MY SISTER-IN-LAW AND I
CHAPTER 8
They sat quietly in their car waiting for her to pack her things and meet them oustide. They waited and waited aunty wasn’t yet out. They went back in to find out what was taking so long g. To their utter dismay aunty locked her door with the little kids and refused opening the door despite their knocking.
They left without her but promised to come back the next day. Muhammad and his wife told them to be patient that she would come home when she was ready. The brother’s were very angry and promised to deal with her
They just kept wondering when she grew wings and started flaunting orders. No wonder she had no iota of respect for anyone including her aged parents. Well all that was going to change since they were back.
They went home and briefed their parents on what transpired at the suleiman’s and that salamatu is back home where she belonged and their daughter refused to come back with them. The parents gave them permission to bundle her home that a surprise awaited her. The brother’s were curious and wanted to be in the know, But their father insisted it was a secret which will unveil itself once she is brought back home.
They awoke as early as possible ate breakfast, attended to their families who were abroad. Made some phone calls, when they were sure everything was in order with their various businesses they headed to Muhammad’s house to bundle their brat of a sister home.
On arrival at the Muhammad’s they were welcomed by his children and wife and their sister was no where to be found. They asked after her and they were told she let the children c out of their room earlier today and locked herself in again. His older brother’s laughed and asked for the spare key. She locked the door from inside and threw the key away making it easy for the brother’s to unlock the door. They caught her unawares when they opened the door, she was just looking from one brother to bother wondering what her punishment will be like.
They simply brought out their koboko, locked the door from inside and thrashed her a little. She pleaded with them to forgive her that she was ready to go home with them. When she finally packed her things and brought them to the sitting room, she was asked to kneel down and ask for forgiveness from salamatu or else the thrashing continued.
For a while I thought she would refuse apologising, but after thinking it through she mumbled an appology and ran out obviously feeling belittled. But her brother’s weren’t done yet. They asked her to go back and kneel down until Muhammad and salamatu forgave her only then can she rise up from her kneeling position.
She was almost crying while appologising again, she was defeated both physically, psychologically and emotionally. After what seemed like forever they forgave her. She walked out quietly and went to sit in the car to await her brother’s. She was feeling cheated and not showing remorse for her misconduct .she knew shewill be beaten to a pulp if she tries anything funny. She had never seen her brother’s this angry before and all because of this small gold digger. I will send her out again. I had done it before and I would do it again.
Immediately they got home, she alighted and headed straight for her room. But her father stopped her on her way and told her to go to the sitting room that some visitors awaited her presence . She turned abruptly and headed back to the sitting room imagening it was some one whom she liked. To her utter dismay it was an old man accompanied by a small group of people, He was just smiling at her, she just didn’t know him and kept on wondering what they were doing at our home this early.
Her Dad showed up and told her the old, rich man in front of her was her hubby to be in three days time. He further stated that since she liked caring for kids, he had a large already made famil just like muhammad’s. since she loved taking care of other people’s family he deemed it fit to source for one and get her married into it. She was awestruck, she couldn’t even say a word while her father kept on singing the old man’s praises. He told her the man could give her the world so she shouldn’t worry about anything henceforth.
Halima started wailing before they could say anything further, she fainted and was rushed to the hospital. When she awakened, her father told her to get ready to go shopping that her wedding to Alhaji Musa maigari will still hold as planned even if she will falls ill that day. She kept wailing loudly and crying showing displeasure at her father’s insistence and choice.
When she came back she asked her dad to forgive and give one more chance to bring a prospective groom as she didn’t want to be Alhaji’s wife because he was so old, smell and his teeth were yellowed from chewing tobacco. She shivered at the thought of being his daughter let alone wife.
Her father agreed and still gave her the same three days to find and bring any groom. Because in the past they had given her opportunities to bring her suitors but she refused and insisted in frustrating any one that came for her hand in marriage.
She called on her fiance and told him to get ready that her Dad gave her an ultimatum to bring a suitors in three days or be married to to an old man. The fiance told her not to worry , that he will come with his parents and pay her dowry the next day.
True to his words he showed up with his family, discussion were made and the emergency wedding was fixed. Two more days to go, Halima cried all day because she felt her father was just frustrating her. He may call of the wedding she hopefully thought to herself. Her brother’s applauded their father for such great wisdom and promise to support in whatever way they could to make her wedding a success
Exactly three days later, her wedding took place, it was a grand affair her friend’s were in attendance and she was a bit relieved and enjoyed the wedding. Food, lots of gifts were in abundance and a lot got more than a gift.
Her in-laws finally came for her and she dreaded going home with them. She had repeatedly humiliated his three sisters and they promised her she will marry into their family and would be treated the same way she did to them. Even her mother-in-law wasn’t spared in the insults in the past. They all smiled and I knew Halima’s woes has just began? Or will she be forgiven??
©️HUSNA MUHAMMAD YUNUS.
