Self love

15

Amina went to work, trying to push her personal troubles aside. The meeting room was full, the tension palpable as her boss, Mr. Abdul, walked in with a stack of papers. He looked furious.

"Amina, can you explain why this report is full of errors?" Mr. Abdul's voice boomed, silencing the room.

Amina's heart raced. She had been distracted, unable to focus on her work due to the turmoil in her personal life. "I... I made a mistake," she stammered.

"Mistake? This is beyond a mistake!" Mr. Abdul threw the papers at her. "You used to be the best among everyone, but now look at you. You're weak!"

The room was silent. Everyone stared at Amina as she struggled to hold back her tears. She had once been proud of her work, but now she felt exposed and humiliated.

"You need to take a break from work," Mr. Abdul continued. "Come back only when you're ready to work properly. Pack your things and leave."

Fatima, sitting in the corner, stood up. "Please, Mr. Abdul, give her another chance."

Mr. Abdul shook his head. "No, she needs to leave now."

Amina gathered her things, her hands trembling. As she walked out, she glanced around the office one last time, memories of better days flooding her mind. Fatima followed her, trying to console her, but Amina was too numb to respond.

When Amina returned home, her mother-in-law, Umma, tried to make conversation, but Amina refused to engage. It was clear that Umma had heard the arguments between her and Zayd.

Amina grew quieter each day. She thought about going to therapy but didn't know how to start. The depression weighed heavily on her, and dark thoughts crept into her mind. What hurt her the most was that Zayd never asked why she was no longer going to work. When her mother-in-law asked, Amina lied, saying she had nothing to do at work.

She wished she could go back home to her father, but he was out of town, working in Lagos. Zayd made everything more difficult, yet Amina bore it all. She hoped Umma would talk to Zayd, but it seemed she was afraid of him too.

One evening, as they were eating at the dining table, Amina sighed and said, "I want a divorce," without even looking at them.

Zayd was shocked. He looked at Amina, seeing how much she had changed. She was so slim, her face always pale, and she rarely smiled anymore. She looked very sick.

"You're not going anywhere. I will never divorce you," Zayd said, his voice firm.

Umma shouted at Zayd. "Let her speak! Amina, why do you want a divorce?"

Amina remained calm and continued eating her food. "I'd rather not say. Saying it is useless."

Zayd became more agitated. He shouted at her, but Amina didn't flinch. She continued eating, ignoring him completely.

Two days later, Amina was nowhere to be found. She had packed her things and left Zayd's house. She rented an apartment far from where she and Zayd lived. She had enough money to take care of herself, and she started searching for a new job. She also decided to go to therapy because she needed it. The past months had been very difficult for her.

Sometimes, she wondered if Zayd missed her because he hadn't called her even once since she left. Not even Fatima knew where she was. Fatima had called her countless times and sent her messages, but Amina didn't reply. Fatima even told her that she was getting married and needed her, but Amina did not reply. For once, Amina wanted to do something for herself. She just wanted to be left alone and be happy. She was doing so well before she met Zayd, and now the same Zayd she loved so much had hurt her. It seemed like everyone she loved always ended up hurting her, so she decided to run away from Fatima as well before she also hurt her.

It had been almost a month and a half before Amina finally replied to Fatima's texts. Every day, Fatima would text her five times. Amina just sent her address to Fatima, and in no time, Fatima came to her house.

Amina opened the door, and Fatima stared at her angrily. "Why didn't you tell me where you were? Do you know how worried I've been?" Fatima's voice was a mix of anger and concern.

Amina rolled her eyes and closed the door after Fatima came in. "I needed time, Fatima. I needed space."

"What happened, Amina?" Fatima asked, her voice softening.

Amina took a deep breath and told her everything—how Zayd had insulted her, how he had manipulated her, and how she had reached her breaking point.

"My life is more at peace now that I'm alone. It feels better," Amina said, her voice steady but sad.

"Does your father know?" Fatima asked.

"No, he doesn't. He's been working in Lagos. I only saw him once when he came back to Bauchi for a file," Amina replied.

Fatima sighed. "You should tell him the truth, Amina."

"I can't. I don't want to worry him," Amina said, shaking her head.

"What hurts the most is that Zayd hasn't even tried to call me," she added, her voice breaking slightly.

Fatima hesitated before speaking. "I need to tell you something, Amina. I've seen Zayd with a dark-skinned girl. I think it's Leila."

Amina's heart sank further. "It's true then," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "He chose her over me."

Fatima reached out and took Amina's hand. "You don't deserve this, Amina. You deserve someone who loves you and appreciates you. Zayd is a fool for not seeing that."

Tears welled up in Amina's eyes. "I thought marrying him would bring me happiness. But it's only brought pain."

Fatima hugged her tightly. "You're strong, Amina. You've been through so much already. You'll get through this too."

Amina nodded, drawing strength from her friend's words. "I'm trying. I really am."

Days turned into weeks, and Amina slowly began to rebuild her life. She found a new job that she enjoyed, and therapy helped her navigate the emotional turmoil. Despite the pain, she felt a sense of empowerment growing within her.

One evening, as Amina was preparing for bed, her phone buzzed with a message from her father. "I'm back in Bauchi. Can we meet tomorrow?"

Amina agreed, feeling a mix of apprehension and relief. The next day, she met her father at a small café. He looked at her with concern, noticing the changes in her demeanor.

"Amina, what's going on? You don't look well," he said gently.

Taking a deep breath, Amina told her father everything—about Zayd, the other woman, her depression, and her decision to leave. Her father listened intently, his face etched with worry and sadness.

"I'm so sorry you've been going through this alone," he said, his voice choked with emotion. "You should have told me sooner."

"I didn't want to burden you," Amina replied. "You have enough on your plate."

"You are my daughter, Amina. Your happiness is my priority," he said, taking her hand. "We'll get through this together."