Sign Married Book 2 Complet complete Arewareads hausa document - Oum Hairan

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English Translation

Part 3 (Chapters 12 to 15)

Ma'u walked hurriedly through the dark, her primary goal being to put as much distance as possible between herself and the house. In her mind, she had resolved not to go to her older siblings' house, nor even to Umma's, because they would likely just return her straight to Yaya Ahmad. As for Ahmad, he had been constantly scolding her and locking her inside the house like a trapped creature, though she hadn't realized it. Suddenly, she collided with a man, causing her belongings to scatter everywhere. He staggered as if he were about to fall, but thankfully managed to keep his balance. The man blurted out an exclamation and started apologizing, but her heart skipped a beat because she recognized her husband's voice! She immediately clamped her mouth shut, uttering not a single word, gathered her bundle of items, and rushed past him. By the grace of Allah, the electricity was restored right at that moment.
As Ahmad apologized, he glanced back at her with surprise, wondering why the person he had bumped into hadn't said a word. He even briefly suspected she might be mute, but then a thought crossed his mind: Could it be Ma'u? His shock multiplied when he saw her hurrying away. He began calling out, "Ma'u! Ma'u!" Her body shivered as the realization sank in. She froze in her tracks, unable to move forward or backward, until he reached her. He leaned in to peer at her face to confirm it was truly her. Filled with anxiety upon confirming her identity, he asked in a fearful tone, "Ma'u, where are you going?" She still could not speak; only tears of fear streamed down her eyes. He looked like he wanted to say more, but instead, he simply grabbed her hand and started walking. Asma'u followed him, weeping silently.
She was completely ruined! She knew that today, the only one who could separate her from Yaya Ahmad was Allah Himself. Furthermore, the house was completely empty, with no one to rescue her. She followed him step-by-step, hugging her bundle tightly, until they entered the house. The moment they stepped inside, he shut the door securely and locked it behind them. That action terrified her all over again, and she burst into bitter tears. He looked at her—her hand still locked inside his—and said nothing until they reached their room. He seated her gently on the edge of a chair, saying, "Wait for me here, let me come back," and quickly hurried into the other room.
She immediately stood up, pacing the room in tears with her hands on her head, beginning to beg: "For God's sake, Yaya, please forgive me! I have changed, I swear I will never do it again..." Just as she spoke, he walked back in holding a heavy belt. She panicked, shrieking loudly. He placed a finger over his lips, shushing her: "Shh, shh, stop crying, Ma'u! I am not going to beat you with this. I brought it so that you can beat me with it, to repay the beatings I gave you earlier. I have finally realized how wrong my actions were. Take it, Ma'u!" He handed her the belt, extending it toward her.
Shock washed over her, and she stepped backward in disbelief. She didn't believe him—she couldn't bring herself to think that was genuinely what was in his heart; she assumed he was only playing a trick to get close enough to catch her. Seeing her retreat, he lunged forward and firmly grasped her hand. She let out a sharp cry, her body trembling, as he pushed the belt into her grip. "I am serious, Ma'u! I am not going to beat you. Repay every blow I ever gave you, as long as it stops you from attempting to run away and leave me!" Her husband's words left her completely speechless, staring at him with the belt still in her hand. Despite her young age, his heartfelt words deeply shook her. He released her hand and the belt, turned around, and sat on a chair, staring at her intently. "Beat me, Ma'u. Please, go ahead, I am sitting right here for you to hit me however you like. I just don't want you ever to attempt running away again. If you run away, I am ruined—I wouldn't even know where to anchor my life. Don't you know Raliya also ran away and left me with a failed marriage?"
