Chapter 16

She lay there quietly, keeping her eyes closed, matching her breaths to the beeping of the machines that surrounded the bed, the only indications of her heartbeat, her existence. Her legs were numb. Curiosity slowly pried open her swollen eyes to meet a dismal view of a magnolia colored hospital room, the door a navy blue. She slid her eyes sideways, she saw her chart.

Ameenah Abdulhadee

Status: Unstable

Admittance: 12:23pm

Cause of Admittance: Head injury

Diagnosis: Nil

Duration: Unknown

She looked around again, sighed and closed her eyes again. She heard the door get opened and closed. She opened her eyes, "You're here." Her voice shaking. "How are you feeling?" He asked. "Where's mama? I want to see her." He came closer to the bed. "Calm down okay? She went to pray. She'll be back soon." She slowly nodded. And the room went silent for a while.

"Who did this to you?" He couldn't hold it. "Please don't hide it. Tell me, who did this to you, Ameenah."

Her eyes welled up with tears. She burst into tears. In her sobbing was the sound of a heart breaking. Hearts don't snap like brittle caramel or burst like an overfilled balloon. A heart breaks in the heaving waves of a new disturbing reality that has arrived uninvited. He brought out his handkerchief and passed it to her. She wiped her tears sniffing. "It was Malika." She finally told him. He wasn't surprised.

"I... I can't do this please..."

"Ameenah!" He warned. "Listen to me, you're the love of my life. You are everything to me baby. Since the day you walked into my life. My life has never been the same. My heart will never be complete because you hold the other part of it. And now... now if you leave how do you want me to live? Please Ameenah You are everything to me. I need you in my life always. Please promise me that you will never leave me. Be my strength forever and for always. Please don't leave, not because of her."

She looked into his sparkling eyes, they held a lot of emotions. She found herself talking. "As soon as we meet I knew you were the one. The one I would spend my days thinking of. And the one I would spend my nights dreaming about. The one who would hold me when I cry. And the one who would laugh with me. The one who I would share my life with. And the one I would love. I knew all that as soon as we met. Please make me yours forever."

He smiled, "I'll make you my wife, In sha Allah."

"Salamu Alaikum," Aunty interrupted. He shifted back. "Wa'alaikumus Salam." They chorused. "How are you feeling now?" Aunty asked. "Alhamdulillah," she replied, smiling sheepishly. "Masha Allah." Aunty smiled back.

He excused himself to call the doctor while Aunty talked with Ameenah. "Who are those ladies?" Aunty asked. She looked at Aunty, she wasn't ready to speak up. "Ameenah dake nake magana fa." Aunty furrowed her brows.

"A... aunty..." she stuttered. "I don't want that. Who are they Ameenah? Your father is on his way, if you won't tell me fine, you'd tell him." She sat down on the couch at the end of the bed. Ameenah sniffed blinking back the tears. "Mama it's some girl that's obsessed with him." She started. "With who?" Aunty asked, clearly knowing who she meant. She wanted to hear her call his name.

Bashir and the doctor came in, interrupting their conversation. The doctor did a quick check up, asked her few questions and assured them she'll be discharged in the evening. He excused himself after that.

"She has told you who did this to her, I suppose." Aunty spoke. He nodded and explained everything to her. "I don't know why she won't leave me at peace. She has been following me for years now."

"SubahanAllah," aunty sighed. "Have you tried talking things out with her?" She asked. "Aunty I have tried everything she's very stubborn."

“And now she has touched one of the most important person in my life. She’ll pay for what she did.”

"No Bashir, don't do that. Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant. Don't do anything to her. Barta da Allah." She advised. He sighed, he couldn't just leave her like that. "I still have to warn her," he said. She chuckled, "yes but do it in a polite way."

Xx

After she was discharged, the next day he went back to Abuja. It was a Saturday afternoon, he had a conversation with his father about Ameenah. He informed him they were going to kaduna the next day about their marriage.

