FATED HEARTS

chapter 22

Past midnight, Asiya stirred awake, her eyes fluttering open to the soft light in her hospital room. She found her mother and Ya Mariya still sitting by her side, their faces etched with worry. Her voice was hoarse and faint as she murmured, "Mama..." She swallowed hard, her throat dry, before continuing, "Yaushe kuka zo? (When did you come?) Alluran barci suka mun (They gave me a sedative)," she explained, attempting to sit up.

A sharp pain coursed through her body, and she winced, sinking back into the pillows.

"Kwanta, keda ba ki jin dadi. Sannu (Lie down, you're not well. Sorry about this)," Mama said softly, her voice thick with emotion. She leaned closer, brushing Asiya's hair from her face.

Ya Mariya shifted her chair nearer to the bed and took Asiya's hand gently. "How are you feeling now?" she asked, her eyes scanning Asiya's face for any sign of relief.

Mama, however, couldn't hold back her tears. "Allah ya isa tsakanina da Muhsin, wallahi (God will judge between me and Muhsin, I swear)," she cried, her voice breaking. She turned to Ya Mariya, desperation in her tone. "Mariya, ki kirasu ayi mata pregnancy test duk da tana kan contraceptives (Call them to do a pregnancy test even though she's on contraceptives). To be sure. We are ending this marriage!" She buried her face in her hands as sobs racked her body.

"Mama, don't say that, please," Ya Mariya interjected gently. "He needs duka addu'a shiriyan da ze iya samu (All the prayers for the guidance he can get). He is Muhammad's father," she added, her voice tinged with sadness.

But Mama couldn't stop crying. She was inconsolable, the betrayal cutting deep.

"Ina zuwa, Mama, I will get the doctors on my way (I'll be back, Mama)," Ya Mariya said, standing up and walking towards the door. As she stepped into the hospital corridor, she saw Ibrahim sitting in the waiting area, his posture rigid, his head in his hands. The moment he spotted her, he shot to his feet, his anxiety evident.

"Ya jikinta? Ta tashi? Da sauki? (How is she? Is she awake? Is she better?)" he asked, his words spilling out rapidly, his eyes bloodshot and weary.

Ya Mariya offered him a small smile to calm his nerves and gestured for him to sit. "Taji sauki, Ibrahim. Kaima ka samu kaje gida ka huta (She's better now, Ibrahim. You should go home and rest)," she said, her tone soothing.

But Ibrahim shook his head, his gaze fixed on the tiled floor. "Ya Mariya, I... I can't. Harse nasan she's fine (Until I know she's fine)," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"She is fine. Ta tashi tun kafin naje gida dazu, komawa tayi kuma ta tashi yanzu ma (She woke up earlier and slept again. She's awake now too)," Ya Mariya assured him. "You can leave, ok? Go and rest," she added gently.

Ibrahim's shoulders sagged as he exhaled heavily. "Ya Mariya, I should have eloped with her. Nina barta ta fada wannan yanayin (I left her to fall into this situation)," he said, his guilt palpable in his tone.

"It's not your fault. Don't say that, please. Eloping wouldn't have helped," she replied, trying to comfort him.

A bittersweet smile crossed his face. "Kinsan, I saw her yauma (Do you know I saw her today)? At the circuit. Infact, jia ma naganta (Yesterday, too, I saw her). From her plate name, I got curious. I didn't know it was her, and I didn't even know she is this good," he said, his tone lightening as if the memory momentarily eased his burden. "Bata ko kware driving ba da, she beat me in the competition (She wasn't even supposed to be that skilled, yet she beat me). She didn't wait. Curiosity took me back today. We met, she didn't talk to me. I followed her, tace tanada aure, na kyalleta (She said she was married, so I left her). I was just going to ask for forgiveness for what I did. Now I know what I did is unforgivable. I made her go through this," his voice cracked at the end.