A week later (Afternoon)
Grace: (in the kitchen) Fatimah! Don’t tell me there’s no more food in this house?
Fatimah: (entering the kitchen) Yes, Mom.
Grace: How are we going to manage now? My shop has run down.
Fatimah: I don’t know either… (thinking) Oh! I have an idea. What if I find a job where I get paid daily?
Grace: Where would you find such work?
Fatimah: I don’t know yet, but I’ll have to search for it.
Grace: Are you sure that kind of work still exists?
Fatimah: I have to try, Mom.
Grace: Okay, do as you please. (She heads to the living room.)
Fatimah: Let me get my khimar.
---
30 minutes later
Fatimah searches at different shops and houses, but everyone pays monthly. She doesn’t give up and continues until she sees a notice board.
Fatimah: (reading) “A… Cleaner… is… needed.” Sha! I hope they pay well. Let me try. (She walks to the company gate and knocks.)
Gate man: Who’s there?
Fatimah: I’m the one, sir.
Gate man: (opening the gate) Ehn? How may I help you?
Fatimah: Good afternoon, sir. I saw a sign that says a cleaner is needed, and I’d like to apply for the job.
Gate man: Come in.
Fatimah: Thank you, sir.
Gate man: Follow me. (He leads her to the secretary.) This lady wants to be a cleaner.
Secretary: Okay, she can have a seat. I’ll get back to her soon.
Fatimah: Thank you, ma’am. (She sits.)
5 minutes later
Secretary: Sorry for the wait. So you want to be a cleaner, right?
Fatimah: Yes, ma’am.
Secretary: Your salary will be #15,000.
Fatimah: Thank you so much, ma’am. I’m okay with it.
Secretary: Good. You can start tomorrow.
Fatimah: Thank you, ma’am, but can I get paid daily?
Secretary: That’s not possible. Do you want this job or not?
Fatimah: I do! I just need the money for food.
Secretary: Sorry, there’s nothing I can do about that.
Fatimah: Okay… okay. I’ll take it. (She smiles politely.)
Secretary: You can start tomorrow. Have a nice day.
Fatimah: Thank you, ma’am. (She heads out.)
---
On her way home
Fatimah notices a woman lying unconscious by the roadside. She rushes to her aid.
Fatimah: (trying to wake her) Ma! Please wake up!
(After gently hitting her cheek for a few seconds, the woman regains consciousness.)
Strange woman: (coughing heavily) Th… thank you…
Fatimah: Let me get you some water. (She runs to a nearby shop and buys pure water.) Here you go, ma. (She opens it.)
Strange woman: (gasping and drinking) Th… thank you…
Fatimah: You’re welcome, ma. (She helps the woman to her feet.) You look hungry. Come with me—I have #200; let me get you something to eat.
Strange woman: Thank you, my daughter. (She follows Fatimah.)
They go to a bread seller and buy bread for #150 with two pure waters.
Fatimah: Let’s sit here.
Strange woman: Thank you.
Fatimah: Here, please manage this. I don’t have much money with me.
Strange woman: (rushes to eat the bread and drink the water while Fatimah watches with pity)
Fatimah: (smiling) Hope you’re okay now?
Strange woman: Yes, my dear. You are such a rare gem! You saved my life without even knowing me. So many people passed me by and didn’t help, but you did. How can I ever repay you?
Fatimah: Ahba! Don’t worry, alhamdulilah you’re better now—that’s relief enough.
Strange woman: (reaches into her pocket and brings out some money and a card) Here, my dear. Take this money and this card—it has my home address. I’d be grateful if you could come to my house tomorrow.
Fatimah: (surprised) Subhanallah! You had money all along and yet you let yourself go hungry? I… I can’t take this.
Strange woman: You won’t understand now, but when you come, I’ll explain everything. Please, take it.
Fatimah: (hesitant, takes the money and card) But this is too much!
Strange woman: It’s just a gift, please don’t refuse. I promise you won’t regret it. I’ll be expecting you tomorrow.
Fatimah: I can’t believe this… (takes the money)
Strange woman: Thank you so much, my dear. I have to go back home now. Have a nice day. (She walks away)
Fatimah: (talking to herself) What a strange woman… she had money all along and starved herself? Let me count this… (counts) #20,000? Subhanallah, really strange. Time to head home.
