Chapter 5 Her plight grow

Abu had always led a difficult life with her family. Her parents ignored her and treated her coldly. Her siblings were always scornful and rude towards her, never speaking to her kindly. Whenever she became upset, her parents would slander her in front of her siblings.

She would lock her door and weep, her silent sobs filled with bitterness. Abu carried her sorrows alone, reluctant to confide in anyone. She found solace in her own company, comforting herself through her struggles. The more she thought about her parents' mistreatment, the more her depression deepened. Since her divorce, she carried the burden of all the household work, which did not bother her as much as her parents' foul temper and her siblings' rude behavior.

Her only relief came when she went to school. She was in her final year at Bayero University. Sometimes she felt like not returning home after school. Going to school gave her a breath of fresh air, even on lecture-free days.

As was her routine since the divorce, after returning from school, she went to her mother's house and announced her arrival to surprise her kids. The happiness on her face reflected her delight in seeing them. Both Amira and Ummi ran excitedly to their mother. Umma, with tears in her eyes, exclaimed, "Sake su maza aiki na jiran ki, da kina son su kika bar gidan uban su (Let them go, you have a lot to do. If you love them, why did you leave their father in the first place)?" Abu did not respond, but silently retreated to her room, followed closely by her daughters. She only removed her veil and bag before emerging to start doing the dishes.

"If you think you can't do it, let me do it. I am healthy and full of energy," Umma said cheerfully. Abu sighed but said nothing. She didn't understand why Umma behaved this way; it was just her nature.

Ummi came out of Umma's room, carrying their bag. "Ummi, where are you going?" Umma asked, her eyes wide open.

"Because you hate our mom, and we hate you too. You always shout at her no matter what she does," the girl lamented, her voice trembling.

Umma was shocked. She held the girl and said, "I'm sorry, dear. I will never do it again. Please don't hate your grandma." Since that day, whenever the kids visited, Umma treated Abu better, although she still stared at her coldly. Whenever Ummi and Amira visited, they remained silent, not speaking to anyone. Whatever Umma said to them, Ummi would tell Amira not to respond, stating that she hated their mom.

Zainaba sat, reading her handout, knowing that today was her last exam as an undergraduate student. Occasionally, she would pause from her studies and watch other students celebrating. She had always longed for this day, the day when she would write her final paper. But today, she felt a heaviness in her heart. Her home was no longer a home to her; it felt like a prison. The only place where she found solace was in school, and now she was about to graduate. After the exams, all her friends were joyously snapping pictures and enjoying their last day at the university. Abu, standing at a distance, watched them, tears of sadness streaming down her face.

As she sat there, lost in her thoughts, she heard a voice that would forever echo in her mind. At first, she paid no attention, thinking that her thoughts were playing tricks on her.

The voice spoke again, saying, "What are you watching? Why not join them instead of crying in secret? You might find some relief by joining them." She looked up and saw Usman, her ex-husband, standing beside her. They made eye contact, and he smiled at her.

"Congratulations, dear. I wish you the best of luck with your results," he said, walking closer to her at a leisurely pace. "Thanks, Abban ummi," she replied. "Let's go to my car. Ummi and Amira are waiting. We should at least have one picture together on this important day," he suggested, extending his hand to collect her books.

As they walked together, Usman turned his head towards her and asked, "I'm sorry for everything, wallahi. I regret everything from day one."

Zainaba smiled and said, "No, Usman, never regret. We were destined to part ways. Please, just remember the beautiful moments we shared together and move on, my dear." She pleaded with him, her beautiful eyes filled with sincerity.

"How can I do that?" he asked, looking at her intently.

She raised her eyebrows and replied, "Well, I don't know. But one thing I can tell you is that I will never regret two things about our relationship. I always ask myself if I will regret knowing you, but the answer is always no. We shared some beautiful moments that will never be a regret for me. We also have something precious and special together, which is our kids."

Usman listened quietly, without interrupting her.

"The second thing is that I will never regret asking for a divorce. Please, Abban ummi, just move on. Life is always about the next step. Let's wish each other well, and remember that life goes on," she said softly, trying to calm him down.

Usman smiled and remained silent, as she spoke.

They took pictures together before Usman left with the children.

After school, Zainaba went directly to Hajiya's house.

Hajiya was overjoyed to see her. After exchanging a few words, Zainaba mentioned the reason for her visit: she wanted to ask Hajiya for a favor, to allow Usman to marry Sa'ada, as she believed Sa'ada would be the best person to raise the kids as her own. Hajiya seemed initially opposed to the idea, but in the end, Zainaba managed to convince her.

Hajiya informed Usman that he could marry Sa'ada. Although he wasn't happy about it, he wanted to marry her, not because he loved her, but out of pity.