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Assalamu alaikum beautiful people✨💫

Without any further ado, let's dive in😌💃🏻🥂

In the name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful.

"Kuluwa." I heard my mother yelling my name.

I groaned out loud. I've told her times without number to stop calling me that. I hurriedly put my hijab on and ran to her room. "Umma how many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that?" I said as I walked in.

"Toh Jiddarh. Happy?"  She laughed.

I smiled at her. "Yes." Then squatted beside her. "Good morning Umma, how are you feeling today?"

"I'm fine my daughter, Alhamdulillah." She patted my head lovingly.

My Umma—Asiya Bello, a petite woman in her late 30s. She's fair skinned with small brown eyes. She always face any challenge life threw her way with her head held up high and with a smile on her lips. She's the strongest woman I've ever known, my mentor, my role model.

"I'll get going now, I don't want to be late." I said as I stood up. "Be sure to take your medicine on time."

"I will, don't worry. Umma loves you, Umma will always loves you."

I hugged my mother tightly. She tells me this everyday and I cannot get enough of it. "Jiddarh loves you too Umma, Jiddarh will always loves you."

My mother is the most important part of my life, she's my everything, my best friend.  A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine deserts us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the cloud of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.

I went to the kitchen to remind my sister to give Umma her drugs. "In sha Allah Adda. I won't forget." I smiled and hugged her. My sister is very matured for an six year old.

I do not like leaving them alone, especially Umma but what can I do? I have go earn for us. Rumana can't, obviously, Umma is not well and our Dad.... I better not go there.

I arrived at my place of work about fifteen minutes later. I started working with the Hameed(s) three years ago.

Umma's sickness started few years ago, the one who supported us, who we depended on left us abruptly without any explanation except a letter that states that he has divorced my Umma. I hate him, so much he's the reason why my mom is sick. And what was her fault? Because she loved too much, he doesn't deserve her love. Who leaves his children and wife just like that?

I had no choice but to start working, I had no qualification whatsoever because I had just graduated from secondary school at that time and university was completely out of the question, and I had no money to start a business.

We weren't rich but then we could afford to place two meals a day and still go to school both Islamic and western. We were on a level below middle class. Then all of a sudden he deserted us and because we depended too much on him, we suffered. From that day on I vowed never to depend to anyone.

Sometimes you just gotta be your own hero and save yourself. Because the people you least expect to leave you are the first ones to leave. I always thought that he was my hero, here to guard me, us against all evils and struggles yet he is the reason behind every struggle.

The pay is very good, it let's me send my sister to school, pay the bills, coordinate the house and most especially pay for my mom's treatment, and still get to be with them. It is more than enough for me. Though the people are not the best employers you can get, I still tolerate them. For my mother and sister, I can tolerate anything.

I immediately went to the kitchen where I met Inna Lami, an older woman I work together with. She does the cooking and I do the cleaning. Plus she stays here.

"Ina kwana Inna." I greeted as I took off my floor length hijab and replaced it with a knee length one. It allows me to work flexibly.

"Lafiya qlau 'yan nan. You have arrived." She said with her soft motherly tone.

"Yes." I answered.

"Sannu. Go to the dining table and pack the dishes they must have finished by now."

I nodded and walked to the dining table where Alhaji and Hajiya are still seated. "Good morning Hajiya." I greeted and she barely acknowledged me, she just nodded her head.

"Good morning Alhaji." I greeted the husband to which I received a proper reply.

"Jiddarh," he said. "how is your mom? And your sister?"

"They're all fine, Alhamdulillah." I replied. He's the only person that treats me like a human being.

"Toh madallah."

Just then their daughter, Lubna, walked in, together with her maternal cousin, Hajara. Hajiya's niece. They greeted their parents. "Keh Jiddarh." Lubna called as I was about to walk out. "Yes?" I turned around.

"Tell Lami—" Her father shot a glare and she corrected herself. "Tell Inna Lami to cook indomie for Hajara and I."

"Okay." I turned around to leave and she called me back again.

"On second thoughts, you cook it yourself, I don't like the way she cooks it. You know how we like it right?"

"Yes." I answered shooting her a fake smile.

"Good. We'll be in our room." With that they turned around and climbed the stairs.

I ambulated back to the kitchen and set the dishes in the sink. I carried a pot and Inna asked what I'm going to do with it. "Lubna said to cook Indomie for them."

She nodded. "It's better you cook it, ni bana iya musu. Kullun nayi se suce ba haka ba, I can't keep up with them, anytime I cook it's never what they want."

