Strangled

EPILOGUE

Above is the cover of my new book Insha Allah will be available on wattoad this Ramadan.  Ramadan Mubarak people. May Allah bring an end to COVID-19 in this blessed month of Ramadan.

EPILOGUE

Zayd walked into the eatery uttering a salam to notify  Layla of his presence “Wa alaika salaam warahmatullah wabarakatu ”she uttered with a smile.  Her dark skin shone in the blue jalabiya she was wearing, Zayd sat opposite her and smiles at her “why are you smiling like that? ” she asked scrutinizing his face “Masha Allah,  I never knew you were this beautiful ” he replied.  Layla never believed in beauty without long colourful braids, expensive jewelry, fixed lashes and nails, short and tight fitting clothes with heels but Zayd made it clear to her that she looked more beautiful all covered up. “so what are we having? ” Zayd asked as the waiter hands them the menu to them,  she smiles “I'll have whatever he's having ”she said to the waiter handling the menu.  Way into the meal they conversed and laughed at some lame comments they made at eachothers words but everything stopped when a fair lady shouted Zayd's name from afar “I missed you,  and you never mentioned it to me that you'll be here ” she coos leaning into him for a hug . He hugged her back and she dragged out a chair sitting very close to him,  tears appears as glassy layers in her eyes and she kept blinking to push them back but it looks as if it is a wasted effort “who's this lady ” the fair lady asked pointing opposite the table “she's Layla, Layla meet my wife  Humairah ” he said looking at her changed expression.  A lone tear sweeps down Layla's cheek and then another, her heart rate increased and she was shaking vigorously.  She stood up and left for the parking lot , got into her car and was about to ignite the engine when Zayd slid into the passengers seat “what are you doing here? ” she asked wiping her tears angrily “I just came to tell you that the person you saw in there was my sister and not my wife ” he noticed as her expression changed from hot to cold and she felt as if a weight has been lifted off her and she could breath “but you just said she was your wife ” she managed to say “I said that because I needed to see your reaction, you said you didn't love me but why are you acting all jealous? ” he asked with a smirk on his face. She felt like whipping that smirk off.  What happened to the Layla called iron lady?  The ferocious girl in heels that no one can get into her head unless she allows it?  Well I guess she changed for the better.
She starts sobbing again and he tried his best to calm her down “I thought I wasn't worthy of loving again after what I did to Hameed ” she says admist tears “it's OK, you can't stop your heart from wanting what it wants, and the best part of everything is that you've repented and Allah loves those who repent ” she looked him in the face and concluded that she doesn't deserve the person in front of her maybe in her next life but it was all real “thank you for everything, I really don't know what I did for Allah to bring such a person  my way ” she said and Zayd smiled and assured her that he'll always be here no matter what.  They left with Humairah after paying for their meals.
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The makeup artist did a very good job as all eyes were on Layla. In her turquoise dress she moves from one tent to another greeting her in-laws, when she reached her mother in-law she kneeled smiling brightly at her but the old woman's reply was like a slap to her face nevertheless she moved on till she was done with the greetings and returned to her original spot smiling brightly as though nothing happened, it was no news that Zayd's mother wasn't fond of her right from the day she found out about her dirty past even though Zayd had tried his best to tell her that Layla was a changed person.
Everything went as planned  and they moved into a new house in Gwarimpa after spending a night at the family house.  The house was bigger than how Layla had imagined it'll be “like exactly how rich are you Zayd ” she asked as she turned to face her husband “Alhamdulilah I'm rich enough to be able to take care of my wife and family” he replied with a killer smile,  that single smile alone sent shivers down Layla's spine and her happiness knew no bounds that she had finally let her self love another other than Junaid. 
She thought of Hameed and how his life might have turned out and she felt a slow pains and tears struck her eyes, she hated and blamed her old self,  the selfish and rude Layla. The loud ringing of Zayd's phone brought her back to reality and he seeked for her permission in order to answer the phone, she nodded slightly and decided to move around and get acquainted with her new home, she was looking at the backyard WHEB she heard footsteps behind her and turned to see her loving husband,  he looked pale and she knew immediately that something was wrong “what's going on? ” she asked voice laced with worrybabd anxiety “it's,  I don't know how to say this to you ” he replied making her more anxious “remember we promised to tell each other everything ?” she tugged him, he sighed and looked at her defeated “my mother said we should move back into the main house, she doesn't want me far away from her ” he spilled the words and he regretted immediately. How was she going to look at him now when he knows his mother wasn't fond of his wife.  The old woman's initial words were “I don't trust that girl you got married too and you're the only son I have left who knows maybe she might poison you or murder you in your sleep and run off,  so please my son move back in. I can't bear the thought you leaving you and that woman alone.”  how could he say no to his old sickened mother ?