She widened her eyes in astonishment upon hearing this and asked cautiously, "Did Raliya really run away? Did you beat her too, and that's why she fled, Yaya?" The way she asked almost made him laugh, but he restrained himself and replied, "I didn't beat her! You know Raliya's nature; I couldn't even touch her, let alone beat her. I just don't want you to run away either. If you run away, no one will forgive me—especially Umma! And I want you to stay because I am certain you have grown up and moved past this, right, Ma'u?" She smiled. By now, her anxiety had largely subsided. She walked up to him, knelt down, handed the belt back, and whispered, "Yaya, I cannot beat you. I know I was the one at fault. Please forgive me, I will never do it again." His face lit up with relief. "Alright, I have forgiven you. But you must promise me you will never attempt to run away and leave me." "I swear by Allah I will never do it again! I have stopped. I will never treat you the way Raliya did." "A promise is a very serious thing, Ma'u. Make sure you try to keep it." She nodded with a smile. He stood up. "Alright, you're over it now. What would you like me to cook for you so you can eat and go to sleep?"
She pouted her lips playfully in a spoiled manner. "Yaya, you are the one who kept telling me to act like a married woman, yet you wouldn't let me learn how to cook! Even Umma didn't teach me; she always said my cooking was just a messy disaster. But married women cook their own meals, I've seen it!" He smiled, affectionately calling her "Ma'u, you bundle of nonsense," and took her hand. "I'll start teaching you how to cook starting today, but you must promise not to complain until you've truly mastered it." "Yes, I agree! Once I learn, I won't give you any more trouble," she replied eagerly. "Alright, let's go to the kitchen. What are we going to cook right now?" Following closely behind him, she suggested, "Danmalele and spicy wheat-flour dumplings (wainar fulawa with red palm oil)." He chuckled, "Those aren't proper meals, those are snacks, and besides, you don't know how to make them! It's late now, let's just cook Indomie with onions and eat." She replied, "Indomie is nice too, Yaya, but I actually know how to make it! You don't even have to put it on fire; if you leave it sitting in hot water for a long time, it softens and you can just eat it!" He turned to her in absolute shock, his jaw dropping. "Who on earth taught you that?"
Ma'u sat on a chair, laughing at his bewildered expression. "At boarding school, that's how we always did it! We weren't allowed to light the camp stoves, and in the kitchen, they only provided us with hot water bowls. Isn't that how it's done? Let me teach you how it's actually done now!" She began helping him open the Indomie packets, pouring them into a pot, slicing onions, and adding them. Thus, their daily life continued. Day by day, Ma'u grew older; her physical features developed, and Ahmad's love and attraction toward her deepened intensely. However, out of extreme care and respect for her youth, he held himself back—he didn't even share a bed with her. She slept on the bed, while he slept on a mat and pillow on the floor every single night. He allowed neighborhood children to visit her, keep her company, and play child-friendly games, while he patiently taught her how to cook until she began to master it.
However, what began to worry him was that her mother hadn't visited their home in nearly thirteen months, even though her husband constantly urged her to go visit her family. One day, he left early for work, which gave Ma'u the opportunity to cook a proper meal with stew since she had finally learned how. But she made the mistake of letting a neighborhood child wander into her kitchen. By now, Ma'u had gained a lot of maturity; she had abandoned much of her childish silliness and could clean her house impeccably. Around 7:00 PM, Ahmad returned home. To his utter surprise, although he honked his motorcycle horn three times, Ma'u didn't run out to open the gate for him as she usually did (normally she rushed out by the second horn, calling out, "Yaya, welcome!"). Tonight, he honked over six times, yet heard no response.
Feeling uneasy, he pushed the front door open manually, rode his bike inside, and parked it. To his dismay, the house was in complete disarray—uncleaned, unlike how he always left it. His mood soured when he heard the television blaring; evidently, TV had completely distracted her, causing her to forget her chores and even fail to open the gate. He headed toward the bedroom, but caught a strong burning smell coming from the kitchen. Rushing over, he found rice on the stove, burnt nearly to a crisp! The stew was sitting nearby with its lid slightly ajar. Frustration flared up in him again: What on earth is Ma'u playing at today? He pulled the rice pot off the burner, switched off the stove, and hurried toward the mini-living room. Peeking behind the curtain and calling out, he found the room completely empty except for the blaring television.