I smiled. The most annoying thing about them is that they are picky eaters. Not this way that way, here's the amount you should use, how many calories does it have? Anytime they ask the last question, I feel like slapping them. How on earth am I suppose to know the amount of calories it contains? Smh, cue the eye roll.

I cooked it exactly the way they liked it and took it to their room. I met them sitting on Hajara's bed with a laptop in front of them. I kept the tray on the bedside table. Ba sannu balle nagode.

"Close the door." Hajara yelled, as if I told her I wasn't going to. Both of them are 22 years old, studying public administration in Yusuf Maitama Sule University, formerly known as Northwest university. Both in their final years.

I went back to the kitchen and started my work. I swept and mopped the two living rooms downstairs, and the one upstairs. Then Hajiya's room and the kids room. I know they aren't exactly kids, but they do behave like kids. In their room, I have to pack tons of clothes from the floor, even their underwears, and I have to wash their toilet.

Ya Allah show me day when I don't have to do this for others except for myself, and my Umma. Ameen.

~*~*~*~

I mostly finish my work before Asr time then leave if Hajiya doesn't need anything. Today's no different too, I finished my work by 2:30 and I was hoping to go back home early, so that I can pray Asr there.

I said my goodbye to Inna Lami, as I was about to leave Hajiya called me. I met her in the living room watching TV, I squatted down. "Have you finished your work?" She asked.

"Yes. I was about to leave." I responded.

"I need you to go tidy up my son's apartment. He is finally coming back home." She instructed, then smiled when she said the last sentence.

I do know she has a son but I've never seen him. He hasn't returned since I started working for them, three years ago. That's a lot of time to be away from your family in my opinion, he didn't visit at all, though they sometimes spend the holiday in the country he's schooling.

I collected the key and ambulated to his side, situated behind the main house.  The apartment contains a medium sized living room, a big master bedroom with en suite, a study and a kitchenette.  Nobody has been here for a long while so the places is very dusty.

It took me an hour and a half to get everything done. I didn't bother returning the key to Hajiya, I just gave it to Inna and left.

"Assalamu Alaikum." I yelled as I entered the house.

"Wa'alaikums salam." I heard Umma's reply. She must be in the kitchen. I met her in front of a murhu, local stove.

"Umma." I scolded. "I always tell you to stop using this, the kero has finished?"

She smiled sheepishly. "I didn't want to bother you. You are already doing enough."

I sighed and sat down on the stool beside her. I picked her hands. "Umma please don't. I don't want to hear it, we've through this time and again. You can never bother me. It's my duty."

"I just feel useless." She sniffed. "I never wanted this life for you and Rumana."

"Umma." I whined. I don't like it when she talks this way. None of us want this, but there's nothing we can do about it except pray.

"We've been through this Umma. I don't like it when you talk this way. So please stop, if not I'll be upset with you. Umma all I need is your blessings."

She wiped the tears that managed to fall off her face, then pulled me for a hug. "Allah maki albarka, ya baki miji na gari."

"Ameen Umma. Jiddarh loves you Umma, Jiddarh will always love you. Forever and always.

"Umma loves you too my baby, Umma will always love you."

******

Assalamu alaikum my loves💕
Memzyb✨🌹 is back with an all new and exciting story, yay🎉💃🏻 Who's excited? I know I am💁🏻‍♀️🕺🏻💃🏻

I miss JaYan😩😭 my babies🤧❤️

So this is officially the first chapter of Jiddarh💃🏻🎉 I know, I know, it's not much but I promise there's more to come, you know how I roll 😉😁

So tell me, what are your thoughts on the first chapter? Loved it? Hate it? Tell me I want to know!

If you're coming here from Jewels, I love you😩😭❤️ if you're new, I love you too 🎉❤️ Have you read Jewels? If no, go check it out, I promise you'll love it.

And how do you feel about our darling Jiddarh already? Well for me, I love her 😍 she's very different from Jawahir, very. Like, they are polar opposites. Fire and ice, lol

I sincerely hope you'll love and support me and the characters as you did, even better than before🙏🏻❤️

I've told you, I love y'all right? Okay, I'm out✌🏼

Ohh before I leave; don't forget to please vote, comment, follow and share please🌼🌺

See you in the next chapter, in sha Allah💕💕

Remember to protect yourself
Wash your hands frequently
Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose
Avoid crowded places
And most especially
STAY AT HOME!

Yours truly
Memzyb✨🌹