Chapter 62
Daddy heaved a sigh and reread the messages. He had never felt guilt eating him up that much in his life till that moment. He had really done something bad this time. He misjudged his daughter and took advantage of the love they had for each other. “Your wife did all of this? She is the reason why my daughter got pregnant and she’s behind the baby’s death?” He asked and mujahid slowly nodded, head ducked. “This is....” He let his words trail off. He couldn't believe what he has read.
“But please daddy, don't turn her to the police. I wouldn't want that to happen to her.” He pleaded. Mommy glared at him and hissed. “This is not something to easily forgive and forget. You guys have caused so much pain to my daughter and I will not let your wife go scot-free just like that. She must be punished, doctor. If you won't do anything about it, I will.”
He looked at his wife and shook his head. He was about to speak when she hissed again and stood up. Mujahid looked at her retreating back in terror till she disappeared. “Don't worry, I will speak with her,” he interrupted. “And thank you for telling me the truth instead of hiding it. Uh... she's with mahmud, right?” Daddy asked. “Yes, she has been with him.”
Daddy was quite for a bit. He sighed and handed the phone back to mujahid. “I have to leave now daddy but please beg mommy on my behalf I will surely punish her for what she has done.” Daddy assured him of what he wanted before mujahid left.
He stood up and walked up to mommy’s room. He met her pacing around the room while trying to make a phone call. He held her hand and took the phone away. “Who are you trying to call?” He asked smoothly. “What else will I do other than to call my daughter?” She spat, impudently. Daddy smiled and shook his head. “Please sit down let’s talk first,” he pleaded. She placed her hands on her waist. “Sit? And talk? About what? Did you sit down and listen to me when I was trying to convince you not to send her away? Did you listen to me when I told you she didn't do it on purpose? You didn't right? So now you want to settle things, doctor? Because you've found out about the truth? There’s no way I’m letting this slide. They have hurt my daughter more than words could tell. And I am not going to let this slide, just like that.”
He held her shoulders and made her to sit down on the bed. He sat down beside her and glanced at her. “I know what I did was too much and I didn't do the right. I let my anger to get the best of me and I’m sorry. I’ve also hurt our daughter, pushed her away when she needed us the most. I was not being the father I should have been. I chose my career over her....” He exhaled and shook his head.
“I need to go see my daughter right now,” she said not glancing his way. “We will but tomorrow morning, I promise you. We will get her home tomorrow, in sha Allah.”
**
He held his breath and took slow steps to the bathroom. He turned the door knob and pushed the door open. He heard her sobs as she kept repeating Amatullah’s name. His eyes and mouth wide open at the sight of blood everywhere in the bathtub. “Manha? Wha....” He stuttered. She looked up at him with her blood shot eyes. She tighten her hold of the baby on her chest like she was going to be killed again. “Someone killed my baby, mahmud.... Someone killed her...” She lamented. He knelt down in front of her, “give me the baby,” he said but she shook her head and hugged her baby closer. She didn't care about the blood staining her clothes, all she wanted was to wake up from the nightmare.
He rushed out of the bathroom and came back with a blanket. “Put her in here, manha... please....” She beheld his gaze that said so many things to her and she knew she could trust him no matter what. She hesitated before carefully keeping the baby in the blanket. He wrapped her up and stood up. “Where are you taking her?” She asked also standing up.
He walked out of the bathroom, holding the baby. He laid her down on the carpet and sat down on bed holding his head that was twirling. She knelt down before the corpse of the baby and peered at her. It all felt like a dream. “I don't know what happened... I heard noises, loud noises. I was so afraid. I.... I just came out of the kitchen and then blood.....” Tension grew in her face and limbs, her mind replaying the loud noise she heard. It was frightening. Her breathing became more rapid, more shallow.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, gently rubbing her arm. This was the first time he was touching her ever since they knew each other. Her stomach fluttered at the feeling of her body pressed against his. She sunk into the warmth of his side, appreciative of the warm gesture. His touch made the room warmer somehow, her future within its walls seeming a little less bleak. “I don't know who is doing this or who is trying to hurt you, all I know is we will find whoever that person is and they will surely pay for every pain they've caused.” He whispered into her ear and hugged her firmly. She hugged him back and sobbed into his chest. Pain is what she understands now, it’s the only thing she feels.
