MAKESHIFT HUSBAND (COMPLETE)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Zainab sat up with a fright. Her back was drenched with tears and she was surprised to find tears on her face.

Her whole frame was trembling as she recalled her nightmare. Out of reflex, she turned to her side for Kamal.

A jolt of pain hit her chest when she saw the empty side.

Kamal didn't return home yesterday nor did he call her to explain why he didn't.

"No" she shook her head "no, no."

She muttered some supplications to calm her distraught heart. Amir stirred in his sleep and let out a babble of baby talk.

Her son's presence brought relief to her and a majority of her fear was washed away.

Gently, she embraced him in her hands. As if sensing his mother's warmth, he snuggled closer.

"You're the only one mummy can be sure of." She placed a kiss on his head and held him for a while longer.

Holding her son ebbed away some of the fear with which she'd woken up with.

She laid him back again, went to perform ablution and spent the rest of the night praying, eager for morning to come.

Rays of sunlight that streamed in through the parted curtains were what woke Zainab up. She yawned and stretched, her neck stiff from laying on the same position on the hard floor.

8:45 AM

Her phone read and she stood up.  Amir was still asleep so she made her way to the kitchen while dialing her mother's number.

"Zainab what's wrong with this early call?" Hajiya Bintu's voice was gruff and laced with sleep. "Is it about that woman? Don't worry kin ji? By next week it'll be  done completely"

"No Mama just stop it." Zainab closed her eyes as bits of her nightmare flashed through her mind. "Just stop everything Dan Allah"

"Are you crazy?" Hajiya bintu was wide awake now. "What do you mean stop everything? Don't you want her out of your home again or you want to be a fool like your older sister?"

Zainab sighed.

"Of course I want her out. But I'm going to do something I should have done right from the beginning"

"And what is that?"

"Trust Kamal. He gave me his word from the very beginning and told me to trust him. He would definitely divorce her when the time is up"

"You're so naive" hajiya bintu laughed. "If I didn't give birth to you at home, I would wonder if you were my daughter at all. How can you be so stupid to believe him? For six months you think nothing will happen between the two of them? Even when you left your house and returned home for a while? You think he'd practice celibacy for you?"

Zainab remained quiet but her heartbeat was starting to quicken. "No matter what Mama, I choose to trust Kamal. He wouldn't break his word to me and if he did, he would have told me since."

"You're very sure of that? You have a full percent trust in your husband's words?"

The YES was stuck in her throat. Did she completely trust him?

"Yes Mama. I do"

"Okay" hajiya bintu relented. "Just in case though. What if he tells you he won't divorce her or that she's pregnant what would you do?"

"I'll leave him" She replied without skipping a beat. "If Kamal breaks his words and my trust by impregnating that woman or refusing to divorce her, then our marriage will be over."