—
Hajiya and Mimi spent the night in worry and sleeplessness. Likewise, Inna Meri stayed up in prayer, pouring her heart out to Allah. Hibba and Walida also had a restless night; Walida eventually managed to sleep, but Hibba couldn’t. Each time Hibba woke up and peeked into the living room, she saw Inna still praying. Hibba felt overwhelmed with sympathy for Inna Meri.
Raising her hands with tears streaming down her face, Inna prayed:
“Oh Allah, here is Your servant Mansoor. You know what is in his heart better than I do. Oh Lord, grant him peace and forgiveness in his soul. Soften his hardened heart and bless him with the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation. Oh Allah, I cannot do this alone. Please help me and guide this boy’s life.”
As Inna prayed, Hibba quietly returned to her bed, shedding tears. Later that night, Hibba tried calling Mu’azzam, but he didn’t answer. At dawn, he returned her call to discuss her planned journey. Hibba informed him of some unfortunate news.
Shocked, Mu’azzam exclaimed, “Subhanallah! Where is Anty Mamin now?”
Hibba replied, “She left for Hajiya’s house last night.”
Mu’azzam quickly asked, “Why did you let her leave? Didn’t Inna stop her?”
In a soft voice, Hibba answered, “Inna didn’t stop her. I tried, but she insisted on leaving.”
Mu’azzam sighed before asking, “Where is Mansoor now?”
“I don’t know,” Hibba replied. “He left the house yesterday and hasn’t returned.”
Mu’azzam, feeling anxious, said, “Let me try reaching him. Where’s Inna?”
Hibba replied, “She’s in the courtyard. She stayed up all night worried and didn’t sleep. Honestly, what your brother did was wrong, and I’m afraid the rights of Mimi and Inna might catch up with him.”
Mu’azzam nodded in agreement. “I’ll try calling him now,” he said, ending the call. However, Mansoor’s phone was switched off, leaving Mu’azzam frustrated. He decided to call Hibba again and asked her to hand the phone to Inna. When Inna answered, they exchanged brief greetings.
“Inna, I just heard what happened from Hibba. Why didn’t you stop her from leaving? It would have been better to resolve the matter here at home instead of letting her go back to her family.”
Inna sighed and replied with a bitter smile, “Mu’azzam, if I stopped her, it would have been like denying her rights. It’s better that she left to have her family seek justice for her. I cannot force Mansoor to do anything, especially since he openly declared he no longer loves her. Even if she were my biological daughter, the most I could do was let her go.”
Mu’azzam tried to reason with Inna, but she remained firm. She said Mansoor must divorce Mimi and that she would not interfere, nor would she force Mimi to forgive him. She insisted on informing Mimi’s family in Kwami to let them handle the matter. Mu’azzam reluctantly asked Hibba to wait as he planned to travel home by Friday to assess the situation. Meanwhile, he continued trying to reach Mansoor without success.
Feeling dejected, Mu’azzam prepared for work, wondering why his brother acted the way he did and fearing the consequences of Mimi’s and Inna’s rights being violated. Even at the office, Mansoor’s phone remained switched off, leaving Mu’azzam helpless.
Later, as Inna Meri stood at her kitchen door preparing kunu (millet porridge), she overheard a heated argument coming from Magajiya’s side of the house. She recognized the voices of Baba Sani, Baba Danlami, and Baba Danjuma. Baba Danjuma’s angry words caught her attention:
“This is my house, and I allowed Mansoor and his wife to stay here. Unless he himself decides to leave, no one else has the right to force him out!”
Hearing this, Inna Meri’s hands began to tremble, realizing her worst fears were coming true. In her distraction, she almost spilled the boiling water on herself.
As she continued preparing the kunu, Magajiya barged into Inna’s section, shouting, “Tell your son to vacate this house for its rightful owners! Since Danjuma declared it isn’t his inheritance, why is he staying here?”
Magajiya’s words were filled with disdain, and she stood akimbo, ready for a confrontation. Inna simply looked at her without responding. Baba Danjuma followed, scolding Magajiya to stop. Baba Sani and Baba Danlami joined in, saying Mansoor had no right to remain in the house since it wasn’t his inheritance. Even Saddiqu supported them silently.
Inna eventually responded calmly, “They are right. Neither Mansoor nor I have any claim to this house. If they want him to leave, so be it.”
Surprised by her response, Baba Danjuma tried to console her, but Inna quietly continued her work. Meanwhile, Magajiya gloated, claiming that Mansoor overestimated his position by marrying above his means. Saddiqu chimed in, mocking Mansoor.
Later, Inna shared the previous night’s events with Baba Danjuma, who expressed shock and regret for not intervening earlier. Still, Inna stood by her decision, insisting that Mimi’s rights be upheld. Baba Danjuma vowed to search for Mansoor and address the issue.
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This translation captures the essence of the story while maintaining its emotional depth and cultural nuances. Let me know if you’d like adjustments or further clarifications.