“I can't promise to fix all of your problems, but I can promise you won't face them all alone. I will be here with you, okay? All of this is temporary and it will surely pass like it never happened, I promise.” His embrace was warm, and his big, strong arms seemed very protective when wrapped around her frail body. The world around her melted away as she squeezed him back, not wanting the moment to end.
He broke the hug and awkwardly stood up. She sighed watched as he took the baby. “What are we going to do now?” She queried, gloomily. “I’m calling the police now,” he said walking out of the room with the corpse. She followed him out to the living room. “What’s the point of calling them? What would it change?” She asked peering at him typing away from his phone. He looked at her with an amazed look. “It’s the right thing to do, manha. We don't know what these people might do next. I’m not taking any risk and I’m very sure it’s the same people that....” He paused and sighed. The last thing he would do was talk about her being raped. It pained him to remember that.
A call came through and he looked at his phone. It was mujahid. He hissed and rejected the call. Mujahid was his least problem now. She folded her arms on her chest and stared at his phone while it ring again. “You should pick up, it might be something important,” she advised but he ignored.
‘I know you are ignoring my calls on purpose. And I promise you, you will call me right now because I know who got maryam raped and killed her baby.’
He read the text. His eyes bulged out as his heart pounded hard. He scrambled up and dialled on mujahid’s number with trembling hands. “Told you you'd call.” Mujahid laughed like there was nothing to worry about. “Cut it with the bullshit and tell me what you mean by you know the person behind all of this chaos.” Mahmud spat. Mujahid cleared his throat. “Yes I just found out an hour ago. And it will be better if we meet in person. And don't call the police about the baby, please.”
“Why? This isn't something to joke with....”
“Please, trust me on this. I will come over tomorrow morning and we will talk about everything. Trust me brother,” he pleaded. Mahmud sighed and rubbed his temple. Not that he trusted mujahid but he would wait and see what will happen the next day. He cut the call and dropped the phone on the sofa. “What happened? Is everything okay?” She asked dismayed. “I have to go bury the baby now,” he said picking up the body. “I will follow you. I’m really scared, I can't stay in this house alone.” She rapidly went into her room and came back wearing her hijab. She didn't even bother to change her blood stained dress.
“Manha I will be back real soon, I promise,” he assured but she refused. “I feel like there’s someone waiting for you to leave and kill me afterwards. I’m not staying here alone!”
He led them out of the house. His gateman was still on the cold floor unconscious. Maryam looked at the gateman and gasped. They walked pass him to Mahmud’s car which was parked outside. He placed the baby in the back seat and went back inside the house. She watched as he came back holding a shovel before he dropped it in the back trunk and entered the car. He drove in silence with nothing but maryam’s susurration sobs. He glanced at her and glanced away. He also needed to be consoled, but she needed I more. He was more than dazed with everything that has happened in less than two hours.
He was a bit relieved that they would find out who was behind all of the shambles soon but he was terrified to know who the person was. Was it his brother? If not him why would he ask him not to call the police? This isn't something to play with.
He didn't stop the car till they were almost out of the town. He parked by the road side and hopped out. She watched him as he brought out amatullah and the shovel. She also dropped out of the car when he started walking towards the bushes. “I want to follow you please.... I can't stay here alone. I’m so scared.” She held his arm and spoke while looking both sideways. There was no sign of any car passing, left alone people walking about. “There’s a graveyard few steps from here. I’m going there to bury her and I don’t think it’s safe for you. I don't want to lose two important people on the same day. You should wait for me in car. lock the door till I'm back, I won't be long, I promise.”
She nodded briskly and went back into the car. She watched as he disappeared into the bushes. She locked the doors and hugged her knees. Slow desolate tears cascading down her cheeks. It really hurts, her heart. She thought she would start getting used to being in pain but this was different. She lost her child that she never knew she loved her so much till the moment she saw her lain down in her own blood, lifeless. She sat there, curled up in a ball and cried the pain out. It made her feel less of the pain she was going through.
He slowly knocked on the glass door. She rapidly looked up and exhaled when she saw him. She unlocked the door and he entered. He dropped the shovel at the back seat and started the car. He didn't say anything to her nor did she.
The moment they arrived home, he parked the car outside and hopped out. He set foot into the compound and met his gate man sitting on a bench, hands on his head. He quickly rise up when he heard movements. “Malam, what happened here? Who came into this house when I wasn't around?” Mahmud inquired, he observed the wound by the side of Malam’s head.
