Mairo was sitting on a chair, pouting and breathing heavily.
Mummy came downstairs and tapped her, “Hey you, Maryam!” Startled, she woke up, still pouting, and looked at her mother.
“Have you washed up?” She nodded while rubbing her eyes.
“Get up and go take your bath,” Mummy said.
She stood up like she was about to cry and headed upstairs, her heart filled with fear. She gathered courage, closed her eyes, and walked slowly until she got there.
---
* * *
Mummy was in the kitchen cooking when she heard Mairo groaning. Quickly, she dropped what she was holding and rushed upstairs.
She met Mairo in the middle of the room, writhing and crying, completely naked.
“What’s wrong?” Mummy asked.
Mairo couldn’t speak; she only pointed toward the toilet while trembling.
Mummy rushed into the bathroom and looked around, trying to understand why Mairo was crying. At first, she didn’t notice the shower running until she was about to leave.
She turned back to switch it off, but as her hand touched the hot water, she quickly jerked back with a small scream.
She stood there for a while, staring at her hand, then used her other hand to turn off the shower.
When she came out, she saw Mairo still crying and calling her name desperately.
Mummy felt bad and said,
“Sorry Mairo, I forgot the shower gets hot. I didn’t even remember I turned it on. Please forgive me.”
Mairo cried and said,
“I want to go back home to Grandma.”
Mummy comforted her and later prepared warm water for her bath. She even washed her hair that day.
Afterward, Mummy couldn’t find good clothes for her, so she gave her an old wrapper.
“Go lie down on the bed,” she said.
Mairo quickly went and lay face down.
As Mummy was about to leave, Mairo looked up with red eyes and asked,
“Mummy, will you send me on errands?”
Mummy turned, surprised.
“Errands? What do you mean?”
“To buy something for you.”
Mummy smiled,
“No, I don’t need anything. If I do, I’ll send the driver or the boys.”
Mairo lay back down, crying quietly.
Mummy just shook her head and left.
---
Mairo slept restlessly until around 3:30 when Mummy woke her.
Holding her hand, they went to the bathroom. But Mairo refused to enter.
“I won’t go in.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll prepare the water. It won’t be hot.”
After much persuasion, she agreed.
Mummy helped her brush her teeth and perform ablution, then they came out.
After prayers, they went downstairs.
---
They met Qasin eating while working on his laptop.
Mummy sighed and sat Mairo down.
Qasin looked up,
“Everything okay, Mummy?”
“Have you eaten?” she asked.
He scratched his head and smiled,
“If Mummy cooked it.”
Mummy scoffed jokingly.
Then he looked at Mairo,
“Are you sick?”
She ignored him and kept eating.
Mummy explained,
“She got burned by hot water, that’s why she’s upset.”
“Sorry,” he said, gently patting her head.
She nodded quietly.
---
Usman came out, and Mummy asked him to go buy clothes for Mairo.
Mairo immediately stood up,
“I’ll go with him!”
But Mummy stopped her,
“No, not now. He’ll be back soon.”
She began to cry again.
Qasin comforted her,
“Don’t worry, when I’m free, I’ll take you out.”
She nodded.
---
Later, when the clothes arrived, Mairo was extremely happy—jumping, dancing, and throwing them in the air.
She thanked Mummy endlessly.
Her excitement was so much that it almost scared Mummy.
---
At night, Mairo ran downstairs to show Qasin her new clothes but slipped on the floor and fell.
She started crying again.
Qasin laughed lightly, helped her up, and comforted her.
Mummy scolded her, saying she was overreacting like a child from the village.
Qasin defended her,
“Even I would be happy with new clothes.”
He wiped her tears and told her to try them on.
---
From that day, Mairo stopped wearing her village clothes and only wore what Mummy bought.
She started looking more beautiful and healthy.
Within two months, she completely changed.
---
Three months later…
One morning, Mairo woke up early and even performed ablution before Mummy.
Mummy was surprised.
Later, during breakfast, Mairo struggled to read the clock and said funny things about it, making Mummy laugh.
---
Suddenly, Qasin entered happily, greeting everyone.
He handed Mummy a file—he had successfully completed a contract.
Everyone was overjoyed.
Mummy hugged him with tears of happiness.
Mairo didn’t understand and just watched them.
When she asked, Mummy explained.
Mairo started celebrating in her own childish way.
---
Later that day, Qasin took her out.
They went around town, buying things and enjoying themselves.
Eventually, they went to a mall where Mairo picked many clothes.
Qasin told her to choose only three, but she chose more.
He couldn’t argue much and paid.
---
While waiting outside, she talked to strangers happily.
Then she saw a well-dressed young man (a prince-like figure) and spoke to him innocently, admiring his clothes.
