The other woman's DAUGHTER

Chapter 6

Maryam stared at Khalid as he reads through a gigantic book with a labeled human body as the book cover. She had read the titles of his big books so much, she did not bother to read this one. He kept zoning out of her conversations with him, and would spend a good fifteen minutes reading before he would look up and blink multiple times. Unlike before, their holidays aren't in sync anymore. He's either embedded in exams or in tests, it feels intentional some times.

     "What were we even talking about?" Khalid asked blinking multiple times like he's done a million times. Maryam rolls her eyes before turning her attention to the TV. "Maryama....." He drawls chuckling at her behavior. He has explained to her how important it was for him to read but he would still do it again, if she would stop frowning. "You do know how important this is. If I don't read, I will fail. And failing any course would cost me my tuition fee. Have you forgotten how Mamu's husband made it clear to stop my sponsor if I fail. I have to come out without failing so that I can be done with this, besides how do you expect me to build feed you if I fail in school?"

     Maryam felt her lips tugging upward, on their own accord. He always says the cutest things to her. She could not even stay mad at him for long because of how easy it is for him to say the right things.

     "I know. It's just that it is so annoying when you zone out" she grumbled still smiling. He apologized, but she knew he would still get distracted, so she decided to go to bed.  She bade him goodnight, before pedestrianizing her way to her grandmother's room.

     It's been Four dreadful years now, and like the past years, Maryam always came to Zaria for her holidays and her mother had consistently found her way to cut Maryam's supposed holidays short by turning up abruptly either a day or two days to the agreed time. Maryam is already accustomed to her ways, that she always prepared herself three days to the agreed time. Meanwhile Maryam's visit to Zaria had successfully paved way for a relationship with Khalid. He was already in 400level while she's in ss2. Khalid felt Maryam is the perfect person to be with. She had everything a man would want, ranging from beauty, brains and sensibility. Being maltreated by her mother had given Maryam the zeal to be successful in life and she had been doing just that by reading and studying like her life depended on it. She decided to create joy in studying and so far, Alhaji Matazu had her embedded in his heart for her consistent straight A's. A gesture which irritates Mama more than anything, so she had been making Maryam's life unbearable so she could oust her from Alhaji Matazu's eyes.

The incessant honking of a car by the gate had spiked Maryam's suspicions of her mother's numerous means to cut her holidays short. Her suspicions became right and just like every other time, Kahalid wasn't around to see her off.

     "Maryama, keep being good. Don't misbehave okay?" Her grandmother advised as they both headed towards the gate with her grandfather trailing behind them. Maryam could only nod before getting into the car. She bade them goodbye until they were out of sight. Halfway across town, Maryam's little Nokia phone started ringing. Khalid's name taunted her, she sighed softly before pressing the answer button.

     "Maryama...." He drawls as usual making her smile. "I just got back home" he stated. She understood what he meant by the statement. Her mother hadn't sent the driver early in the morning as usual. He had arrived by 3:30. She badly wanted to tell the driver to wait because she knew Khalid would be home anytime soon. She knew better than to make such request. It would bring about the usual punishments and quarrels. "I am sorry it didn't turn out how I had expected" he apologized. Khalid always apologizes for thing that weren't even his fault. Her mother was determined to be a stumbling block on her path.

     "Khalid, it's not a problem. We'll see each other again if Allah spares our lives" she cajoled. Khalid sighed softly not wanting to end the call. But he needed to rest so he could resume studying for his next paper. With the promise of calling her to know how her journey went, Khalid ended the call.