"Yes ma! Definitely!!" She screamed out with joy. "It would be my pleasure."

"Wow, that would be great. So when are you coming?"

"Any day ma. It depends on you. I'm ready even if it's today, ma."

"Okay, let's make it tomorrow then. Tomorrow morning by 8:00 am."

"That would be fine ma, I would come tomorrow morning."

"Okay, I'd be expecting you. Bye."

"Bye bye ma." Humaira smiled and jumped up. She was super excited that she got a job at last.

"Karba, Ban Waya na." The guy that wanted to by the phone said, handing her the payment.

"No, don't worry. Keep your money. I'm no longer selling my phone." She told him joyfully and left.

Alhamdulillah! She cried in her mind. Maybe there was a way for her after all. But school was going to resume soon. She have to do something about her school payments. Then she made a small to-do- list.

First, no more hostel.
Second, feeding is only once a day.
Third, she need an extra job to support this.

She quickly went home to prepare for work the next day.

***

On the other hand, Mr. Abdullahi loves Zainab. He treated her so we'll that he signed a common entrance form for her and his son, Idris. And of course, the both of them became closer.

As expected, Zainab stated cooking. Her birthday passed and nobody knew. She wasn't celebrated. Well, birthdays don't count anyways, but every year, Humaira gives her a special gift. No matter how small. And she appreciated it wholeheartedly, but this year's event was different.

No phone calls, no messages.

Even when Zainab begs Mr. Abdullahi to lend her his phone to call her sister, her number is always not reachable or switched off.

Zainab know it's times she had to grow up. Perhaps, she's already 9, now. But, she missed Humaira so much and would silently cry herself to sleep, most nights.

'How would Humaira ever leave me like this? She promised to cone back immediately after her exams. She promised never to leave me again. And she did. What would she be going through? How would she cope alone and with the pregnancy?' All these thoughts always plays on Zainab's head, but she decided to be patient and wait till Humaira finally comes. Maybe then, she would leave the house.

After a week of welcome, Zainab was treated differently in the Bala's house. After waking up, she would sweep and mop the whole house. She would prepare breakfast and serve the whole family.

Mrs. Bala warned her not to join on the dinning table with them again. Instead, she told her to go and eat in her room. Else, something bad might happen. So, Zainab don't join them on the dinning table. Only once in a while when Mr. Abdullahi insists and she's going to be angry with her if she does.

Days turn into weeks as weeks grow into months. Zainab and Idris wrote the exam and they passed. Ibrahim and Isah too passed their exams so, they got promoted to the next class.

Amina works in the bank but she don't usually go everyday. Only thrice a week between 1st to 15th of the month. But she goes to work regularly and even travels for assignments between the 15th of the month to month ending, So, Zainab was like the second mother of the house. She hold the house well and take care of everyone and everything except for Ibrahim and Isah that won't let her.

They treated her badly, especially when both they're parents weren't around. I did hated this and told their dad when he came back from work. But they denied. Her asked Zainab to tell the truth about what happened in his absence.

She wanted to cover up from them because she's no part of the Bala's family and she didn't want to cause hatered or enimity between the brothers and tgeir parents. They already had a perfect family before she came. She don't want to be the reason anyone would cry or die for... Just like what she did to Doctor Azeezah's family.

"They didn't do anything to me sir. Idris is just lying."

"Really? They how did you get injured on your face. You're hiding something from me right? Tell me the truth else, I'll beat all of you, wallahi."

"It's my fault I got this injury on my face while playing in school. Ibrahim and Isah are innocent."

Then I'll have to call Idris. He must have witnessed this.
said they beat her.

***

-Karba! Ban Waya na : Take and give me the phone.