The clock striked seven. waking him up with a startle. It was a grandfather clock given to him by his late grandfather. Tossing the covers off himself, he slid his legs down the bed sitting as he callously slid his hands through his hair and sliding it back down to his face. Just then, his wife came into the room. Without acknowledging him, she opened his wardrobe and picked out his cloths for the day. He peeked at her through his palms as his hands still covered his face. After all was done, she turned to leave, but he hurriedly caught her hand.
"Yahkuri." He whispered in her ears, as her back was to him. Painful tears slowly trailed down her cheeks. She wiggled free of him and left, Leaving him standing there bare of all hope and her warmth. Was he doing the right thing? He asked himself, feeling frustrated all over again. He tried not to think about it as he walked to the bathroom. But all was to no avail. Because even as he took breakfast and drove to the office, her words still rang in his ears. "21 years Bashir! I have given you 21 years of my life, everything and yet this is what I get in return and for what? For something as volatile as that? Ka cuce ni wallahi. Ka cuce ni kuma ban yafe ba!" She thundered in tears.
And for 21 years he had never made her cry until that night. So the question begs to be answered. "Yallabai lafiya kuwa?" His Secretary asked him, cutting him from his thoughts. "Lafiya samaila." He answered, faking a smile. Although samaila didn't believe him one bit. He thought it was best not to pry. He signed the documents samaila brought for him and gave him back with some instructions. Just when samaila was about to walk out the door, he stopped him. "Cancel all my meetings. I'm going out." Samaila nooded and left while he picked his phones, car keys and laptop then headed out.
He drove slowly to his friends house thinking of all that transpired between the last few days. He knew from day one it wouldn't be easy but he took that risk. Her "kaci amanata." Still rang on his read. Was he doing the right thing? He asked himself yet again. So instead of driving down to his friends house, he drove back home. The house looked deserted as he walked in after parking his car. So he went upstairs to her room, she was packing. "Haba Maimuna! Wai miye haka ne? Mesa bakida hakuri ne?" He asked in devastation.
She laughed hysterically. "Hakuri? Do you even hear yourself? For 21 years I have been nothing but faithful to you but you..." she laughed harder now as tears spilled down her eyes. "You're nothing but a cheat, a liar!" Her words hurt him, but she was his wife. He still loved her and she was the mother of his children. So instead of watching her pack, he walked to her and held her. She tried to break free but he held her tighter. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "Ka kyaleni." She begged, pleaded and cried bitterly. Hitting him wherever she could, but he held on until she broke into deep sobs. He cradled her, soothing her nerves and whispering "na fasa."' And as they say, nothing comes between lovers. He kissed her passionately until she forgot her sorrows. He made it so that she forgot the very reason she wanted leaving initially. Namiji kenan... kanin Aljani!
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Nusaiba paced woefully across the room. "Kwana uku kenan he hasn't picked my calls. Yaya kodai ya fasa ne?" She asked on the brick of tears. "Ki yahkuri. He'll call." her sister cooled.
"But what if he doesn't? What if?...." her statement was cut off by the phone ringing in her hand. She smiled shyly. "Shine ko?" Her sister asked. She nodded shyly. "Aina fadi miki, its no cause for alarm. Oya pick." She finished, laughing and leaving the room.
Nusaiba sat on the bed calmly before picking the call. "Assalam alaikum Zawji." She said in a concerned calm voice. He paused a little before answering. "Waalaikum salam Nusaiba." This however was the first time he had called her by her first name and for some strange reason it made her heart skip a beat. "Baby lafiya?" She asked, detecting the harshness of his voice.
"Nusaiba!" He called without acknowledging her question. "Nusaiba ki yahkuri. I cannot marry you. Bazan iya cin amanar matata ba. I've sent some money to your account. Ki yahkuri." He waited for her to answer, to say something to him. His heart was boiling, just as he loved his wife, he also loved this woman, but what sacrifices peace warrants, he gladly does. She however didn't answer. So he ended the call. Nusaiba sat there like a dummy. Her heart urging and reciting "innallaha ma'as sabireen. Allahumma ajirni fi musibati wa aklifli kairan minha. Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja'altahu sahlan wa anta tajalaul hazna iza shiita sahlan." But no, at this very moment, although her mind was sound to remember her lord, her heart was defensive, broken and it didn't send the right message to her head. No it did not.
So on the 2nd of November 2018, at precisely 1:23pm when nusaiba took her last breath, could it be said that it was not his fault? As it was not in his hands that her life laid. Or could it be said that on 23 October 2918, was it her sisters fault to let her talk to her husband to be in peace? Or could it be said that Nusaibas death rest solemnly on the shoulders of hajiya Maimuna. or could it be said that perhaps it was the will of Allah that would be the cause of her death although her time was already near. But the tragidy asks that, even if hajiya maimuna had allowed her husband marry nusaiba, then she would've Atleast died on her wedding day, since it was predecreed. But the sad reality states, Nusaiba Muhammad died on the 2nd November 2018 at precisely 1:23pm, cause of death was final cardiac arrest caused by an undetected HCM. However, the question begs to be answered. What was her cause if death and was it her fault that she died at the speculated time of her marriage or the writer's fault for killing her.
The reader best knows the answer.
The end
