"Don't say that, Larai." Yusuf shook his head. "What happened is sad, but you have to accept it as it was destined to happen. What happened is not your fault."

"You are right," Larai agreed. "It's not entirely my fault because you also have a share of the blame. If you hadn't convinced me to run away from home, all these wouldn't have happened. You're equally to be blamed, Yusuf. This is our fault. We killed the poor girl."

"Stop it!" Nna yelled. "Enough of that. What happened was no one's fault okay. Azumi is gone and we will all be gone one day as well. What she needs is our prayers. Please." She joined her palms. "Pray for Azumi. Pray hard for her."

"You lied to me." Larai seethed; her gaze fixated on Yusuf. "Why did you do that to me? I only asked for the truth." More tears brimmed up in Larai's eyes, as she recalled all of the lies Yusuf had told her-all of the fake messages he had delivered to her. "So all of those messages were false?" It hurt even more because Yusuf betrayed her trust. He lied to her about something very important. It hurt immensely because she never expected that of him.

"Larai...this is what I was going to tell you."

"That you lied to me?" She fumed.

"I only did that because I wanted the best for you. Believe me, my conscience has been disturbing me ever since then, but I had to do it for you not to give up on your dreams. I knew you'd leave everything behind if you heard the news. You will be back in the village, but you won't be able to bring your sister back and your dreams would be shattered. You will be on the losing end. I didn't want that and that's the reason I hid the news from you. I know I shouldn't have done that even though it was a white lie, I'm sorry. Those words I told you are the exact words she would say to you, not so?

Larai shook her head. "The fact that you lied can't be changed. You made me believe my sister was alive and living well. Didn't you promise never to keep any secrets from me? Why did you hide the truth from me? Why the hell did you do it?!"

"Don't blame him." Nna intervened. "I understand why he did it. As he said, he only had your best interest at heart. If you had returned, your father might have married you off to any man of his choice, but now, I'm sure he won't do that. Instead of blaming him, you should appreciate him for taking you away and for..." She trailed off, as she stared intently at the clothes she was wearing. "Transforming you."

Larai knew her mother had a point. She appreciated everything Yusuf had done for her-no doubt, but even so, she had the right to point out his mistakes to him. He wasn't in a relationship with himself. They were in it together and so, they had the right to express their feelings to each other. The fact that he lied to her about something so important was a red flag.

"I'm sorry." Yusuf apologized again; his head lowered. "It wasn't my intention to hurt you."

Larai shook her head. She had already had enough. That harmless lie of his completely demoralized her. She felt her sister died all because of that one decision she took. She should have comprehended things when Azumi told her she was leaving in her dream. She also recalled her sister blaming her for what happened to her. For the rest of her life, she knew she was going to live with the guilt. Why didn't she think of the consequences of her action before she left?

"Please leave, Yusuf." She beseeched, fighting back tears. "You have done a lot for me and I promise to pay you back-even though I know I won't be able to fully do that. What happened to my poor little sister should have happened to me instead. I want to rectify my mistake right now, so please, do me a favor, leave me alone and never return."

"Okay." Yusuf nodded and stood up to leave. He didn't take a second look at Larai before walking out of the hut.

Larai felt a pang in her heart and began to cry harder. She never expected Yusuf to give up on her that easily. She thought he would fight for her and be adamant to leave, but he did none of that. He left so easily as if he was waiting to be told. Though a part of her was glad, another part was hurt. She wanted nothing to do with him anymore.

Absolutely nothing.

•

"Why did you say all those things to him?" Nna interrupted her thoughts. "He is such a good man. I failed to see it then because we wanted you to get married to someone else, but now I can clearly see it."

"Nna, please just allow me to do things my way, please. I know exactly what I am doing."

Nna nodded. "When you left, we thought we would never be able to see you again. At first, your father didn't show any care. He pretended to be indifferent, but as time passed by and you didn't return, he got really worried and he even left the village in search of you, until..."

Due to the news of Azumi's death, Larai had totally forgotten about Baaba. "Where is Baaba?"

"He is..." Nna's voice trailed off again.

"He is what?" Larai sprinted up and her lips quivered. "Please tell me he is alive."

"Your father has been bedridden for a while now. He got a heart attack when Azumi died and you were nowhere to be found. He hasn't stopped blaming himself for the decision he made. He has been longing to see you."

Larai gasped and fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. So much had happened behind her back. She felt she had failed as a daughter and as a sister. "Where is Baaba? I want to see him right now."

"He is in his room," Nna informed.

Larai dashed out of the hut and went directly to her father's.

Larai met him lying on the bed with his eyes closed. Her hand flew over her mouth at the state she met him. Baaba looked older-way older than he was supposed to be. His beards and goatee had all turned grey. His lips were chapped and there were wrinkles all over his face and arms. He looked like he had lost a lot of weight.

Larai crouched in front of him and brought his hand to her lips. "Baaba." She called in a repressed voice. "Baaba, it's me."

