Ties That Bind

EP35

The living room of Alhaji Ahmad’s house was in complete chaos. Zara’s mother, Hajia Farida, sat on the couch, her hands wringing a handkerchief as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Her face was pale, etched with worry. The tension in the room was suffocating, with every conversation crackling with raw emotion.

Alhaji Ahmad stood in the middle of the room, his voice booming as he yelled orders into his phone. “I don’t care what it takes! Find her! Call every contact we have—this is not a request; it’s an order!” His face was flushed with rage and fear, his free hand clenched tightly in a fist. The veins on his neck were bulging, and every word that left his mouth was like a punch to the gut.

Umma Khaltum, who had been sitting quietly on one of the chairs, suddenly rose to her feet, her face twisted with anger. “Enough, Abba! Enough of this shouting!” Her voice cut through the air like a sharp blade, immediately drawing everyone's attention.

Alhaji Ahmad turned sharply to face her, his eyes blazing. “What did you just say?”

“I said enough!” she repeated, stepping forward, her fists clenched at her sides. “You’re standing here shouting at everyone, blaming Kabir for Zara’s kidnapping, but you refuse to see the part you played in all of this. You’re not innocent, Abba. You’re just as responsible for what’s happening.”

The room fell silent, the weight of her words hanging heavy in the air. Alhaji Ahmad stared at her, disbelief and anger flashing in his eyes. “You’re out of your mind, Khaltum. How dare you speak to me like that?”

"With all due respect sir, how dare you pretend you had nothing to do with this?” Umma’s voice rose with fury, her face hardening. “You’re the one who forced Zara into this contract marriage. You pushed her into politics, into an alliance she never wanted. And now look at what’s happening! She’s been taken, and all you can do is yell at Kabir as if he’s the only one to blame.”

“Watch your tone, Khaltum!” Alhaji Ahmad’s voice was dangerously low now, his eyes narrowing.

“I'm trying!” Umma fired back, her voice cracking with the weight of her emotions. “You’re blaming Kabir for not protecting her, but you never protected her either. You used her, Abba. You used her for your political gains, and now she’s paying the price for your decisions!”

Zara’s mother, Hajia Farida, sobbed louder from her seat, her hands trembling as she tried to wipe away the endless flow of tears. “Please, Khaltum... please stop.”

But Umma couldn’t stop. The anger and frustration that had been building up inside her for so long was finally bursting out. She took a step closer to her father, her voice filled with pain. “You forced her into this life, and now you have the nerve to stand here, blaming someone else? Zara’s missing, Abba, and instead of working together to find her, you’re wasting time yelling!”

“I’ve done everything I can!” Alhaji Ahmad’s voice cracked under the pressure, his face contorted with a mixture of guilt and anger. “I’ve called every contact, every resource at my disposal—”

“Not enough!” Umma interrupted him again, her voice shaking. “You pushed her into this. You have more connections, more power than you’re letting on, but you won’t admit it. If you really cared, you’d do more!”

Alhaji Ahmad’s face darkened, but before he could respond, Hajia Farida stood up, her voice soft but pleading. “Please, Khaltum, your father is doing what he can... we all are. This is qadr—fate. It was meant to happen.”

Umma turned to her mother, her face softening slightly, but her eyes were still filled with fire. “I know, Ummi. I know this is fate. But we also have to admit our mistakes. Abba isn’t just a bystander in this. He’s part of the reason why Zara’s in danger now.”

“Khaltum!” Alhaji Ahmad shouted again, but his voice had lost its earlier conviction. He looked tired, defeated.

Umma’s voice softened, but the intensity of her words remained. “You have to take responsibility, Abba. You have to help find her. You have to use all your connections. This isn’t about politics anymore. This is about your daughter.”

Alhaji Ahmad stood frozen, his breathing heavy as he stared at his daughter. Deep down, he knew she was right. He had been so blinded by his ambitions, by the desire for wealth to secure his family's future that he had forgotten what truly mattered. And now, the consequences of those decisions were crashing down around him. His daughter was gone, and there was no one to blame but himself.

After a long moment, he finally spoke, his voice hoarse. “I will find her. I swear it, Khaltum. I will do whatever it takes.”

“Then do it, Abba,” Umma said quietly, stepping back. “Before it’s too late.”

Hajia Farida wiped her tears and slowly approached her husband, placing a hand on his arm. “We’ll get through this, Insha’Allah. But we need to work together.”

Alhaji Ahmad nodded, but the guilt still weighed heavily on his heart. He had always prided himself on being a powerful man, a man of influence. But now, none of that seemed to matter. His daughter’s life was on the line, and he was the one who had put her there.

As he glanced back at his phone, his mind raced with thoughts of the contacts he hadn’t called yet, the favors he hadn’t cashed in. There was more to be done. There had to be.