The next morning
Summayah (POV): I was still lying on my bed, crying and shivering. Sleep never came like it was supposed to. All night, I had been trapped in scary nightmares that kept waking me up again and again.
From outside, I could hear my dad yelling as usual, pouring curses on my mom like it was nothing.
I covered my ears, but it still got inside my head.
I just wished I was never born.
Then I heard a knock on the door.
I quickly sat up, trying to pull myself together.
Adewunmi: My princess… it’s mummy. Are you up? It’s almost 8. (from outside the door)
Summayah (POV): I stayed quiet. I didn’t know what to say.
Then the door opened slowly.
Adewunmi: Summayah, good morning. Why aren’t you ready? Your dad said we should get ready for the hospital. (forcing a fake smile)
Summayah: So he can know if I’m a bastard or not? And what if I’m not his real child, Mom? He will kill me. And if I am his real child, he will make my life a living hell. Mom… (holding her hand tightly) Please, Mom, can you just take me to a butcher so they can slice me instead of him doing so? Please, Mom?
Summayah (POV): I knew those smiles were not real. She was trying, but I could see the pain hiding behind her face. Then tears rolled down her cheeks again.
Adewunmi: No, dear, don’t say that, hmm? (smiling again through tears) Your dad loves you, he’s just going through some tough time, okay? Everything will be fine. Let’s just go and do the DNA test, okay?
Summayah: Even you were never happy since I was born. And it’s because of me, Mom. Please, Mom… (she drops to her knees) Just take me somewhere they can kill me so you can all live in peace. (crying heavily as Mom pulls her into her arms)
Adewunmi: Don’t say that, my dear. You are the biggest blessing Allah has given me, but no one sees that. You are not going to die, okay? Everything will be fine. Just be patient. (forcing another painful smile)
Summayah: Can you please stop those fake smiles, Mom? I’m just ten years old. I may be a child, but I’m not foolish. I can see your sad face even when you smile. Please… just let me die in peace.
BBolaji: Iya Suliyah, listen to your daughter. She is right. Peace will finally reign if she is out of our lives. I will give you five more minutes to get her filthy body ready, or else! You know me sha! (walking past the room)
Summayah: You see, Mom? Even he said it…
Adewunmi: Nothing will happen to you. Now remove your clothes so you can take your bath.
Curtain
A few days later
Bolaji (POV): I was at my workplace, tired and stressed, when my phone rang. I picked it up. It was the doctor.
So… the truth was finally coming out. The truth behind that “evil spirit.”
Doctor: Hello, Mr. Babatunde.
Bolaji: Good afternoon, sir. How is everything?
Doctor: Fine, sir. I’m calling to inform you that the result is out.
Bolaji: Okay, sir. I’m listening. She is not mine, right?
Doctor: Yes… wait, what? Why would you think that? Anyway, the result is out as expected. Congratulations, sir. She is your biological daughter, 99.7%.
Bolaji: (shocked) That can’t be! That’s not possible! She can’t be my daughter! Doctor, are you sure this result is correct?
Curtain
A few moments later
Bolaji (POV): It still didn’t make sense. How could that ugly child be mine? Where did she even get that look from?
I need to tell Mom about this.
I dialed her number.
Mrs. Ronke: Hello my son.
Bolaji: Hello iya e, good afternoon ma.
Mrs. Ronke: Afternoon, how are you?
Bolaji: I’m not fine, ma. I’m really not fine at all with what I just heard.
Mrs. Ronke: Ahh! What happened, my son?
Babatunde: The DNA test you told me to do… the doctor just called. She said the child is mine. My biological daughter.
Mrs. Ronke: Are you serious? That ugly thing? No one in our family is ugly! I told you, I told you not to marry that woman. See what it has caused now.
Babatunde: But ma… it’s not like I had a choice back then.
Mrs. Ronke: Now look at the result. So what are you going to do? Just send her out. Or divorce that woman and marry another one.
Babatunde: Ma… where do you want me to start from? You want me to start life again? Ehhh? In this country where things are hard? No. I can’t remarry. But I will deal with them. I will show her and that bad luck child pepper. Ever since she was born, my business has been going down.
Mrs. Ronke: Anyway, that’s your problem. Me, I’m not coming to that house where that evil spirit is. Take care. Bye.
Bolaji: Bye ma. (ends call)
Bolaji(POV): I dropped the phone slowly.
So she is really my daughter…
I regret the night I made love to her mother.
They will see pepper.
Curtain
During the night
Adewunmi (POV): I was serving the children’s food at the dining table when their father walked in. Immediately, Summayah stood up and ran to her room.
Bolaji: That’s right! You better run to your room!
Adewunmi: Welcome dear, how was work today?
Bolaji: And why do you care? (he snaps aggressively)
Narrator: I pretended not to hear him.
Adewunmi: Your dinner is ready.
Bolaji: And who is going to eat that rubbish food? At your age, you can’t even cook properly. What are you teaching your children? You should be ashamed of yourself! (he storms off and slams the door)
Narrator: I took a deep breath and stayed calm.
Adewunmi: Anyway, kids, do you like the food?
Narrator: They nodded.
That was enough for me.
I carried Summayah’s food to her room.
Adewunmi: Hey honey, are you sleeping?
Narrator: She slowly sat up.
Summayah: No mom…
Adewunmi: Are you okay? You look somehow.
Summayah: How will you know I’m happy when my face is like this?
Adewunmi: That’s because you don’t smile. (I sit beside her) I’ve never seen you smile properly before. But I know something… if you learn to be happy and smile, you will look so beautiful. Trust me.
Summayah: Really, mom? (her eyes light up a little)
Adewunmi: Yes, trust me. Look dear, if you care too much about what people say, you will always be sad. But if you act like you don’t care, they will be the ones unhappy, not you.
Summayah: Really, mama?
Adewunmi: Yes, my love. So please smile for me. Let me see that beautiful smile of yours.
Narrator: My words slowly reached her heart.
Little by little, she smiled.
And for the first time, I saw it clearly.
Her real beauty was in that smile.
I started tickling her and she burst into laughter. A loud, pure laugh I had never heard from her before.
Even her siblings peeped from outside, surprised.
Then suddenly…
Bolaji’s voice came from the other room.
Bolaji: If you don’t shut that ugly mouth of yours, I will hit that ugly face of yours!
Narrator: She quickly covered her mouth.
I leaned closer and whispered.
Adewunmi: You are very beautiful when you smile. Always show it, even to those who don’t like it. But let’s keep our voices low before your dad explodes.
Narrator: She chuckled softly.
Summayah: Okay, mom.
Adewunmi: Now eat your food before it gets cold.
Narrator: She grabbed the food and started eating quickly, like a hungry child who had been starved for joy.
And for the first time in a long time…
I was glad she was smiling while she ate.
Curtain