TWO WEEKS LATER
(At Grace’s shop)
Blessing: (dropping off her bike, dressed provocatively) Moma!
How far now?
Grace: (sitting, shocked) Blessing? Is that you?
(Everyone in the shop stares at Blessing as she enters.)
Blessing: (entering the shop, showing gum) Yes now, how far
mom? How have you been?
Grace: (mouth wide open, speechless) …
Blessing: Mom, close your mouth now! Wetin happen? Anyway, I
came to give you this. (She reaches into her handbag, pulls out a
huge stack of money, and starts counting) Here, mom—manage
it.
Grace: (still staring, shocked) Wher… where did you get this
huge money from?
Blessing: I’m hustling now, mom. So… are you gonna take it or
not?
Grace: What type of work are you doing?
Blessing: All I know is I’m hustling. You should be happy that I’m
a grateful child, at least paying you back for your deeds. So,
are you gonna take it or not?
Grace: I’ll only take it if you come home with me.
Blessing: Hell no! I’m not going home. Besides, one of my clients
is calling me.
Grace: What type of client? What type of business are you doing?
You and your brother left me alone! I never knew you two were
such ungrateful children after everything we’ve been through. I
treated Fatimah harshly just to please you two… why are you
treating me like this?
Blessing: (angrily) Look, mom, don’t even start. This is all your
fault. Everything is your fault! There’s something you don’t
know: Fatimah is the light of our house. Since the day she left,
everything changed. You were harsh to her, you beat her,
stressed her, almost killed her—you ruined her life. Now my life
is ruined as well! You want to know what I do for a living? Well…
I’m a prostitute! And I’m proud of it. I’m never coming back into
that house unless you bring back the light of our house. So… do
you want the money or not? I’m wasting my time talking to you.
Have a nice day.
(She drops the money and storms out, leaving Grace soaked in
tears.)
Grace: (crying loudly, falling to the floor) Blessing! Please come
back! Please! Blessing!!! What have I done?!
(Curtain)
---
3:30 PM
(At Lukman’s house)
Lukman: (leaving his room, heading to the kitchen) Why can’t I
smell any aroma since morning?
(He checks all the pots but finds no food.)
Lukman: Ahh! What’s wrong? What’s wrong with Fatimah?
Fatimah!!! (he shouts, no response) Maybe she’s in her room… let
me check.
(He goes to her door and knocks.)
Fatimah: (struggling to open the door, weak and groaning) Yes,
sir…
Lukman: Why haven’t you prepared lunch? What’s wrong?
Fatimah: (resting on the wall) Nothing…
Lukman: Are you sure? You don’t look well.
Fatimah: (shouting) I said I’m fine! Leave me alone!
She bends down, groaning in pain. Lukman, shocked, uses his
strength to hold the door as she tries to close it, causing her to
fall to the floor.)
Lukman: (trying to help her) Fatimah!
(He lifts her to her bed for the first time, noticing her intense
pain.)
Lukman: What am I going to do? Should I call mom? Or… let me
get you pain reliever.
(He runs to his room to fetch it.)
Fatimah: (crying in pain) Ahhh… my stomach!
Lukman: (runs into her room carrying a cup of water and some
medicines) Here, take this.
Fatimah: No! I don’t take medicine… what’s wrong with me
anyway?
Lukman: Why? What is even wrong with you?
Fatimah: I… I… please just leave my room! I need to be alone. I’ll
prepare your lunch later… just give me some time, please.
Lukman: (worried) I’m not leaving you like this if you don’t tell
me what’s wrong.
Fatimah: (shouting) Leave!! I don’t want to see you! (bursts into
tears again) I’m used to this pain.
Lukman: (softening, feeling for her) I’m not leaving! Do
whatever you want, but if you want me out of your room, you
have to tell me exactly what’s wrong!
Fatimah: (angrily shouting) I’m on my period, okay!? (begins
throwing things at him) Leave!!!
Lukman: (surprised and speechless) Stop it! Why didn’t you tell
me earlier? Okay… I’ll leave. (He exits her room and heads to the
kitchen.)
Fatimah: (continues crying) Ahhh… my stomach!
10 minutes later
Lukman: (enters her room quietly with a tray of food but finds
her already asleep. He gently places the tray down and heads
back to the kitchen to get a hot towel.)
(Passing through the living room, he spots his friend entering.)
Lukman: Guy! How far?
Jamiu: I dey, bro. (They shake hands) Wetin you carry for hand?
Lukman: Oh… just water and a towel.
Jamiu: Where are you taking it to?
Lukman: (lying to avoid mentioning Fatimah’s condition) Uhmm…
to my room.
Jamiu: To do what with it?
Lukman: Your questions are too much, abeg. Wetin bring you
come here?
Jamiu: I’ve finally found a perfect site for your poultry housing.
It’s just a plot of land—I know you’ll love it.
Lukman: Thanks, men. Have a seat, I’ll be right back.
Jamiu: What about Fatimah?
Lukman: And what about her?
Jamiu: I want to see her.
Lukman: To do what?
Jamiu: Guy… leave it between me and her. Where is she?
Lukman: She’s not feeling too well… (quickly covers his mouth)
Jamiu: (surprised) What happened to her? Where is she? Is she
in her room? Is this what you were carrying?
Lukman: Uhmm… look, guy, I’ll take care of her. It’ll be too much
for her if we crowd her—two men on one woman.
Jamiu: But I want to see her! Please… or should we take her to
the hospital?
Lukman: No! Mom’s a doctor, remember?
Jamiu: Yeah, that’s right… but she’s not here.
Lukman: I’ll call her later. Just go for now; I’ll see you later.
Jamiu: I’m not leaving without seeing her! Please, I just want to
see her.
(They hear a sound coming from her room, prompting Jamiu to
run to Fatimah’s room, finding her lying unconscious on the
floor.)
Lukman: Fatimah! (he runs to her aid) Fatimah!!
(He sprinkles water on her face, bringing her back to
consciousness.)
Fatimah: (opening her eyes, shocked to see two men holding her,
screams and pushes them away) Leave me alone! (bursts into
tears, memories of past trauma flooding back) Please! Leave me
alone!
Lukman: (quickly lets go, studying her reaction) She’s in shock…
leave her alone.
Jamiu: (also lets go, recoiling as she throws things at them, then
runs out)
Lukman: (angrily, turning to Jamiu) I told you to leave her alone!
Look at her reaction now!
Jamiu: I’m sorry, men… I was just worried about her.
Lukman: I don’t ever want to see you around her again.
Jamiu: Why?
Lukman: Because… she’s mine!
Jamiu: (surprised) Yours? How? I thought you said she’s just
your maid.
Lukman: Get out of my house!
Jamiu: Fine, I’m leaving… but don’t ever call me again.
Lukman: I will call you… I just want you to understand her for
now.
Jamiu: (storms off angrily)
Lukman: (yelling after him) Yoo men! Wait!!
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