More To It

Chapter 5-Let The Wind Take You

Zaynab

"So, what's the problem. You slapped your husband? Aunty. Can you explain?",mommy tells me.

I glance at Khalid who still has my handprint visible on his left cheek.

"You can't speak?",mommy raises her voice which made me jump.

"I didn't mean to. It just jumped.out of me. I was angry".

"So when am angry, you see me slapping your father? Or wait. Let me switch it. If your husband was angry, would you like him slapping you?".

I shake my head and look down.

"What happened?",aunt Ameerah asks me.

"He insulted me".

"Telling you your problem isn't always an insult",Khalid rolls his eyes.

"Khalid. Don't"aunty warns him. He sighs and nods.

"I don't want to talk about it".

"Do you think we came here for play?",mommy yells.

"Ah calm down",daddy tells her.

"Imagine. She slaps him and still has mouth".

"Its okay. Calm down. Please na",daddy tells her.

She scoffs and looks away.

"He compared me to mommy. He said I was like her because we both don't want to risk our own lives to rescue the one we love".

"Khalid",aunt gasps loudly. Mommy stops shaking her legs and looks at Khalid with shock.

"It's true. I know what happened to her was awful and leaves a print. But let's all stop pretending as if it isn't the same case. Abiodun is corrupting that boy's mind. And she wants to save him but she's not putting in any effort. She's in the house and won't step out. How do you expect to do save him when you won't even try to face the one who has him. Her mother didn't face the fire because she was scared of the fire and scared of getting hurt. So she left. Its the same case",Khalid exclaims.

No one says anything after, which only meant that they agreed with him.

"Why are you both even fighting anyways? Forget that. Why are you fighting?",mommy asks.

Khalid licks his lips and looks away.

"I don't know. I talked to her about starting a family. She says she can't because of everything going on. Its been 2 years, first of all. I haven't asked or said anything because I felt like I was being selfish after all that she went through. But will it ever end though? Am always going to feel as if am being selfish. I was annoyed with her response so I just left it there. Then she finds messages from me and a friend, a female friend. She didn't like it because we were talking about her. Look, I know it was wrong. But she gets me, the rest don't. And it was just easier. m not saying it was right. But that's just how it went down. She gets mad, then I end up getting angry and I told her about her and her mother statement and she slaps me. I left the house. And now we're here".

"Why would you be talking to a female anyway?",his father asks him.

Khalid scratches his head and doesn't reply.

"Is there something else? Why do you need to talk to a female. You have a wife".

"I can't, it just complicates things with Zaynab. We're fine, we get along and everything. But with all the things about starting a family. It just feels like am her husband for every other part. But when it comes to family wise, I feel like a friend to her. and that I don't have the right to ask her or tell that I want kids or anything. It just doesn't feel right. I know I sound like such an hypocrite because being with her is something I've wanted but then it happened. Everything was good. But now? I don't know",he rubs his face and glances at me. I don't say anything and just let him spill out his heart.