She took the almost empty bucket in her hand, there were few sachet in it , she has barely sold one bag that day and she was getting tired, it was the first time she would come out to sell, her sister insisted she stayed in the house to clear her head and each time she want to leave in the morning to sell, she made sure she locked the door so that she would not be able to go out … And funny enough, she accepted the punishment in good faith. She sighed at the thought and walked dejectedly away from Adigun's shop and turned dead ears to him calling … she even ignored the calling from the other men… and for the first time since she started offering herself to men… she felt ashamed … “Purewater… she heard a familiar voice and turned towards it and saw him walking towards her. “How many sachet did you want?” she asked him sadly. “My name is not Pure water. I am Ashabi …” She said to him sadly and he nodded … “Oh … I am sorry, I didn’t know your name.” He said. “How many pure water d
“Do you think that this is a good idea?” Ashabi asked her sister as the bus finally leaves the village and her sister took a deep breathe and then held her hand. “Yes, it is. We will be fine.” Shade said. She closed her eyes deep in thought and remember how lives seem so perfect for them while growing up, they were four girls and she was the first, Ashabi was the second child, and then they have Tolu and Tope who are third and fourth respectively. Their parents were not the rich or the influential type but life seem so perfect for them, they were not born with a silver spoon but life seems no difference for them. Their father who was a civil servant did all he wanted to give them a better life while their mother a private school teacher also did her best to support. They attend the best school. “Education is the best gift I can give you.” The father will says to them and urged them to take it seriously and they did take it seriously until that day when she finished her examinati
The house was a four bed room apartment and it belongs to the Oladele. Just a week with the family brought a lot of tears to her eyes as it makes her remember her family fondly.Of course, why wont she?They are exactly like hers, for a bit difference!In the family, there are four children, Imran, Ibrahim , Idris and Hikmah. Imran is the first child of the family and he is probably in his thirties or late twenties, he keeps a lot to himself and he works…she cant say where, but she know that he lives so early in the morning in his well-tailored suit that remind her of her father suits, she had met him twice, but she always clean his room every morning. The fast time was a Wednesday, it was her first Wednesday in the house in the house and he was late that day and she wanted to clean his room only to stumble on him at the room entrance. It was obvious that he was in a hurry. “Salamualykum… I am Imran, you must be the new help.” He said to her and left without even waiting for an an
“Then how do you pray without regular hijab?” He asked her“What do you mean by regular hijab?” She asked him.“You know for a Muslimah to observe Salah, you need to cover up all the part of your body, leaving at most your face and Palm.” He explained .“No one told me that , I thought it is only the head... You know I wear short and three quarter skirts alot. I only have just a long skirt ..” She said , she and her sister had only few outfits, having lost all their dresses to the fire years ago, the only outfits they were left with were just the few they took with them to school and that is what they have been wearing since the death of their parents, no one seem to care about their outfits.“You can start with that ... And if you don’t mind, I can get you one hijab and a skirt , you can always have it in your bag to pray ...” He said to her.“You will buy one for me ?” She asked with a frown...and he sensed it.“I said if you don’t mind, it is not a must ...” He said to her and sh
The feeling of being covered that she felt was out of the world, she felt secured! She felt covered! She felt pure! She felt so relieved And she keep smiling at herself that morning as she find her way to work.She know her boss will be surprised and she was as soon as saw her. “Oh ma Sha Allah, this is beautiful.” She said to her. “Take that wrapper you use for Salah in the store and tie it round your body so as not to stain your dress while you work.” She said to her and she nodded. She didn’t even thought of that.She smiled at herself as she continue mobbing the kitchen tiles, she had come so early that morning, even though she didn’t know how best to say it, she felt different with her hijab and Abaya and that very first morning she put it on to work, she swore never to wear any short dress again.Perhaps she should just look for who to give, her sister refused to wear hers , so she already have a spare... she can wear one alternatively. “Who is this?” she heard Hikmah’s
“Ma Sha Allah, I could barely recognise you...” Ismail said as soon as he caught up with her and she smiled at him. “So how is Ibadah?” he asked her and she looked at him not knowing what to say because she didn’t know the meaning. “I mean act of worship.” He said smiling at her and she nodded. “Oh... Alihamdulilah...” She said “And your sis?” He asked her and she sighed, her sister seem so off lately and she didn’t know what is wrong with her. She would not share her worries with her no matter how much she tried. “Is there any problem?” You can tell me anything.” He said to her with interest. “It is not that.... Hmmm, never mind... When are you travelling , is your exams results out?” She asked him , she remember him telling he would only go home after the convocation list is out “Yes, Alihamdulilah, I got to see it yesterday, and I will be travelling next week ins sha Allah.” He said to her and saw cloud of sadness on her face. They have become so close over the few weeks. “
“What is it ? Why are you staring at me like that? I am not doing anything wrong, I am just doing the best for us. I want us to have a better life and this man did promise us one.” Her sister said to her and she tried to understand what she was trying to say.“Ehn… what are you saying ? Who is Daddy? What is bless you …. Wait … are you … no… do you now go to church, I do heard Christians neighbors say that to each other.” Ashabi asked her with her heart beating so faster, hoping that it is not true but just staring at her sister , that moment, she need no one to tell her that it was true. “You now go to church?” Ashabi asked and there were tears in her eye. “Ashabi don’t shout… I just want us to get a better life… they said if I start coming to their Church and participate in all activities, they would send us back to school and sponsor us until we get a job.” She explained to her sister who shook her head in denial. “No, I am not going to do that with you… I am not …” She said a
“Is that what you come to the house to tell me?” She asked and he nodded. “I am sorry again.” He said and she wish to shut him down for telling her sorry. “I have never for once see you as a … I always see you just like my sister…and I can’t even begin to see you differently. The proposal has already being sent before I was aware and waiting for my father to do this might take a while and hence why I am here. You are just like a younger sister to me and I really want it to be like that.” He said to her again and without a word, she stood up and went into her bedroom and didn’t come back to the living room, he waited for a while for her before he left the building, she was the only one in the house as it was a weekday, he had thought that he would meet her mother at home but he didn’t and part of him was glad, he didn’t want to see the disappointment on her face.It still baffles him that anyone would want to get married to someone like him. He know she might have been brainwashed an