The other woman's DAUGHTER

Chapter 4

Relief washed through Maryam as the car pulled out of the parking lot and headed straight to the gate. As usual none of the children came out to bid her farewell or safe journey. She had arranged her box a week before, Noorie and the others didn't even shift from their positions on the bed, Maryam's mother was seated on the sofa watching Maryam cross checking every single thing she was supposed to travel with.

     "Make sure nobody reports any rubbish to me, be of your best behavior" her mother warned sternly for the umpteenth time. Maryam nodded slowly. She had been brought up with iron fists. She could never misbehave, not if she wanted to return to the Matazu's household. "Do not eat anything from your Inna Jummai's house, I repeat do not eat anything from that woman. Make sure you decline anything she give to you" her mother added wiggling her index finger to show how serious she is about accepting food from her aunt. Inna Jummai is mommy's aunt who is an acclaimed which.

      Apparently, she is called a Mayya¹. Maryam never seized to understand why they deemed that woman dangerous. She had grown children and her husband is very much alive, yet whenever she visited, everyone warns she stays clear off the woman. Maryam nodded at her mother's warning before dragging her box outside. When she saw another driver she looked up at her mother questioningly.

     "Well, Mama said she is going out and that Baba Musa must be the one to drive her. So Alhaji got this driver for you" her mother explained. Maryam nodded, before squatting to greet the driver who beamed pleasingly. Maryam prayed silently as she mounted into the car. There were times she found herself wondering if her mother cared about her safety at all. This driver could easily kidnap her, why did she give up immediately Mama said she needed Baba Musa? If it were Noorie and the others, she knew her mother would stand her grounds and these times normally required Alhaji Matazu's intervention, because her mother would never geopardize her children's safety for Mama's request. But, whenever it came to Maryam, she would quietly agree to whatever terms Mama lays for them.

     When the driver turned on the ignition, her mother turned around and moved into the house, without a proper goodbye. Maryam did not care, because she has a month to enjoy without her mother's scrutinizing gazes and Mama's fast hands. She couldn't sleep a wink because she feared for her life. She feared he might quietly steal her, but she started relaxing when Alhaji called him. It assured her that Alhaji Matazu knew the driver well enough.
On the dusty road of Tudun wada, Zaria, Maryam slowly sat up. She knew she was home. She bounced her feet impatiently as she stared out of the window with so much anticipation. She could not wait to see her grandparents.
The driver turned to her, "Where is the house Maryam?" He asked slowing down. The description relayed to him by Maryam's mother had been around this parts, but he had no idea where the house is specifically. Maryam pointed at an old bungalow by the side of the road beaming with joy. The driver swerved and drove to the building. When he parked, Maryam jerked out of the house and ran in screaming at the top of her lungs.

     "Mamu! I am here" she chanted running into the house like some crazy girl. She could already hear her cousins screaming and giggling as they all ran out of their various rooms. She jumped on her grandmother who surprisingly stood her ground. She nuzzled her head on her grandmother's bossom as tears of joy cascaded down her cheeks.

    "Maryama aren't you going to hug me too" she heard her grandfather say with his croaked voice. She wriggled out of her grandmother's grip and jumped on her grand father. She was laughing happily because it felt like she had finally been set free of her cocoon of misery.

These people are her father's family, her birth father to be precise. He had been the first boy in his household and death took him away just like that. The others were still young when Maryam was born so they couldn't cater for her. Besides Maryam's mother had refused to listen to any word of reasoning concerning giving Maryam to her father's family. She felt Maryam would have a brighter future in Ali Matazu's household since he's rich. Her dead husband's family well, not so much. This old bungalow could attest they didn't have much.