a routine to her. Shopping was only done when Bode wanted it to be done. The tears threatened to race past her eyelids so she blinked and looked at the sky. A solitary tear slid down the side of her face as she sniffed.

"Yaya, Bello, Hadiza, Come inside now now!" A sharp annoyed voice called.

"Sister, Adama, please wait for five more minutes," The victorious girl screamed with mischief in her voice. Zainab allowed her eyes to watch the girl.

"Hadiza, don't let me come and get you there!" Zainab watched an older girl, a young woman perhaps, stand with hands akimbo. The girl had small almond shaped eyes and a round face. She peered over her sharp nose and eyed the little girl. "One.. two.."

Hadiza, the two boys and a much younger girl raced towards the house and scrambled past the older girl. The older girl was just about to turn around, when her eyes locked with Zainab's eyes. Her mouth fell open as the colour drained from her fair skin. Then she screamed and fell backwards as though the ground had slipped from her feet.

Zainab screamed too, unsure of why the girl yelled but she quickly opened the gate and raced into the compound to offer help to the girl who lay unmoving on the ground. She put Bayo on the floor and he clung to her calf while she shook the girl's body hoping to bring her to consciousness. What could have caused the young woman to faint like that?

"You.. you.. What have you done to her?" A hoarse voice brought her back to the present. Her veil had slipped off her shoulders and Bayo was wailing loudly. In her attempts to save the girl, she had failed to notice that her son had got off the cement and was now rolling in the dirt Before she had a chance to pick up her son, she'd been shoved aside and she lost her footing, falling to the ground with a huge 'thud.'

Even though she was only two months pregnant, she placed her hand on her stomach, forsaking her butt to protect her treasure. "Who are you? What do you want? What have you done to her?"

Zainab dared to raise her head and as she did her eyes came in contact with her brother-in-law's face. She stood to her feet, and picked up her son. Mindful of her audience that now consisted of the children, a tall man, her sister's husband and the young woman, she placed Bayo's head against her chest and began to to rock him gently. His cries gave way to quiet sobs then ceased completely as he nestled his head against her neck.