Panic began to grip him: Where was Ma'u? Dropping the curtain, he rushed into the bedroom, calling her name repeatedly: "Ma'u! Ma'u!" He lifted the curtain and widened his eyes, but she was nowhere to be seen inside the room. His stomach churned with dread. He shouted aloud, "I am ruined! Where could Ma'u have gone?" He called out her name again at the top of his lungs, until he heard faint, muffled sobbing coming from behind the bed. Rushing behind the bed, he found her huddled in a tight ball, trembling like someone forced into confinement. Astonishment painted his face as he saw her drenched in sweat, her eyes bloodshot from crying intensely, gasping for breath. He knelt before her, asking anxiously, "Ma'u, what is wrong? What happened to you?"
At that, she burst into fresh tears, shrinking away from him and crying, "Please, Yaya Ahmad, don't beat me! You promised you wouldn't beat me anymore! I swear to God I didn't do anything immoral with anyone, I didn't do what Raliya did with Sisco! Bring the Quran, let me swear on it!" Shock and terror gripped him even harder as she tried to crawl further away into the corner. He softened his tone, trying to calm her: "Stop, Ma'u, tell me what happened! I am not going to beat you, I swear to God whatever you did, I won't strike you! Don't you know you are grown up now? Even Umma wouldn't beat you, let alone me! Tell me what happened!" Amidst broken sobs, pulling her wrapper tighter around herself, she cried, "Do you even know I am not a bad girl, Yaya?" Trembling, he raised his head: "I know, Ma'u. You are righteous, you are not a bad person. What happened? Did someone break into the house and violate you, Ma'u? Tell me, I can take it—I can handle whatever happened to you. I know accidents happen..." "You're already shouting before I even explain! I swear to God I didn't do anything immoral, Yaya, I didn't do anything!"
Growing irritated, he raised his voice: "Haba, Ma'u! Tell me what happened, what is it? Tell me!" Instead of calming down, she panicked further, trying to burrow under the bed while weeping hysterically. His heart softened instantly; he realized he was acting foolishly. He looked at her and said, "Okay, calm down, Ma'u. I'm sorry, tell me—what is it?" Seeing she wouldn't speak, he waited for a pause in her breathing, caught her hands, and pulled her up gently. She broke into another fit of crying and screaming, clutching her clothes as if she might faint, repeating, "I swear to God I didn't do any immorality, Yaya, I swear to Allah!" His heart plummeted when he noticed fresh spots of blood staining her wrapper and the floor. Utter panic seized him; unable to cry anymore, he shouted, "Ma'u! What is this? What am I looking at?"
"This isn't normal menstrual bleeding like yours or other women's..." Weeping, she explained, "At first, I thought it was what my friends called menstruation, where you use a piece of cotton cloth like a handkerchief and it stops. But when I put it on, it soaked through; I changed it, and it soaked through again, and then blood started gushing out, even though I didn't do anything, I swear I didn't do anything!" Despite the heavy bleeding, the situation almost made him chuckle. He released her hands so she could feel at ease, then began, "It's nothing, Ma'u. Every woman experiences her period differently. Come on, take off your soiled clothes, take a bath, and let's head to the chemist to see if there's any problem." She let out a long, relieved sigh, momentarily forgetting her husband was right in front of her as she hurriedly began stripping off her blouse. He didn't expect what he saw next: When did Ma'u grow up like this? When did she turn into a full-grown woman without me realizing it?
His heartbeat shifted radically. He quickly averted his gaze, struggling to find his composure. Immersed in her panic, she wanted to remove all her clothes—today, she showed none of her usual shyness in front of him because she was out of her mind with worry. She wrapped another wrapper around herself. He fetched water in a bucket and placed it by the bathroom door. "Quickly now, go inside and take a bath," he said without looking at her. She didn't pay attention either and rushed into the bathroom. While she was inside, he entered the room with the bucket, gathered her soiled clothes, took them outside, and stepped out to purchase feminine hygiene supplies for her.
By the time he returned, she was still in the bathroom finishing up her bath. This gave him time to tidy up the room. In the middle of cleaning, she walked out, greeting him with salam. He raised his head quickly, smiled, and returned the greeting. In a spoiled tone, she said, "Yaya, I'm done, but it's still leaking a little bit." Laughter overtook him. He shook his head, looking at her: "My goodness, Ma'u, what kind of innocent simpleton are you? Here, take this and put on your underwear. You know how it's done, right?" She nodded affirmatively with an "I know." "Alright, get dressed while I go take a quick bath too. I just got back and I'm a bit tired." She replied affirmatively, and he stepped out to shower, though his mind continued to race with conflicting thoughts.
