Embarrassed and angry, Inna muttered,
> “Well, you have hands, don’t you? Try turning off the tap yourself.”
Startled, the village head lifted his head and only then realized it was Inna’s face staring at him. He scrambled out from under the bed just as Laraba entered, screamed, and collapsed. Everyone froze in shock, afraid to approach her. After a while, Laraba slowly opened her eyes, muttering prayers, sat up looking confused, and asked,
> “Hey, who brought me here?”
Everyone was silent. She turned to the village head nervously and asked,
> “What am I doing here?”
Trembling, the village head replied,
> “That’s exactly what I was going to ask you—but for now, please go home first.”
Laraba smirked at his confusion and walked away confidently. People stared at her as though seeing a new creature, but she ignored them, flaring her nostrils and swinging her shoulders until she reached home.
---
At Baba Inu’s house:
When Baba Inu came in, he went straight to his quarters. Standing at the door with a stern face, he cleared his throat. The children immediately became quiet, and the mothers started scolding the younger ones. Larai was cooking that day; she had placed the lunch pot in the middle of the yard, surrounded by bowls of different sizes. Four toddlers clung to her wrapper crying of hunger.
Angrily she shouted,
> “Indo, you’re so unfair to me! How can I handle cooking and these children? Kulu, come take them away!”
Baba Inu, frowning, stepped closer and said,
> “Larai, did you steal my food? You cooked a big pot—why is it larger than the portion I set aside for you?”
Shaking, Larai opened the pot.
> “No, the first pot spilled, so I cooked another one,” she explained.
He peered inside, saw food sticking to the bottom, and relaxed. He went to his room, unlocked a cupboard, and handed her a smaller pot.
> “Warm this soup for me.”
She quickly obeyed. As she divided the food among the children, each got barely a spoonful. Hansatu complained,
> “Larai, you’re selfish! Everyone must get more.”
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