Chapter four

" come let's go play with my ball" the five years old boy said to the beautiful six years old girl. She offers him a wide smile that shows her toothless front teeth. The little girl loves it when he ask her to play with his ball. 

" ok" together they went to play with  other kids.   

Unknown to them that a particular seven years old boy was at the far end of the garden watching with anger. He hates it when other boys play with the little girl, he always wants to be the only guy friend she has. So, he plan to interfere in their game. One would be surprised at how this seven years old can be jealous and how he even have a mind to hate someone . That someone he hate is his brother. Yes, he hates his junior brother, he hate him with passion.All because, whenever they are out to play, all his friends prefers to play with his junior brother than him.

Sadiq is this kind of charming and friendly boy right from time. He is a carefree kid who is full of life and loves with all his heart. He was busy playing the ball that he didn't see his brother Mansir coming his way in full speed. Suddenly, he felt himself being pushed down by someone. By mansir actually .

He felt a crack sound immediately he fell.He shouted in pain and turn to look at his brother with teary eyes 

" why did you push me? now my hand is paining me" sadiq cried out. 

Mansir stood tall with a smirk as he watch his brother in pain "  that is for stealing my friends away. Go and play with your friends and leave mine alone"

" what do you mean by your friends? but they are my friends too"

He felt a kick on his injured wrist" ahhhhhhh" sadiq shouted in pain. 

" when next I see you playing with my friends most especially  safiya, I'll do worst that  injuring you. If you like tell anyone that I did this to you, you will see what I'll do to you"  Mansir threatened  and left  a crying sadiq on the ground 

Sadiq cried in pain as he dragged himself inside the house . He spent all evening in misery over his injured hand, he refused to tell anybody about it and it isn't because Mansir told him not to. It because he doesn't want to cause his mother more pain. To him, his mother is in more pain than he was. so ,he will suck it up and bare with the pain till he recovers. Thank God he has robb in his drawer  which he rubbed on the injured hand. Not that it would stop the pain but at least he hope it would. 

When it was time for dinner, he was called down by his mother to come have dinner. He doesn't  want his mother to find out about the hand so he lied that he wasn't hungry. When actually, he was dying of hunger right now

His mother already getting suspicious of this behavior of her son, she knows how her sadiq loves food and he has  never answered her with his room door closed. He always opens his door with joy when he is been call down for food. 

What changed?, she thought 

She didn't think twice before she barge into the room. What she saw wasn't what she expected. She saw her son shivering on the floor with sweat embedded on his forehead.  She rushed to his side immediately. 

" sadiq please talk to me, what happened to you?" she was so confused that her son was healthy when he woke up this morning so how come he is sick now. She touch his forehead and saw that he was burning up

"Your temperature is high. We need to go to the hospital " she tried picking him up but sadiq shouted in pain because she tried raising him up by holding the injured hand. 

She immediately left him alone due to his scream. She got scared that her son might be dying and at the reason why he shouted like that. 

" talk to me son where is the pain coming from?" she asked in tears. He tries pointing at the hand with his other good hand. That was when she saw the big swell on her son's wrist. 

" ya Allah.. What happened to you there? Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi rajihun. You have a fracture. How? When? " she was confused Beyond believe 

She immediately pick him up gently and put him on the bed and then rushed  downstairs.

" Tariq...tariq ....tariq.. " she shouted the driver's name

" yes hajiya " he came rushing 

" please prepare the car, we are going to the hospital. Make it fast please "

" OK hajiya " he ran out to do as he was told 

She was about to go upstairs to pick up her son but got stop on the way by her senior wife, hajiya maimuma 

" please aunty, I don't have time to fight right now. My son is sick and he needs to be taken to the hospital " 

Hajiya maimuna laughed " eyya, good for you"

Fatima wanted answering back but at the scream of her son she ran upstairs to him. She quickly pick him up and went downstairs with him. 

Hajiya maimuna sat comfortably watching TV without a care in the world. " I pray he doesn't survive it" she said immediately Fatima got downstairs with her son. 

A lone tears fell on Fatima's face at  hajiya maimuna's utterance. She just couldn't believe how  the woman could be so wicked. She breath in and walk faster to the awaiting car outside. Her son was more important right now. 

.........

" Thank God he was brought in quickly if not the injury would have worsen due to lack of care"

" He will be fine now. Don't worry hajiya. Everything is now back into order but the only thing is that he will have to bare some pains once in a while. I have already prescribe some drugs for him. It will lessen the pain"

Hajiya Fatima nodded " where can I get the drugs ?"

" At the pharmacy downstairs"

" thank you doctor "

" you don't need to thank us we are only doing our job" the doctor said and left. 

Hajiya maimuna sighed softly. She doesn't know what would have happened to her if her son didn't survive it. She wouldn't have forgiven herself. She watch as her son peacefully sleep on the bed. He look calmer now. 

She had already texted Alhaji Ringim about her son in the hospital and up till now she hasn't seen his replay. She guess he isn't back from office. 

One thing she regrets in life is getting married to Alhaji ringim . Since she step foot into that house, she has never enjoyed her marriage life. Her husband mother and her senior wife are her two problem. They just wouldn't let her rest. She always complain to alhaji ringim but all he tells her is to please be patient with them. Now, she is tired, she just can't take it any more .  enough is enough. 

She was in her thoughts that she didn't hear her son calling her. 

" mom" sadiq called again more louder now

She quickly turn to him" my love, you're awake. Thank you Allah,thank you. I don't know what I would have done if something happens to you" she cried  

" mummy, please don't cry. I'm fine now " he gave her his best smile and she just couldn't resist his charm, she also gave him a teary smile. 

He wipe her tears " why didn't you tell me you were in pain? "

He knew that was coming " I don't want to disturb you mummy. I thought I can bare with it. I didn't know that it was serious.

" son, please don't ever hide things from me again. Please don't repeat it" he nodded  and held her face" I love you mummy "

" I love you too, son. Tell me who did this to you and don't dare lie to me?"

He was scared to say the name " please tell me son"

" mummy, I just fell that's all"

" have you forgotten our promise about not lying to one another? " she ask and now he felt sad that he lied

" please mummy, first promise me that you won't do anything first " he requested 

She doesn't want to, but nevertheless she did " OK I  promise "

" it's Ya Mansir "

" WHAT?!! "

" Don't forget you promise mummy" he said with teary eyes 

" but he needs to be thought a lesson "

" please don't do anything mummy. I don't want dad to scold you, you know how dad always side with his mother and you know that big mummy and grandma are always giving you problems . They will lie to daddy and daddy will scold you so please don't do anything "

She nearly cried at what he said. She was surprise that such a small boy knows about her mother-in-law 's hatred for her. She hug her son and together they cried their pains out. 

" sadiq... Sadiq...hey wake up. There is a customer waiting for you and he looks familiar " he quickly woke up from his nap, so it was all a dream. A dream that happened. 

He turn to jafar with a nod" thanks for waking me"

" are you sure you're alright? Because you were sleep talking in your sleep. You said something along the  line " I'm sorry mummy, I didn't save you"

He was surprised at this " I said that? "

Jafar nodded" of course you did" 

" i-i.i

" you don't need to explain anything. But always remember that I'm here whenever you need a listening ear. You're like a brother to me sadiq"jafar pat his back and left. 

Sadiq stretch his body, when he heard that satisfying crack sound he then went to his awaiting customer.