₦airaland Forum

“I have something for you baby.” Malaika told the little girl, as she helped her into her new pyjamas. The little girl said nothing, her mind seemed to be somewhere else, she had been cheerful the whole day. Malaika wondered where she had wronged the child, was she missing her mother maybe?

The day had been fun filled for all of them, first thing that morning Dineo ran to the stores to get Nia a toothbrush. Then they all went shopping spree for the little girl, Malaika used her monthly allowance to buy everything little girls need. Shopping had always been Malaika's hobby and doing it for someone else seemed fun, exploring and buying every little thing the little girl wanted put a smile on her face. They had bought a pink suitcase and stuffed everything in it when they were finally done shopping. Then they bought a family feast at chicken licken. The only thing that kept Dineo and Malaika worried was Mike's reaction. He had a temper and might hunt Nia's mother down, while Malaika had told Dineo she wanted the child to stay.

“Ga ke batle go boyela ko mama!” (I don't want to go back to my mother.) The child said as tears started to fall from her cheeks. Dineo who had been busy with her phone, told Malaika what the child said. The child was going through a lot, being abonded by her mother and not knowing that her father would never come back for frustrated Malaika too.

Malaika stroked Nnana's singles, it was so painful to see a little girl rejected and misunderstood the way the little was, girls needs their mothers to teach them how to take care of themselves. Every girl deserved a mother figure at home. All this made her think of the abortion, still it was the best thing though a sin, she had broken one or two of the commandments and couldn't turn the hands of time. One thing she knew was that she would never be able to love her child, it was going to be a living reminder of Femi. The person she had written off from her life.

She realized that she couldn't prevent the wounds the girl would experience in the world but maybe she could soften their impact with love and encouragement.

Gently she wiped away the little girl's tears and kissed her forehead. Then she perched her on her knees, held her hands and looked straight into her wide, sad eyes, eyeball-to-eyeball.

“Baby? do you know how wonderful you are?” Malaika asked, the little girl shook her head. “Darling, you are the most beautiful girl in the whole world, I love your pointy little nose.” Malaika smooched it quickly. “I love your dark chocolate round cheeks.” She pecked them and continued. “I love your long eye lashes and your adorable big eyes.” She bestowed kissed on the little girl's eyes. “I love you from the top of your head all the way down to your twinkly little toes.” Malaika kissed her again and pointed to the little girl's chest. “I love your heart, your kindness, your curious mind and your sweet little sharing spirit. Please can we call you Nia? That your name is hard to pronounce.” She asked cupping the little girl's face into her hands, then handed her a bunny. The little girl nodded and stopped crying, her gaze moved from the awe strucked Dineo to Malaika's smiling face. She hung on to every word Malaika had said and giggled through the kisses and eagerly followed from one affirmation to the next. Hungry from her very soul for those endearments, she opened, like a baby bird, to receive from motherly nature.

Nia, got up, bunny in one hand and gave Malaika a big hug, she said to Dineo; “tell her she is the nicest lady I have ever met.” In tswana, Dineo smiled, blinking away hot tears, she got up too and hugged Nia and Malaika tight. “Nia says I should tell you that, your the nicest lady she had ever met Malaika,” Dineo exclaimed. “And she is right, I love you.” Malaika smiled and said to herself I will always love you two, whenever I see a stuffed bunny, whenever I read about children paying the price for their wayward parents.

She had been so overwhelmed by the coming of the little girl, she had helped her heal a little. She however didn't realize the magnitude of the affair at that moment. But when she had switched off the lights, waiting enduringly for Mike she wondered if it was her who had taken care of two girls for almost two nights.

Smilling to herself, she cried, but that night the tears were of contentment, not of regrets or pity for herself. She understood what her father meant when he had said that, life without God in it was like was like searching for water in the desert. Whatever Mike had to say, she dicided that she was going to stand on her own two feet, just like her mother had taught her.

“Aint you bothered by the pestering knock?” Malaika queried agigated by Dineo's ignorance. Getting no answer she swayed to the tv and switched it off, the programme would have to wait. “I am quite sure there aint a deaf person in this house.” She said hiding the tv from Dineo's view.

“It aint Mike, so I will pass.” Dineo frowned, undecided whether to get up from her seat or just ignore Malaika.

“Should I check?” Malaika asked. Dineo waved her away with her hand.

“Knock yourself out,” she said, her voice losing its self-possessed note and became falteringly human. “I am sure its Dan, he used to knock like that, probably coming to say goodbye.” She broke off with a little shudder. Her last statement caught Malaika offguard, a lot had happed and getting superstitious was going to make matters worse.

