Mother said:

“Servant of God, please let us enter, won’t you give us a way in?”

“Enter where? For God's sake, turn back to where you came from. I swear you won’t enter this house.”

“But servant of God, is this really what you think is right after what you've done to your daughter? Why is it that we parents fail to be just to our children? When you discovered she was pregnant, how did it happen, did you investigate?”

“If we investigate properly, you are to blame. Because if you had cared for the trust God gave you, she wouldn’t have ended up doing what she shouldn't have. Know that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said every one of you is a shepherd and will be questioned about his flock. So, fear Allah.”

“Take care of the trust He gave you. Be patient, care for your daughter, and help her raise what Allah has given her. Now, where is her father?”

“Oh, you're done preaching? I see you didn't go to the mosque, but you're talking about trust. They said God gave me her as a trust, but those who were given the trust are the ones who abandoned her, because they brought her into this world the wrong way. And her father you’re asking about—did she tell you she has a father? Even if she says so, know that she doesn’t. So go back to where you came from. I swear, you are not coming in.”

The mother, staring at her in surprise, said:

“Servant of God, take it easy in this world. If I understand correctly, Fatima is not your daughter, is she? I was shocked when she told me she was pregnant and her parents threw her out. I know no good mother would abandon her daughter no matter what. But know that from today, I will care for Fatima like a daughter. I will treat her with the love of a mother.”

Then she held Fatima’s hand, and they both left crying.

(Oh well, don’t say that one day this same girl will be the source of problems for me.)

On the road, the mother kept scolding Fatima:

“Why didn’t you tell me the truth, that your father's wife threw you out?”

Fatima said nothing. If she was to speak, it would be tears instead.

They boarded a car and returned to Kaduna. When they got home, the mother noticed that Fatima was downcast.

“Relax with me. Take me as your mother. But please, tell me—where are your mother and father?”

“It’s been a year since my mother went missing. One day we woke up and couldn’t find her. My father searched until he gave up, and the stress caused his blood pressure to rise. Sometimes when Aunty Suwaiba sends me on errands and I return late, she beats me, even for chores my dad should do. Then one day he collapsed, and he became paralyzed. Even after she threw me out, he was still lying in a room where they store grains. Now I don’t even know if he’s still alive.”

She burst into tears again.

The mother pulled her