Afterward, they visited the neighborhood chemist—a local nurse who provided medical aid in the area at night. Upon hearing Ma'u's explanation, she could only hide her face and laugh. Nurse Deeja laughed heartily, teasing Ma'u gently before explaining to Ahmad that there was nothing to worry about. Many young women experienced heavy flows like this during their very first periods, but it would stabilize afterward. She prescribed medication and gave them advice before they left. On their way back, Ma'u wondered where her husband was taking them, noticing they weren't taking the road home. To her absolute surprise, it looked like they were heading toward her mother's street! She kept quiet, swallowing her excitement, but the moment they turned into the familiar lane, joy overwhelmed her so intensely she couldn't hide it. She lunged forward and hugged him tightly, letting out a shriek of joy. At first, he was startled by her sudden grip, causing them almost to crash their bike, but realizing it was pure excitement, he relaxed. However, her tight embrace caused his pulse to race, stirring feelings he struggled to suppress. He realized he was dangerously close to breaking his personal vow to wait until Ma'u fully matured into womanhood before approaching her as a wife.
Pulling over right in front of the house, he parked the motorcycle. Before he even came to a complete halt, she scrambled off, eager to rush inside. "Ma'u, have you lost your mind? Would you jump off right in the middle of the street? Don't you know you are a married woman now? Stop right there or we're going straight back home!" She subdued her excitement, terrified of what her husband might do, and pleaded, "Forgive me, Yaya, I've stopped, I won't do it again." He released her arm, shaking his head. "Alright, stay here and let's walk in together. I told you to cut out the overexcitement." She nodded without a word, though joy and eagerness radiated from her. He secured the bike, and they walked into the compound.
Yaya Auwalu was sitting outside his chemist shop, watching them approach from afar with a wide, welcoming grin as he saw how mature and radiant his "Ma'u" had become. Just as they got near the shop, Ma'u slipped away and bolted inside the house, refusing to endure any more of Ahmad's teasing. Ahmad watched her go with a fond, amused shake of his head before bursting into laughter. Yaya Auwalu also stepped out of the chemist, laughing heartily and calling out, "Hoo! Umma's lastborn, she still hasn't grown serious, has she, Ahmad?" Ahmad laughed softly, greeting his older brother, and the two shook hands while chuckling. Yaya Auwalu announced, "I need to close the chemist because I simply must go see Umma’s lastborn before Umma gets angry with me!" Laughing again, the two men walked into the family compound together after Auwalu locked up his shop.
Inside the house, Umma and Malam were sitting together watching television since there was electricity, catching the 9:00 PM news. Ma'u burst in unannounced, completely forgetting to say salam, and threw herself directly onto Umma's lap. Startled, they turned to look at her in alarm. Umma was too stunned to speak, but Malam mustered the courage to scold her: "Asma'u, are you out of your mind?!" As she settled onto her mother's lap with a happy laugh, she pleaded, "Forgive me, Baba! Walahi, joy just overwhelmed me. I've missed you both for so long! Good evening..." Umma simply stared at her youngest daughter, her mouth refusing to close—Ma'u had transformed into a striking young adult. Malam swallowed his lecture, smiling at the sight of his cherished daughter. "You will never outgrow your silliness, will you? Where is your husband?" Ma'u covered her mouth, laughing playfully. "Umma, did you hear what Baba said? He asked 'Where is my husband' instead of saying 'Where is your older brother'!" That amused them all, and they burst into shared laughter. Umma stroked Ma'u's head, saying, "Oh, my lastborn! I wonder the day you will finally grow up."
Right at that moment, Auwalu and Ahmad walked in. Ma'u glanced at Yaya Ahmad with a sly giggle and said, "Yaya, I'm not going to run away anymore, I swear! I just missed Umma so much." He nodded with a quiet smile, saying nothing. Yaya Auwalu teased playfully, "And what about me? Why did no one stop to greet me?" She covered her face, giggling, "Yaya, good evening, I'm ignoring you!" Umma laughed, saying, "You've filled the house with so much chatter you've stopped me from greeting my older son properly!" Ahmad found a seat, smiling shyly while stealing glances at Ma'u, who was darting her eyes around. "We're just here to greet you, Baba. Good evening," Ahmad said respectfully. Malam Sulaiman responded warmly and greeted Umma in return. From there, the room erupted into lively, joyful conversation. Ma'u felt so happy she wished she never had to return to her husband's house. Ahmad himself was thoroughly enjoying the family warmth; sitting among his parents and siblings felt better than anything else in the world.
