It was nearly evening when Sally Raymond returned to the quiet bungalow where Zaria and Angela were staying. The sky outside was turning a soft orange, the sun lowering itself slowly beyond the rooftops of Kampala, casting golden rays across the verandah.
Angela was seated on the porch, peeling matoke and sweet potatoes into a basin beside her feet. Her tired eyes brightened the moment she saw the familiar black vehicle pull into the compound. She wiped her hands on her apron and stood just as Sally stepped out of the car, holding a thick envelope in his hand.
"You're back," Angela said, a smile spreading across her face. "How did it go?"
Sally nodded, his face unreadable at first. He walked over to her and gently handed over the envelope.
"I went to Bright Light Primary," he said. "I met the headmaster."
Angela paused, taking the envelope but looking at Sally with concern. "And?"
"He had a lot to say," Sally replied, his voice tinged with both weariness and controlled emotion. "Most of it were lies he had been told by Zaria's stepmother."
Angela sighed, her heart sinking. "Let me guess… he believed every word, didn't he?"
"At first, yes," Sally said. "He thought she was a spoiled child who threw away her future because of boys and pregnancy. But I corrected him. I told him everything — the abuse, the poison, the rape, the dumping, the hospital, and even the surgery in India."
Angela placed a hand on her chest. "You told him everything?"
Sally nodded slowly. "He was speechless, Angela. The man looked like his heart broke right in front of me."
"And Zaria's results?" she asked softly.
"She got five aggregates," Sally said, his voice laced with pride. "Five. After everything she endured. The girl is a genius."
Angela blinked back tears, her hands trembling slightly as she clutched the envelope. "Oh my God… five? And she hadn't even been studying properly."
"She had every reason to fail," Sally continued. "But she didn't. She rose above it all."
Angela smiled through the mist in her eyes. "That's our Zaria."
Just then, the front door creaked open, and Zaria stood in the doorway. She was barefoot, her dress slightly oversized, and her face still carrying the innocence of a child — but her eyes held depth far beyond her years.
"Uncle Sally?" she called softly.
Sally turned around and gave her a big, warm smile. "Come here, sweetheart."
Zaria ran into his arms, her slender frame folding against him as though she had finally found a place where she belonged. He crouched down to her level and gently cupped her face in his hands.
"I've just come from your school," he said gently.
Zaria blinked. "You did?"
"Yes. I spoke with the headmaster, and I brought back your results."
Zaria stiffened slightly, nervous. "Did… did I pass?"
Sally smiled. "You didn't just pass, my girl. You excelled. Five aggregates. You are the best student that school has seen in years."
Zaria's mouth fell open. "Five? But… but I didn't even go to school every day…"
Sally hugged her tightly. "Because you are brilliant. Strong. And chosen. You're destined for more than anything this town ever told you."
Zaria began to cry, not out of fear this time, but out of sheer disbelief. Angela moved closer, wrapping her arms around them both.
"We're going to find you the best school," Sally continued, brushing her tears away. "Not the schools they expected you to attend. But somewhere in the city — a boarding school with good teachers, a library, dormitories, a playground. A place where you can be a child. Learn, laugh, and heal."
Zaria sniffled and looked between them. "Do I… do I really deserve all this?"
Angela knelt beside her and held her close. "Yes, my angel. You deserve everything good. Not because of what happened to you, but because of who you are."
Zaria looked down at the envelope, still held tightly in Angela's hands. For years, her name had been a label of shame in the mouths of others. Now, it sat proudly printed on the cover of a future she never thought she'd reach.
Sally reached into his pocket and pulled out a little notebook. "Oh, and I saw your friend Linda."
Zaria's eyes lit up instantly. "You did?"
"She asked about you," Sally said. "She cried, Zaria. She was so happy to know you're alive. That you're safe."
Zaria covered her mouth with both hands. "Linda… she was the only one who didn't leave me."
Sally smiled. "And she still hasn't. One day, when you're strong and ready, you'll see her again."
The sun had nearly set, and a soft breeze danced through the trees in the compound. Zaria looked up at the sky, her heart fuller than it had ever been.
"I feel like… like I've been given another life," she whispered.
Angela kissed the top of her head. "You have."
Sally nodded. "And we're going to walk with you, every step of the way."
As the stars began to appear in the darkening sky, the three of them sat there in peaceful silence. No longer just survivors, but family — bound not by blood, but by choice, compassion, and the fierce will to rise again.