He sauntered into his room after their conversation with his father. He dialed Madyan's number. "Hey you know where I can find Malika?" He asked. "Good afternoon to you too sir!" He stated, annoyed. "I'm sorry, how are you?"

"I am okay. Why are you looking for her? Have you decided to marry two wives?" He teased. Bashir hissed, "stop it and Answer my question."

"I know her house, what's up?" He asked. "Good, I'll come pick you up in less thantwenty minutes." He hung up. He grabbed his car keys and sashayed out. Few minutes he was at the front gate. He called and told him to come out. "Hey what's up? What's happening?" Madyan asked the moment he got into the car.

Bashir was quiet for a while before he narrated everything that happened. "Whoa! She did that to Ameenah? SubahanAllah, what is wrong with that woman. She thinks doing that will make you to fall for her or what?"

"Well no one touches whom I love the most and think they'll run free." He said dryly. It was a ten minutes drive to her house. The gate man opened the gate without asking much questions. They alighted from the car. "I'll go call her now," Madyan said and walked to the entrance. Bashir watched when she came out. Their eyes met. He sent daggers her way. She swallowed hard, her heart beating against her rib cage.

She walked towards him, hiding her fear. "Hey ba..." he cut her off with a slap. The slap was as loud as a clap and stung her face. It had been an open-handed smack and it had left a red welt behind. She staggered backwards, clutching her face, eyes watering. "Wow!! Don't hit her," Madyan dragged him away. "Malika how can you be so stupid to travel all the way from Abuja to kaduna just to do what? Warn her? Warn her to stay away from me? Then you're stupid. Listen! Ameenah is the only girl I love and she'll be my wife Bi'iznillah. She's the love of my life and no one can separate us but Allah. Stick it in your head that I will never love you. Malika I don't like you! Leave my life and my girl alone." His rage held all the power of a wildfire, you could practically see the flames roaring in his eyes, ready to ignite anything that he came in contact with.

"You slapped me because of that numbskull, snotface." She murmured. Her eyes welled up with tears. He launched towards her but Madyan quickly held him. "Call her that again wallahil azeem you'll regret it."

"Do your worse, I still love you. In fact I love you even more now. And I will marry you. Let's see how you'll marry that girl. I swear you must love me and you must make me your only wife." He looked at her; she had gone crazy. He could see it. Madyan dragged him to the car and they left.

Madyan was driving, "you shouldn't have hit her." Bashir groaned, "why did you stopped me? I wanted to hit her black and blue! You have no idea how angry I am." He yelled at him. "Hey calm down! What is wrong with you? When did you turn like this please." Madyan yelled back. He was getting annoyed of Bashir’s strange rage. “You have never gotten this angry!” He said calmly.

His phone interrupted their conversation. His lips stretched into a smile. Her name washed all his worry and anger. “Precious Gem,” He chirped in. Madyan shook his head; no one can make him smile like Ameenah does.

“Hey.” She smiled sheepishly, as if he was their. “Love, how are you feeling now?” He asked. “Just a little headache but I’m okay.” She said more like a murmur. “Masha Allah. Hope you’re taking your drugs.”

“With the way Aunty is always on my shoulder, I have to. She left to start cooking dinner that’s why I got the chance to call you back. Was too shy to pick up your calls in front of her.” He smiled softly. “It’s okay babes. Just take a lot of rest please. I have a surprise for you but I won’t be the one to tell you.”

“Why won’t you tell me yourself?” She whined. He laughed a bit. “I said it’s a surprise. Okay I’ll give you a hint, our wedding.” Her heart did a backflip. She swallowed hard, “What... what about it?” She stuttered. “Hey babe, don’t get scared. It’s nothing to panic about, okay?” He assured. She nodded, “yes, yes. Nothing to panic about,” she repeated. “That’s more like it. I’m on my way home, I’ll call you when I get home. And don’t forget something...” he paused. “What?” She eagerly asked. “You’re the woman of my dreams.”