“Maryam,” I heard a young maiden call out softly. I quickly turned and saw the girl called Maryam. Blessed be the Best of Creators—that was what came to my mind the moment my eyes met the tall, graceful young woman called Maryam. She flashed a mischievous smile and said, “You don’t need to shout, Halima. I know why you’re calling like a blind person.”
Halima sighed and said, “You know the attitude of this brother of yours—he has no manners. Now he’s going to ruin our plans.”
Maryam shot Halima a defiant look and replied, “Leave that one. I don’t see anyone who can stop me from doing what I want. Even my parents couldn’t stop me, let alone someone else. Please, let’s continue preparing the place so we don’t disgrace ourselves in front of our friends.”
Halima only nodded without saying anything because she knew Maryam’s stubborn nature. Once Maryam set her mind on something, no one could change it—except Yaya Muhammad. He was even more stubborn than her, feared by soldiers under him, quiet and harsh. He rarely spoke; even his friends and colleagues were used to receiving instructions from him with just a look.
Maryam turned to go to Anwar’s house—a friend of hers whose elder brother was a tailor and sewed all her clothes. Just then, Nassar ran up and said, “Adda Maryam, come—Ammi sent for you.”
Maryam glared at him fiercely and said, “Go and tell her to come and drag me herself. I’m not going. And if she wants me, let her come.”
Nassar returned the glare without backing down and said, “May God forbid you come—you’re just someone who doesn’t know the value of elders.”
Angrily, Maryam snapped, “Are you insulting me, you son of—? So you’re the one abusing me now? Is it your mother’s servant job that you’re sitting down and ordering me around with nonsense talk?”
She lunged forward intending to attack him. Nassar quickly ran, and she chased after him, hurling insults about his mother. He didn’t stay silent either; he replied to every insult, believing that since Maryam had no sense of shame, there was no reason to spare her.
Confrontation with Muhammad and a Violent Climax
As Nassar opened the gate, he saw their brother. He flashed an evil smile and suddenly let out a loud scream. Muhammad instantly covered his ears and turned in shock, thinking something dangerous had happened. When he saw Nassar running toward him crying, he shot him a deadly look that immediately silenced him.
With his eyes, Muhammad asked what happened. Nassar explained, “It’s Adda Maryam. Ammi told me to call her, and she started insulting us—me and Ammi. When I mentioned Ammi, she hit me and chased me, saying she’d go to my mother and show her what she’s capable of.”
Before he could say more, Maryam stormed in angrily, still throwing insults at Nassar. That only made Muhammad angrier. He gave her a deadly look, but she ignored him and walked straight into the compound, pretending he wasn’t there.
“Come here,” he ordered in a firm voice with no trace of joking.
Maryam glared at him, hissed, and walked further inside, which angered him even more. He held Nassar’s hand and moved toward her. Seeing him approach, she ran inside to where her mother and Ammi were sitting in the living room, chatting peacefully. They rarely argued due to Hajiya Amina’s patience and her obedience to her co-wife, Hajiya Lubabatu. But whenever Maryam was touched, Hajiya Lubabatu turned into fire.
Maryam rushed in and hid behind her mother, whining, “Mama, you see him? He wants to beat me.”
“Who?” her mother asked, turning toward the entrance. The moment she saw Muhammad, her anger exploded. Of all the people she hated most in the world, Muhammad was one—he had stopped Maryam from continuing her schooling, something she had never forgiven him for.
Furiously, she said, “If he dares touch you, may he face consequences! Is it by force to stop a girl from school? I’m tired. Let Alhaji return and settle this himself. My daughter is not a slave.”
Before she could continue her outburst, Muhammad pushed past her, grabbed Maryam, and slapped her hard. Maryam instantly lost her breath and froze before letting out a piercing scream. The scream startled her mother, who grabbed Muhammad—she had nicknamed him the devil because whenever he decided to punish someone, no one could stop him except their father, Baffa.
Burning with rage, her mother cried, “If you ever beat her again, I will never forgive you! You wicked, cruel, heartless tyrant! May God judge between us. When Alhaji returns, he will settle this matter properly—your heart is the heart of unbelievers!”
Despite all the insults and curses she hurled at him, Muhammad ignored her. He made sure Maryam was pushed down forcefully, then flung her aside and stormed out, breathing heavily, while her mother continued cursing and condemning him.