“I hope its him, it wouldn't be a bad thing after all.” She said walking across the room to the front door, she had decided that curiosity's medicine was actually facing your demons.

She peeped through the keyhole to see who it was, there was nobody at the door, relieved she unlatched the door chain and opened it, just a creak. Balancing her left hand on the door frame she popped her head outside. A little beautiful girl was looking up at her curiously, like she had seen an extinct species for the first time.

“Hello.” The little girl greeted her with a huge grin on her face. She looked four or five, she was plump and chubby, had charcoal spirals on her head.

“Hi.” Malaika forced a smile, there was an awkward silence as she looked questionely at the little girl.

“This is for uncle Mike.” The little girl handed Malaika a note. Malaika read it still at the door ,her face moving from curiosity to confusion, through pain to outrage, squinting at the white paper. Many times she sighed and shook her head. Then she remembered that she was at the door, she folded the note and send it flying across the room to where Dineo whom after reading it too starred at the Malaika with dazed horror in her eyes.

Malaika spoke first. “I don't know what your mother was thinking but what I know is this,” She scooped the little girl into her arms, closing the door behind them. She dropped the child on the couch between her and Dineo and put her arm around the little girl's shoulder. “You need us more than ever.”

The note was addressed to Mike, asking him to hand over the child to Dan. The mother reasoned that the child was brought to Mike's flat because Dan's phone wasn't available and he had moved out from where he was staying when he met the her, and she didn't even know his last name. So Mike was the closest person she could think of.

The little girl had a jolly personality too smart for a girl her age. She spoke English, Tswana and a little bit of Afrikaans, making it easy to communicate with Malaika and Dineo. They talked until dinner time, still no sign of Mike. He had to come and solve the problems that were rising in his house, because from what the note had said, the mother wasn't coming back for the child. Dan had ran away from his responsibilities and had stopped supporting the child.

Malaika didn't sleep that night, even though the tension between her and Dineo had subsided, the trauma of friday night still played on her mind, and the dream.

“We are gathered here today, to bid farewell to our fallen brothers and a sister. ” Mr Evans said, dressed in a black suit and a white Shirt, shiny black shoes reflecting the cold winter sun.

“Malaika was a free spirited child, we were blessed to have her after we lost our first child.”

First child? Malaika almost got choked by her own words. Her parents had lost a baby and they never bothered to tell her? Malaika, dressed in her Sunday best; her long satin dress, peep toes wedges and her favorite black summer coat. She couldn't understand why her father was where he was, or why there were multitude of unfamiliar faces there.

On her right were three caskets, two of them longer than the other which sat between them. They were in a graveyard! Three small tents circled three freshly dug pits. Her mother, aunt, and people from home sat in rows in the first tent. Her mother had wound a shawl around her shoulders, using it to wipe away tears that couldn't stop running down her beautiful face.

The other tent was occupied by faces she had never seen before, except that of Ntando and Ife-Oluwa. Ife and a girl who looked exactly like her were holding hands, each drawn in her own thoughts. Ntando sat on the rag next to a lady whom Malaika thought was her mother.

In the last tent Dineo sat between a lady who was weeping bitterly and a young girl who looked fascinated by all that was happening around her. A group of soldiers occupied the back of the tent, in their green camouflage Uniform. Malaika didn't need any explanation; she was at her own funeral. The yard seemed to have a lot of new residents that day, there were masses of people of different races going about their burying their loved ones. Everybody was weeping for someone, but she couldn't cry, tears failed to come.

Her father's speech was very long and moving, that when he finished speaking, everyone was weeping silently. After her father's long speech few people said their last words and the coffins were lowered down the dark pits. Malaika felt so alone, cold and afraid, she couldn't understand why she was there and was invisible to people because she wailed like a dog seeing a monkey at midnight, but nobody seemed to have heard her. Her mother looked passed her, Ife didn't answer her question and Dineo walked right through her.

When it was Ife's turn to throw in the soil on Femi's coffin, she threw in a piece of paper which Malaika caught in mid air to read it. she opened it and read it slowly.

Femi...

I would have loved to meet you, but I never got a chance to. Malaika was head over heels in love with you the last time I saw her, you meant a lot to her and I could say I have met you in a way.

I don't know what let to the shooting, its still not clear who shot the other, maybe you or Mike, or Malaika but then again I knew that Mike was head over heels in love with Malaika, he told me the morning after her birthday and I have to admit I was a bit jealous but I never loved him.

I hope you three will rest in peace, no more fighting ok? Until we meet again, you sis...Ife.

