Finding Mufeeda

Healing

I am certain we all have something that hurts us...a pain that won't go away. Someone, something or a situation we wish we could change. May Allah help us heal.

Chapter Fourteen

Mufeeda sprawled her entire five feet four inches self on her bed to check if her father had sent any mail to her.
He had. Mufeeda was excited It was a letter from her mother to him. Why would he forward it to me?
She paused before reading.

I'm not sure I want to do this. I'm so happy right now and I don't want anything to spoil my mood.

Her curiosity was surely greater than her fears, for she ended up reading the letter.

Dear Abdul,

Assalaam alaykum,

Thank you for calling me. It was a call I had expected so many years ago and eagerly anticipated in those early days.
I appreciate your wanting the past to be kept in the past. This indeed is the right attitude after all we've been through. However certain things cannot be completely left there. Some questions will continue to haunt our conscience and may affect our daughter. Permit me to tell my side of it.
So here goes.
One afternoon, your uncle Rauf came over to see Mummy, (late Alhaja Amu.) They held their discussion in her library away from everyone's ears. When he left, Mummy appeared to be very worried. I wanted to know if all was well as we hadn't received any news from you for a while. She refused to tell me anything. The following day she met with some members of the extended family in Lagos Island. I didn't even know about this meeting until later. My Uncle, Chief Adele asked to see me. He was acting as the head of the family.

He told me that they had received news from you. I was scared thinking something terrible had happened to you. He said you had started keeping bad company and was caught for rape and doing drugs. Of course, I didn't believe it. He informed me that the family had taken a decision that I must never associate with you again and hope that they don't want to be related in any way to a criminal. You know how things are; the fear of stigmatization is real in our society. From
I said I needed proof of whatever they were accusing you of because I felt it was all a plot to separate us. Mummy in particular, if you remember was against our being together from the very beginning.
I went to your cousin Funso Rauf to find out for myself. He confirmed the story and even gave me a photocopied report of your arrest.
I was confused and sick with grief. Sometimes I thought perhaps you were guilty and that was why you could not write to me. Most times I thought it was a conspiracy. Then I would ask myself; is it possible, a conspiracy that would involve the Texan police and judicial system?
While I was trying to cope with this development, I discovered I was carrying our child. It was a bittersweet situation. I was glad I had a part of you and devastated that our plans failed. The dreams we had shared were being shattered right before my very eyes.
As soon as Mummy realized that I was pregnant, she got a private doctor to see me. According to her, it was to avoid the prying eyes of people. By December, we left for England. The family had decided this was best for me and my unborn child. You know our elders, they hardly seek our opinions when making decisions that affect us and our entire lives.

Later, I came to understand that they did not want anyone from your family to know
driving the cars they had left behind. They found it odd that an uncle who should be bothered about his nephew's predicament would occupy his property and possess his.l0 things. I also considered it odd and my believe was that he was an opportunist and could do anything when desperate. The elders advised us to be discreet about the pregnancy.