Dan Adam Book 1 Complete Hausa Novel

"Hello, Ummi."
Amina's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Ummi looked up, and they exchanged smiles.
"Yes," Amina replied as she folded her prayer cloth and set it aside. She sat on the edge of the mattress near Ummi, observing her.
"Where are you from?"
"Ringim," Ummi answered briefly.
"Really? You’re not too far from here."
Ummi had begun to relax a bit around Amina, noticing how comfortable she made her feel. This was why she didn’t feel burdened by her questions.
"Are you from around here?"
Ummi shook her head.
"I’ve lived here most of my life, but my father was originally from Maradi in the Republic of Niger. He came to Nigeria in search of livelihood and ended up marrying my mother, Innata. But now he’s passed away, leaving us four siblings. I’m the third child."

Ummi adjusted her scarf slightly.
"Do you work for Hajiya?"
Amina smiled.
"I work for Hajiya Mama, who is Hajiya Madina’s sister. That’s why you see me around the house. They traveled with her husband and children, so I came back to stay here until they return."
Ummi nodded, feeling a sense of relief. She had been worried about being left alone in the house, but now it seemed she might have some company.
"Hey, Ummi? You’re quiet while I’m talking."
Ummi quickly shook her head.
"Sorry."
Amina chuckled.
"It’s fine. Come on, let’s go tidy up the living room and kitchen before Hajiya comes back. Pay attention to everything I do because eventually, you’ll take over my duties."

Ummi didn’t mind. If the work was new and challenging, she was used to hard tasks anyway. Back at her grandfather’s house, she had spent countless hours working without anyone to share the burden. At least here, she had the chance to sleep in a clean room and eat good food. She had nothing but gratitude to God for this opportunity.

She followed Amina quietly as they left the room. In the living room, they found Adnan and his two siblings, whom Ummi had heard Ramma mention earlier—Ihsan, Hanifa, and Fahad, the youngest in the family.

Adnan was engrossed in his phone, trying to type something, while Ihsan was busy with her school homework. Ihsan was thirteen years old, about to turn fourteen, the same age as Ummi. Hanifa was twelve, just a year younger than Ihsan, and Fahad was eight. Hajiya Madina hadn’t had any more children after Fahad.

Adnan was the fourth child, with three older sisters—Rahila, Na’ima, and Aisha—all of whom were married and living in their own homes.

Their entrance into the living room caught everyone’s attention. Adnan glanced at Ummi, his expression softening for a moment before he turned back to Amina.
"Is her name Ummi?"
Amina nodded with a smile, her demeanor calm and composed, as if she was used to his antics.
"Yes, it is."
Ummi bowed slightly to greet Adnan and his siblings, then turned to Ihsan. Ihsan, however, burst into laughter. Adnan, amused, threw a cushion at her.
"See you, what’s so funny? You should at least greet her properly. From today, make sure you respect her. I’ll make sure you do."

Ihsan rolled her eyes.
"Please, I’m not going to respect her. And even if we set that aside, she’s our maid. She has to respect us."
She added, glaring at Ummi as if to emphasize her point. Ummi lowered her head further, feeling small. Amina didn’t say anything, knowing better than to get involved in Ihsan’s drama. She had seen enough to know that Ihsan loved to assert dominance over anyone under her.

It always amazed Amina how a girl so young could be so power-hungry. She was sure that if Ihsan continued down this path, it would lead to trouble in the future.
"Should we start?" Adnan asked as he stood up.
Ihsan hesitated for a second, then glanced at Hanifa.
"Teachers, focus so we can continue. I’m sleepy, I swear."
This made Hanifa quiet down, as she was also a bit intimidated by Ihsan’s presence. Ihsan had a way of making people feel uneasy, even though she was as thin as a stick.

"Let’s go, Ummi."
Ummi stood up, while Amina remained standing, not saying a word. She figured Ummi would handle it since she was new, but Amina had been through this before. Sometimes she ignored Ihsan’s antics, but other times, it led to arguments, and Hajiya Madina would end up scolding her.