Before Hajiya Rabi'ah traveled to Abuja
Saturday 2017
8:00am
"I hope you are not thinking of marrying that Mahmood of a boy? Maryam's junior brother! That will be over my dead body maimuna" Hajiya rabi'atu stormed into her daughter's room looking angry.
Maimuna was taken aback as her mother abruptly stormed into her room, causing her door to swing open
"Habba mama, atleast you could have said salam" she said clearly irritated
"Are you trying to teach me what to do? Eh maimuna?Talking back at me because of a man? Has it really come to this? Nabilah has successfully influenced and corrupted my daughter!"
Maimoo couldn't help but roll her eyes,she wasn't sure if this was the right time to convince her mother about Mahmood or just allow her continue the drama.
Hajiya rabia'atu is a captivating embodiment of grace.
She bears the stunning heritage of the Tuareg people. She stands tall with an elegant poise, her fair complexion carrying a timeless allure. Her flowing hair truly steals breath away. And even now that it is cascading down her back like a shimmering midnight waterfall, each strand telling a tale of resilience and heritage passed down through generations. She still looked unapproachable. Kawai she is too fierce for a woman
Maimoona embodied a striking resemblance to her mother. Every aspect of the girl oozed the essence of Rabiatu, except for a deep dimple she inherited solely from her paternal grandmother, Mairo.
As the only child, Rabiatu made certain that Maimoona never experienced any lack, providing her with everything a girl could desire to fit in with her peers. Maimoona was elevated to princess-like status among her freinds, surrounded by opulence and privilege.
However, what she yearned for, beyond material comforts, was the warmth of genuine maternal love and the presence of a father figure. Yet, her mother's preoccupation with materialism prevented her from devoting special time to her daughter. Constantly engrossed in work and trying to impress her shallow social circle of affluent acquaintances, Rabiatu struggled to prioritize Maimoona's emotional needs.
But maimoona knows what her mother had sacrificed and the amount of pain she has passed through to give them a good life and for that she owes her mother a lot.
Suppressing her own anger, Maimoona took a seat beside her crying mother on the bed. Despite her calm demeanor, she knew that her momma was not easily swayed by reason. Nevertheless, she mustered the courage to speak her mind.
"Mama, I didn't to mean make you cry. I just feel like you're exaggerating this whole issue. I don't understand why you dislike Mahmood, but I promise he is a good guy. You won't regret it," she uttered, trying to maintain a sense of calm.
However, as expected, Hajiya Rabiatu flared up again even angrier than before. Her response was stern and unwavering
"Listen to me,Maimuna. I am your mother, and you will do as I say. I don't care how good he is or how much you love him. All I know is that you are not marrying a pauper. I didn't endure hardships to have my daughter marry someone from a lower class. You are going to marry a wealthy man from a high-class family. It's high time I enjoyed life too. You are the only treasure I have, and I am not giving you away as sadaqah. So, love my foot." she spat out angrily before storming out the room.
For a moment,Maimoona's mind went blank, leaving her momentarily lost in a haze of confusion. she staggered back, her body colliding with the wall, offering a slight sense of support. Her room felt sophocatingly small, suffused with an inexplicable coldness that seeped into her bones.
"Ta ina zan fara?" She pondered the daunting question of where to even begin. For the first time in her life, she found herself clinging to a desire she could not bear to let go, not even for the sake of Hajiya Rabiah.
The realization struck her deeply as she reflected on the years of sacrifice she had made, surrendering her own dreams and desires to ensure her mother's happiness. She had willingly placed herself on the back burner, always putting her mother's wishes above her own.
But Mahmood? He was different. He had become intertwined with her very being. The thought of giving him up almost unbearable. Maimoona couldn't imagine a life without him by her side. The weight of this decision became increasingly heavy as she contemplated whether she could truly let go of Mahmood, the person who had breathed life into her soul.
Giving up on Mahmood would feel like sacrificing her own happiness, her own fulfillment. It felt like giving up on her own life.
So even when maimoona knocked on her mother's bedroom door, taking the courage to convince her again,she found out that she had traved to Abuja already.
