BRAVE

Chapter Three

But the girl stuck to him. He'd chase her away, he'd never been able to hit her but that didn't mean he was nice to her.

Her persistence in coming back to him eventually melted the frost in his heart and the first thing he vowed to himself was to give his child a mother. He would make sure that she lived in comfort, to make up for the few years of love she missed.

He thought the worst thing that could ever happen to a child was growing without its mother but life showed him that the worst thing was growing with the  wrong mother.

But at the end of it all, he had failed her. Not only did he fail to give her a good life in childhood, he also failed his late wife in protecting her last living memory. Too late, when he realized it, the harm had already been done.

Garba felt he owed a lot to this child of his, the child he even  failed in giving her out to a good man.

At the end, he only looked away, saying some words of comfort to her and left with a heavy heart. Words would never be enough to show how truly sorry he felt towards her.

After the late afternoon prayers, Baaba Jummai called her to her room and spoke.

"Fatima"

She tensed when she heard the name her grandmother used to call her.  Fatima being her real name, but because she was named after her mother, everyone called her Lami to show some respect and Baaba Jummai called her Fatima three times before now.

The first time, being a day before her marriage to ado. Even now, whenever she remembers the memories with him, some tears tend to slip.

Ado had been the closest she had ever come to being in love. He was calm, average in height and had a bit of fat but his baby cheeks made him look more handsome to her.

They had named some of their unborn children even. He was the kindest husband over and his family had no problem with her, even sending her away quietly and peacefully.

The second time, her second marriage to Ilu. He was a good man too. Who could put up with a barren woman for two years? He even brought home large pieces of meat for her from the market and they would sit together on a mat during the hot evenings where he would tell her about the things that happened in the market.

They would laugh and then retire to bed where there would be passionate bouts of love making. She had even started loving him, trying then things went sour again.

The third time after her return home from Musa. Bruised and swollen, Baaba Jummai consoled her and spoke to her a great deal.

"Perhaps you were not meant to be, maybe they were not for you. Every woman, has a husband created for her and vice versa. Allah knows best"

And now she had been called like this, no one needed to tell her why.

"Listen to me Fatima. This man you are marrying, he has no father, no brothers, no relatives at all except his mother. At first, you father disagreed into marrying you off to a man like that but then i asked him. 'Who would be willing to marry your daughter again in this village? Who else? Do you not hear as they insult her as a witch and a barren woman on the streets? Do you not see the look in her eyes when you visit? Do you not know how in need of a man your daughter is or are pretending not to? Your daughter needs a man Garba and now that one has come, let her have him. It is the man she is marrying not his father and as long as he has a stick and two balls down his pants, he is a man enough for her'. Please, treat your mother in law with care and respect your husband. I will not speak further, whatever it is to know, you already know. He is a man, you are a woman and that places him at a higher advantage. A man will always go to seek somewhere else, what is not given to him in his house. Do not let that happen. All i ask for you is endurance and patience, i pray this will be your last marriage in this lifetime. Go prepare yourself, he will be coming later"