Chapter 39 Ahmad

Last month, I was in the bed sleeping soundly with Humairah when a call woke us up. It was my mother, and just as I picked the call I heard the saddest news of my life. My father was unconscious. It was his BP, he had actually been battling with it for a very long time.

I quickly changed from my night attire into a polo top and jeans hence, took my car key and then bade Humairah goodbye about to leave.

"Wait, honey. I am also going with you" She said as she withdrew from the bed and unhesitatingly began changing her cloths.

"No, you can't come!" I protested. "I don't want anyone to know about us, we are yet to achieve our goal so let's keep laying low for now until we..."

"I am scared!" She cut in and continued. "This news got me scared, I don't think I can stay here alone" She put on her hijab.

"There is nothing to be scared of, Humairah" I heaved a sigh and gently walked over to her. "He will be fine, In Shaa Allah (God's Willing)"

"Ameen" She said looking deep into my eyes. "I just don't think I can stay here alone, please take me with you"

"But you are pregnant, Humairah. I don't want you to be involved into this, okay?" I said holding her warmly.

"It's just 3 months, please don't go without me" She said with a pleading gaze. "Please honey, please"

"Ugh!" I muttered. "Okay, but pretend as if..."

"I am your new secretary, right?" She cut in. "No problem, honey"

I didn't say anything to her, I only heaved a sigh and gestured to her to follow me. Thus, we went out to my car and drove to my father's mansion. The guards told us he was taken to Victory Specialist Hospital which was few kilometres away. We reversed back and drove there hastily. As soon as we were taken to his ward by a nurse, we found out he had already passed away. That moment, I felt like the whole world was on my head. I broke down completely. My mother and some of our relatives were also crying. It was a great loss!

The news had already gone viral and it had been aired on both TV and Radio stations exclusively across the nation. Many journalists filled the hospital's gate waiting to get more information. Thank God the hospital had two gates, we left through the back gate with my father's corpse. We took it back to the mansion to prepare it for jana'iza (burial). My mother recited the whole Qur'an on him which took her hours to finish. She was a hafiza (Memorizer of the Holy Qur'an). It was a miracle that no one noticed Humairah, albeit she cried along with everyone.

"Alhaji's doctors are here" My father's personal assistant (PA) announced as soon as he entered.

"To do what?" My mother asked in tears.

"They need to observe something" He said.

Just then, the doctors bounced in and greeted us. I was weak, I didn't even know what to say.

"It's okay, Ahmad. Where is Rania?" One of my Aunts asked. "And who's this girl?" She gestured towards Humairah.

"Rania is at home, I haven't called her yet" I said wiping off my tears. "And... and this one here is my..."

"Please call Rania" She cut in and continued. "But don't tell her Baba is dead, just tell her to come right now"

"Okay" I muttered as I pulled out my phone from my pocket and then dialed Rania's contact. "Rania, please come to Baba's mansion. It's urgent!" I said and quickly ended the call before she could utter a word.

Seconds later she called back but I refused to pick the call, she should just come and solve the mystery by herself because there was no way I could break the news for her on phone.

Minutes later, I told Humairah to go downstairs in case Rania arrives so she could usher her directly to where we were. The sitting room was crowded, you know, and Rania might not know where we were.

Humairah went downstairs and later on came back with Rania, hence Rania bursted into tears as she ran over to Baba's dead body and began shaking it to wakeup. I had to cuddle her earnestly. My mother bursted into tears again, same as Humairah and others.

My father was buried Islamically an hour later. His death was so sudden, no one ever thought he would die at such age (65). He had the best doctors around him and he was always taking cared of by them but Allah has already made it clear to us that no one will skip his / her appointed time of death and everyone must certainly taste death.

My undercover marriage with Humairah went viral after Ka7 came to me and told me it was a shame that my father died without knowing I had a second wife. His words pained me, it was a bitter truth hence I broke the news to everyone. No one was against it because they were still traumatised by the death of my father. It was only Rania that went against it and even asked me to divorce her, I had to suffer for almost two weeks before finally calming her down and making her accept Humairah. It wasn't really easy, she gave birth to a bouncing baby boy later on and we named him Jaafar - after my father. He was very fair and so adorable like I had predicted.

Sometimes, happiness is something you have to create for yourself. Don't wait for someone to do it for you. You can do it, just try and see.