After finishing watching her, she changed the channel and went to the kitchen to finish preparing dinner. Standing at the kitchen doorway, she continued watching the channel she had switched to, moving back and forth to check the food she had prepared. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Without hesitation, she rushed to open it quietly, knowing that Deeni, if at home, disliked noise. Maryam was already there with some of their schoolmates. Excited, Zeenat hugged them one by one, greeting them warmly and showing them the way inside the main parlour. She motioned with her hands for them to sit while she returned to the kitchen to check on the food, turning off the gas before coming back with drinks and snacks for them.
Laughter and chatter filled the room as they reunited. Zeenat quietly advised them to speak softly. Maryam mentioned that Rukky’s birthday was coming up, which surprised Zeenat. Sumy smiled, noting that they knew Zeenat wouldn’t attend Rukky’s party due to Rukky’s reputation for gossiping. Zeenat agreed, saying nothing in their household was ever left unchecked, but admitted she still wished she could attend. Sumy suggested sneaking out secretly, to which Zeenat replied in Hausa that it would cause trouble. At that moment, Deeni emerged from the parlour, dressed in a maroon-colored jallabiya. His presence, combined with his strong cologne, caused Zeenat to instinctively avert her gaze, though she quickly focused on Sumy instead.
Deeni spoke in a calm, soft voice, catching Zeenat’s attention without looking directly at her. When she tried to apologize for a misunderstanding, he cut her off, teasing her about her seriousness and claiming she had to “learn her manners.” Zeenat apologized repeatedly, feeling the weight of his scrutiny. Deeni then scolded Maryam and the others for making noise and acting rudely, leaving Zeenat to release a sigh of relief once he left the room. Even with him gone, his presence had dominated the space, making it difficult for her to relax. Meanwhile, Ummi returned, and the family joyfully discussed marriage prospects. DEENI, watching the interaction, insisted that his “first love” focus on her studies before marriage, adhering to the family tradition of marrying girls after secondary school.
Zeenat’s Academic Achievement and Family Expectations
At the same time, Zeenat had completed her secondary school education, achieving nearly seven good credits. Even DEENI, usually strict, felt pleased, though he still downplayed her effort because she hadn’t excelled in all subjects. Ummi reassured him, praising Zeenat’s efforts despite her limitations. DEENI eventually conceded that her achievement deserved recognition, noting that students who completed nine credits weren’t necessarily smarter. Zeenat, meanwhile, quietly observed the adults and avoided drawing attention. Ummi encouraged Zeenat, handing her the result slip with a smile and praising her hard work. Zeenat accepted it and left the room, unable to stay where DEENI was.
Ummi then discussed marriage plans, stating that Zeenat should only marry someone educated up to secondary school, consistent with the family’s tradition of not marrying daughters with higher education to men with lesser understanding. DEENI agreed, emphasizing that her “first love” should prioritize her studies and not marry hastily, while Ummi insisted on her plan, reinforcing the household’s expectations and values.
Description
Welcoming Guests and Family Dynamics
After finishing watching her, she changed the channel and went to the kitchen to finish preparing dinner. Standing at the kitchen doorway, she continued watching the channel she had switched to, moving back and forth to check the food she had prepared. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Without hesitation, she rushed to open it quietly, knowing that Deeni, if at home, disliked noise. Maryam was already there with some of their schoolmates. Excited, Zeenat hugged them one by one, greeting them warmly and showing them the way inside the main parlour. She motioned with her hands for them to sit while she returned to the kitchen to check on the food, turning off the gas before coming back with drinks and snacks for them.
Laughter and chatter filled the room as they reunited. Zeenat quietly advised them to speak softly. Maryam mentioned that Rukky’s birthday was coming up, which surprised Zeenat. Sumy smiled, noting that they knew Zeenat wouldn’t attend Rukky’s party due to Rukky’s reputation for gossiping. Zeenat agreed, saying nothing in their household was ever left unchecked, but admitted she still wished she could attend. Sumy suggested sneaking out secretly, to which Zeenat replied in Hausa that it would cause trouble. At that moment, Deeni emerged from the parlour, dressed in a maroon-colored jallabiya. His presence, combined with his strong cologne, caused Zeenat to instinctively avert her gaze, though she quickly focused on Sumy instead.
Deeni spoke in a calm, soft voice, catching Zeenat’s attention without looking directly at her. When she tried to apologize for a misunderstanding, he cut her off, teasing her about her seriousness and claiming she had to “learn her manners.” Zeenat apologized repeatedly, feeling the weight of his scrutiny. Deeni then scolded Maryam and the others for making noise and acting rudely, leaving Zeenat to release a sigh of relief once he left the room. Even with him gone, his presence had dominated the space, making it difficult for her to relax. Meanwhile, Ummi returned, and the family joyfully discussed marriage prospects. DEENI, watching the interaction, insisted that his “first love” focus on her studies before marriage, adhering to the family tradition of marrying girls after secondary school.
Zeenat’s Academic Achievement and Family Expectations
At the same time, Zeenat had completed her secondary school education, achieving nearly seven good credits. Even DEENI, usually strict, felt pleased, though he still downplayed her effort because she hadn’t excelled in all subjects. Ummi reassured him, praising Zeenat’s efforts despite her limitations. DEENI eventually conceded that her achievement deserved recognition, noting that students who completed nine credits weren’t necessarily smarter. Zeenat, meanwhile, quietly observed the adults and avoided drawing attention. Ummi encouraged Zeenat, handing her the result slip with a smile and praising her hard work. Zeenat accepted it and left the room, unable to stay where DEENI was.
Ummi then discussed marriage plans, stating that Zeenat should only marry someone educated up to secondary school, consistent with the family’s tradition of not marrying daughters with higher education to men with lesser understanding. DEENI agreed, emphasizing that her “first love” should prioritize her studies and not marry hastily, while Ummi insisted on her plan, reinforcing the household’s expectations and values.