---
10 minutes later
Grace: Where have you been? What took you so long?
Fatimah: Uhmm, first, I got a job as a cleaner. They pay #15,000 monthly. I couldn’t find daily payment.
Grace: So that’s why you were gone forever?
Fatimah: Also, I found a strange woman… (explains everything to Grace)
Grace: Where’s the #20,000?
Fatimah: Here it is.
Grace: Give it to me. I need it more than you do.
Fatimah: Aren’t we buying foodstuffs with it?
Grace: Give it to me first.
Fatimah: Alright, here you go. (hands over the money)
Grace: Good. Here, take #1,000 and buy rice, tomatoes, pepper, onions, and Maggie.
Fatimah: (takes a deep breath) Okay. (heads out)
Grace: She thinks she’s clever… Alhamdulilah God brought her back. She’s giving me what even my own children couldn’t. Now, back to sleep.
(Curtain)
---
The next morning
Secretary: Umm… ehhh… what’s your name again?
Fatimah: Fatimah, ma.
Secretary: Okay. You’ll clean my boss’s office.
Fatimah: Okay, ma. Where is it located?
Secretary: Come with me.
Fatimah: (follows her)
Secretary: Make sure this office is always clean every morning.
Fatimah: Okay, ma.
10 minutes later
Fatimah: I’m done, ma.
Secretary: Hope you cleaned it very well?
Fatimah: Yes, ma.
Secretary: Good. Go continue with the rest of your cleaning.
Fatimah: Okay, ma. (leaves the office)
(Jamiu enters)
Secretary: Good morning, sir.
Jamiu: Morning. (heads to his office)
--
Fatimah: I’m done, ma.
Secretary: You can go. See you tomorrow.
Fatimah: Have a nice day, ma.
Secretary: You too.
(Curtain)
---
In the evening
Hajia Habibah: I’m so tired! I need a break… where is Lukman?
Alh Ismail: Honey, you’re back?
Hajia Habibah: (startled) You scared me! What are you doing home at this time of the day?
Alh Ismail: Well, I decided to give myself some time today. Lukman is at the office.
Hajia Habibah: Oh, no wonder I couldn’t find him.
Alh Ismail: Is that how you welcome your husband?
Hajia Habibah: Sorry, my love. (she embraces him)
Alh Ismail: Guess what?
Hajia Habibah: What?
Alh Ismail: Let’s go to the dining table.
Hajia Habibah: Oh, okay. (she follows him)
Alh Ismail: Ta-dah! Prepared by me.
Hajia Habibah: (surprised) Masha Allah! Baby, wow… you prepared this?
Alh Ismail: Yeah, baby! Have a seat, let’s dig in.
Hajia Habibah: Thank you so much, my love. Wow, jollof rice and chicken… are you sure you didn’t order this?
Alh Ismail: So you don’t trust me?
Hajia Habibah: I do! Just… really amazed. I’m speechless, baby. You deserve a kiss. Come here. (they kiss) Now, let’s dig in.
Alh Ismail: Shall I?
Hajia Habibah: Okay, baby. (looking happy)
Alh Ismail: Taste it.
Hajia Habibah: (places a spoon of rice in her mouth; reaction doesn’t look good, but she smiles stylishly as if it’s delicious) Okay… now I believe you prepared this.
Alh Ismail: How does it taste?
Hajia Habibah: 101%! I love it. (continues eating with affection) Join me, babe.
Alh Ismail: Okay, my love. (takes a spoon but can’t swallow, squeezing his face as he watches his wife pretend to enjoy it) You don’t have to eat it, you know?
Hajia Habibah: I love it, now.
Alh Ismail: No, you don’t. Stop forcing yourself, please.
Hajia Habibah: If I stop eating, who will eat it?
Alh Ismail: (smiles) That’s why I love you so much. I’ll eat it too. (they continue eating together)
(Curtain)
---
Later that evening, Fatimah visits the strange woman’s house
Fatimah: (checking the card) Wait… did I follow the address wrong? No, I must be at the wrong house. (she tries to leave)
Gateman: You’re at the right place. Please, come in. We’ve been waiting for you.
Fatimah: (surprised) Me?
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