Sadiya |REWRITING

Chapter Ten

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KANO, NIGERIA.

The clean house sparkled after countless swipes and scrubs. Dinner was fixed. But her heart wasn't. A month had passed, things changed from bad to...worse. She had stepped out of a long, much needed shower after making their meal. The kids were probably in their rooms, completing their homework as she had instructed. One thing was not for sure. Her husband. Her first love, her first everything.

It had been a month, and she had not given up on her marriage. Who would? Maybe some would have, not her, though.

The hallway and rooms were drenched in the beautiful scent of bakhoor. He liked it. It was the nth time she burnt one in her home, and nothing...nothing came out of her efforts. She purged away any sadness and self-pity within her. The nice scent of the insence smoke emanating the small, brass pot disappeared into air. Sometimes she wished it was possible for her to do the same. Disappear into thin air, leaving no traces behind.

Asiyah was disheartened. What if he was tired of her? What if he was with another woman? Did he not find her attractive anymore, ten years after birthing their last child? Was it her sagged udders? Wide hips? Or her darkened skin? Which was it? She needed to know, anon, before it was too late. If it wasn't too late, already. Another sigh escaped her lips, it was a constant act as the hours went by. After changing into a soft yet, beautiful floral gown, she slipped her feet into the comfiest slippers and exited her bedroom to her children's.

"You two need help?" She had asked from the doorway. The smiles that'd lit up their faces were enough for the bad thoughts to whoosh out of her mind. "Ummi?" Her 10-year-old daughter called with a broad smile. "No, thank you, though." Rayan with his smilet, answered like a grownup; he would always act like one and it was a constant reminder that her 13 years-old boy was maturing as a gentleman, at least it was something she prayed to witness later in years to come.

Once done with schoolwork, a little mother-child chat, she made sure they had changed into their nightwears and did all their necessary nightly routine, before finally sending them off to bed. The kids happened to have their dinner while she was in the shower. They did not bother waiting for their Abi because he always ended up returning home late, way past bedtime.

Asiyah had begun dozing off on the couch when she heard the creak of the front door. As a light sleeper, her husband's suspicious movements awoke her from her slumber. She rubbed her eyes tiredly, a feeling of restlessness familiar in her veins. "Muhammad?" She had called, suppressing a yawn. He only hummed in response. "Back already?" Asiyah asked before she could stop herself. He disli-- hated unnecessary questions.

"You're supposed to be in bed." He said, not relaying an answer to her palpable query. "I was waiting...for you, and ended up dozing off, here." She pointed toward the couch with her chin. It was as though she was in the middle of a conversion with a flatmate, not her once loving spouse.

"Go to bed." And with that one statement, he began strolling to his room. She spoke, not being able to contain her plea. "I made dinner. Please, have at least a little. I made your favorite..." He halted in his steps. "No," downrightly dejecting the offer.

Several pleas after, he finally agreed to eat her food which was a shocker for Asiyah. She could not remember the last time he had her food. With tremulous hands, Asiyah managed to set a plate before him as he maintained a straight face throughout the silent exchange. The pang of hurt slashed through her heart upon noticing his hesitance.