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“He is just our older brother who helped us out.”
“Is there any other reason besides that, Beenafah?”
Completely unaware of where his line of questioning was leading, I replied, “No other reason.”
“Are you absolutely sure, Beenafah?”
Nodding my head, I said, “I'm sure.”
Feeling a wave of profound relief and tenderness wash over his heart—a sensation he hadn't experienced in a very long time—he slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them to look at me, he softened his voice to a level so gentle and intimate I had never heard him speak that way before.
He said, “I have no choice, Beenafah. I absolutely must leave for Zaria tomorrow. Kawu is already furious over my failure to show up...”
“Well, to be honest, what surprises me is what kept you from traveling all this time, Yaya Jafaru...”
He let out a short, quiet smile, shaking his head as he remarked, “Even if I told you my reasons right now, you wouldn't understand them, Beenafah... Come, let's sit over here.”
He concluded his sentence by finding a spot under the shade of a tree to sit down, signaling for me to sit right beside him.
He cast a deeply intense, complex look at me, so piercing that my heart instantly skipped a beat, making me fear that I had inadvertently offended him.
“Beenafah, I want you to promise me that from now on, you will only prioritize your workplace and your Islamic school. No matter who a man is, you must never stand around wasting your time talking to him...”
“Oh, come on! You know me well, Yaya Jafaru. I am not that kind of person. Even among the guys in our Islamic school class, I don't speak to a single one of them unless it's absolutely necessary. Furthermore, at my workplace, they have strict regulations; no worker is allowed to loiter with a man and chat, even outside the premises.”
Delighted by how well I understood his concerns, a warm smile spread across his face as he said, “Thank you, Beenafah. I will be calling Mama’s phone regularly so she can pass it to you for us to speak whenever I am free. And whenever you want to talk to me, you can just flash my number directly from your phone, alright?”
“In sha Allah, our future lawyer. May Allah grant you success and victory in what you are going out to achieve...”
“Amen. But tell me, Beenafah, is there no promise you want me to keep for you?”
I blinked rapidly for a few seconds, turning the question over in my mind before nodding with a smile.
“Just one promise, Yaya Jafaru: do not fall into the company of bad friends. As Ammie often tells me, bad companions are the primary force that ruins a child's character, no matter how excellent their upbringing was at home. Focus entirely on your studies, just as you always tell me to do.”
A profound emotion began to bloom and swell inside his heart, growing far deeper than he could have ever imagined. This conversation, in particular, etched itself deeply into his mind, illuminating a new path in his world that he never even knew existed.
We sat there chatting happily until the sunset call to prayer began to echo through the air, at which point he told me it was time to head back inside.
The following morning, when I stepped out to visit their house, I was informed that he had already made an early morning start and traveled back to Zaria. I sent my best wishes after him and went on my way.
Even after the naming ceremony for baby Muhammad (Abeer) concluded, we spent an entire grueling week tackling endless mountains of chores. It wasn't until a few days later that we finally got a breathing spell, once the majority of the guests dispersed, leaving behind only a few stragglers who hadn't traveled yet.
Instead of changing her hostile attitude toward me after Hajiya reprimanded her, Aunty Ziza did no such thing. If anything, she engineered entirely new and petty ways to humiliate me. Even when she simply wanted a cup of water to drink, she would demand that I be summoned just to hand it to her. What she failed to realize, however, was that I had completely stopped fearing her. Now that I knew her malicious behavior stemmed from pure spite, nothing she did to upset me moved me in the slightest—which, ironically, only fueled her burning rage toward me. When it came to labor, even if she kept me working through the night, I never complained or let it show. Furthermore, she never hesitated to humiliate me regardless of who was watching, with the sole exceptions of Aunty Labiba and Emraan. Those two were the only individuals whose presence forced her to mask her mistreatment of me.
Today was no different; I was sitting near the kitchen entryway with Haula when Ziza called Haula’s phone, instructing her to send me over. I stood up immediately, walked into her section, and announced my presence.
Pointing toward an insulated flask, she ordered, “Take that, boil some hot water for me, and bring it back immediately. I am waiting.”
"Alright," I replied, taking the flask back to the grand kitchen. I opened a massive industrial pot of boiling water, squinting my eyes against the thick, billowing steam while Munira and the others openly laughed at my plight. After filling the flask to the brim, I carried it back to her and said, “Here it is.”
