"Silence!" Abdullah ordered his 14-year old daughter when she protested against getting married to Mubarak, her cousin who was six years older than her.
Abdullah had gone on to explain to her why she had to do as told. It was the will of Allah. Also, he was her father; he owned her, and knew what was best for her. Ever since then, silence had become an inalienable part of Deena. While her father played a vital role, her entire society equally made sure of that. The few nights she stayed up crying in fear of the fast approaching wedding day, her mother, Amina, would make her understand that women were to talk only when spoken to. And that the best thing that could ever happen to a woman was getting married with the blessings of her parents. Regardless of whether she loved her husband or not, and whether she was ready or not.
Seventeen years of being married to Mubarak, silence still prevailed over her. She had no say in the running of the family. When Mubarak decided to take a second wife just three years after their wedding, she had tried to protest against. She was not exactly against the man taking a second wife. She only kicked against his doing so at a period when they were finding it hard to make ends meet.
"Silence! I'm the head of this house, and I'll do whatever I want," Mubarak had announced.
Three years after, he made that same announcement again when he took his third wife. After the head of the house did as he wanted a second time, things became even worse. It took a great toll on the children's schooling. Even basic clothing and feeding became barely affordable. That pushed Deena into searching for extra jobs. For her two children to stay in school, she had to earn additional cash to the little she was earning from cultivating and selling vegetables. But Mubarak would not allow it. He was the head of the family, and it was his place to provide, not hers. In fact, god-fearing and virtuous women wouldn't leave their homes without the consent of their husbands. Deena always wished to please Allah, so she gave up on that.
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Two nights later, Mubarak came to her room. It had been a long time since he last came to her. Of recent, he always preferred to be with his latest wife, Faleehah, but here he was tonight. After some minutes of what seemed, at least in Mubarak's mind, a lovemaking session, he began to speak.
"Deena," he called her.
"Yes, husband," she responded, intentionally making the vocative a single word rather than the phrase: My husband.
"There's something I must tell you."
"I'm all ears," this time, she completely avoided the vocative.
"Alhaji Gimba has offered seven of his biggest cows for Nadira's hand in marriage," said Mubarak.
Deena said nothing, she was yet to recover from the shock of the news she just heard.
Mubarak continued, "Half of the cows' worth will be enough money to pay for Hassan's schooling in the city, don't you think?"
Nadira was Deena's second child and only daughter. Hassan was her first child, and he had just been admitted into a secondary school in the city.
"But she's only fifteen, Mubarak." Deena finally found her voice.
"Yes, and how's that a problem?" Mubarak said, pretending not to understand what she meant.
"She's but a child, Mubarak!" Deena's voice was now quavering. "Besides, Alhaji Gimba is way older than you, her own father."
"What are you saying? Weren't you a year younger when I married you, ehn?" Mubarak countered her former statement and ignored the latter.
"Please, my husband," she couldn't hold back her tears now as she stood up from the bed and knelt down to plead. "You shouldn't do this. You shouldn't give away our daugh--"
"Be quiet, woman!" he cut her short. "I'm only even telling you about this because you're her mother. Not because I wanted your advice."
Mubarak got up from her bed.
"If I were you, I'd start getting her prepared for marriage," he said as he walked out in annoyance.
That was the end of the matter, his mind was made up. There was nothing more she could say. Mubarak's angry exit made it certain. Now, she was left with the task of breaking the news to Nadira.
To be continued.
Interesting. Let me read the second part.