Barakah Muhammad

Immediately after maghrib prayer, daddy arrives food from Tantalizer eatery with a man. I know his face but I can't remember his name. Mommy says he’s going to bring someone that will guard aunty Rose while Aliyah is gone.

With my hand in my stupid bestie’s own, we go home.

Immediately we enter the living room, mommy says, “Barakah, go and prepare for bed. I want to speak to Aliyah alone.”

I frown but climb the stairs. I hope she’s not planning to change her mind. Or did they find out about ugly uncle? I wonder, because I saw her talking to officer Chico and daddy, looking serious.

I enter my room and my eyes widen. “Hoor-ul-ain!” I shout. She quickly sits up, trying to look innocent.

“Why are you on my bed?” I ask, eyeing her clothes. What are those stains? Then I see the source. A pack of watercolors, all opened on my bright colored bed sheet.

I stare at her, not knowing what to say. But I don’t need to call mommy. I’ll deal with her myself. So, I move to her bed and lie down. Her eyes widen but she doesn’t say anything. “This is where I’ll sleep tonight. I dash you my bed.”

She gasps. I wait for her to start whining and crying. Instead, she screams, “Yay, thank you!”

The door opens and mommy comes in with Aliyah behind her, “What are you thanking her f-” She freezes as she sees what’s on my bed. “Hoor, me haka?”

“I’m painting.” She says, looking more innocent than before.

“Who send you?” Mommy asks.

Aliyah laughs. Hoor sees her and gasps again. “Sisi Aliyah!”

Mommy frowns, “Sisi ke?” She climbs the bed and packs the water colors. She turns to me. I groan and stand. “Mommy, Hoor should learn how to be cleaning her mess o.”

“She’ll learn if you show her.” Mommy says. She turns to Hoor hanging on Aliyah like a baby. “Ke kuma, where did you learn ‘sisi’ from?”

Aliyah laughs again, “She heard one of my mom’s friends saying it, and I thought she has forgotten about it.”

Hoor’s eyes widen as if she has remembered something. “Where’s aunty Rose?” She turns to mommy, “will she stay here too?”

Mommy folds the bed sheet and goes to the door. Aliyah and Hoor move to sit on her bed. “Not yet. Barakah, you’re in charge. Make sure Hoor brushes her teeth and performs ablution. And please,” she turns around, “make her sleep. I don’t know you want to do it. Just make sure she falls asleep.”

“Ohhhh, mommy.” I say, hitting my legs on the floor. Getting Hoor to sleep is like getting toothpaste out of an empty pack.

Hoor claps, “Yay, yaya Barakah will read me all my books.” She says, sitting on Aliyah’s lap.

I eye her. “Better stand up.”

Later, mommy brings another bed sheet and a pajama for Aliyah.

“Noooo, I want to stay with sisi Aliyah.” Hoor cries.

“No jor.” I say, sitting on the edge of the bed as she stands up to go to my bed.

“I’ll beat you o.” I shout. Time is already going.

As usual, she burst into tears. Aliyah comes out from the bathroom, “Hey, what happened?” She asks. Hoor goes to her, not minding her wet body and towel.

I sit on her bed and sigh. I turn to the books beside me. As I yawn, an idea comes to me. “Aliyah, will you like to read to her?”

Aliyah’s eyes widen. Hoor gasps, then nods excitedly. Good for me. “Yes.”

I move to my bed. “Just make sure she’s looking at the words and ask her questions at the end. If she gets anyone wrong, flog her.”

“Yaya Barakah!” Hoor shouts in surprise. Aliyah laughs and shrugs. “Okay, let me wear my sleeping dress first.”

I pick the old pajamas mommy brought on the bed. “Here.” Aliyah stares at it, then at me. She collects it and bends her head.

I frown. “What’s wrong?”

She sniffs, then raises her head, “Nothing.” She sighs, opening the pajamas. She smiles. “Thank you.” She says.

As she turns to go into the bathroom, I notice something on the back of her neck. A red mark. It looks big, like an adult hand.

Did ugly uncle do that? I wonder, then yawn again. I will ask her when she comes out. I turn to Hoor on the bed, then notice that she’s already asleep on her books. The naughty girl didn’t even change into her pajamas.

I shake my head and help her remove it. Thank God she’ a deep sleeper. By the time I change into my own pajamas, Aliyah still hasn’t come out. I sit on my bed, frowning. Is she okay in there?

My eyes start to close so I lie down. When Aliyah comes out, I will know since I’m a light sleeper.