She eyed me up and down with deep suspicion and snapped, “Are you telling me you managed to boil water in this short amount of time?”
Shaking my head honestly, I replied, “No, I fetched it from the pot over by Inna Kuluwa’s section in the kitchen...”
“Did I ask you to go there and fetch it?! I explicitly told you to go light the stove, place the pot on the fire, let the water boil thoroughly, and then pour it in and bring it to me!”
Without a single word, I grabbed the flask, walked outside to the tap, and dumped the hot water into a bucket while Munira and the others sat watching me, their faces full of confusion.
I marched right back into the inner kitchen, lit the gas stove just as Haula had taught me, placed the pot on the flame, and stood by the doorway until the water bubbled fiercely. After pouring it into the flask and turning off the stove, I brought it back to her.
"Take Abeer, go to the bathroom, change his diaper, and bring him back to me," she commanded, pointing toward the restroom.
I took the baby into the bathroom, cleaned him thoroughly and efficiently, and returned moments later to hand him back to her. She had probably assumed I would panic or claim I didn't know how to handle a baby, which would have given her the perfect excuse to insult me to her heart's content. What she didn't know was that, by the grace of Allah, I understood infant care better than she did. When Ammie gave birth to Sajjad, I practically became his mother due to Ammie's severe mental illness; I handled his baths, his sleep schedule, and his feeding entirely, right up until the day he left this world. Therefore, caring for a child was second nature to me, and I could tolerate any level of toddler mischief with ease.
In reality, a specialized nanny had been hired and brought in for the baby just three days prior. Yet out of sheer malice, Ziza insisted on bypassing the nanny just to find avenues to torment me.
“Grab that cup over there, mix some tea for me, and sit down to fan it until it is perfectly cool.”
As I sat cross-legged on the floor, fanning her tea, I heard her mutter mockingly under her breath, “To think Hairiyyah constantly hypes this girl up! What is there to hype, exactly? She is just a paid maid, what's so impressive about her? Hmm! They call her 'Pretty'... well, real beauty stays where it belongs, while she is nothing but a cheap imitation...”
Treating her toxic words like empty wind, I completely ignored her, acting as though I didn't even realize she was talking about me. As we sat there, Haula walked in carrying her lunch on a massive tray laden with about five different covered dishes. Setting it beside her, Haula turned to give me a warm smile, which I happily returned.
This simple exchange instantly set Ziza off. She flew into a sudden, unhinged rage, screaming that I was being disrespectful by looking at her and laughing. She demanded to know what she had on her person that I found so amusing.
Instead of becoming frightened and stopping, the absurdity of her tantrum only made the situation funnier to me, to the point where an involuntary chuckle escaped my lips.
Trembling with rage, she leapt to her feet and lunged toward me. I stared up at her in mild surprise, waiting to see if she was actually going to strike me or what. Seeing her charge at me, Haula also stifled a laugh, clamping her hand firmly over her mouth—which only made me want to laugh even more.
Ziza stormed out of the room in a blind fury, marching straight to Hajiya's quarters. Huffing wildly, she burst out, “Hajiya! I need to know something. Does that maid have any idea what my status is in this household, or is she just completely lawless?!”
Setting down the television remote control, Hajiya turned to look at her and asked, “Ziza, which maid are you talking about?”
“That utterly disrespectful girl whom Aunty Labiba dumped on us!”
“Do you mean Beenafah?”
Nodding her head aggressively, she snapped, “Yes, her! Hajiya, she sat there openly mocking me, looking right at me and bursting into laughter...”
Completely unfazed, Hajiya shook her head calmly and replied, “Not Beenafah, Ziza. Even Munira, whom I know to be capable of such mischief, wouldn't dare mock you, let alone Beenafah, who completely minds her own business...”
“I swear to Allah, Haji—”
“Ziza! Find a seat and sit down so we can talk.”
Swallowing the rest of her words, she took a seat directly facing Hajiya, staring at her intently.