Description
A Stubborn Maryam and Brewing Tension
“Maryam,” I heard a young maiden call out softly. I quickly turned and saw the girl called Maryam. Blessed be the Best of Creators—that was what came to my mind the moment my eyes met the tall, graceful young woman called Maryam. She flashed a mischievous smile and said, “You don’t need to shout, Halima. I know why you’re calling like a blind person.”
Halima sighed and said, “You know the attitude of this brother of yours—he has no manners. Now he’s going to ruin our plans.”
Maryam shot Halima a defiant look and replied, “Leave that one. I don’t see anyone who can stop me from doing what I want. Even my parents couldn’t stop me, let alone someone else. Please, let’s continue preparing the place so we don’t disgrace ourselves in front of our friends.”
Halima only nodded without saying anything because she knew Maryam’s stubborn nature. Once Maryam set her mind on something, no one could change it—except Yaya Muhammad. He was even more stubborn than her, feared by soldiers under him, quiet and harsh. He rarely spoke; even his friends and colleagues were used to receiving instructions from him with just a look.
Maryam turned to go to Anwar’s house—a friend of hers whose elder brother was a tailor and sewed all her clothes. Just then, Nassar ran up and said, “Adda Maryam, come—Ammi sent for you.”
Maryam glared at him fiercely and said, “Go and tell her to come and drag me herself. I’m not going. And if she wants me, let her come.”
Nassar returned the glare without backing down and said, “May God forbid you come—you’re just someone who doesn’t know the value of elders.”
Angrily, Maryam snapped, “Are you insulting me, you son of—? So you’re the one abusing me now? Is it your mother’s servant job that you’re sitting down and ordering me around with nonsense talk?”
She lunged forward intending to attack him. Nassar quickly ran, and she chased after him, hurling insults about his mother. He didn’t stay silent either; he replied to every insult, believing that since Maryam had no sense of shame, there was no reason to spare her.
Confrontation with Muhammad and a Violent Climax
As Nassar opened the gate, he saw their brother. He flashed an evil smile and suddenly let out a loud scream. Muhammad instantly covered his ears and turned in shock, thinking something dangerous had happened. When he saw Nassar running toward him crying, he shot him a deadly look that immediately silenced him.
With his eyes, Muhammad asked what happened. Nassar explained, “It’s Adda Maryam. Ammi told me to call her, and she started insulting us—me and Ammi. When I mentioned Ammi, she hit me and chased me, saying she’d go to my mother and show her what she’s capable of.”
Before he could say more, Maryam stormed in angrily, still throwing insults at Nassar. That only made Muhammad angrier. He gave her a deadly look, but she ignored him and walked straight into the compound, pretending he wasn’t there.
“Come here,” he ordered in a firm voice with no trace of joking.
Maryam glared at him, hissed, and walked further inside, which angered him even more. He held Nassar’s hand and moved toward her. Seeing him approach, she ran inside to where her mother and Ammi were sitting in the living room, chatting peacefully. They rarely argued due to Hajiya Amina’s patience and her obedience to her co-wife, Hajiya Lubabatu. But whenever Maryam was touched, Hajiya Lubabatu turned into fire.
Maryam rushed in and hid behind her mother, whining, “Mama, you see him? He wants to beat me.”
“Who?” her mother asked, turning toward the entrance. The moment she saw Muhammad, her anger exploded. Of all the people she hated most in the world, Muhammad was one—he had stopped Maryam from continuing her schooling, something she had never forgiven him for.
Furiously, she said, “If he dares touch you, may he face consequences! Is it by force to stop a girl from school? I’m tired. Let Alhaji return and settle this himself. My daughter is not a slave.”
Before she could continue her outburst, Muhammad pushed past her, grabbed Maryam, and slapped her hard. Maryam instantly lost her breath and froze before letting out a piercing scream. The scream startled her mother, who grabbed Muhammad—she had nicknamed him the devil because whenever he decided to punish someone, no one could stop him except their father, Baffa.
Burning with rage, her mother cried, “If you ever beat her again, I will never forgive you! You wicked, cruel, heartless tyrant! May God judge between us. When Alhaji returns, he will settle this matter properly—your heart is the heart of unbelievers!”
Despite all the insults and curses she hurled at him, Muhammad ignored her. He made sure Maryam was pushed down forcefully, then flung her aside and stormed out, breathing heavily, while her mother continued cursing and condemning him.