ONE YEAR LATER
In the morning (5:30 am)
Fatimah (knocking on the door): As Salam alaykum waramatulah!
Mum, Dad, it’s time for solat!
Alh Ismail (waking up): Walaykum Salam waramatulah
wabarakatuh. (Yawning) Ok dear, we are coming. (Tapping his
wife) Honey! Wake up, it’s time for solat.
Hajia Habibah (stretching and yawning): It’s morning already?
Are you sure it’s time?
Alh Ismail: Yes, wake up.
Fatimah: I’m not leaving until I see you two awake. I want to
always receive my morning blessings from Allah.
Alh Ismail (smiling at Fatimah): Baby, you heard what she said,
right? Oya, wake now.
Hajia Habibah (still stretching): Ok, ok. (She gets on her feet
and heads to open the door)
Fatimah: Mum, good morning ma. You look so tired today. Oya,
let’s go and pray.
Hajia Habibah (smiling): At least I’m awake now. I will meet you
in the living room—get all our praying stuff ready.
Fatimah: I’ve done that ma. All we need now is you.
Alh Ismail (trying to leave his room): Excuse me, ladies.
Fatimah: Good morning, Dad.
Alh Ismail: Uhmm, morning Fatimah, but I’d prefer your
greetings after solat, hmm?
Fatimah: Ok sir, sorry sir.
Alh Ismail: Later. (He exits the house)
Hajia Habibah: Let me get my khimar.
Fatimah: Ok mum.
20 minutes later – After solat
Fatimah (folding the prayer mat): Mum, what’s wrong?
Hajia Habibah (looking sad): Nothing, my dear.
Fatimah: And you expect me to believe that? Hmm? (She sits
next to her) What’s wrong? Unless you don’t want to share each
other’s pains again.
Hajia Habibah: It’s not like that, my dear. I just miss my sons. I
missed them so much! They’ve been gone for five years now.
Fatimah: To where?
Hajia Habibah: They traveled abroad to study.
Fatimah: Oh, Masha Allah, don’t you communicate with them?
Hajia Habibah: Yes, I do, but it can’t be as much as I want. I want
to see them, feel them around me… I miss them so much.
Fatimah (feeling bad for her): I’m so sorry ma. I believe they
will be back very soon.
Hajia Habibah: I know, I just can’t wait. (She looks at Fatimah
straight in the eyes and notices her sad mood) Uhmm, I’m so
sorry. I didn’t mean to remind you of your past life. You know
how much I cherish you. You are my daughter as well. That
reminds me, according to what you said about your education,
you stopped at primary 5, right?
Fatimah: Yes ma.
Hajia Habibah: Good. I want you to attend an adult class for
better improvement of your knowledge, then you will write your
WAEC. How about that?
Fatimah (jumping up with joy): Masha Allah! Thank you so much,
mum. You are the best! (She bursts into tears) Thank you so
much.
Hajia Habibah (embracing her): It’s okay, dear. So, what should
we have for breakfast this morning, our honorable chef?
Fatimah (wiping her tears and smiling at the same time):
Anything you want ma.
Hajia Habibah: Let’s go to the kitchen and check what we have.
Fatimah: Ok ma. (They head to the kitchen)
---
(Alh Ismail is on his way home, making a call.)
Alh Ismail: Hope you have booked your tickets?
……: Yes dad, I will be home soon.
Alh Ismail: Remember, don’t call your mother. I want this to be a
surprise for her. Too bad your brother can’t come now.
……: Yeah, but I really miss you guys so much. Can’t wait to see
you, bro.
Alh Ismail: Now I’m “bro”?
……: I gotta go. See ya. (End call)
Alh Ismail (to himself): This boy is now calling me “bro”? Come
back and see how I’m gonna change that “bro” into “dad” for
you.
(Curtain)
For the past year since Fatimah left their lives, Grace and her
kids’ life has never been the same—especially Grace. She has
been doing all the house chores, even washing her children’s
clothes.
Abdulrahman failed his WAEC five times.
Blessing failed hers twice but finally passed on the third
attempt. She is now preparing for her JAMB.
Grace has lost a lot of weight, hardly goes to the market, and
they struggle to eat three meals a day.
Grace has fallen sick for the past two weeks due to too much
stress, while her kids fail to assist her with house chores.
Unfortunately, Blessing and Abdulrahman hardly sleep at home
and rarely check on their mother.
Until one faithful morning, Blessing decided to pay her mother a
visit.
Blessing (entering the house, covering her nose due to the odor):
Mum, where are you? I’m home. I just came to check up on you;
I’ll soon go. I can’t stand a minute in this dirty house. (She heads
to her mom’s room and finds her lying on her bed) Mum, good
morning ma. How are you doing? How…
Blessing: Is your health? Look, I bought some drugs for you.
Grace (shivering): Ble…SS…ing, why… are yo…you…doing…this to
me? You…left this…house without my approval…you and…your
brother left me…to…die alone. None of…you…came to check…up
on me…w…why?
Blessing: Sorry mom, at least I’m here now. Take this drug and it
will relieve your pains. I have to go now; I can’t stay more than
two minutes in this house, I might faint. Take care. (She tries to
leave.)
Grace: Is…is this how you…will leave me to die? You…can’t even
help…me…to…prepare food and…clean the house…
Blessing: Me? Clean the house? With this my precious body?
Look mom, my friends must not know I came here, so
please…have a nice day. Take care. (She runs out of the house.)
Grace (in tears): Please wait…Blessing…please…
(Curtain)
---
Afternoon (1:56 PM)
(Fatimah is busy praying Solat Zhur in the living room when a
man enters the house. The gate man assists him with his luggage.)
Lukman: Thank you so much. Here, please manage this. (He hands
over some shopping bags.)
Gate man: All for me? Thank you so much, sir. (He heads out.)
(Lukman decides to have a seat, admiring how Fatimah is
praying.)
3 minutes later
Fatimah (turning right and left): As Salam alaykum
waramatulah!! (She raises her hands in the air, making Dua.)
Lukman (still admiring her): May Allah accept it as an act of
ibadah.
2 minutes later
Fatimah (standing up and folding the prayer mat): Amin. Good
afternoon, sir.
Lukman (surprised by her beauty): Masha Allah, g…good
afternoon ma. Uhmm…my name is Lukman, and you?
Fatimah: Fatimah.
Lukman: Wow, uhmm…nice to meet you.
Fatimah (smiling back): Uhmm…who are you looking for?
Lukman: Uhmm…this is my home. I’m looking for my parents.
Fatimah (surprised and amazed): Masha Allah, you are Hajia
Habibah’s son! Welcome home. How was your journey? Hope it
wasn’t stressful. Let me help you with the luggage to your room.
Lukman (still admiring her, lost in thought): …
Fatimah: Sir? (Waving her hand.)
Lukman: Oh, sorry. I was lost in thought. What did you say again?
Fatimah (smiling): Let me help you with your luggage.
Lukman: Oh, thank you so much for that. (They head to the
guest room.)
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