*"How did Salahu tell us, when Bilal's uncle said he would call all of them?*

*For the past two weeks we’ve been inside, and up to now we haven’t heard anything from them."*

I didn’t understand what he was saying, I just wanted to continue with,

*"The other day when we were talking, you also said you’d wait until you finish delivering the message."*

Dakyari said,

*"Eh Abba, that’s what he told me. The issue of his salary, he still hasn’t gotten it settled."*

Abba said,

*"Ah, so up to now this problem hasn’t been resolved? I thought I had settled it with Malam Mansur, that everything would be fixed last two or three months."*

*"Eh Abba, the salary is not much, that’s why this problem has been on my mind for a whole month."*

He went quiet for a bit then said,

*"By Allah’s power, since it’s been settled. Now I’m going to stand up and pray."*

*"I said may the end of these three months come,"* I replied, and he answered,

*"God willing. Salahu died, you know we don’t have anyone with us.*

*We’ve just been staying, helping each other. Always he would say to me,*

*'Be patient, in two days a child will be born to you.'"*

*"To think Abba was in secondary school and the mother still hasn’t finished her studies,"* I said laughing inside.

*"That’s how it is, because of this problem, I’m looking for a girl for you now.*

*The suitors have come but I refused them."*

She lowered her face and her hijab and said,

*"Baba, I’m still young, I don’t want to get married yet."*

*"Even if you don’t want it, your mother wants grandchildren."*

Mu’azzam entered the room and said,

*"Abba, she’s shy."*

*"Even if it’s her, she should have patience, but there’s nothing between me and your brother."*

Abban said.

*"I just told her to leave the anger."*

*"Honestly, you two are the same. As I said, there’s a girl in the neighborhood and she’s from a good family."*

Mu’azzam added before I could say anything else.

*"Provision, don’t you know there’s reward in marriage?"*

*"Marriage to a widow. I saw her with my own eyes, Alhaji, that’s why I’m always going back to knock on that door.*

*'Ummah, come out of your room, I came to greet you but the door was locked. Abban said she’s not at home, and she’s not in debt either.'"*

The day came for Zainab’s wedding and we went to decorate her house with white paint.

Her husband came. I was helping with cooking and the market, trying hard.

In the middle of that, we heard that the baby was due and they were going to take her to the hospital.

Just then we finished decorating and went to rest because the next day was the _shakiyanci_ event.

While we were at the wedding, I was just thinking because I was remembering how they were, or how it’s said that today is the wedding day.

I wanted to go but my mom said stay two days, I didn’t want to but there was nothing I could do.

So I packed my things to benefit from them and called Bilal and he answered.

For a whole month they stayed, three days ago I called Bilal again about what we were discussing.

He himself answered the call and for the sake of Allah, I’ve now finished...

*...school, I don’t have anything. My mind started going back to wanting to get married and leave the house.*

*Safiyar, Aunt Labiba’s daughter gave birth, I went to the hospital from there and when we finished we went home.*

*Mama told me to stay and sleep for two days, I didn’t want to but there was nothing I could do.*

*So I went home, packed my things to use and called Bilal and he responded to me.*