Realizing the time, Malam spoke up: "So, what time are you planning to leave? You've settled in and turned this into a full gossip session, Deeje!" Umma laughed, "Leave them alone, I didn't stop them!" Ma'u pouted like she was about to cry, "Baba, let us sleep here tonight, please!" "Sleep over?" Malam asked in surprise. Ahmad chimed in, "Yes, we can head back tomorrow morning." Auwalu burst into laughter, "Don't tell me this young man has learned all her childish antics!" Ahmad shook his head. "No, not at all, but you can just stay the night; there's no rush." Malam stood up, "Better for me to head out, because it looks like you people have no intention of leaving tonight! You must depart right now," commanded Malam. Umma, however, smiled—secretly, she wanted them to stay the night so she could have uninterrupted time to talk to her daughter about everything she couldn't discuss earlier due to Malam's strict rules.
Asma'u instantly sat up with a pout, and tears welled up in her eyes. Malam scolded, "Asma'u, crying again?! If you start this today, don't ever let her visit this house again, Ahmad!" She burst into tears, crying, "Baba, forgive me! He is the one who stops me from going anywhere; if I leave today, I don't know when I'll ever be allowed to come back!" "That's how it should be! Now let's go, because if we give in to Asma'u's childishness, we'll be here all night." They all headed toward the door, except Umma, who quickly grabbed Asma'u's hand and pulled her back. Joy filled Ma'u, thinking Umma was going to let her stay, but instead, Umma sat her down for a serious piece of advice: "Listen to me, Ma'u. Now you see you are a married woman; your life is no longer what it used to be. You must settle down and do everything properly. Stop running and jumping around—even if you weren't married, you ought to have more dignity by now. Don't you know you are becoming a young lady?"
Ma'u covered her eyes, laughing out of sheer shyness—thinking to herself that Umma had no idea what had happened to her just today. Umma cut through her shyness: "Look at me and open your eyes, let's talk, we don't have much time." Ma'u opened her eyes, looking intently at her mother. Umma continued urgently, "Now, regarding cooking—have you learned how to cook yet? Every time your husband visits, I ask him, and he says you can." Ma'u laughed, "Yes, Umma, I can! I can make Indomie, rice, and pasta. The other day I even made stew!" Umma let out a relieved sigh. "You're still quite young, but I'm going to buy you a cookery book and give it to your husband to bring to you. Now let's go before they get tired of waiting."
As they hurried out to catch up with the men, Ma'u glanced at her mother and whispered, "Umma, you didn't scold Yaya! Tell him to let me visit home more often, and let me go back to school, please, Umma!" Umma's expression clouded with quiet hesitation: "Ah, no—there's no talk of you returning to school or wandering about daily just yet. Wait for a while." "But Umma, what about school? You know Yaya promised I would become a doctor!" Right at that moment, they reached the porch where Ahmad and the others were standing. That last sentence hit everyone's ears. Ma'u froze, seeing all eyes fixed on her, and began stammering nervously. Ahmad's heart skipped a beat; if Ma'u dragged him into a debate about school in front of her mother, he was done for, as he could never argue against Umma's judgment! Fortunately, Malam diverted everyone's attention from his anxiety: "Go on inside and greet Jibril, Ahmad." Ahmad looked at Malam quickly. Ma'u pouted, ready to protest, but Umma cut her off: "Malam, I think they must be asleep by now." "Even if they're asleep, you can wake them up to exchange greetings. Go on inside and greet them," Malam instructed. Ahmad led the way, with Ma'u following right behind him. To their complete surprise, they spotted Lami sneaking out from behind the porch door, completely shameless and without fear of God—she had been eavesdropping on them the whole time, knowing full well that whenever they entered the compound, her husband would start nagging her. Umma and Malam watched her in silence as Ahmad and Ma'u stepped into the house. The moment Lami heard their conversation ending and realized they were about to leave, she had bolted out!

