Elhaam!

Chapter 12

"no no no! You can't just give away a whole organization as if its no big deal. Stop been partial. I am your wife, the least you could do is acknowledge me as one... " Zulai hysterically lamented, tears gradually rolling down her cheeks as her mother tried consoling her.

"I'm ashamed to have raised a child to turn out this way" his father spat out

"don't say that. He'd change it, right Ibrahim, you'll change it for me?" his mother interjected with an edge in her voice.

"He has to. First he brings his bastard son into his house and forces my daughter to take care of him. Then now he doesn't even reward her with a penny and much miserliness towards his own kids. Such disputable character. I should never have married my daughter off to him" Alhaji Idris remarked.

"you really shouldn't have. Maybe then we won't be here. I'd be married to Hadiza, my son would have been with me with no disturbance in my life. But not everything happens our way. You got your way eleven years ago when you forced me to marry her, now it's my turn. You can take your daughter if you want, I won't stop you, but my kids stay with me. Oh, and also, my will declaration stands. Nothing will change my mind. Not even my parents." with that, he left the room, escorting the lawyers out with his kids still trailing behind.

Zulai had nothing to do. What she feared has come true, yet she knew there's no way she's going to add to her misery by getting divorced. No matter how selfish and wicked she might seem, she'd persuade or force Ibrahim into revoking his will statement, and she'd have to get fahaad out of their lives permanently.

***

"Almustapha baby, go and get your father's phone for me kaji?" zulai cajoled

"Toh mommy. Lemme finish this level" he replied absentmindedly, his attention focused on the game on her phone. Knowing how gentle she is with her kids, she just smiled pushing the topic to later.

A week had gone by faster than they could they apprehended. Maybe because Ibrahim took his son to see his mother on a Thursday instead of the usual Saturdays. Or maybe because zulai spent her week thinking of ways to achieve her goal, nevertheless, it was the day Fahaad and Ibrahim returned from Katsina. And the next day, he was to travel to Keffi for a very important seminar.

Becoming more and more agitated, she snatched her phone from a deep engrossed almustapha so her can at least get the phone.

Soon enough, he came holding the phone clutched in his hand, eager to continue the game he was mid at.

"here. Now can I continue my game?"

"sure"

Getting the phone number she wished to get, she placed the phone beside almustapha and made her way to the kitchen.

***

Hadiza stared perplexed by the new number calling her. For all she know, the only ones that call her are Ibrahim and maman abdul, her neighbor. Rinsing off the lather foam from her hands, she pressed the accept button putting it to her ears.

"assalamu..."

"cut the salam. I'm not calling for peace offering but a deal. I'm sending your son back to you by next week. Do yourself and son a favor and hold on to him there. I don't need him, my kids don't need him, and certainly my husband doesn't as well. I swear if he returns to my house with my husband, wallahi i will kill him. I don't care if i am also killed by shari'ah, as far as my kids get to have all the love and property from their father. If its money you want, I'd send 100,000 to your account monthly so you don't worry. in kunne ya ji, jiki ya tsira. inko bejiba, jiki magayi."(if you heed to my words, you'll escape my wrath, if not you'll face the consequence)