She compared her own clothes proudly and said,
“See, I also wear beautiful clothes now!”
---
From the moment they entered the car, Mairo couldn’t speak out of fear. She only held the seatbelt tightly.
He also didn’t talk to her until they were almost home. Without looking at her, he finally asked,
“Where do you know him from, Maryam?”
She kept quiet at first as if she wouldn’t answer. After he repeated the question, she said,
“I know him from back home. He even used to give me money and snacks… haven’t I told you before that someone used to give me snacks?”
He nodded.
“Yes. Where did you meet him?”
“At home.”
“Which home?”
Just then, they arrived. As he parked, she tried to open the door but couldn’t. She turned to him and said,
“Open it for me, I want to get down.”
He looked around the house calmly and said,
“You have to explain properly where you know him from.”
She almost burst into tears.
“Didn’t I tell you it was back home?”
That was when he finally looked at her.
“You didn’t explain it well enough for me to understand.”
With no choice, she explained everything about how they first met.
---
“So since then, you haven’t seen him again until now?” he asked.
“Yes… now please open the door for me.”
“How did he recognize you?”
“It wasn’t him, I recognized him.”
He didn’t say anything else. He got out, came around, opened her door, and she ran inside the house. He followed behind.
---
In the living room, they met Mummy.
Mairo ran and hugged her.
“Look, Mummy! He bought me beautiful things!”
Mummy checked and admired them.
“Wow, all these just for you?”
“Yes, I chose them myself, and we even went out.”
Mummy smiled.
“He really cares about you. Did you thank him?”
“Yes, I did.”
Qasin smiled and nodded.
Mummy said,
“Alright, go and keep them in your room.”
She happily ran off.
---
Mummy then turned to Qasin.
“There’s something important I want to discuss with you.”
He checked the time.
“Okay, but it’s almost prayer time.”
She agreed.
“Let’s talk tomorrow.”
He left, though he felt uneasy without knowing what she wanted to discuss.
---
The next day…
Qasin didn’t visit Mummy in the morning and went straight to work.
He returned late at night. After resting, he went to her room and found everyone asleep in the living room.
He woke them angrily.
“Mummy, why do you let them sleep here like this?”
“I’ve talked to them many times,” she replied.
He scolded them, and they quietly went to their rooms.
---
Later, they discussed Mairo.
Qasin said,
“I think Maryam should go to school.”
Mummy agreed.
“Yes, I’ve been thinking about that.”
---
That night, Qasin carried Mairo to her room when she refused to wake properly.
---
The next day…
A knock came at the door.
Siraj opened it and saw a well-dressed young man (the prince-like figure) standing there.
Mummy came and welcomed him warmly.
“You’re always welcome here.”
He entered confidently.
They sat and talked.
---
Suddenly, Mairo came out from the kitchen talking, but when she saw him, she didn’t recognize him at first.
Then he smiled.
Her eyes widened—she recognized him—and she ran and hugged him tightly, causing the drink in his hand to fall.
---
Mummy quickly pulled her away and scolded her.
“You don’t even know him properly and you’re hugging him!”
The young man stopped her from hitting Mairo.
“Please, Mummy.”
He comforted Mairo, wiped her tears, and calmed her down.
---
Then he held her hand and said,
“Come, walk me out.”
She followed him.
Outside, he asked her questions about the house and her relationship with the family.
He gave her money and warned her not to tell anyone about their conversation.
She happily agreed.
---
Later, Qasin returned and found out the man had visited.
He asked questions, clearly suspicious.
Mummy explained everything.
Qasin didn’t like it but stayed quiet.
---
Later, Mummy told Qasin something important:
“You’re married now, but your wife doesn’t cook for you. You still come here to eat every day. That has to stop.”
Qasin tried to defend his wife, but Mummy insisted.
“You must either make her cook or handle your own food. I won’t keep cooking for you.”
He reluctantly agreed.
---
After that, Qasin enrolled Mairo in a good school.
She became very happy and excited.
---
Some time later…
Mairo started school and extra lessons.
One afternoon, she came back from school and met the same young man again in the house.
He hugged her and told her he wanted to share a secret with her.
He promised her sweets and money if she didn’t tell anyone.
She agreed innocently.
---
Suddenly, Qasin appeared.
Mairo got scared immediately.
Qasin shouted,
“What are you doing here?”
She stammered in fear.
The young man interrupted calmly,
“She’s not doing anything. What’s your problem?”
Qasin replied sharply,
“I was talking to her.”
The young man stepped closer confidently and said,
“Don’t put words in my mouth. I have a lot I can say.”
He gave him a cold look and walked away.
---
Qasin watched him angrily, then turned and glared at Mairo.
She started trembling in fear.
