𝐴 𝑇ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑤 𝐴𝑡 𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝐴𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛

𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑒

'Therefore, with every hardship comes ease'
~Q.

Rahma, as usual went to fix Ali's room after breakfast. Somehow, this weekend he didn't go out to meet his friends and they weren't coming over either. Though, she would have preferred it if he went to them.

His room was how she always met it-- messy, if not worse today. And he wasn't even going out today, but he still messed up his underwear drawer and threw clean clothes down, which she had to separate from the dirty ones.

She sat before his drawer and started to arrange the underwears, which she felt she was tired of seeing from folding them everyday. She caught sight of a white folded paper at the end of the drawer and she picked it up, he wasn't the type to put papers in his underwear drawer.

She kept it aside but when she saw the name of a hospital, she picked it up and unfolded the paper. Her mind dizzying from looking at the unfamiliar, confusing medical terms and stats. She moved her gaze to read the words written in English.

She didn't understand much but she was shocked by the revelation of the report. She contemplated on whether to confront him or not and finally she stood with the paper in her hands and went to the living room. He was sprawled on the couch watching football.

"Ali". She called.

"What?". He replied not looking away from the screen.

"Do you have something to tell me?". She asked calmly and he darted his eyes to where she stood by the couch.

"What are you saying?".

"I saw it, just tell me.. it's not true". His face paled slightly then he smirked.

"Why? So what if it's true, it's your fault". Her eyes widened.

"How is it my fault". He sat up then.

"Rahma, when was the last time we had sex?".

"What does that have to do with this?".

"It has everything to do with it. If I try to touch you, you move away, so I went to look for what you didn't give me outside". Her brows furrowed, she was confused and had no idea what he was saying.

"Ali, are you okay?".

"Look Rahma, just ignore it. Now that you know, I think, I'm more comfortable with suza coming to the house". She stared at him still confused, then her features relaxed.

"Aliyu, are you sleeping around?". She asked carefully, hoping he'd deny.

"If you put it that way, fine". His confirmation hit her hard and at first she couldn't voice anything out, her lips opening and closing.

"Explain this then". She threw the paper at him.

He picked it and after realising what paper it was, he realised his slip but he masked it quickly with a look of arrogance.

"It is what you read Rahma. Even a child can interpret this, don't disturb me". He answered and laid back on the couch.

"This is how it's going to be eh?". He didn't reply, so she walked back to her room. Hoping he'd call her back and apologise because she'd have understood but he didn't, so she cursed him for letting his family insult her about not getting pregnant when the problem was with him.

She pulled out a small box and stuffed in the few things she'd need, she took her bag and veil. She had a car but Ali used it, because she didn't go out so there was no use, he had said. She would pick the keys from the console when leaving.

She went back to the living room and without sparing him a glance made for the door.

"Rahma, where do you think you're going?". He asked standing up.