Whimsical beauty ✔️

Chapter 4

*New house*

"I won't go!" Zahra shouted angrily. "That man is crazy! Who the hell does he think he is?" But for some reason, her eyes filled with anguished tears. They fell, unsuspecting, suddenly, and she cried. "I. won't. follow. him!" She enunciated through those frustrated tears.

I wanted to hug her and tell her that Abba isn't ignoring us because he hates us. But.... Wouldn't that count as the biggest lie in history?

I could still remember the aftermath of Marka. Abba simply left us. The memories, forever fresh, ignited with a vengeance. It was like yesterday. I could still feel the gnawing hunger, the deperation, that aggression of dying hope... And the death....

I steeled my heart as soon as they all came rushing back. The only fatherly love he ever showed was keeping a wife to stay with us. Even that, had never worked. The first wife abused us, the second one hated our guts, and the third, she used us.

"Gaskiya mommy sis this is asking for too much. I don't trust that guy. Aren't you afraid? What if he finally gets rid of us? Like sell us?" Salma reasoned in all honesty. That kinda broke my heart a little. She earnestly believes Abba can sell us.

"Do you..." I started with strong emotions. "Do you think Abba can kill us? Like for real?" I asked, deliberately using kill instead of sell to drive my point home. Anyone can see that the word Zahra would've used if I wasn't here would have been the kill I just used. As I talked, even my voice shook with the force of my emotions. My eyes followed them with absolute reprimand. My voice carried a strict note of warning. Their faces in return, carried a deep intensity that spoke of their imminent anguish. Their eyes softened though. And slowly, they each backed out as they submitted to my unquestionable authority.

"If Marka didn't have the heart to kill me, how do you think Abba could find one to kill us?" I asked softly, stepping down from the strict mother to a reasoning adult.

My sisters looked at one another and they just looked away from me, hiding their emotions from me. Even though they did, I can still see it. They don't think Marka is evil. They don't even know what happened. They came back from school one day and met with the fiasco stating that their mother was put in an asylum. How could they see the caring mother they knew as the terror who abused my motherless existence? They never said it, but they have different feelings towards that incident than I do. I decided that I won't ever speak of it again. I even feel bad for bringing it up.

No matter what, Marka is their mother. And she was a good mother to them.

"Abba's crime is leaving us to fend for ourselves. But think. Has he ever done anything deliberately to harm us?" I asked. No one spoke a word. They don't have anything to say other than the things that happen after he left. Oh but they would've had many words to condemn him. But I didn't ask for that. So they remained silent wishing they could use it as a weapon and lash out. But they couldn't. They respect me too much to drag the matter on.

I walked over to Zahra and hugged her. "Trust me..." I whispered pleadingly. Her tears fell once again and she cried to my small chest.

"I trust you" Zahra whispered back. "More than I trust myself mommy sis. I will go" she stated. I can see that she is doing it for me. Not that she believed in anything regarding Abba. I guess there is nothing that can be done for her hatred for Abba which I think was quite justified.

The others did not say anything. They concurred silently. Mommy sis has spoken.

The next day, I sat Ju down and talked to her.

"You aren't going to school today sweetheart" I told her. Her eyes popped at that. They were so large I almost smiled. Ju was speechless for a few seconds before regaining her wits. "Are you alright?" She asked with concern.