All For What!

34

On getting home, Aisha took Khadijah straight to her room for she knew she was very stressed out due to what happened to Manal. She tucked her in and started stroking her hair, reminiscences of what her daughter told her surging into her memory. From the very first time she heard about Nafisa, she felt something was wrong about her and after finally meeting her, she got even stronger vibes something was amidst the innocent face of hers. She couldn't believe how despicable Nafisa was to treat an innocent young girl so antagonistically - Manal who was an empathetic child. Aisha recalled all of the times she advised Maryam against  hiring a stranger into her home, but all of her advises fell on deaf ears. Maryam was adamant about conducting a background check on Nafisa because she thought she was an innocent teenager who could do no harm. She wondered how Nafisa had it in her to treat the daughter of the same person who took her in, fed and treated her well in such a vile way.

She couldn't harbor the thoughts in her mind anymore. She needed to let Maryam know about the swindler in her home and fast. She picked up phone from her bag and immediately started dialing her number, but it wasn't going through. She tried it severally and got the same result. She became very restless, but didn't stop trying. Just when she was about to give up, the call went through, but there was no answer. She exhaled audibly and retired to her room with the intention of personally going to the hospital the next day to reveal everything to her friend. "It's about time she kicks her out."

• • •

Nafisa groaned and stirred in her sleep. Her eyes fluttered open as the morning sun shone directly into her face. She got up from the bed wearily and sashayed towards the widow to close the curtains and just as she was about to close them, she sighted Saeed's car screeching to a halt in the compound. Swiftly, she shut the curtains and started pacing about in the room. "Why is he back without his wife and Manal? Could he have possibly find out I'm responsible for his daughter's accident? Oh no! What should I do now? How can I escape! I should have fled when I had the chance. I'm so stupid." She rebuked, hitting the side of her head aggressively. "Ya Allah" Nafisa  muttered underneath her breath. "Wha—" she was cut off by the sound of the doorbell ringing. Her heart thumped against her chest. "I'm doomed!" She hesitated for about ten minutes before hurrying downstairs to open the door. By now, Saeed was already banging the door. She braced herself for what would come. She managed to prepare herself for what Saeed would do to her. With shaky hands, she unlocked the door and a furious Saeed came in view.

"What's your problem? I have been standing here for almost fifteen minutes. Couldn't you hear the door? Are you deaf or simply dumb?" Saeed reprimanded, furiously. He couldn't believe her nerves, perhaps it was the reason he disliked her from the very beginning. He threw daggers her way before walking pass her and into the house.

Nafisa whose eyes was shut, waiting impatiently for Saeed to yell at her, slap her or even throw her out of the house, opened them in surprise. "Did he just pass? Without punishing me for what happened to his daughter? She asked herself. She sighed in relief as the realization of him still being oblivious to what actually happened to Manal dawned on her. Her lips curved into a broad smile - her secret was still safe.

Nafisa was still standing in the same spot, when Saeed hurried down the stairs with a little bag in his left hand. She quickly walked towards him and put on her most fraudulent demeanor and spoke. " I'm so sorry, sir, I was in the bathroom when you arrived. How is little Manal doing? She isn't dead right?" She asked, fabricating care.

Saeed narrowed his eyes at her and his brows furrowed. "What type of a question is that?"

"I... I'm so sorry, sir, I meant to ask how she's doing?" Nafisa stuttered, trying to rectify the mistake she made. She shouldn't have made it obvious she wanted Manal to die for her to finally have the peace she deserved.

Wordlessly, Saeed shook his head and left the house in a hurry. His suspicion about Nafisa growing rapidly. She exhibited the role of swindler by how nervous and unreserved she was. She was even stuttering while talking. Her actions only proved she was hiding something from him and everyone else. He knew it, his hunch about Nafisa was not for nothing. He was more determined to find her secrets out now.

• • •

"How is Manal feeling now?" Aisha inquired,  stroking the sleeping girl's hair. From the moment her daughter told her all about Nafisa's inhumanity, she had been restless. She couldn't even sleep properly that night and waited impatiently for the day to break and immediately it did, she rushed to the hospital.

"She's better now, alhamdulilah." Maryam replied, tersely. "How's Khadijah?"

"She's hasn't been herself since the accident. She even told me what ha—"

"You don't have to apologize on her behalf, Aisha. It happened  accidentally and not intentionally." Maryam said, cutting Aisha off.

Aisha's brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I know Khadijah didn't mean to push Manal, so I'm telling you to please not apologize. Kids are always mischievous." Maryam smiled, reassuringly.

"What! You've misunderstood something. Khadijah wasn't the one who pushed Manal, but Nafisa."

Maryam sighed in exhaustion. She wondered why parents liked to take their kids' side even when they are wrong and they know. "I said it's okay, Aisha, you didn't have to drag Nafisa into this."

"You think I'm accusing your maid just to cover up for my daughter? Is that what you're insinuating? You know me, Maryam. You know I can never stoop to that level."

"I'm sorry, Aisha, please let's not talk about what happened. I have already accepted it to be an accident and kadr." Maryam said, waving the topic away.

Aisha stared at Maryam in utmost disbelief. How could she behave so ignorantly about what she was telling her? "It wasn't an accident. Khadijah witnessed everything that happened that night and she told me."

"What did she say?" Maryam asked, not wanting to seem rude by snubbing her.

"There's something important you need to know. Nafisa has really been maltreating Manal for a while now and she is also the same person who pushed Manal down the stairs."

Maryam sprung up angrily. "Where did you get this false news from? Khadijah?" She asked, her eyes turning red from extreme anger. "She's just a child, Aisha. She was probably just lying to you to cover up the mistake she made." She accused.

"That's where you're wrong. I know Khadijah can be a talkative at times, she talks more than necessary, but she never lies. I know her very well." Aisha defended.

"Every parents say that about their children." Maryam countered. "Look Aisha, I don't want this argument to expand. I don't want it to cause our friendship, so let's just stop it while we still can. Nafisa is also somebody else's daughter and it's unfair to accuse her like that just because she's poor. Now tell me, why'd Nafisa ever do that?"

"Because Manal bit her hand when—"

"You've said enough, Aisha, please stop already." Maryam said, cutting her off.

"As a friend, I won't take everything you said to heart. I won't hold a grudge against you because I know it isn't your fault. You are simply blinded by her, but I pray Allah shows you the right path to take soon. I will always be here when you need me. May Allah grant Manal a quick recovery. Goodbye." Aisha finished all she had to say with a smile before standing up and turning to leave. She halted just before she could step a foot outside and prayed to Allah to show Nafisa's true colour to Maryam before she could do more damage, then she proceeded out of the ward.