Arrow of Fate 🏹💘
By: Yusuf Abd’wasii (Literatus🌹)
Episode 13
All hell was finally let loose when Abdulhakeem was offered a job at NNPC. He was sent to Iran for a on year course with a very fortunate package, he left a little junks of money for my upkeep. On a normal ground, he was supposed to return from the trip every two months. The money he left will never be sufficient but I managed with the little I made and settle things with my final year. Truly and frankly, his absence brought peace and joy to me, but whenever he arrived, fear gripped me. He has wanted a perfect wife and a mother but nay, I was not a mother.
Wheneber he was away, I had enough time to study and to plan for my project, I researched freely without anyone taking to my ears of my barrenness. To the very least, no one will come back drunk, late at night to drag all I did in the mud, my food was not rejected, my ears was deaf to my bride price not being paid.
Before Abdulhakeem arrived from one of his trip, he had called his lawyer and one property agent to get a bigger apartment for us, immediately he arrived, we packed all our belongings and moved out. The week was a very hectic one as Abdulhakeem went out often to get things we’ll fixed that’ll befit each places. I had always been romantic but I was in a loveless and lifeless marriage.
A week elapsed and Abdulhakeem went back to Iran, never once did he asked about my studies, he didn’t. But Glory be to God alone, before the next three months ended, I was done with my Degree. Abdulhakeem was not even surprised to see my call up letter when he arrived but still, I was still with him because of my marital status.
One evening, I made his favourite dish of well prepared melon soup and Semovita, I took all my efforts to prepare it. Always, I do find means to things he liked. As he arrived, he took his bath and went to the dining table to eat, he took the first taste of the swallow and screamed, he shouted my name, Aminah, Aminah, Aminah as if I was unconscious… What’s is this, is this soup or porridge? It seems your barrenness has affected your sense of cooking, find your time to remove this poison. He abandoned the food and went straight into the room.
occasionally, he would buy me things to put on just to show off to his friends as if he’s taking good care of me.
There was a day he even praised me publicly, ‘He said I’m the one who had been his backbone all this while, if not for Aminah, I would have been this wealthy. She’s the one who helped me through the course of getting employed into NNPC. I sobbed bitterly, someone that’ll be treating me like as slave at home is now eulogising me here of something I had never done. Whenever all those scenarios happened, I tried to compose myself.
That day when we’re done, after he had praised me all he wanted, as we’re ready to sleep, I called on him to please give me five minutes of his time so that we can talk. What is it? He asked.
something has been bothering my mind and I think I should let you know.
‘Wait, Aminah are you pregnant? He asked. Because the only thing that could disturb you now is pregnancy.