If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?
~~Jalaludeen Rumi.
"Seven. Seven of them Baba, buried in my backyard."
Lubna was on the phone with Baba. She'd used the land-line in daddy's living room.
"Inna lillahi". He said.
She could hear, no, feel the underlying tension in his voice. The slight anger too.
"Baba I'm scared, I want to come back home. I don't like this place."
Baba could feel her fear too. She's strong, Yes, but only 18.
But, she would not leave her husband's house. He wouldn't let it happen, No.
"Lubna, I know you're scared but you will stay in your house. You're not going anywhere. No one is taking you out of your house.
Certainly, not seven pieces of folded paper tied with black thread".
"Only Allah can take you out of your house, no woman will."
"Baba..."
"Lubna, pray. I have always told you that. No matter what happens, if you pray, Allah will always be with you. And everything that happens to you will only be a test from Him. So keep praying. Don't ever stop.
Baba will pray for you too. Do you understand?" His eyes were closed when he said that.
"Yes Baba. Thank you. And I'll do as you said Insha Allah". Lubna answered faintly.
"Good. Your mama and sisters send their regards".
She smiled.
"Send mine too Baba".
"Okay, I will".
She replaced the line with shaky hands.
Thirty minutes ago, she'd found seven amulets,what the Hausa people called Laya buried in her backyard.
She'd sat down for a good ten minutes to calm her beating heart before calling Baba.
She was scared when she saw them, but she panicked when she shakily unfolded one and found her name written in Arabic with an X over it.
That was when she felt the urge to leave, just go home. But Baba wouldn't let her. She understood where he was coming from though.
About a week before, her marriage, people were saying she wouldn't last three months as Alhaji Muhammad's wife.
"Hmm, I don't think she would last up to two ma. He's been with his first wife for fifteen years. You should know she'd never let that girl in" A plump short woman said.
"Gaskiya, Zubaida has been in control for too long. Sharing that would definitely be a problem." Another one said.
Lubna had quietly left the place to her mother's room.
"As if I want the marriage. Do they think I care?" She'd thought to herself.
She had no idea Baba heard about it too until she heard him say to her mother:
"What Allah has knotted, only He can unknot. I would love to see them try".
*******
Zubaida sat on the carpet, peacefully eating her fried chicken.
She had buried the amulets in Lubna's backyard the previous night. Now she just had to wait for a few more hours before Lubna is sent packing by daddy.
She smiled and bit into her fleshy meat.
********
"Salamu alaikum". She heard his deep voice from the kitchen.
YOU ARE READING
A Tale Of Time And Tears
SpiritualIt wasn't a new thing for a Father to decide who his daughters marry or who his sons marry. But, brows got raised when this Father married his most beloved daughter to an already married man. Lubna, an eighteen year old and rose of the family of Al...
