The other woman's DAUGHTER

Chapter 20

Maryam stood in front of the gate, wiping her sweaty palms on her hijab, fear coercing  her entire being. How exactly will she face her grand parents, she asked herself over and over again. What if her mother was around? The woman will not take any excuses and sadly Maryam has none. She would be needing saving if at all her mother is around. She closed her eyes and prayed her mother would be nowhere to be found.

She pushed open the gate and thankfully it had not been bolted from inside. She walked ever slowly to the front door of her grandparents, thanking God that her mother's car was nowhere in sight. She could hear sobbing and voices. She knew she had crossed the line, and she had promised if at all she gets out of this problem without a scratch she would not try that rubbish again.

     "Are you going to keep standing there?" Her uncle's voice came out of nowhere making her squeak. She shook her head in disagreement but still stood where he had met her. Her uncle sighed softly and held her hands. He pushed open the door to reveal her grandmother crying with both her uncles' wives persuading her. Her grandfather was seated tiredly on another sofa.

     "Good evening Baba and Mama" She greeted softly and her grandmother broke free from the two wives, ran to Maryam and engulfed her in a hug. Her grandfather was standing too, when her grandmother freed her she hugged her grand father. After the hugs and the hope you're alright. Maryam felt a sharp pain on her back and a sound she wasn't expecting, so she yelp and moved away from the source of the pain. Her grandmother had swatted her, did she really think she could escape this?

     "Where in heaven's name did you go to and why on Earth did you not take your phone?" Her grandmother asked checking around for an object to beat her up with.

     "I am so sorry, I promise never ever to do that again please forgive me" she had cried out hiding behind her grand father.

     "Maryam I was so worried. Why will you do a thing like that to me?" Her grandmother stated tiredly and soon she began sobbing. Maryam ran to her grandmother and hugged her, apologizing over and over for making them worry. She apologized to everyone profusely as she patted her grandmother's back.

The youngest Uncle had left after warning her never to ever try such stupid act again. She apologized to him and his wife, so they left. The older one who had dragged her in spoke to her about the dangers of leaving home without a phone. She apologized for making them worry too so they left. She heard him bolting the gate and soon everywhere was quiet. Maryam could not believe neither of them demanded where she went to. A part of her was happy and another was bothered that they did not care enough to ask where she had been. Do they trust her so much that they did not bother to ask or they just did not care what happens to her?

     "Where exactly did you go to?" Her grandmother whispered so her grandfather who was dozing off doesn't hear. She knew Maryam had no friends in Apo. Infact, the girl only leaves home unless if she was sent on an errand. Staying out late, was something she never expected of her grand daughter.

     "That new restaurant you said you'd like to try out blocks away from the esta........"

Maryam's statement was cut off when her grandmother striked her with her palm jolting the poor old man awake.
     "Habiba, why are you still hitting her. You both should go to bed and talk about this tomorrow" he had stated tiredly. Maryam had jumped on that offer and ran to her room making sure she closed it, because she knew her grandmother could sneak in and demand more information which would lead to more swatting. Tomorrow when she is sure her grandmother is calmer she would explain.