“You need to stop provoking and targeting that girl, Ziza. Hairiyyah already filled me in on how horribly you treated her the other day—Munira was the one who witnessed it and reported it to her. That behavior is completely unacceptable. Even the other day, you were constantly ordering her around right in front of me, and you know very well that I despise such behavior. I am the one who employs these workers, and I don't overwhelm them with unnecessary burdens, so I see absolutely no reason why you should be tormenting them. Ever since you married into this house, I have never known you to be this malicious, so for Allah's sake, drop this behavior. If this hostility is stemming from that silly comment Emraan made, you know very well he was only joking. You know your husband better than anyone; even if that girl were tied to his feet, he wouldn't spare her a glance. Maintain your dignity and stay out of these girls' business; I will not tolerate this. I am not forbidding you from giving them chores; whatever legitimate work you need done, they must execute it whether they like it or not, because your status and Nadeeyah's status are identical in this estate. But please, for Allah's sake, learn to respect your boundaries.”
Her voice dropping to a fragile whisper, Ziza looked down and mumbled, “I am deeply sorry, Hajiya.”
Nodding her head, Hajiya replied, “It's fine. You may leave.”
She stepped out of the room completely subdued and returned to her quarters, where I was still sitting exactly where she had left me, fanning her tea. Casting a sour, defeated look in my direction, she muttered, “Take your cup, get out of here, and leave me in peace.”
I swiftly stood up holding my teacup and darted out of the room, making a quick exit back to the quarters I shared with Munira and the others. Only after I had thoroughly enjoyed my perfectly prepared, delicious cup of tea did we sit down to eat our lunch. I filled them in on the hilarious details of what had just transpired, and we laughed up a storm until we finished. I then packed up my belongings and headed back home.
Upon arriving home, I found Yaya Ashiru sitting inside, happily chatting away with Ammie.
I slipped into my room to put away my things, then stepped back out to greet him warmly. Right there in front of Ammie, he pulled a brand-new phone out of its box, set it down on the mat, and announced:
“Ammie, I brought this phone for you all because I will be relocating back to Kano tomorrow. Once I leave, I want to be able to hear from you regularly so we don't have a repeat of the massive communication gap we suffered in the past.”
Ammie paused for a brief moment, staring at the device before asking, “A phone, Ashiru? And such a massive, advanced one at that?”
Bowing his head respectfully, he replied, “It's nothing, Ammie... Truly, it's a small thing. You both deserve far more than this from me.”
With that, he stood up, offered his farewell blessings, and stepped outside. A bit overwhelmed and feeling a mix of complex emotions, I quietly followed him out to the driveway where his usual motorcycle was parked. In a soft, hesitant voice, I asked, “So, Yaya Ashiru, now that you are leaving for Kano, when should we expect you back?”
He smiled warmly and replied, “I don't know for certain, Beenafah, but I know deep down that I won't be able to handle being away from you for too long. I will definitely be back...”
“May Allah grant you a safe journey and bring you back to us in good health.”
“Amen. By the way, where is the SIM card I gave you?”
My eyes widened in sudden realization and embarrassment as I confessed, “It's inside Yaya Jafaru's phone, and he has already traveled back to Zaria.”
A faint, knowing smile playing on the corner of his lips, he looked at me and asked, “And who exactly is this Yaya Jafaru? Are you two related?”
"Well, yes, you could say that. They are our closest neighbors; that's their house right over there..." I explained, pointing directly toward Jafaru's family home. “Ever since we relocated to this neighborhood, they were the very first people we met. They have been exceptionally kind to us, so we've become just like real family.”
He nodded slowly, a subtle smile on his face as he said, “I see. Don't worry about it; there is already a pre-activated, fully registered SIM card inside this new phone. I've charged the battery and set everything up, so I will be calling this line directly to check up on how you are all doing.”
“Alright then, may Allah protect you on the road. Please give my warmest regards to Ayya.”
With that, he mounted his motorcycle and rode away, casting a long, calculating look at Jafaru's house while recalling their tense interactions. Ever since the very first night he visited our house, he had actually removed Jafaru's SIM card from his own phone and discarded it, which was why whenever Jafaru tried to call, the operator always informed him that the line was switched off.
I stood there watching until he completely disappeared from view, then eagerly rushed back inside the house.
Bursting with excitement, I picked up the phone to examine it. It was a beautiful, brand-new Infinix smartphone with a flawless touchscreen. I powered it on and began navigating through the menus with absolute joy. The first people who came to my mind were my Islamic school classmates like Hafsa, most of whom owned smartphones, followed by Munira and the girls. I immediately opened the camera app and started taking endless selfies, giggling to myself like a crazy person.
