The Untainted
Chapter 11
"Oh! Hello, dear… forgive us for our dumbness," Mrs. Mustopha said softly, finally breaking the heavy silence that had wrapped around the living room. "We hope we didn't make you uncomfortable."
Her voice was warm now—motherly, apologetic.
Rihannat blinked, snapping out of her swirling thoughts.
"Ah… no… no ma. I—I am fine. Thank you, ma," she stuttered politely.
Before she could gather herself properly, Folakemi's mother stepped forward and pulled her into a warm embrace.
The hug wasn't casual.
It lingered.
Almost… desperate.
Rihannat stiffened slightly at first, then relaxed. The woman smelled faintly of jasmine and something comforting—like safety.
Taking her hand gently, Mrs. Mustopha led her a few steps away from the doorway, studying her face more closely.
"You know, my dear," she began carefully, "you are the first friend Folakemi has ever brought home who dresses this decently."
Rihannat's brows lifted slightly.
"And I can see," the woman continued, her eyes scanning her face thoughtfully, "you are completely different from her usual circle."
There was no insult in her tone—only honest observation.
She tilted her head slightly. "Tell me truthfully… are you really her friend?"
The question was direct.
Rihannat hesitated for a second.
Then she sighed softly.
"Ma… truly, we are not that close," she admitted honestly. "We're roommates. That was how we met."
Mrs. Mustopha's grip tightened slightly.
"But," Rihannat continued quickly, "even though it might seem odd… she is decent among her other friends. Her character is good. She's very serious with her studies."
She smiled faintly.
"In fact, her seriousness was what made us grow closer."
For the first time, Rihannat lifted her eyes fully to meet Mrs. Mustopha's gaze.
"You might think she paid me to act like this, ma," she added with a soft laugh.
Mrs. Mustopha's eyes widened slightly.
"No ma," Rihannat continued, shaking her head gently. "I came willingly. Not bribed."
A small chuckle escaped Mr. Mustopha, who had been watching quietly.
"Alright, darling," he said warmly. "We were honestly afraid she paid you to say all that."
Rihannat's cheeks flushed.
"You are very smart, dear," he added approvingly.
Suddenly, without warning, Mrs. Mustopha pulled her into another hug—this one tighter.
"You are just like her…" she whispered.
Rihannat froze.
"Modest. Appreciative. Approachable. Even your speech… your elegance…" The woman's voice trembled. "The resemblance is uncanny."
She pulled back slowly, her eyes glistening.
"Just like a carbon copy…"
The room grew still again.
"Only if she isn't missing…" Mrs. Mustopha's voice cracked.
"Oh my dear…" she sniffed softly. "Forgive me. I get carried away sometimes."
Her husband gently patted her back.
Rihannat's heart skipped.
Missing?
There was someone missing?
Mrs. Mustopha took a deep breath and forced a smile.
"Thank you for being my daughter's friend," she said sincerely. "Take this house as your second home, okay?"
Rihannat's throat tightened. "Yes ma…"
Then came the unexpected.
"Can you take me as your godmother?" Mrs. Mustopha asked suddenly. "And my husband as your godfather?"
Silence.
Even Folakemi blinked in shock.
"Ma? Ehnm… you… okay ma… but—"
"No 'but,' dear," she interrupted gently but firmly. "When you are less busy, we would love to meet your parents."
Her eyes softened. "Bring us to them. Let us know them. And you can tell them about us."
Rihannat's mind spun.
This was too much.
Too sudden.
Too intense.
Mrs. Mustopha smiled tenderly and pinched her cheeks playfully.
"You look so cute," she said. "I can't wait to tell her I saw someone who resembles her so much."
She turned to her husband. "Honey, you saw it too, right?"
Mr. Mustopha nodded slowly. "Yes. The resemblance is… remarkable."
Across the room, the two brothers exchanged a brief look.
They had masked their expressions well.
But internally?
They were anything but calm.
Accepting her family was one thing.
But goddaughter?
Wouldn't that make her… their little sister?
Oladeji cleared his throat lightly, regaining composure.
Olalekan folded his arms, his sharp gaze once again settling on Rihannat—but this time with deeper intensity.
Rihannat stood there, overwhelmed.
Affection.
Warmth.
Acceptance.
All showered on her within minutes of stepping into a stranger's home.
Yet beneath the kindness…
There was something else.
Something unresolved.
She felt it.
The way Mrs. Mustopha held her hand just a little longer than necessary.
The way her father looked at her as though piecing together a memory.
The way the brothers studied her—not out of attraction alone, but confusion.
Recognition.
Rihannat swallowed.
Why did she feel like she had stepped into a story that began long before she was born?
And who was this "she" that was missing?
Who was the woman she resembled so deeply that it stirred tears in a mother's eyes?
A strange chill ran down her spine.
Because deep inside—
She felt it too.
That unsettling familiarity.
As if this house… these people…
Were not entirely strangers.
—
Who is the missing person?
Why does Rihannat look exactly like her?
And what secret is the Mustopha family hiding?
The Untainted is only beginning to unravel…
— Olukoya Zainab