CHAPTER NINETEEN

How did it happen? Mrs. Richards

asked Jamil. Jamil did not reply and

only sat on the bench looking into

space. He did not want to talk to

anybody because he was angry at

everybody and himself. He kept

repeating in his head saying if only. He

looked at his mum sitting beside

him and wanted to talk to her but

each time he tries talking, it seems like

his throat is closing together and he

can't say or explain anything to

anyone. It came as a shock to Jamil

as nobody ever expects such a

tragedy to happen to them. Although

his marriage to Samantha wasn't

one of love but they have grown to

like and respect each other. Looking

back at their lives, it now almost

seemed like they had begun to love

each other.

Mrs. Richards looked at her son and

said, Jamil, you have to be strong

because Sam would have never

been happy to see you this way.

Nobody prayed for this, but life is

just full of ups and downs and when

it brings its tragedy with it, humans

can do nothing but try to live with its

impact on them. She hugged her

son to herself tightly as she listened

to him and tears also pulled from

her eyes.

After she gives birth to our

daughter, we were going to name

her Yaretzi. We wanted her to

know that she will always be loved.

But Mom you can see that Sam did

not make it. Our baby Yaretzi never

even lived a day out of her mother's

womb let alone knowing that she is

loved. What am I going to do mom?

She was in charge of everything in

the house and it seems like everywhere

I turn to, I can see her. Sam was a

very good wife. She never asked

for anything from me, she never

even asked for my heart because

that's the kind of person she is.

How do I go on without her now

Mum? What do I tell her parents

when they come over? 

Mrs. Richards robbed her son's

head and said, when they arrive you

will tell them exactly what you know.

Don't hide anything from them and do

not try to be strong also. Being strong

does not mean you cannot grieve. You

are free to cry all you want and you

are also free to get angry and trash

everywhere. Let out your feelings and

do not bottle them up inside as this

only proves that you are human not

a machine. Letting out your feelings

do not make you weak rather they

will set your heart free.

Mrs. Richards did not bother asking

her son what happened again

because she knows that he wouldn't

be able to explain anything right now

as he was still trying to grasp the

reality that he has just lost his wife.

She felt pain in her heart as she

looked at her son and saw him all

broken and weeping like a baby.

She was called upon early this

morning that her son's wife Samantha

who was six months pregnant has

passed on. It was a very devastating

news for any parent to hear.

Mrs. Richards did not ask further

questions as she rushed down to

meet her son and find out what had

happened. She was out in the

United States on vacation but

decided not to stay with her son

and rather get a hotel because she

wanted to be alone. Now, Mrs

Richards blames herself as she

feels that if only she had stayed with

them,  maybe Sam will still be alive as

she was told that Sam was bitten by

a viper. It is still unclear where it

came from because there are no

snakes around the area let alone a

Viper. Jamil was working the night

shift and wasn't able to come home

the previous night. He got

suspicious when he couldn't reach

his wife on phone in the early hours

of this morning.

Sarah rushed in looking sad and in

tears. She ran up to Jamil and

hugged him as they both cried.

While crying, she said between sobs,

Jamil, it is true that Samantha and I

have had our differences but she

doesn't deserve this. I was in the

area yesterday just as you know,

but I couldn't come to your house

because I didn't want us to have any

issues but now I regret not coming

because maybe if I had been around,

Samantha would have still been alive.

Jamil, I feel it's my fault that she's dead.

While she was crying and talking,

Jamil said nothing because all he

could do was cry all by himself.

Samantha was one very peaceful

woman who will tell you what she

wants directly and not try to be

sneaky or calculating. She was a

person who never hides her feelings

about a person or thing. Jamil was

so sad that it feels like he can't be

consoled. The death of his wife is

a very big blow to him and there's

no amount of encouragement that

can console him.

Sarah left Jamil after she saw that

he wasn't responding to anything

that she was saying and walked up

to Mrs. Richards. Mrs. Richards did

not even notice that there was

someone sitting beside her as she

was also lost in thought and self-blame.

Samantha was a ray of light that

shined into her family after she felt

like all was lost. Samantha and

jamil's marriage was arranged by

both families. Mrs. Richards never

thought that her son would ever

smile again after the heartbreak he

experienced with his first love but

Samantha did everything, even went

out of her way to make sure that

their marriage worked and she also

put a smile on Jamil's face once

again. Their marriage was not based

on love. It was based on

companionship, understanding,

and commitment. Mrs. Richards

was finally happy when Samantha

got pregnant as that was a sign

that her son did not neglect his

wife because for four years she

has been worried about their

childlessness. She felt that this

child will bring a permanent bond

between her son and his wife but

now both mother and child are gone.

 Samantha was a pure soul who

has managed to influence

everybody who she has come

across, positively. The only person

that Samantha never truly liked was

Sarah but Mrs. Richards understands

the reason Samantha never liked

Sarah. She knows that Sam knew

that Sarah has always been

interested in Jamil. When Sarah

wants something and she doesn't

 get it, she can be irrational and a

bit bothersome. It will take only a

person who truly understands Sarah

to know that she is only childish but

harmless. Mrs. Richards truly did not

know what to say to Samantha's

parents when she sees them just like

her son had mentioned a while ago.

 Samantha was an only child and her

parents doted on her. Just like her

mother will always say that Samantha

was a blessing that she did not

deserve. Even as a teenager,

Samantha was very sensible and

never brought her parents trouble

like some teenagers do. She never

rebelled and even when her marriage

was arranged to Jamil, she accepted

it without any questions.

Samantha's mother rushed into

the hospital immediately they arrived.

Where is my daughter she shouted?