***

When I wake up the next morning, I hear the call for prayer from the window.

Oh no, we’re late!

I quickly run to mommy’s room. Daddy opens it, face and arms wet, already dressed in his jallabiya. “I know.” He says.

I run back to our room to wake Hoor and Aliyah. But Aliyah pushes me away, frowning like she used to whenever she’s angry. I laugh. Hoor now has competition.

She doesn’t come out until we’re almost done praying.  “Sannu.” Mommy tells her.

Aliyah nods, yawns, and stands beside me at the end of the prayer mat. I notice that her left hand is on top her left hand, which is wrong. I sit up to help her change it, but she pushes my hand away.

“Ah ah na.” She cries.

Hoor gasps, “You’re talking in salat.”

“Is it not her fault?” She glares at me.

I watch her in surprise. “I was only trying to-”

“Is it your hands? Is it your prayer? Better mind your stu-”

“Hey, that’s enough.” Mommy cuts in. “Barakah, the next time you want to correct her in prayer, wait first for her to finish, so you can tell her. Don’t go around touching her in prayer. She's not a child.”

“Yes, mommy.” I nod, still embarrassed. I still don’t understand what I did wrong.

“As for you, Aliyah, please control your temper, and watch your tone. I don’t tolerate anyhow talk and behavior in my house. Are you listening?”

Aliyah opens her mouth, closes it, then bursts into tears.

I watch her in surprise. Is she for real?

Mommy sighs, then says, “Come and sit down, Aliyah.” She nudges Hoor who’s lying on her lap. “Oya, go and prepare for school.”

Hoor stands, still looking at Aliyah. I’m expecting her to ask why she’s crying like a baby, or even tease her. Instead, she says, “Sorry, sisi Aliyah.”

I take her hand and we climb the stairs. Then I turn around and see mommy’s hands around Aliyah’s shoulders. It’s weird seeing Aliyah as a crybaby. I’m not sure whether to feel sorry or disappointed.

After Hoor and I finish preparing, we meet Aliyah in the dining room, eating from a plate of noodles and egg omelet. “Hoor, guess what!” She shouts, smiling.

“What?” Hoor answers, running to join her. She whispers something into Hoor’s ear, making her shout again. “Really?” She turns to me, “Yaya Ba-” Aliyah turns her face, frowning, shaking her head.

I watch them, Aliyah especially. I have never known her to be so... I try to think of a word that Brianna, my personal dictionary, will use. Immature? That’s it.

I just shake my head and join mommy in the kitchen. “Sannu da aiki.” I greet.

“Yauwa,” she turns away from the pan of frying egg and faces me. “Did Aliyah give you the good news?”

I shake my head, reaching for a plate in the rack.

“Her mom just called. They’ll be discharging her this afternoon.”

So soon? I frown.

“And I told her about allowing Aliyah to stay with us.”

“She agreed?” I ask. Mommy nods. But I don’t feel happy. “Good for her.” Maybe it’s because of what she did. But I've never been angry at Aliyah’s behavior before. I know how she can be. That’s also why Brianna doesn’t like her. But I’ve never bothered.

“Hey, madam!” Mommy calls me. I turn to her outstretched hand. I give her the plate. “You look somehow. Is everything okay?”

I shake my head. “No, I’m just thinking of the fun stuffs we’ll do together.

“Great, I think her stay here will help you too.”

I frown. “Help me do what?”

Mommy shakes her head, still smiling. “Help you have fun.” She says.

I know how to have fun. Solving maths problems is fun.

“Oya, go and eat and be going to school.”

I collect my food and head to the dining table where only Hoor is seated, eating and singing.

“Well done.” I tell her. I look around for Aliyah, then I hear the TV on. I frown. Won’t she go to school today?

After my breakfast, I join her. “Aren't you going to school today?”

She’s lying on the chair, holding the DSTV remote, ignoring me.

“Aliyah?” I call.

She doesn’t reply.

“Oya o, everybody.” Mommy’s voice calls from the dining room. Quickly, Aliyah turns of the TV and grabs me.

“I’m going to miss you.” She says, hugging me.

I’m too surprised to say anything. What is going on?

She stops the hug and smiles at me. “But don’t worry, when you come back, we’ll have a lot fun together, just like we used to do in our house. So don’t miss me too much, okay?” She says, then hugs me again.

“Sisi Aliyah, I want a hug too!” Hoor says behind me, and Aliyah obeys. I turn and see mommy watching them, smiling. I stare at Aliyah. I don’t recognize her anymore. Who is she?

***

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