After Agony...

|One|

Through out the day,she has not set her eyes on any person living in the house and that got her worried as it wasn't a good sign. She noticed that all the food she had prepared were all untouched and curiosity got the best of her. She found herself asking the watchman whom is an old man probably around the age of sixty.

"Ai tun da subahi Alhaji ya kai Hajiya asibiti,kuma da dukan alamu tana nakuda ah wannan lokacin(Since the early morning,Alhaji took Hajiya to the hospital,and it seems like from all indication,she was in labor)"he filled her in, and it was at that moment she remembered seeing the woman with a baby bump. She heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thank you,Baba" she said to the old man as she walked away. Immediately she laid down,she fell into a deep slumber,probably due to all the stress she had been going through these days.

Meanwhile at the hospital,Imam has been in a private labor room with Sophie . They had been in the hospital since dawn and it's already after four in the evening. Never in the years he had known her as she ever been vulnerable as today. Though he loves her,he sometimes questions his decision as to why he married her,because ever since they got married she has been nothing but a handful, a nagging and uncaring wife.

He was holding on to her hand whilst the nurses where encouraging her to push.

"Take a deep breath and push,you can do it" one of the nurse said urging her,and with one final push, the wailings of a child filled the room. Imam couldn't stop grinning as he stared at his wife whom was holding on to their little bundle of joy. Sweat was dripping off her face as she stared at her daughter in aw. He took the child and said some kuthuba in her ear.

"Thank you for such a wonderful gift" he whispered to her in which she simply smiled,just a glance at her you could tell she was weak. I mean ten hours of labor is no small thing.

After she was taken to a private post natal room,he called some of their few family members and informed them about their latest addition to the family and in no time,the room was filled with smiling faces.

The following,they were discharged and so left for their house. She was in her room staring at the wall when she heard the hunk of a car,she quickly rose to her feet and marched into the house where she met the young couple making their way in.

"Welcome" She said in barely a whisper.

"And you are?" Imam asked clearly confused as he was oblivious to her stay in the house.

And that was when she realized it was her boss's husband,she finally gets to see him!

"Erm,Huda,the housemaid" she introduced herself. He simply nodded and walked away with his wife and daughter into the room. She also left for the kitchen where she started preparing lunch. Huda was half way through cooking when Imam walked up on her. He called on to her,but to no avail as she was so indulged in what she was doing.

"Urg..sorry sir" she apologized as she turned to face him.

He sighed as he ran his hand through his face before asking her. "What got you... you know what? Just prepare a cup of coffee for me" he ordered and walked out of the kitchen.

Well at least his much more better than his wife. She thought to herself.

*******

A month had past,and everything was back to the way it was. Sophie has gone back to her mother's house to stay for forty days as per the Hausa culture,Imam goes to check on them almost every weekend as her mother's house is situated in a different city.
  Today being a Friday,Sophie was instructing the house maid on what to cook as Imam was on his way to Katsina.

"Laure,make sure you pour a little bit of vinegar on the vegetables before you chop them,and don't forget to boil the sweet potatoes" she ordered her as she proceeded to the dinning table to pick up her phone.

Imam
Just wanna let you know that I'm gonna stop by at Dada's house.

It was a message from her husband,she let's out a frustrated hiss as she read the message. Let's just say her and Dada don't get along at all,ever since he took her to the house and Dada referred to her as "aljanna" because of her extreme fair color,she hated her to the core.

An hour later,they was a knock at the door and she proceeded to open it. Imam stood there looking handsome as always in his white kaftan with a matching cap. She walked him in to the living room where he waited for her mother so they could exchange pleasantries.

"I missed you so much,wallahi" she whined as he was holding his little princess,Maya. He looked at her and smiled a bit before he replied.

"If you missed,you wouldn't be staying here" he said as he turned his gaze to his child whom was peacefully sleeping. "And that's why I'm here to take you home" he added. A frown immediately found its way to her face.

"Haba man! You know I told you we will be traveling to Dubai to buy Maryam's furniture ko?" She said avoiding eye contact as she knew him in and out.

He sighed as all his attention was still on his daughter,oh he so much loves his daughter! " But you know Maya is only a month old right? Which means she's too fragile for you to start traveling anyhow with" he tried to reason with her in a calm manner.

"Like you're the one whom carried her for nine months and labored for over ten hours"she sarcastically replied as she rolled her eyes.

Knowing how adamant his wife can be when she sets her mind on a thing,he lets out a defeated sigh.

"When will you be traveling?"

"It's in three days" she said with a huge smile.

"Fine,but you won't be traveling with my daughter" he declared.

You have got to be kidding me! How can you separate a child with her mother?

"Kasan bazai taba faruwa ba ko?(you know it will happen happen right?)" She hissed and made way to her room.

Her mom was right behind her on her heels and when she asked her what the problem was,she narrated the whole happening .

"Is that why you want to cry? Haven't I been separated from your brothers,am I dead? You better start being wise. Toh sai mai? (So what?)Give him the child,tunda ita abinci ce" Her mom instructed.