She threw herself to the floor as she

wailed. While she was crying and

shouting, she saw Jamil and run to

him then she grabbed him and said

where is my daughter? I gave my

daughter to you in one piece and

you killed her. What offense has she

committed? Why did you do this to

me? She kept pulling him as people

tried to separate them because

Jamil wasn't struggling with her.

While they were holding her away,

she kept crying and saying I had just

one eye but someone wasn't happy

with that and decided to finally make

me go blind. I have nothing anymore.

I have lost everything. My only child

is gone.

Her husband walked up to her and

started to console her and said, as

you know, we can't fight God's will.

God understands why he took her

and do you remember that you used

to say that Samantha was a blessing

that you did not deserve? Let's just

take it that she was too good for

this world. His wife kept crying and

saying this is not God's will. This

is man's will and whoever has done

this will never go scot-free. I will

make sure of that. While talking

she was talking, she was staring at

Sarah as she pointed to her and said

you will rot in hell. I know that you

did this because you never liked

Samantha.

Sarah looked aggrieved like she was

being accused of something that

she knows nothing about. She

looked towards Samantha's mother

with her eyes red from crying and

said I knew that you will blame me

for this. It is true that I had my

differences with her but why will I

kill her? Sarah cried and said this

is not fair.

Samantha's mother shook her

head as she cried more and said I

would have listened to my daughter

when she complained about this

snake who calls herself Jamil's sister.

My daughter has always complained

about her scheming but this fool she

married here never saw anything

wrong in whatever this witch does. I

know that Sam stopped you from

coming to her house for very good

reasons and that was why you took

out your anger out on her in this way

by ending her life but I promise you

that you will not go scot-free.

Hearing the accusations being

leveled against her daughter,

Sarah's mother got very angry and

told Samantha's mother that if you

do not like my daughter, it's

understandable but do not accuse

her of murder. I know it's very

painful losing a child and you are

grieving but for God's sake do not

accuse Sarah. She wasn't at

your daughter's house when this

happened. She only heard about it

this morning after Jamil's mother

called. People are meant to have

differences but when a tragedy

happens, we don't have the right to

accuse them without proof. I am

very sorry for your loss but I will

not stand here and watch you accuse

my daughter or something this

grievous.

Sarah's mother held onto Sarah's

hand and dragged her out of the

hospital as they entered into their

car and left. They drove away from

the hospital and parked the car by

the roadside. Sarah's mother looked

at Sarah and said I hope you had no

hand in this. Everyone's looking at

you like a murderer and I have

nothing to say to defend you

because it's always been your way

to cause problems.

Sarah looked at her mother and

cried as she said even if everyone

will doubt me, are you supposed to

doubt me also? Aren't you my mother?

If I had killed Samantha why would

I hide it away from you? I have no

hand in this and I don't know why

her mother is accusing me. Sarah's

mother looked at Sarah and said I

hope you are telling the truth

because I wouldn't want to look at

my daughter someday and see a

murderer in her instead of my little

sweet girl. All through the drive

home, Sarah was quiet as she decided

to ignore her mother. She felt

aggrieved and said, other mothers

defend their daughters but you

don't want to defend me because I

am always the bad child who stirs

up trouble.

When Sarah got home, she went into

her room and locked herself in. She

did not lock herself in because she

was angry rather she locked the

door so that she could celebrate her

Victory over Samantha. Five years

ago, she successfully separated

Jamil from Itohan but before she

could celebrate, Mrs. Richards

arranged Jamil and Samantha's

marriage and there was nothing

that Sarah could do to stop it. Over

the years, she tried creating

problems between them but

Samantha was too wise to allow

Sarah separate her from her

husband. finally, Samantha found

a way to stop Sarah from coming

to her house and Jamil also agreed.

Sarah has been finding different

ways to get rid of Samantha for the

past four years but couldn't find a

good plan until two weeks ago when

she came across the Indian who

sells snakes and a thought crossed

her mind on what to do about

Samantha. The snake was she

sedation and left to starve as the

Indian skillfully wrapped it into a

small cloth. Sarah purchased the

snake before her meeting with

Jamil at the shopping mall. That

morning, she spoke to Jamie on

the phone and he told her that he

will be coming to shop for some

baby clothes so she asked him if

they could meet up for lunch. While

they were having lunch, she found

a way to sneak the snake into the

shopping bag. Jamil wanted to

surprise his wife and asked Sarah

what to do, so she gave him the

idea to go shopping for baby

clothes and leave them behind for

her and the bed. She told him that

this will prove to her that he is

involved in their baby's life.

 She gave Jamil such an idea

because she already has an

agenda and she was more than

pleased after accomplishing her

mission. While discussing with

Jamil, Sarah even begged him that

after they have their baby, she will

like to come and visit them. She even

promised him that she will not

bother Samantha like she used to

do anymore because she has

learned her lessons. She talked like

a changed person and even Jamil

was convinced that Sarah is now

a matured girl.

 All through the night, Sarah couldn't

sleep because she was tensed

and really wanted her plan to work.

It got to a point that she started to

pray to whatever was listening as

she said "whoever or whatever is

listening, please I beg you, let my

plans come true. By morning, I

want to hear the good news that

Samantha is finally out of my way

for good. I did not destroy Jamil and

Itohan's relationship so that someone

else will come and take my place. I

worked so hard but I have been

cheated in the end." All through the

night, she kept pacing and it got to

a point where she almost called the

house but she restrained herself

because that could be an implication

if her wish comes true. When her

mother got Mrs. Richards call this

morning, there was no other person

happier on earth than Sarah as she

almost shouted in glee. She followed

her mum to the hospital so that she

will be sure that Samantha is dead

and gone for good. As she was

walking into the hospital, the only

thing that crossed her mind when

she saw Jamil was, "mine forever."