call me mom

so we were sitting around the rice bowl, my moms (Ramata and Mariam), my sisters (Mariam, Habi, and Marietta), the baby (Aminata), and i, and i needed to tell my host mom something, so i said her name (this is big mom-mariam). and she turns to me with this forceful, straightforward tone and says
"listen, nouma: everyone here calls me mom, except you. and since your sister's name is mariam too, that's just confusing. call me mom, and her mariam. do you understand?"
and there, an oily ball of rice and fish and okra in my hand, i got teared up. i have lived with this family for just over three months, and this woman is demanding to be called my mother.

"i understand." i said, and finished my handful.