HEREMAKONO ( AWAITING HAPPINESS )

Chapter Ten. Part One

" Wow!" Hajara exclaimed after Nnadia had told her all that happened. "I hate to be the one to say I told you so, but Nnadia I really warned you about him. I didn't like him at all, you know that." Hajara said. 

Hajara and Mike have been like enemies even when his relationship with her friend was going great. Their dislike for each other was mutual. Hajara always badmouths him, and Mike would taunt Hajara as well whenever they met. 

" I never trusted him but I didn't think he would go this far, that guy is a demon." Hajara continued. Nnadia just stayed mute, resting her head on her friend's lap. Sensing her discomfort about the topic, Hajara tried consoling her. 

" Your husband is angry because he loves you. When you love someone you feel jealous and possessive about them. That is what he must be feeling after seeing you with Mike like that. But he will definitely forgive you." She said caressing Nnadia's head. 

" Really? Is he going to forgive me? Hajara you didn't see how angry he was, so how do you know that he will ever forgive me?" Nnadia asked anxiously. 

" He'll forgive you, I know you pretend not to see but that man is really crazy about you," Hajara replied smiling at her friend. " So don't cry, just be patient and wait for your husband to come back home. I'll be staying with you till then. I already took permission from my husband." She added. 

After listening to that, Nnadia forced a smile. She really hoped her friend was right. She wanted her husband back more than anything. 

The next morning Nnadia woke up late, due to all the crying she did at night. She lazily dragged herself from the bed. Freshened up and went downstairs where she found her friend set up the dining table with a nice breakfast. 

" Oh my... Nadia, look at your face, it's all swollen." Hajara said worriedly. " Come here." She hugged her friend. 

" I prepared all your favorites. Come have something to eat." She told Nnadia after breaking the hug. 

" No I'm not hungry," Nnadia replied. She really didn't have any appetite. 

" If you starve yourself to death, that won't make your hubby come back sooner. Eat something and then I will set up a meeting with him and explain the truth to him for you." Hajara said confidently. 

" Wow. Really, Hajara please call him now. I will always be indebted to you." Nnadia said, excited for the first time since yesterday's incident. 

" Yes I will, but come eat first," Hajara replied and Nnadia rushed to the table to eat. She felt happiness coming back in her life, just from the tiny ray of hope Hajara's words brought her. She was only halfway through her meal when she received a call from her mom. 

" Hello, mom," Nnadia said. 

" You useless girl, what have you done now? Your husband is speaking with your dad this very moment and he is very angry. Come here right now." Her mom yelled on the other side of the call. Nnadia felt light-headed immediately, she didn't expect things to escalate so fast. She felt sick all of a sudden. 

" What is it?" Hajara asked curiously. 

" Abdullah is at my parent's house." She told her friend as tears formed in her eyes. " Mom says I should go immediately, please come with me." She pleaded. 

" Of course," Hajara told her. 

At her parents' house, Nnadia met everyone waiting for her in the sitting room. Her mom was busy ranting. Her dad sat quietly and Abdullah sat with his head bowed. Imran was the first to notice their arrival. 

" Good morning." Nnadia and Hajara both said in unison. 

" What is good about the morning? You stupid girl." Her mom answered back in rage. 

Her dad looked at her with hurt in his eyes but didn't shout at her. Abdullah still didn't lift his head. 

" Nnadia, your husband is accusing you of adultery and I'm asking you for the first and last time. Is it true?" Her dad asked her, using his no-nonsense tone. 

She was crying now. " I didn't dad, I would never do something like that. It's just a big misunderstanding." She tried to explain when her husband interrupted. 

" Did I or did I not meet a man on top of you in your room," Abdullah questioned and turned to his father in law. " Dad please let's just make it quick, let her just give us a yes or no."

" Nnadia answered him. Yes or no?" Her dad asked. 

" Yes." Nnadia cried. 

" Astaghfirullah!" Her mom exclaimed. 

Abdullah stood up, he came close enough to her. His tall frame towering over her. She stared at him and realized his eyes were bloodshot. She was sure he didn't even get enough sleep last night. Nnadia looked into his eyes beseechingly and spoke. " Abdullah please, let's go home and talk about this in private."

" God forbid." He yelled. " Just answer the next question." He told her. "Whatever I caught you doing, was it not after I told you I was leaving town and not coming back until the next day?" 

Looking all around her, Nnadia felt like disappearing into thin air. 

" Yes or no Nnadia?" Her dad enquired. 

" Yes," Nnadia replied. " But you don't understand how it went."

" Oh, but I do, I understand very well that you love him so much. I mean you didn't even let me come close to you all this time. So here is the thing, be with him all you want, at least everyone will have peace. You thought I wasn't coming home, that's why you invited him over." Abdullah said to her angrily. He turned once again to her parents.

" Dad, mom, I don't want to stay with her anymore. She is not my wife. If she continues staying in that house, then she can keep it but I will never set foot in there. I'll leave now." He told them. 

Both her parents were speechless. Abdullah was about to leave when Hajara stopped him. 

" Please our husband, I want you to calm down and listen to me at least, Nnadia is not in any relationship with that guy, it was over between them a long time ago." She tried explaining. 

" I know you are her friend and you're looking out for her. I've never seen my best friend this hurt before, please let him be for now. " Imran told Hajara and walked out with Abdullah. 

" Abdullah please." Nnadia pleaded, but it went on deaf ears. 

" Chai! I never knew I raised a harlot." Her mom screamed, coming out of her shock. 

Nnadia closed her eyes in pain. 

" Aunt, please let her explain," Hajara suggested. 

" Explain what? That she has been committing adultery under her husband's roof? What else do we need to hear really? She already answered all the questions which proved her guilt." Her mom stated. 

" Nnadia today you've made your father more ashamed than he has ever been his whole life. Thank you, my child." Her father said and walked out of there. Her mom sat on the floor clutching her dress. 

" I love that boy you know, he is like a son to me. I don't even know how I'll ever face his mom. I really regret giving birth to you today." She told Nnadia heartbroken. 

" I love him too, mom, and he just left me. Please, Hajara, do something."

Nnadia started sobbing hard. Hajara took her hand and dragged her away from there.