With a heavy heart Layla kept convincing herself that this was the party she needed Sabr, she whispered to her hearing “Sabr,
Sabr”   she nodded as of informing Zayd that They  had to succumb to her wishes.
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Three months have past and life Layla felt suffocated not due to lack of air but all eyes where on each and every move she made.  Her mother in-law found fault in every little thing and she never cease to remind her that she detested her until one evening.
News came to Zayd that his wife was terribly sick and his mother had denied her from going to the hospital.  He got a plane ticket from Kaduna back to Abuja immediately,  he walked into the house and went straight to his room only to meet his mother raining curses on his sick wife . Words hitched in her throat and she began to cough profusely upon seeing Zayd,  she hadn't expected him to be standing there, he didn't inform any one of his arrival,  at first she even thought it was a ghost until he spoke “I thought you promised ?”  he's never been this angry, he carried his sick wife down the stairs to the car and rushed her to the hospital.
On the hospital bed Layla cried and cried she wished her mother was here,  at least the heaviness she felt in her chest might reduce,  Zayd kept pleading to her to forgive him for leaving her in the hands of danger but she was too frustrated to look at him , the Dr cane in with some papers examined Layla and requested they go do an x-ray .
“Your wife needs to be operated as soon as possible, or else she might not survive this ” the Dr had said with all seriousness.  Zayd was in a dilemma but he believed nothing was too much for Allah so he kept saying a silent prayer as he watched the love of his life wheeled into the operating room.  She had suffered ab ectopic pregnancy and was also suffering from persistent malaria.  He blamed it all on himself and vowed that if she survived this he'd make her life better.
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“I think it's high time you forgive her , haba Zayd,  she's your mother ”  Layla had been on this issue since the day they moved out of the family house “she failed me,  after promising to let everything go she promised to take care of you in my absence but what I saw was an exact opposite. Had it been I had it from someone else I won't have believed it but I saw her.  What If you had died ?” he replied bitterly “and I didn't die, here I am with you.  Please forgive her ” Zayd thought for a while “don't think about it , the woman is down stairs she's been coming here for days now. And guess what! She was nice to me ” she said with a smile “really? ” he asked and she nods “I'll be right back ” he said and went down the stairs,  he saw his mother watching TV and he thought for a while ‘This woman Is my mother, she is very strict but she's still my mum,  she's human and therefore she makes mistakes but that doesn't stop her from being my mom and if I loose her I'll never find another '
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THE END
Last note: Layla and her mother in-law never settled their differences but their relationship was better than before at least it wasn't  that of a prey and predator.
Hameed dedicated most of his time at mufrah foundation,  giving all he had left to charity and he later asked For his parents forgiveness and had a liver transplant.
Jalilah gave birth to a bouncing baby boy and Junaid had never been happier.
Yasmeen went for masters and meet an old classmate and she's about to settle down.
  Finally we reach this point.
People don't always get what they want, those who accept it willingly live a life of peace and content those who refuse to let go end up not so peaceful and have to ride through the bumpy roads of life.  It's OK not to be OK but that doesn't mean you should be mean and wicked in order to satisfy yourself it also shows that you are selfish because you are only thinking about your greedy self.  Once in a while think about yourself but plan your life so it doesn't have to affect others negativity and remember where ever you might go,  try to leave a positive impact, something that if it was the last thing you did you'd be remembered for such an act.
       So here's the end of Strangled.
ZAHRA'U ABDULMALIK  HUSSAIN.
    *****
Alhamdulilah,  strangled is finally over.  That was one hell of a ride  Hmmmmmm but it was worth it. Thank you all for giving my book a chance really you don't know how much it means to me like it's fascinating that someone read what I write and enjoyed it.  It's more like diving into my thoughts and making sense out of it.
It won't be nice if I don't say a big thank you to the people I started with maryamsajoh  ets_bawa hannatukur haleema240 @maryamsalga @dondadarh.  I can't mention all of you really. Thanks so very much 😪😪😪
I can't be emotional right now 😂😂😂
Now here's the big news. 
I'm starting a new book and I'm sure you're going to enjoy it far better than this one thanks to KingMoha I have a beautiful cover.
I'll post the prologue here for you to see.