Nur and Humairah were so engrossed in their discussion that they didn't notice when their parents made their entrance.
Alhaji Ali had gone to pick Hajiya Fatimah and they came back together. They had announced their presence by loudly saying their salaams but there was no answer though they could clearly gear Nur's voice.
The tiptoed into the sitting room and quietly listened to what was keeping their daughter's attention and they realised it was the sad tale of their eldest child.
A tale they hated remembering, it was the time they had totally failed as parents for their Nur.
"I needed to see my Jalal grow into a young man."This was the sentence that made Hajiya Fatima sob quietly, though not quiet enough to escape her daughter's notice.
"Ummah,Abbah.l" They exclaimed in unison.
"When did u arrive?" Humairah asked while Nur just stared at her mother's teary eyes. She was sure her story was the trigger to those tears and she hated that her mum still blamed herself for her predicament.
Alhaji Ali Nudged his wife and nodded towards their children, she quickly blinked away her tears and smiled to them saying.
"When u were busy gossiping."
Alhaji Ali broke into fits of laughter, though forced on his part, his children didn't need to know that.
"Ummah." Humairah whined.
"We weren't gossiping!"
" Yes I believe you." She mocked.
Nur started laughing too as Humairah pouted more.
"Humairah quit whining and take mine and your Father's bag to our room." Hajiya Fatimah instructed a small smile on her face.
Humairah squinted her eyes then stomped her feets still pouting her lips before she took the bags and took her leave.
"Ummah, let me get you and Abbah water or do you want something else?"
"No need, take a seat." Her mother instructed, all traces of humor vanishing from her eyes which left the pity and pain she had tried hard to disguise earlier.
"Ummah...."
"Don't argue with me." Hajiya Fatimah warned.
Alhaji Ali leaned toward his wife and whispered in her ears.
"Mine, please be gentle with her. Try to reason with her,okay?" He begged.
Hajiya Fatima sighed and nodded to her husband leaning unconsciously towards her husband silently asking for his support.
Nur sat on the nearest sofa as she watched her parents, this was the love she had dreamt of, this was the life she had always wished for but one reaps what he sows and she definitely didn't sow anything that would make her reap such.
"Nur,why would you tell Humairah that story, in fact why would you make yourself revisit such memories?" Hajiya Fatimah asked, her exasperation beginning to surface.
"Ummah, you told me to advice her against Imran. It hasn't been long since I left her shoes so I understand her best,when you insisted that I stay away from Amar, Ummah I didn't listen, do u know why?
Because it was just your word against the love I had for him and the love he had for me.
I believed you were just being unnecessarily strict and old fashioned, I always thought that you didn't understand what you were making me do since you are together with the person you love. You don't understand the pain you were asking me to willingly embrace, that is the same with Humairah. But coming from me, someone of the same generation as her, someone that had gone through the same thing as her, someone she could freely express and argue with, someone who wouldn't order her but try to reason with her and give her a choice, I think she will be more inclined to listen and Ummah, sharing this story, this part of my life is the only way I could think of, the only way I think will prevent my sister from making the same mistakes I made." Nur concluded, her eyes on the floor while her father sat close to her patting her back.
"Mine, she is right and I believe Nur is strong enough to revisit those times without breaking down. She can't keep running and hiding, problems will never go except they are faced head on. Aas for Humairah and Imran's problem, it's not all the time that you use an iron rod on a child because sometimes instead of changing them, it will just strengthen their resolve. That saying what doesn't kill you makes you stronger applies to many situations and sometimes not for the good.
Nur dear, we trust you on this and every other thing, we know you will make us proud, right Mine?" Alhaji Ali gestured towards his wife who nodded her head and moved to hug her daughter
"I'm sorry Nur, I am just worried about you. I'm sorry, I truly trust you." She whispered to her daughter which made Alhaji Ali smile and excuse himself giving the mother and daughter space.
" Eavesdropper." He said teasing Humairah who was hiding behind the curtains separating the living room from the dining room, she just smiled teary eyed to her father who ruffled her hair and dragged her with him telling her how his day went.
It was 9:30pm and everybody had retired to their rooms, the parents were asleep but the children were preparing to continue their discussion.
Nur adjusted her back on the pillow she was resting on as Humairah simultaneously adjusted her head on her lap, Nur played with her sister's hair as she continued her tale.
"During that pregnancy, I was like an egg. Everybody handled me with care, I was never alone, I had my driver though I lived on campus, I never cooked because Rashidah always brought food for me, as for other chores, Amar paid the janitors to do them for me. I made sure to attend antenatals, I slept early and woke up early in order to be able to read, I was never stressed.
On the 30th week, Dr Jamil did another scanning to know the sex of the baby after he took permission from me and Amar, he also conducted some tests to know the genotype and also to check the overall well being of the Baby, unfortunately that test was going to bring bad news with it.
I remember even Dr Jamil was skeptical as he kept on pacing and he even ordered a retest, later he asked me and Amar to undergo some tests saying he just wanted to confirm something.
They took our blood sample and after one painfully long hour, Dr Jamil called us in.
"What is your genotype Mrs Nur?" He asked.
I was puzzled, why was he suddenly asking about my genotype but nonetheless I decided to cooperate.
" I am AS." I replied.
He nodded his head and gestured towards Amar asking him the same question.
"I am AA" He replied casually.
"Are u sure, completely sure?" He asked him, this time it sounded like he was trying to hide anger.
But why would he be angry? I thought to myself.
" I think so, why are you asking us all this questions, tell us the test result of our child." Amar fired at him.
" Ok then, your child is a boy, a healthy boy I must say. He is in the right position also very active, but there is a problem. If you don't mind me asking, did you undergo a genotype test before getting married?"
We were both quiet, we didn't, we didn't even think about it, we were in a hurry to conceal our sin.
" No we didn't, is there a problem?" Amar replied obviously agitated by all the questions.
Dr Jamil nodded his head before saying
"Your child is SS, known as sickle cell which is gotten as a result of both parents being carriers of the sickle cell gene,which is why a genotype test should be made compulsory before marriage." When he ended his statement I was no longer with them.
My Baby was a sickle cell, I had heard stories of how that ailment claimed the lives of both children and adults and that story was about to become a reality in my life?
"Inna lillaahi was inna Ilaihirraaji'un." I
whispered.