Chapter 7

Yushraf POV

Flash back continues

3years ago

We left Aunty Sarah's house and went straight to the car park, where we would board a car from kano to Lagos - to uncle Jaafar's place.

We had been seated inside the bus for a while now and it wasn't filled up yet. We were told it was remaining just two passengers, before we would embark on the journey.

It didn't take too much time, before the bus got filled up. Immediately it did, the driver began to drive, but not before exchanging pleasantries with his colleagues.

Because it was our first time travelling in a commercial car, everything seemed so funny to us.

Indeed it was the beginning of knowing what poverty really meant. When our parents were alive, we never travelled by road to Lagos, but by air - this was the irony of life.

******

We finally arrived at our destination after what seemed like forever. We alighted the bus, paid our transport fare. We left the garage immediately, because we didn't have any bags with us.

We hailed a cab and told the driver where were headed.

We reached Uncle Jaafar's house after an hour, for the house was very far from the park. The road to the house was very quiet and lonely.

We arrived at our destination and paid the driver his fare, then walked towards the gate of the mansion. Although looked similar to our baba's was bigger, it seemed similar to it. We rang the doorbell on the wall and a security man emerged and saw us. His brows furrowed in confusion.

"Good evening, sir. You're welcome. Please come in." The security man said and we felt relieved that even after our parent's death, people still had some respect left for us.

We both got inside the house and knocked on the door. A maid came and swung the door wide open. She greeted us and ushered us in.

We sat down in the sitting room, waiting for Uncle Jaafar. We were informed by the maid that his wife, Aunty Hafsa had travelled to Canada together with her son, Bashar.

After some minute, Uncle jaafar came out and Reedah rushed to him and engulfed him in a tight, suffocating hug. She immediately began to sob on his shoulder, like her life depended on it.

I was still watching them from afar, when Uncle Jaafar pushed her away.

I had initially thought it was nothing, until Uncle Jaafar reached for me with blazing eyes, asking me why we were in his house.

I greeted him, but he just nodded and told me he was awaiting my response. I told him everything that transpired between us and the police - how they collected the house, how we spent our night at one of ammi's friend's house, to how we are planned to stay with him.

He looked at me as if I was spurting nonsense. Obviously, he wasn't glad about our sudden visit. He didn't look like he was ready to help us either.

He cleared his throat, before speaking. "As you can see, both of you here have to leave this house now. I can't let anybody stay in my house and by the way, why did you come here in the first place? Am I the one who killed your parents, that you had to come all the way from kano to Lagos and meet me?" Uncle Jaafar was becoming furious now.

Everything he said was just ringing in my brain, I couldn't believe it was Uncle Jaafar speaking. Baba's elder brother. No! I couldn't believe it.

Reedah walked to where he was standing infuriated and knelt down in front of him and continue shedding tears, holding his feet. "Uncle you're all we have now in Nigeria. We don't have anybody else, apart from Aunty salamatu. No where to go and no where to sleep. Uncle, please just consider us. We are not here to worry you and we won't agitate your family and no we are not here to accuse you of Baba and ammi's death. It is only he who created them to serve him that took them back, so Uncle, please let us stay with you, because things are already difficult for us. We can't bear the sufferings anymore." Reedah said, sobbing hard. Her tears drenching his shoes.

I stood up too and knelt down, holding his blue kaftan. He Immediately crouched down and shoved our hands away.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard; "Get out of my house and never show your face in my house again. I despise seeing your faces. From now henceforth, I don't care if you suffer or not." Uncle Jaafar said, heartlessly.

I was afraid that my trembling legs would give out, but surprisingly, as the tears clouded my vision, my legs moved on their own accord, until I was standing in front of Reedah. Taking a deep breath, I reached for Reedah hand and pulled her up.

Reedah didn't say anything. She took my hand and stood up, wiping the tears from her face.

"Here is some cash. I think it should be enough to take you back to kano and also pay for any rent." He said and threw the money to my face.

I gazed at the money scattered all over the tiled floor, unable to move.

Reedah bent down and picked up the money from the floor and to my utmost surprise, threw it across his face, the same way he did to me.

"Did you just throw the money back at me Fareedah?" He barked.

"Yes, I threw it back just as you did to us now." She retorted.

"Thank you, sir and yes, you're now a stranger to us. You said you despise seeing our face, right? From now henceforth, We won't ever disturb you again and we will never ask for anything from you, even at the verge of death, we will struggle on our own and make our life bigger than even what you think." I vowed.

"One last good bye, uncle Jaafar. We promise never to show our faces again, until you ask for it, and don't ever look for us too. Don't ever run to us like we did here now. Don't ever ask for our forgiveness when you're in pain. Don't ever think you're still included in our life. We leave you and your family in peace... GOOD BYE." Reedah said and we left in tears, not allowing him to insult us further.

FLASH BACK ENDS