“Beenafah!”
Hearing Ammie call my name, I spun around and answered, “Yes, Ammie?”
“Do you think it was truly appropriate for us to accept this phone, Beenafah?”
I hesitated for a moment, looking at her with a face full of confusion as I asked, “What do you mean, Ammie?”
“Nothing specific, I am just observing the broader situation...”
“But Ammie, you heard him yourself; he simply wants a reliable way to check up on us and ensure we are safe.”
Letting out a soft sigh, she nodded slowly and said, “I suppose that's true. May the Almighty Lord guide our steps.”
“Amen.”
I stood up, got dressed, and packed my Islamic school bag, slipping the new phone inside so I could carry it along with me.
As Ammie stepped out of her room, her eyes caught my bag and she asked, “Beenafah, where is that phone?”
Glancing down at my bag and then back up at her, I replied, “It's right here in my bag.”
“Take it out and leave it in the room. I will not tolerate you taking that device to either your Islamic school or your workplace.”
Accepting her command, I quietly walked back into the room, placed the phone safely on the mattress, and headed out.
Later that evening after completing my Isha prayers, Yaya Hamza walked into our house. I quickly retrieved the phone, showed it to him proudly, and asked him to help me save Yaya Jafaru's phone number.
He turned the smartphone over in his hands, nodding in approval as he examined it and teased, “Wow! An Infinix! Look at you, little girl, you've officially leveled up and hit the big leagues...”
Beaming with pride at his praise, I burst into laughter and boasted, “Yaya Ashiru bought it for me.”
“Wow, he really went all out...”
“Hurry up and save Yaya Jafaru's number for me, please! I want to call him immediately before you go ahead and spoil the surprise by telling him first—I know how you are.”
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*PAGE 24*
The moment he finished inputting the digits, I lost no time in dialing Yaya Jafaru’s number. Bursting with pure excitement, I pressed the phone tightly against my ear.
The exact second I heard him pick up, I let out a piercing shriek of pure joy, loud enough to burst his eardrums, and screamed, “Yaya Jafaru, I have a phone now! Yaya Ashiru bought a smartphone for me!”
Over in his university hostel, Jafaru was sitting on his bed surrounded by a mountain of academic handouts. He was under immense academic pressure, having missed the first two weeks of lectures before finally joining his classmates. Hearing my words, he bolted upright as if stabbed with a needle, his face contorting with immediate rage.
“Hello? Yaya Jafaru, can you hear me?!”
Overwhelmed by a sudden, blinding anger that he completely failed to control, he barked furiously through the line, “Why on earth would he buy a phone for you?! Didn't I explicitly tell you to stop entertaining every foolish idiot out there, Beenafah?!”
Stunned by his harsh reaction, I stammered, “Yaya Jafaru, I told you it was Yaya Ashiru...”
“And so what?! Why should he buy you a phone? For what earthly reason?!”
“Yaya Jafaru, it's really not what you think. He is relocating to Kano, which is why he bought it for us...”
"Hmph! Fine, whatever!" he snapped.
With that, he abruptly hung up on me. Thinking it was just a temporary network glitch, I immediately tried redialing his number, only for the operator to inform me that his phone had been switched off entirely.
I stared blankly at Yaya Hamza, then turned my gaze toward Ammie, whose attention was fully occupied by Bahrain and Farisa as they chatted away. Seeing this, I looked at Yaya Hamza and whispered anxiously, “Yaya Jafaru is furious about this phone. I could tell from his tone that he is deeply unhappy about it. Or do you think he is dealing with some personal stress? Because he never behaves like this.”
Standing up after finishing his dinner, Hamza nodded thoughtfully and replied, “Perhaps something else is bothering him... Anyway, I'll take my leave now. Goodnight.”
Bahrain and I spent the rest of the evening playing mobile games on the phone, though a part of my mind remained completely unsettled, endlessly analyzing Yaya Jafaru's strange outburst. We wrapped up our nightly routines and went to bed; Yaya Ashiru never called, and it didn't cross my mind to call him either. The following morning, I woke up, performed my prayers, and immediately picked up the phone to fiddle with it. I was so consumed by the excitement of my new device that I completely forgot to perform my morning Azhkar supplications. Realizing that time was slipping away, I finally set the phone down, got dressed, finished my household chores, and rushed off to work.
