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[B]

It was past midnight, and under hypnosis, Fadwa could hear words being raised, and belt being splashed. She woke up from her sleep and looked beside her, that's when she saw Majida and Sabeebah peacefully sleeping, but Ammi wasn't there. She prayed it wasn't what she was expecting. She prayed he wasn't inebriated again and he was dropping it all on their Ammi, she felt her knees going weak.

She stood up from their mattress and moved to the door, that's when she heard Ammi's crying voice speaking at Baffah, and still the sound of his belt hadn't stopped deafening the earshot of Fadw. She began crying.

"Mamman, know that a day would come that you will surely regret all you've done to me and my daughters but then; it would be too late to cry when the head is cut off..." Even though be was beating her, her voice was as still low as the whisper of the wind.

Fadwa heard his roaring voice and fought the urge to go for Ammi, because she knew Ammi wouldn't be happy with that.

"How dare you, Fatima? How dare you call me a drunkard and a shame to your useless daughters? How dare you accuse me of physically abusing you?!" He roared and Fadwa heard more slashing of the belt on whose body she loved the most in her life. She chuckled, a bitter chuckled she felt her chest being squeezed.

What was he doing then? Was he romantically caressing her that he's even denying physically abusing her and wanted her to change her words while his belt was everywhere on her body? What was wrong with her Baffah? Where had Ammi gone wrong that he choose to make their lives a living hell with no space left for happiness?

She was carried away that she hadn't heard the words they shared until he finally let go of Ammi and she stood up to leave. "You'll watch my daughters take me out of here to somewhere serene and safe, somewhere I can find happiness and it'll fill my lungs. My daughters will surely avenge on me. Someday, and the day would surely come; just watch and see."

Fadwa practically ran to their mattress and lay down, closing her eyes with her wrapper to avoid Ammi from seeing how tears were fighting which one to come down first on her cheeks. She would surely make Ammi's wish come true, she will avenge for her in any way possible.

She heard as Ammi trudged inside the room and tried so hard in muffling her cries. Fadw heard as she lay on the bed and it squeaked, and shs heard as Ammi brought Sabeehah to her chest and broke into silent tears before she spoke painfully.

"I will make sure you'll stop witnessing the toxic side of your father. I'll make sure you love him even with an ounce, make Ammi proud my girls." This brought more tears to all of them, and they cried themselves to sleep.

Fadwa woke up before it was even time for subh salah, she set the fire and boiled water for Ammi to bath with before she took some and had her bathe too. She got herself prepared before they proclaimed the salah, she prayed and heated their uneaten tuwo Ammi made yesterday night.

She was taking her own share when Ammi woke up and found her glumly eating her food. "Why haven't you woke us up? We're late, the mosques have finished praying already." Ammi said as she got down from the bed, walking over to Majida's sleeping figure.

"I noticed that you've been stressed and might need to rest. It's only while you sleep that your mind is freed and you rest so much. Make it a habit, Ammi, sleep to your satisfaction please." She smiled at her, and Ammi felt more meaning to her words.

"Majida, wake up for salah, we're minutes late." Ammi woke Majida up before she went to the kitchen and found the hot water, she took it and had her bathe before she went back to the room, looking at how Fadwa was deep in thoughts.

She bid them goodbye and was about to leave the house when she heard Majida asking Ammi about the bruises on her face. Ammi smiled and answered, "It's nothing to worry about, Majida. I slipped yesterday night in the toilet because the torchlight took off like that, we're going to buy a new one today."

Fadwa walked towards Nadia's house with tears she forced not to come down, "You'll be happy someday, Ammi." She whispered to herself.

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