Mama said, "Where's that little bit of washing you did that’s barely noticeable? Get up and do my work, wash my two bedsheets and the curtains, they're all dirty. After that, start cooking. Today we’re having dambun for lunch before Halira and the others come back from school. They’re well-behaved girls who focus on their education instead of giving in to laziness. Those who succumb to laziness stay at home and do their parents' housework. Someone who knows they've done something wrong should stay home and work to reduce their sins, but you don't even care about the reward you'll get for lightening your burden."

Filled with anger and the burning pain her words inflicted on my heart, I thought if she weren’t my father’s wife, I would slap her despite how weak I felt. I just said to her, "I swear, I can’t do anything for you right now. My stomach hurts and my back is killing me!"

Mama clapped her hands together, exclaiming loudly, "Oh my God! Just because you’re carrying that big stomach whose father nobody knows, you think you’ve grown up and have no shame, even insulting me. Everyone in this house, listen to what this shameless girl is saying to me, even insulting me! Yaya! Yaya! Come and see and hear for yourselves, now that Malam is not alive, she dares to insult me so that no one accuses me of falsehood."

All the women in the house gathered around, including my own mother. When my mother realized that the drama was about me, she stood aside, saying nothing to me.

Mama said, "I asked Narjeesah to do some work, and she refused, saying she couldn't do it."

Inno said, "Narjeesah, I’ve noticed lately that you’ve become very disrespectful. You’re disturbing the peace that Malam spent years building. We won’t tolerate this disrespect. How dare you insult someone who is like a mother to you?"

I remained silent, listening to them, as my own physical pain was my main concern.

Mama, with a smile on her face, said, "Are you ignoring us, acting like you see your playmates here? Since you have support, now you’re bold enough to talk back."

I got up, bypassed them, and walked to our room, lying down, feeling angry with everyone in the world.

Yaya said, "Umman Yara, don’t you think you should talk to Narjeesah about the disrespect she showed Larai? Just because she’s pregnant doesn’t mean she shouldn’t show respect. She should be more active instead of giving in to her condition, because childbirth will be very hard for her if she doesn’t."