ABOUT THIS BOOK
Description
One thing that caught Mama’s attention about Safiyyah was that up until this time, Safiyyah had not given birth, nor had she even missed her period to raise hopes of a pregnancy. As far as the world was concerned, she and her husband were living comfortably in it, enjoying life to their hearts' content; she and Zayyan lacked nothing. Yet, there was absolute silence regarding childbirth—neither high nor low—as if a servant had been sent back to their hometown. All of Mama’s other children had already married except for Hatoon, and even her wedding date had already been set.
Mama lived in Katsina and did not visit Abuja, but whenever Zayyan came to see her, she would drop hints about Sophie’s inability to conceive. And whenever they met, Mama would throw subtle, biting remarks her way, even if wrapped in a calm tone, about her childlessness. Zayyan, however, never worried about Mama’s complaints. In fact, he rarely even thought about having children due to the sheer volume of his busy responsibilities.
It got to the point where Safiyyah had no desire for anything that would bring her to Katsina. Mama would take her jabs, and Zubaidah and the others would take theirs, mocking her. One day, Zubaidah asked her, "So, how many times a year is your septic tank evacuated?"
Safiyyah looked at her, confused, and asked, "What do you mean?"
Yaya Zubaidah adjusted her sitting position mockingly and mischievously, letting out a disdainful laugh before saying to her:
"Well, I have to ask you that question. Because I know that in a single month you fill up the toilet with waste, since you have failed to produce even a single child, boy or girl. That's why I wonder where you put the sacks of food in your house that finish in less than a year, if not in the toilet?"
These words deeply hurt Safiyyah. She even called her father on the phone that day, crying, and said, "Malam, please pray for me that Allah grants me a child if it is in my destiny." Those were the very words that made her start longing to have a child of her own; initially, she hadn't even minded.
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