“Mom, we’re leaving for Kamun’s house at three o’clock. You know their neighborhood is far, and Dad said we should stop staying out late,” Umaimah said, standing at the doorway, watching the older woman pluck fresh henna leaves and throw them into the large plastic bowl in front of her.
The older woman ignored her and continued her work, but Umaimah frowned, clearly frustrated, and said,
“Mom, are you listening? I’ve finished getting ready a long time ago, didn’t I tell you?”
“If you don’t leave this place, UMAIMAH, you’ll get us in trouble in this house. I told you, you’re going nowhere if you don’t wash this. Don’t you have any shame entering your room? You’ve messed up your sisters’ room and made it filthy. Ugh, what a lazy, useless girl!” their mother said angrily, glaring at her.
A tall young woman came out of the kitchen and said,
“Mom, please leave her alone. I heard her earlier saying Nazifi will come tomorrow to do her laundry. I don’t see many clothes here. If you insist, she’ll be late for the wedding, won’t she?”
“Auntie, it’s been years, and she still doesn’t learn. She’s nineteen but still behaves badly every day. If you enter Saddiqa’s room, you won’t find the clothes Umaimah collects. I only see Nuratu’s things neat and clean. Everything of hers is spotless,” their mother said, glaring at Umaimah, who was busy pushing her lips as she focused.
“You won’t make her dirty! Living with someone, you learn their habits. Umaimah hasn’t dirtied anything; no one here is as clean as Nuratu. Umaimah is fine,” Auntie said, sitting near their mother to help with the henna leaves.
“Hypocrites! You’re just lazy, not me,” Umaimah muttered as she turned and went into their room. Their mother, noticing her lips moving, understood that she was only praying and quietly fixing things. She started washing the laundry in the courtyard, with no one stopping her—from their mother to Auntie—until she finished her chores, gathered water in buckets, and started washing.
In no time, she finished washing the clothes, hung them outside to dry, and returned to fold them neatly. Auntie then brought the lunch they had prepared. Umaimah, annoyed that no one had helped her from the start, immediately cleaned and organized their room, spread new bedding, and mopped the floor, having worked since around ten o’clock.
Prayer, Guests, and Preparations
While in the bathroom, she heard Auntie Laure, her mother’s sister, greeting her—they shared the same mother and father. She frowned, knowing they would try to interfere, but she kept washing, performed ablution, and came out quickly. Although the card for leaving was set for five o’clock, she wanted to leave early to meet the bride. The previous night at the bridal shower, her father had forbidden her from going early, setting a rule not to leave before six, but she ignored it.
While praying, her friend Rumasa’u Murtala greeted her. Umaimah paused to finish her prayer, hearing the greetings in the living room. She finished quickly, left the room, and Rumasa’u tried calling her.
“You, why do you look like someone being followed?” Auntie Laure said, looking at her. Umaimah smiled charmingly and replied,
“Nothing, Momy. How are you? How’s Bintu? Ruma, come, you see I’m about to finish,” she said, taking Rumasa’u’s hand.
“Uh, listen, if Ruma hadn’t come today, you wouldn’t be going anywhere. Only God saved you,” their mother said, watching her closely.
“You again! Didn’t I tell you I’d call you when I come out? Why did you come?” Umaimah asked Ruma, looking at her as she sat on the bed.
Description
Preparing for the Trip and Household Chores
“Mom, we’re leaving for Kamun’s house at three o’clock. You know their neighborhood is far, and Dad said we should stop staying out late,” Umaimah said, standing at the doorway, watching the older woman pluck fresh henna leaves and throw them into the large plastic bowl in front of her.
The older woman ignored her and continued her work, but Umaimah frowned, clearly frustrated, and said,
“Mom, are you listening? I’ve finished getting ready a long time ago, didn’t I tell you?”
“If you don’t leave this place, UMAIMAH, you’ll get us in trouble in this house. I told you, you’re going nowhere if you don’t wash this. Don’t you have any shame entering your room? You’ve messed up your sisters’ room and made it filthy. Ugh, what a lazy, useless girl!” their mother said angrily, glaring at her.
A tall young woman came out of the kitchen and said,
“Mom, please leave her alone. I heard her earlier saying Nazifi will come tomorrow to do her laundry. I don’t see many clothes here. If you insist, she’ll be late for the wedding, won’t she?”
“Auntie, it’s been years, and she still doesn’t learn. She’s nineteen but still behaves badly every day. If you enter Saddiqa’s room, you won’t find the clothes Umaimah collects. I only see Nuratu’s things neat and clean. Everything of hers is spotless,” their mother said, glaring at Umaimah, who was busy pushing her lips as she focused.
“You won’t make her dirty! Living with someone, you learn their habits. Umaimah hasn’t dirtied anything; no one here is as clean as Nuratu. Umaimah is fine,” Auntie said, sitting near their mother to help with the henna leaves.
“Hypocrites! You’re just lazy, not me,” Umaimah muttered as she turned and went into their room. Their mother, noticing her lips moving, understood that she was only praying and quietly fixing things. She started washing the laundry in the courtyard, with no one stopping her—from their mother to Auntie—until she finished her chores, gathered water in buckets, and started washing.
In no time, she finished washing the clothes, hung them outside to dry, and returned to fold them neatly. Auntie then brought the lunch they had prepared. Umaimah, annoyed that no one had helped her from the start, immediately cleaned and organized their room, spread new bedding, and mopped the floor, having worked since around ten o’clock.
Prayer, Guests, and Preparations
While in the bathroom, she heard Auntie Laure, her mother’s sister, greeting her—they shared the same mother and father. She frowned, knowing they would try to interfere, but she kept washing, performed ablution, and came out quickly. Although the card for leaving was set for five o’clock, she wanted to leave early to meet the bride. The previous night at the bridal shower, her father had forbidden her from going early, setting a rule not to leave before six, but she ignored it.
While praying, her friend Rumasa’u Murtala greeted her. Umaimah paused to finish her prayer, hearing the greetings in the living room. She finished quickly, left the room, and Rumasa’u tried calling her.
“You, why do you look like someone being followed?” Auntie Laure said, looking at her. Umaimah smiled charmingly and replied,
“Nothing, Momy. How are you? How’s Bintu? Ruma, come, you see I’m about to finish,” she said, taking Rumasa’u’s hand.
“Uh, listen, if Ruma hadn’t come today, you wouldn’t be going anywhere. Only God saved you,” their mother said, watching her closely.
“You again! Didn’t I tell you I’d call you when I come out? Why did you come?” Umaimah asked Ruma, looking at her as she sat on the bed.