Her father opened his eyes. Immediately he did, tears welled up in his them, and began to slide down the sides of his face.

Larai shook her head and wiped the tears away. "Please don't cry, Baaba. I'm here now."

"Larai?"

"Yes, Baaba." She was quick to nod. "It's me, Larai."

"I have been waiting for you to return so that I can apologize to you, my dear. Instead of allowing you to choose your partner or at least choose the right partner for you, I made a terrible mistake and that's the reason you left. I made an even bigger mistake by forcing Azumi to get married to him. I'm scared because I feel so weak. I'm scared of the punishments I'm going to face in the hereafter for not being a good parent. Children are entrusted to us by Allah and He will definitely question us on how we raised them, but what answer will I be able to give. I failed as a father and as a guardian. I'm ashamed to even look at you after the results by actions have caused. Please find it in your heart to forgive me, Larai." He held his chest, as he almost choked on a cough. "I'm the culprit in all of these. I need you all to keep me in your prayers. Pray to Allah to forgive me. I deeply regret ever betrothing you to Zakari. I thought he was a good man. I thought I was securing a better future for my children. I didn't know I was digging their graves with my own hands."

No matter how hard Larai tried, she couldn't bring herself to utter a word. Baaba who was feared by many was crying so heavily in front of her. He even apologized and it was sincere-Larai could see the sincerity in his eyes. Indeed, he regretted his decision to get Azumi married to Zakari. Azumi's death had served as an eye-opener to him.

Larai knew it was never his intention to put them in harm's way because they were his children and he loved them, but because he wasn't educated enough, he thought getting a girl child married-no matter who the husband is-was the greatest achievement on his side. He only wanted to be a good father, but his actions failed him. Just like her, Larai knew he would forever live with the guilt of being the main reason his youngest daughter suffered and eventually passed away.

"Azumi suffered a lot before her death. I pray she's finally at peace." Baaba sobbed. "And you," he sniffed. "I don't want to repeat the mistakes I made before. I don't want to leave this world without rectifying my mistakes."

"Please don't say that." Larai cried. He might have completely ruined her sister's life, but he was still her father. A part of her hated him for what he had done to that innocent little girl. She wished she could turn her back on him, but she couldn't-not on the state she met him in. "I'm going to take you to a hospital and get you treated. Nothing is going to happen to you."

"No." Baaba shook his head. "I won't go anywhere. If my destiny is to die at this moment, then I rather die in my house. I don't want to die somewhere else."

"Baaba, please don't be stubborn. Stop talking like that. I don't like it."

"That man, where is he?" Out of the blue, Baaba inquired.

"Who?" Larai already knew whom he was referring to, but to attain more certainty, she had to ask.

"The man you ran away with. Isn't he the same man that came here and claimed the both of you are in love with each other and wanted to get married?"

"He...he's not here, Baaba..."

"Where is he?"

"He's-"

"Please don't lie to me. Where is he?"

"He left a while ago. I don't know where he is." Larai's reply was honest. Ever since she sent him away and he left without a word, she hadn't heard of him. She was beginning to get worried about him.

"I want you to please ask him to forgive me for the time I made some villagers beat him up. It has been weighing on my conscience for a while now. He didn't do anything so wrong to deserve that kind of disrespect."

"Yusuf is a good man," Larai attested. "I'm sure he doesn't hold a grudge against you."

Baaba smiled. "I'm sure he is, that's why I have decided to give you my blessings to marry him-no, it's a wish of mine. I want you to be happy and I know he is the only one capable of giving you all the happiness you deserve."

Larai could not believe her ears. The last thing she expected was for her father to accept Yusuf that easily. It only proved how much he had changed. She wanted to thank him, yet she didn't want to. Not when she had driven him away and wanted nothing to do with him anymore.

"Please call your mother. I want to speak with her."

Larai left the room and returned shortly after with Nna behind her.

Nna sat beside him on the mat and took his hand in hers. "Are you thirsty? Do you need water?"

He shook his head. "I know I haven't been the best husband to you, yet, you've always taken care of me. I'm happy it's you I married. And I'm sorry for never putting your opinions into consideration. I treated you more like a slave than a partner. For that, I'm deeply sorry. Please forgive me."
"What are you saying? Have I ever complained to you before?" Nna asked.

"You haven't, but that's because I have always been strict with not only the children but with you as well.

"From the depths of my heart, I forgive you. I forgive you for everything."

"Thank you. Even after my life, I want you to get Larai married to the man of her choice. Don't-" his breath labored. "Don't make the same...don't make the same mistake I made." These were the last words Baaba said before he stopped breathing.

Nna placed a hand on his face to shut his eyes and began to sob silently.

Larai's eyes widened as realization hit her-she had just lost another family member. It was a black day for Larai. She didn't know if she would ever be as happy as she used to be again.

All hope seemed lost.

••