30
Maryam's POV
"Ja....jawad....jawad what're you doing here?...I thought you said till the next five month before you return?" Aunty Nana ask looking so stunned
"I just ask you a question Nana what's going on here? What are you doing to the poor girl?" He ask looking so angry
"I....I'm.... I.....I don't care Jawad! I really don't care! do your worst!"she said to daddy before walking out in annoyance
I was still lying on the floor groaning in pain when Daddy asked me"Maryam are you OK... Let take you to the hospital first you need to be treated" he said as he pick me up
**********
"Maryam how are you doing?"
"I'm fine Daddy thank you....Daddy why are you back so early,I thought you said you're going to stay long?"
"Yes Maryam but the school I registered you to called me and told me you haven't resume with them,I was so confused, that's why I came home" he said and I nod my head
"Is this what your Mom has been doing to you?"
Should I tell him?
"Don't be afraid Maryam,can you tell me all what she has been doing to you?"
"OK you see ever since you left,I've been working from day till down, I have to sweep,wash and do the cooking, then afternoon I'll go hawking-"
"What?! You hawk?! Why would you hawk?"
"Walahi I didn't know,only that aunty will tell me to hawk for her,she said I didn't deserve to be a student"
"I'm so sorry Maryam please,don't worry I'm going to talk to your mommy she won't do something like that to you again"
"So what was the reason why she was using an iron on you?"
"I was ironing,so mistakenly I placed the iron on her cloth so it got burnt"
"So the other alternative she could use was to burn your back too?!.....how am I going to cope with this lady now?"
"Are you still hurting? "
"No Dad,I'm fine now,just that I'm feeling a little pain"
"Ok dear... The doctor said you could be discharge for now,it four hours already....let go home"
"NO!" I yell immediately
I don't want to go back to that house again
"No?"
"I'm sorry sir,I know ever since the day I've been in your house, you've showed me nothing but love,but you see I can't leave in that house again,the torture is too much,I can't cope with it anymore, please Sir just lemme go to an orphanage home,I'll stay there I'll have peace there than your house, please sir" I said begging and crying
"Maryam I understand you so much,I promise you this, she won't do anything to you again"
"You promise sir?"
"Yes I do and why are you calling me sir? I thought we agreed to call me your Dad"
"OK Daddy"
"Good now let go home"
*************
"As salamu Alaikum"
"Wa alaikumu Salam"
"Ehn! Kí lonshé níbìyi (What's she doing here?!) Òti kú (Aren't you dead already?) Okó mí kí lo dé tèfí mù ajè yí wàle (My husband Why did you bring back this witch home again?)"
"Nana this is the last time I'm warning you! Let this be the first and the last for your stupidity! Leave this girl alone! Stop passing your aggression on her it wasn't her fault how many times do you want me to tell you?"
It wasn't my fault? What wasn't my fault? What are they talking about?
"Maryam can you go to your room?"
"Yes Daddy"
"Witch you're just so perfect! You've bewitch my husband right?! Don't you worry it's me and you in this house" she yell
*****After two weeks******
Dad has always been with me most especially this two weeks and I was so happy, I don't hawk again and I was so happy about that,but I do house chores and that's OK by me in as far as I don't get beaten again
"Maryam?"
"Yes Daddy"
"I've talk to the principal of your new school, you're going to start your class next week but can you cope with that? It been two month of resumption"
"Yes Daddy I can cope thank you so much sir"
"You're welcome dear"
*****One week later****
"Witch where do you think you're going to?"
"Good morning Ma,I'm going to school"
Why is Daddy not here?
"Which school? If you don't go and wash me that cloth ehn! C'mon go keep that stupid bag of yours aside and wash my cloth" she said eyeing me
"But Ma it's already 8:00am I just finish washing plates"
"So? Do I look like I care? If you don't go now before the counting of three, you'll see hell! Now go!" She shout at me
"Yes ma" I said crying
"Stupid girl" she muttered
I finish washing the cloth quickly coz I use the washing machine. I reached school by 9;20am,I was scolded by many teachers and was warned not to come to school late again
My first day in school and my class teacher has already develop love for me,she was so impress by my intelligent
"Wow! Maryam at this your young age,and you're this good,today is your first day of attending the class but you're even good more than the rest, I'm so proud of you"
"Thank you Ma'am"
It was closing time and Dad came to pick me up "Maryam" Dad called my name and I glance over to where he was standing, I ran up to him and he pick me up
"Good afternoon Daddy"
"Afternoon my dear...how's class today?"
"Fine Alhamdulillah... daddy my teacher said I'm the best student in her class today"
"Really?"
"Yes Mr Jawad " said by my teacher
"You see your daughter really impress and surprise everyone today, I have them tested today and she was the only one who scored the highest,even though she was new and didn't attend two months class with us,but still she beat everyone in class with her intelligence"
"OK aunty thank you so much,that means I should be proud of my daughter"
"Yes....You're welcome Sir"
***********
"Welcome home Jawad"
"Thank you....could you believe what happened at Maryam's school today?"
"What happened? Did they said she killed someone again? Or may be steal? Or perhaps she's the dullest in the class?"
"Well sorry to disappoint you but it turns out that so far so good she's the best student ever, even though she just started the school"
"Is that so? Then how is that my business? and why are you telling me? I thought you'll tell me something that will make me happy but it turns out that you only make my mood worst" she said hissing before walking away
"Don't mind her OK? Go change your cloth coz once you've eaten I'm taking you to islamiyya(Arabic School)"
"OK Daddy" I said running to my room but unknowingly I bump unto aunty Nana and the hot food she was carrying poured all over her body