Lahat ng Kabanata ng MAY: Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

"You heard me right." He said. May rolled her eyes. "So what are you? A psychologist?" 

"Answer me!" Edric thundered, standing up and taking a few steps towards her. May shivered, unable to speak. 

"Where do you think you're going?" Edric's voice caused May and Maryam to freeze. She was leaving for church but he just had to come out of his room just when she was about to open the door, spoiling everything for her. "Church?" She answered for the second time, confusion making the word quizzical. 

With the money Edric was earning from his new job, it was much easier to cope and months after, she gave birth to little Maryam. After that, they went to a registry nearby and got married. None of her family members graced them with their presence. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Her father stopped all means of communication between them. He had also given Mr. David and his family strict warning never to come close to his gate or step a foot into his compound. Regardless, the ceremony was successful and the newly wedded couple went home. 

 The sound of a moving bucket against the cemented floor attracted her attention. The noise was coming from the lady next door, who was too lazy to carry up the bucket of dirty clothes she was about to wash, leading to the scrapping that disturbed May. "Ah! Good morning." Greeted the

"What is wrong with you?!" "Are you asking me? You should be asking your good for nothing mistress!" May raised her voice loud enough to match the tone he had used on her. 

If asked to describe the particular day in question, one could begin with the drizzling outside, the cold, and how lazy the morning felt. A lizard had even managed to enter the house through the torn window screens, bobbing its head at the far end of the wall, close to the ceiling. May did not seem to notice.Her mind was filled with so many unanswered questions as she weaved Maryam's black hairinto five big braids. "Have you done your homework?" May asked. It was better starting off a conversation instead of thinking of what horror Monday had planned for her. Another quarrel? More beatings? Who knows? She might be wrapped up like a mummy and sent to her early grave. The thought alone was enough to eat her up."I have, since I came back from school on Friday," Maryam answered.

"Thank you so much for coming to our aid. If it weren't for you, we would have been drenchedby now." May said, closing the door by the passenger's side. "It's nothing." Iby smiled. "I pray to do more in the future." May looked behind her. Maryam was in the backseat of the car engrossed with the novel she'd been reading. This time May got to see the book's title, Precious Little Darlings. "Maryam..." May drawled. "Have you greeted my friend?" "Oh! Sorry." Maryam looked up from her novel in time to catch her mother giving her the 'behave yourself' look. "Good morning Uncle." 

May scanned the compound well as she got out, clutching her purse tighter because she couldn't afford to lose the money Edric had given her. There was a rusty car, covered in dust with one tire missing and it's windscreen broken. It was parked close to the dogs. May sucked in a deep breath trying to compose herself and stop her heart from jumping out. "Which one did you say was your house?" She asked, referring to the seven buildings in front ofthem. "There. The cream-colored one," he pointed at a building that was almost out of view from where they stood. The Banga tree leaves had hidden it. May gulped. This means they would have to pass the dogs, the car, and the tree, just to get to

Iby pointed behind her and she looked. There was an image of him when he was little. She hadn't noticed it earlier. "How old were you?" She asked, her brows drawing in as she studied the photo. "Five or six? I don't really remember." He replied with a shrug. She hummed in reply. "Don't I look gorgeous?" She raised a brow. "Well, I will say a bit cause your head looks bigger here." He laughed. "What about now?" "What about what?"