Malaika threw the piece of paper down to where it belong in disgust. She needed to talk to Ife, tell her Mike did it, Mike shot the three of them, ask for forgiveness. As she walked toward Ife, Ife had turned to look at her, she smiled, pleased that at last Ife sees her. But her smile turned into a scowl as Ife waved her off, like she wanted to say something but had changed her mind. “Girl its me.” Said Malaika pulling Ife to her but her friend continued to walk on, like there was no force pulling her back to Malaika.

“Come Angie, we have to go now.” Malaika turned to see Mike, holding out his hand to her. His eyes full of love she had never seen before, he was smiling, pleading with her. “Come, the sun is setting and the princess has to be home before sundown.” She rolled her eyes at Mike, what was he saying? Princess? Sundown? Home? “Mike, what are you saying?”

“We need to go Angie, there is nothing left for us here.” He pulled her closer to her grave. “You have to get in there.” Mike said casually, like it was just a play. Malaika looked at him horrified. “But I am not dead!” She gasped.

“Well, well. Princess, you need to get going.” Femi drawled, pushing her into an open grave, she let out haul. Femi had emerged from nowhere and had said something to Mike and the walked away from the grave.

A handful of sand was poured on her head. “Hey!” Another handful followed. “Are you people death?” She shrilled wiping away the grains of sand on her face. She looked up and a spade filled with sand flew down to her blinding her.



“I am not dead! God please help me!” She knelt on the coffin wiping away the mud created by her tears and sand.[/i]

“Malaika! Malaika!” Someone was shaking her violently. “Malaika please wake up!” The person was pleading with her. She opened her eyes, she was in a bedroom, two double beds separated by a big wall wardrobe. Pink walls, pink curtains, pink wardrobe, and pink bed covers reminded her of the Barbie series books she read in Secondary School. She had been in that room before; in happier times, when she was a carefree 21 year old girl.

The girl who had waked her up was Dineo, was this the day of the abortion? “Oh, thank God your awake!” Dineo squeezed the life out of Malaika, who nodded, bewildered.

“Where am I?”

“My place why?”

“When did I come here? Where is Femi? Mike? What day is this?”

“Whoa! Slow down, would you like some water?”

“Do I look like I need water?” She ripped the cover angrily. She was in Pyjamas. When did she change her clothes? “Where is my phone?” She asked turning the room upside down. Dineo just shrugged confused, she only got orders from Mike last night not to disturb Malaika. Mike had been eccentric last night, which made Dineo not to bother him, he might have shut her trap with a whack on her face. He had been moping around since his friend Dan died on Monday. His friend died in line of duty, it was Mike's duty to make sure that everything goes smoothly, Dan's family had appointed him to run things as a tribute to his friend. Dineo had asked to go with her Uncle to the funeral but things had changed when he came home with Malaika the previous night. He had informed her she wasn't going, he would be too busy to babysit.

“Don't just stand there! Help me look for my phone!” Malaika barked. “Mike has it.” Dineo lied, she didn't know where it was, Mike had given her Malaika's overnight bag, in it were her toiletries, clean clothes and her credit card. Malaika stopped what she was doing, the events of Friday night flooded her mind, the dream, Mike and Femi. “What day is it?” She asked, a little bit calm. She realized that Dineo might still be in the dark about the shooting, she had to wait for Mike.

“Saturday, Saturday morning. Mike told me not to bother you.” The flood of questions confusing Dineo, she started biting her nails. “You were saying that you were not dead...is everything alright?” She looked at Malaika, anxious and perturbed.

Malaika realized that she had to act like nothing was wrong, be a big girl and shove her owns worries on the back seat for a while. “I did?” She recalled the taste of her own tears mixed with sand, they tasted like the sand and urine mud porridge they used to make when they were at Pre-School. The cold slap of the winter sunset air, the thought still made her shiver. She busied herself with the bed.

“Where is Mike?” She changed the topic, Dineo seemed relieved by the turned tables. “He went to Dan's funeral.” Dineo said, helping her to make the bed. Shocked, she clumped her mouth with her hand, eyes searching Dineo's face for a smile, an assurance that she was joking.

“You knew Dan?”

“Yes, he danced with me on my birthday. We had a little party here, he seemed cool.” She swallowed back her tears, she had to be strong, for Dineo's sake.

“Yea, he was.” Dineo put the pillows orderly and trudged to sit with Malaika. “Why are you here Malaika?” She asked avoiding her gaze. “Its not that I don't want you around, its just that...” Dineo stammered, biting her nails. “Its just what?” Malaika uttered with a hiss.
Dineo backed away from her, she looked like an angry snake about to spit venom. “Mike hasn't been himself lately, he had confiscated my phone so that I will not talk to you, he still has it. His baby mama left on Sunday because she couldn't stand him,” she looked questioningly at Malaika, who looked her straight in the eye, pouting, arms crossed on her chest.