Comprehensive Summary

Narrative Progression (Part 3)

The Escape and Reconciliation: Fearing the strict control of her husband, Asma'u ("Ma'u") attempts to run away into the dark night, only to bump into Ahmad himself. Terrified of punishment, she expects the worst when he brings her back home. Instead, in a surprising display of psychological remorse and affection, Ahmad hands her a belt, asking her to hit him as a symbol of repentance, swearing never to strike her again. This deep emotional vulnerability breaks down her defenses, and she happily settles back into domestic life.
Maturation and Domestic Life: Months pass. Ma'u matures physically and mentally, learning how to cook, maintaining the home, and adapting to her role as a young wife. Ahmad struggles internally with his intense attraction to her, exercising strict self-restraint to protect her youth, sleeping on the floor while she takes the bed.
The Medical Scare: A sudden medical scare occurs when Ma'u experiences heavy bleeding, mistaking it for a crisis. Panic ensues until a neighborhood nurse (Deeja) reassures them that it is simply the onset of her first womanhood cycle (menstruation).
Family Reunion and Intrigue: Ahmad and Ma'u visit her parents' home, where Ma'u is joyfully received by Umma and Malam. The visit highlights how much Ma'u has grown, though tensions linger regarding her desire to continue schooling. Meanwhile, the antagonist Lami is caught eavesdropping on their family interactions, setting the stage for future neighborhood malice.

Detailed Description

Key Settings

The Domestic Haven: Ahmad and Ma'u's home transforms from a strict, tense environment into a functional, loving household as Ma'u embraces her domestic responsibilities and cooking lessons.
Umma's Compound: A warm, nostalgic space representing parental safety, unconditional maternal guidance, and cultural grounding for Ma'u.

Character Development

Ahmad: Evolves from a strict, heavy-handed guardian into a reflective, emotionally mature protector who recognizes his past mistakes and actively guards Ma'u's emotional and physical well-being.
Asma'u (Ma'u): Transitions from a naive, hyperactive, childish "lastborn" into a self-aware, maturing young woman navigating the complexities of marriage, physical changes, and growing responsibilities.

Literary & Analytical Insights

1. Psychological Evolution of Domestic Dynamics

The Subversion of Power: Ahmad’s gesture with the belt is a brilliant psychological pivot. Instead of enforcing authority through physical dominance (which he regrets), he yields power to her. This vulnerability earns her true emotional submission and trust, cementing their bond far more effectively than fear ever could.
Coming-of-Age (Bildungsroman Elements): Ma'u's physical maturation (her first period) mirrors her psychological growth. Her transition from childish tantrums to managing a household and understanding emotional boundaries marks her formal entry into adulthood within the narrative.

2. Thematic Continuities

Maternal Guidance vs. Patriarchal Control: Umma acts as the voice of sensible moderation. While Ahmad tries to control her movements out of fear of losing her, Umma provides the structural wisdom necessary for Ma'u to accept her new societal role gracefully.
Persistent Envy: Lami’s continued eavesdropping and malicious curiosity reinforce the theme that external toxicity is an ever-present shadow in communal living, contrasting sharply with the genuine warmth found in Umma’s household.