35
"As salamu Alaikum"
"Wa alaikumu Salam....Maryam?" She called smiling to me
"Ma"
"Welcome home my dear,please take a sit" she motion
"Thank you Ma"
"So how was it? Hope it wasn't too difficult for you to get here?"
"Not at all ma"
"OK dear"
We gist a lot and I must say I'm very fond of Mrs Abdulazeez,I feel so happy and secure whenever I'm with her
"Maryam you see the reason I invited you here is because I've observe you a lot and you appear to be a very decent and good girl,you're very brilliant and also a religious girl"
"You see, I've two children, a male and a female,one is named Kareem and the other is named Kareemah. Kareemah is a very stubborn person but very friendly, while Kareem...though he's nice,he lavish money as he likes,he drinks a lot but he do pray, I won't lie to you. And you see this girl he was dating was only ruining his life more,I and his Dad has advised him so many times but he's not ready to change"
"Shèy ò get òró ti mó só.....tì obí ba tó òmó sí òna tòda, ki inkánmi wá wa ní èyin kòma yí òkan re kó màshe.....ìru ìpó ti òmó mi wá niyén (do you get what I'm trying to say?..... If a parent is trying to guide his or her own child but there's something twisting his mind not to do it,that's the position my son is right now)"
"So why is she telling me all this? but I feel for him though" I thought
"Subhanallah...I feel so bad for him" I blurt out
"Exactly my dear....that's how we feel so bad too, but you see in this life, God do His things the way he planned it. The moment we saw each other again after so many years,then I realise that you're truly the right girl for him,you're the one who could change him for good Maryam" she utter moving closer holding my two hands
"What?!" I exclaim
"Erm....I don't understand you Ma" I said confused
"please Maryam I want you to marry my son,marry him and change him for good please"
"What are you saying Ma, to marry your son? Someone that I don't even know? I don't love him which I'm very sure he won't me too"
"I know Maryam but please can you do this for my sake? Actually at first I wanted to come and meet your parent........"
"Meet my parent? But my parent are dead! And I'm very sure aunty will throw a real tantrum when she learnt of something like this,she wouldn't even agree,coz now most people patronise her because of me" I thought
"Why do you want to meet them? And again they aren't my real parent" I told truthfully
"They are not? Then where are your real parent?"
"My Mom died when I was a year old and my Dad died sixteen years ago"
"Innalillahi Wa-inaillaihi raji'un (from God we came from and to him we shall return back to)"
"La'aola walaquwata illabillah (There's no one except Allah)"
"I'm sorry my dear,but who are those people you are living with?"
"My uncle and his wife"
"Oh! Now I see"
"You see?"
"The way your aunty talked on phone yesterday I called you, she seems harsh...are you sure she haven't been mistreating you?"
"Actually so many times or let me put it this way since the day I've been brought to the house, but there's nothing I can't deal with"
"Subhanallah,you see what I'm talking about..... Please Maryam just marry my son and you'll be free from all this suffering" she beg
"I'll think about it Ma"
"OK dear"
"I think I should get going" I said trying to stand up
"Alright please take this little amount and use it for some expenses"
"I'm sorry but I can't accept the money" I decline
"But Maryam-"
"If I should take this money from you,then that means I've accepted your offer....I'll go now bye Ma"
*****
"Daddy I wanted to tell you something" I said nervously
"Really? What's that? Do you want to go to school now? I can convince your mother...."
"NO!" I exclaim
"No?" He ask furrowing his eyes brow
"Erm you see Dad, Mrs Abdulazeez I went to her house today"
"Good what about the money? Did you collect it from her?" Mom suddenly said
"How did she get here? I don't want her to know about it" I thought rolling my eyes but not leaving the part of her not seeing my face
"Aunty I...I...." I started stuttering
"Don't tell me you didn't?!" She asked widening her eyes in horror
"N...No" I whispered shaking my head
"No?!"
"Nana please not now" Dad interfere sounding irritated
"OK so what now? What did she say?" She asked interested
"Should I tell her?"
"Hey! Why are you so quiet?"
"She says she wants me to marry her son"
"What?! No way? What about me and my business? No! No you won't marry her son!"
You see what I'm saying.... She's always after her needs
"Nana please" Dad begged
"Maryam, what was your reply to her?"
"Dad I told her I'll think about it"
"Maryam I raised you up,I know I'm not your real father but to what she told you,what do you think about it? Do you really want to marry her son?"
What should be my reply? Do I?
"Jawad!" Mom exclaim
"Keep shut Nana,this is not your place to talk" Dad warned making her keep mute all of a sudden
Do I really wants to get married? But Mrs Abdulazeez is right,I'll be free from Aunty's wrath once I'm married to her son,I won't have to suffer again...I'll be free to leave my own world may be I'll be able to further my education there too
"Da.....Daddy I....I wants to"
"You do?"
"Yes Daddy "
"OK then let wait till she calls back,if she asked about what you think,tell her you agreed but she needs to talk to me first.... is that clear?"
"Yes Daddy...thank you " I replied smiling, looking up to Aunty I saw her giving me a deadly glare and I walk out from his room