“It would be better if you stop beating about the bush.”

“Fine, are you seeing Mike?” Dineo said agitated, Malaika couldn't help but laugh. Mike and her? Impossible. “Well?”

“I don't have time for this,” Malaika picked her toiletry back. “I need a shower.” She stormed out of the bedroom like students who had been bored stiff by a teacher who always do the same thing when he comes to class that his students would be bored and eager to leave.

Dineo rushed to the door with an intention of showing Malaika where the bathroom is.
“The bathroom is on your left.” Malaika whirled around and gave Dineo a cold hard look, “Jeez girl! Get off my case already.” She turned and trudged to the bathroom. “I know my way around this place.” The door had shut behind her, slammed like a two cars that were accelerating on high speed and crashed into each other.

Dineo's fierce hunger for the truth, which Malaika was avoiding, caused her to tremble as if she was in a fever, but fear still held her back, numbed her.

firestar: ...I'm having a writer's block spell.
..........................

Me too....is there anyone who could help us with an African herb?

Sasha is a party pooper... Can't she just mind her business? Mtcheew

Good one B'kay

VanTee20: I'm a minor o, I don't follow Big Brother shows at all ... How's Bomboy doing? .

bomboy is fine...so your family locked the channel?

Didn't know we have minors here

Tovot: missd u too sweri,hows d lil chjp doing?hope he's eatn well?d preacher nko?

Preacher he ran away, said the baby aint his...can you imagine?

He said the baby looks like.....like...like...eish. Its sooo sad, m thinking of putting this baby into the next flight to Nigeria....

jiraiyas: Lost didnt Dig

nvm, should hit the sack, got a busy day tmrw. Nyt

jiraiyas: Nt in the 1st one month of a childs life on eth.
*no wonder plenty underdevelop kids nw common*

Abeg raise my dude yourself. See me begging

I came across your email address know anything about it? I found it in my mailbox

About bomboy, I need time with Daddy, its been a while

jiraiyas: I said 'better Ben Carson'. Thats nt the heed here, the point is go take care our lil Mr jawe, dont even let him outta your sight. *its for him to develop well nd strong remember*

wats the nanny's job then?

jiraiyas: Still it takes the Love, Patient, Care and Touch of a mother to grow a perfect minded child nt a nation.
Dnt forget that mothers love and touch develops a child brain in infancy also not a nation.

Oya come out of what you call free ** and go take care of Our better *Ben Carson*

Ben Carson gave his mama a headache wen he was a pre-teen. This one is more than gifted o, its something the Lord made.

Ishi I can't sleep, waiting for your update

jiraiyas: There was no 'You' in the option i gave with the question. Jst pick one frm 'em

Hope he was fed b4 sleepin *if you didnt, you wont sleep dis nyt oh*

m on a free shift tonight, it takes the nation to raise a child-Nelson Mandela

Fishoy: "our genius"nw i smell fish...congrats hbg

thanks

jiraiyas: Who's Bomboy, J or lil Juni?

Hws our Genius faring?

bomboy is you

Genie is sleeping

jiraiyas: Mama BomBoy were u at

m here bomboy

Dygeasy: Ishilove Has Joined!!!

that post had been hidden

yemi2plus2: na which kind tribes be this?

ok guys Southern Africans are bantoid people, our languages are different but we kinda understand each other. M sotho not xhosa by the way.

I read in my research that there actually bantu people in west africa.

superbloke: Hey everyone!
Congrats HBG. I'm gonna be calling you mama bomboy

if I catch you ehn? Your so not gonna enjoy this

[quote author=Fishoy][/quote]I am a Southern African and I really don't support peepz coz they are from Southy. I like people with backbone lol

Ajibel: I was thinking Dygeasy would continue from where HBG stopped but then

oh, sorry, I have decided to cover that area and he just follows lead. *hides* now we are working on the "Accepted" chapter....hope its not confusing.

Fishoy: beverly is not up fr eviction...vote melvin......gd day every-body

heya....Cleo is up for eviction, the Nasty Pokello, Melvin, Selly, Natasha and I have forgotten the sixth one.

Why didn't Malvin Swap himself with someone? Maybe Angelo? I think Melvin is tired of staying in the BBA house...IMO

Dygeasy: *high five*

so do we have someone who will continue chapter one? Where is Princesa sef?

Ishilove: 'Isi gini' means 'you say what??' Igbo language

sounds like zulu, so ur igbo?

The intro was good, good job Bola, now can we do things orderly?