Funeh’s heart sank as she saw the look of utter devastation on her mother’s face. She had known that revealing Fatou’s secret would hurt their Mama, Sunkaru, but she hadn’t anticipated just how deeply it would cut.
Sunkaru stood still, the weight of Funeh’s revelation pressing down on her like a physical burden. She had always seen herself in Fatou—her strength, her resilience, her determination. To hear that her daughter was pregnant out of wedlock felt like the final, crushing blow in a lifetime of battles fought against societal expectations.
Fatou was her pride, her proof to the world that a woman could be strong and stand tall. Now, all of that seemed to be crumbling around her. The mocking laughter of the villagers when they hear about the news, the scornful whispers of her womenfolk, and the disdainful glances of the men echoed in her mind. They would all feel vindicated. She had always been a target of their contempt, a woman who dared to defy the traditional roles assigned to her gender. A woman who could plough a vast field of land, sell her produce to the Government more than any man… And now, it seemed, they had been right all along. A woman must know her place, and her place is nowhere close to competing men!
Sunkaru felt a tightness in her chest, a sharp pain that radiated down her arm. She gasped, clutching at her heart, and staggered back. Funeh rushed to her side, her eyes wide with fear.
“Mama, are you okay?” she cried, supporting her mother as best she could.
Sunkaru tried to steady herself, but the pain was overwhelming. She had always been strong, always prided herself on her resilience, but now she felt like she was being torn apart from the inside.
“Help… help me… Funeh…” she managed to gasp before collapsing to the floor.
Funeh screamed for help, her voice ringing through the house. Her siblings awoke in a jolt all at once and rushed to their mother’s aid, their faces pale with shock and fear. Her father sufferring from a blinding hangover, from yesterday night’s drunken spree at the village’s pub, mummured some swear words under his breath and continued sleeping. Together, Sunkaru’s older children managed to lift their mother onto a makeshift stretcher and with the help of some of their neighbours, carried her to the village healer’s hut.
The healer, Aja, was an elderly woman with kind eyes and a gentle touch. She immediately set to work. She mixed herbs and applied poultices, murmuring soothing words to calm both Sunkaru and her terrified children.
“Your mother is strong,” she said to Funeh, who was hovering nearby, wringing her hands in anxiety. “She will recover, but she needs rest and peace of mind.”
Funeh nodded, her heart heavy with guilt. She had betrayed her sister’s trust and now her mother was suffering. The weight of responsibility pressed down on her, and she vowed to do whatever it took to make things right.
When Sunkaru finally regained consciousness later in the day, she found herself surrounded by her children. Fatou, who had been informed of the situation by a tearful Funeh, was sitting by her side, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
“Mama, I’m so sorry,” Fatou whispered, her voice trembling. “I never meant for this to happen. I… I love him. And I thought he loved me too.”
Sunkaru looked at her daughter, her heart aching with a mixture of sorrow and love. She reached out and took Fatou’s hand, squeezing it weakly.
“I know you didn’t mean for this to happen,” she said softly. “But we have to face the consequences now. You are my daughter, and we will get through this together.”
Fatou nodded, tears streaming down her face. She felt a surge of relief and gratitude, but also a deep sense of regret for the pain she had caused her mother. Once again, in a village of rigid norms and deep seated hypocrisy, her mother had shown individuality. She had accepted her pregnant and unwedded child without hesitation or judgement. Afetrall, what differnce would it make to cry over split milk.
As the days passed, Sunkaru slowly regained her strength. Her children rallied around her, helping with the household chores and ensuring that she had everything she needed. The villagers, too, showed their support in their own way, bringing food and offering their assistance. Despite their gossip and judgment, they respected Sunkaru’s strength and resilience, and they were not completely heartless.
Funeh stayed close to her mother, assisting the healer whenever she came over to administer traditional medicines and making sure Sunkaru followed her recovery regimen. She found solace in being useful, in trying to make amends for her perceived betrayal. Yet, every night, the weight of the secret she had revealed haunted her dreams.
Meanwhile, Fatou with her younger siblings continued their mother’s farming, understanding that the gap she left could not be filled but striving to work as hard as she had before her illness took over. The children had a new-found respect for their mother as they took up her work, understanding the depths of her struggles and physical pain she endured everyday to ensure food was brought to the table.
One evening, as Sunkaru sat outside, watching the sun set over the village, Funeh approached her, carrying a cup of herbal tea.
“Mama, I want to apologise,” she said, handing her mother the cup. “I should never have betrayed Fatou’s trust. I was scared, and I didn’t know what to do.”
Sunkaru looked at her daughter, her eyes filled with understanding and sadness. “You did what you thought was right, Funeh. You were worried about me, and I appreciate that. But secrets have a way of coming out, no matter how hard we try to keep them hidden.”
Funeh nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. “I just wanted to protect you and Fatou. I didn’t want you to suffer.”
Sunkaru reached out and took Funeh’s hand. “We all make mistakes, my child. What matters is that we learn from them and move forward. We are a family, and we must support each other, no matter what.”
The days turned into weeks, and Sunkaru slowly returned to her daily routine. She resumed her work in the fields, her strength and determination never wavering. Fatou, with the support of her family, began to come to terms with her pregnancy. She knew that the road ahead would be difficult, but she also knew that she was not alone.
Ariosvaldo, too, found himself grappling with the consequences of his actions. He couldn’t stop thinking about Fatou and the life growing inside her. Despite his mother’s disapproval and the societal pressures, he knew that he couldn’t abandon them. He resolved to stand by Fatou, to face whatever challenges lay ahead together.
One afternoon, as Fatou was working in the fields, Ariosvaldo approached her. He looked nervous, his hands trembling slightly as he reached out to touch her arm.
“Fatou,” he said softly. “I’ve been thinking a lot about us, about our child. I want to be there for you, for both of you. I don’t care what anyone says. I love you, and I want to make this work.”
Fatou looked at him, her heart swelling with a mixture of love and fear. “Ariosvaldo, I don’t know if it’s possible. Our families, our villages… they will never accept us.”
“Let them talk,” Ariosvaldo replied, his voice firm. “We can find a way to make it work. We’ll be stronger together.”
Fatou nodded, tears of relief and hope streaming down her face. She knew that the road ahead would be fraught with challenges, but with Ariosvaldo by her side, she felt ready to face them.
The couple decided to speak to their families together. They knew it wouldn’t be easy, but they hoped that their love and determination would help them overcome the obstacles in their path.
When they approached Sunkaru, she looked at them with a mixture of sadness and resignation. She listened as Ariosvaldo explained his intentions, his voice steady and sincere. Fatou held his hand tightly, her eyes pleading for her mother’s understanding.
“Mama, we know this won’t be easy,” Fatou said softly. “But we love each other, and we want to be together. Please, help us make this work.”
Sunkaru sighed, her heart heavy with the weight of their words. She saw the determination in their eyes, the love that bound them together. She knew that opposing them would only drive them further apart.
“I won’t lie and say I’m not disappointed,” Sunkaru said slowly. “But if this is what you truly want, I will support you. Love is a powerful thing, and I can see that you both have it. Just promise me that you will be strong, that you will face the challenges together.”
Fatou and Ariosvaldo nodded, tears of gratitude filling their eyes. They embraced Sunkaru, their hearts filled with hope and determination.
To be contd.