“I was sitting on the bench when I heard a car pull over by the gate. I didn't go out to check till one of them came knocking. He asked if you were around I told him you weren't. He demanded that I let them in but I told them that’s against your rule. The rest came down and one of them brought out a gun and threatened to shoot me. Before I could do anything they hit me hard in my head till I collapsed.”
Mahmud sighed, rubbing the space between his nose. “Open the gate,” he instructed and went out to the car. He parked the car at the parking lot and stepped out. He opened the door for her and held her hand. He led them inside the house to the living room. “Sit right here, I will be back now.... I promise,” he assured her when she was about to protest. She closed her mouth and nodded. He smiled and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.
He breezed out of the the living room and headed out to the gateman’s place. “You should go get yourself checked at the clinic,” mahmud said and gave him some amount of money. The gateman thanked him before he left. He went back inside and met her still sitting where he left her. She looked at him and put on a smile that never reached her bloodshot eyes. He plumped down beside her and glanced at her red, tiring face. “How are you feeling?” He asked, smoothly. She nodded and smiled again, staring at the blank space. She rested her elbows on her thighs and covered her face with her hands. She was having a throbbing headache and all of what has been happening wasn’t helping her. She missed her daughter, her first child. At first, she thought she would never love her or get attached to her but it was impossible to not love amatullah.
The memories came back rushing all at once. Her light brown eyes looking at her mother whenever she was awake. Her little face glowing from a light within, and her miniature fingers grasping hers. Amatullah comforted her whenever she was gloomy. She always gave her joy with her cute, alluring smiles. She remembered how she always held her close to her chest and cry, feeling the joy of having amatullah at the midst of her pain. “I really miss her,” she lamented and broke down. The painful memories were like nightmares. It hunted her and caused much pain and fear in her heart.
She felt his warm palms on her wrists. He raised her head up and peered at her eyes, “I see it, I really do. I see the pain in your eyes. It has sat there for your life time, trapped in the confusion we all carry. I know you're afraid, hurt, in pain and I know I can't take that all away in just a blink of an eye, but I promise you, I will always be here for you, manha. Your pain is my pain and we will go through it all together, okay?” She rapidly nodded and inhaled. She exhaled when he wrapped his arms around her body. He slowly stroked her back, feeling how her body shook while she sobbed.
He loves her. That means he would protect her with his life even if the odds were insurmountable. He would comfort her in the difficult and painful times. He will dance and rejoice with her when times are good. He loves her and that means he would never betray her, never give up on her.
**
She paced around the room, thinking of a possible way to get out of the mess she has made. It wasn't a mess, it was a little mistake right? And she did it to protect her home, nothing more. But, what if she gets thrown into jail? Or he divorces her? She placed her arms on her head and sat down on the bed. She stood up again and walked to the door. She tried to open it one more time like it was unlocked.
She hissed and went back to her bed. She settled down on the edge of the bed, waiting to see what will happen to her. She didn't regret any of her actions, really. What she did was the right thing to do, she thought. She heard the door got unlocked before being opened. He appeared giving her a dead look. He locked the door and rested his back on the door, arms on his chest, gawking at her.
She stood up and slowly approached but he stopped her. “At least hear me out first, please.” He chuckled drying and shook his head. “Hear you out you say? Listen to what exactly? How you got someone raped and ruined their life? Or how you killed their child? Which one?” He inquired staring at her regret less eyes. “I did it to protect my house. I did it because I love you and you should appreciate the kind of love I have for you not shame me,” she spoke nonchalantly. He looked at her in disbelief and smiled. He was somewhat not surprised by the way she was talking impetuously. “So you don't feel an ounce of regret for what you did? You're not even afraid of what her parents might do to you? You're not afraid of going to prison?” He asked to see if she would have a second thought about it but she shrugged and turned to walk into her closet.
“Pack your things and go home Nadia, I’ve divorced you,” he asserted. She halted while her heart did a flip. She slowly turned and glanced at him. “Start packing your things right now and leave my house. Go back to your parents house and settle things there, I don't give a shit about what will happen to you,” he claimed, as if he really meant what he said. She approached him and grabbed his collar firmly. “You've divorced me? Are you okay, mujahid? You divorced me because of that piece of garbage that wouldn't add anything to your life?” She ululated. He slowly swatted her hands away and walked passed her.
She looked at his retreating back in disbelief till he entered the bathroom. She laughed hysterically and walked to her closet. She started the game and she would win the game and end it for good. The war had just begun.