It was decided that Zeenah should go live with her Uncle for some time as things settled down. Zeenah didn't like the idea, but she understood the logic behind it.
Fortunately, she had no problem whatsoever staying at her uncle's. Her cousins were amazing and her siblings visit from time to time, most especially Khadija, and she speaks with Maama on the phone every day. Her dad was the only one still distant regarding what happened, but her mum had been as supportive as she could, and that had helped Zeenah in ways she couldn't have gotten through. She was in the second month of her Iddah (waiting period after a divorce), and along with it, Zeenah had been repenting.
She's still yet to speak to Samirah about what had happened, though Samirah also visits from time to time, she didn't ask about what had transpired between her friend and her ex-husband. For now, what matters the most was that Zeenah was safe and alive.
*
For the next three months, Zeenah healed outwardly, the bruises fading, and she started going twice a week to a therapist. Having never been to a therapist before, she expected she was going to have to lie back on a sofa and talk while some impersonal white-coated professional took notes.Instead, she was welcomed into a small, cosy office with a sofa upholstered in flowered yellow twill, by a therapist who didn’t seem all that much older than her. Her name was Karima Shehu, and she was beautiful in her own way and sociable. It was a relief beyond description to unburden herself to her. She was understanding and smart, and as Zeenah described things she had felt and gone through, it seemed she had the power to unlock the mysteries of the universe.Karima said Abubakar's behaviour fit the pattern of someone with a narcissistic personality disorder, which was common for abusive husbands. As the doctor explained about the di
Saying she was frightened was an understatement. She was shuddering within her body, and her heart was beating hastily against her ribcage, she felt as though it would explode. Her eyes stung with tears, and she willed herself to stay strong and not shed a tear in front of him."What do you want?" She said bitingly, feeling confident when her voice didn't crack."Babe," he said softly again, as he moved close to her.Zeenah stood her ground and refused to bulge. She wouldn't give him that pleasure of seeing how scared of him she was."I've missed you," he added. "But it looks as though you're doing okay, with no thoughts about me. Can't you see how desperate I am?"The guts of this man! Zeenah thought miserably. She hissed and turned away. Staying in the same place as he suffocates her. She can't handle even seeing him for so long."Please, wait." Abubakar pleaded, but Zee
Zeenah's face was devoid of any emotions as she listened to her mother. "I don't understand, Maama," she finally said."I said," Maama started all over again, "what do you think of the idea of getting married, again?""Maama," Zeenah whispered brokenly, her voice shaking. "Don't do this to me, please.""I shouldn't do what?" Maama asked soothingly. "I shouldn't advise you to get married again? You think I like seeing you all broken and in pain each and every day?""Maama...""I understand you need time, but from what I understood, it won't change anything in you. It will only make you hate him more, with each passing day, you hate Abubakar more than you hated him yesterday. I can see it in your eyes, and that, my dear, is not a healthy trait.""But I don't want to get married anymore," by now, Zeenah was crying so hard, heart-wrenching tears rolled down her cheeks in folds
She reeled back, trying to break free, but he followed her across the threshold. Abubakar's smile never wavered. She knocked his hand away from her and faced him, trying to keep the alarm from showing on her face.She was in the middle of a nightmare. She thought it couldn’t be real, except that misery and fear and anger were swarming over her like insects, and that feeling was all too familiar. It had been her reality for almost two years.She woke up with a start, sweating all over and her breathing a lot heavier than normal breathing. It was dark, and as she checked her phone for the time, it was 2:00 am.Slipping down from her bed, Zeenah decided to pray through the night to relieve her fear. It had now become a constant fit for her to dream about Abubakar almost every night. She goes through the day burying herself into her studies and her day to day activities.When will she ever get r
Her eyes blurred, and she wasn't sure if she had heard her father right, or if she did hear him wrong. She had no idea. But as she looked up again and saw the pain in her father's eyes, Zeenah knew that she had heard him right. He wants to marry her off. And she couldn't help but feel helpless, terrible. She had no idea she was hyperventilating until she felt her mum close to her, telling her to breath in and out."I think we should adjourn this seating until she's calm enough," Maama said worriedly."I think so, too. But we are going to go through with the wedding. I won't sit back and watch my daughter live in pain, live in her past life. Let's just hope that this doesn't crumble her more," her father said."I can vouch on the young man. His dad is a very good man and I've never heard of anything bad about the boy. In fact, he had been married once too, and as I explained, he's also closed off about women and relationshi
Three weeks later.She needed time. Time to think, time to plan her next move. She could not bear to go back into a marriage she had no idea how it'll work out.She had spent the recent night wide awake, lying on her large bed, staring at the ceiling. In her mind she replayed the conversation she had with her mum that afternoon. It seems like they'll go ahead with their plans, to them, they are "trying" to help her move forward.But they don't understand. They have no idea that they were trying to destroy her that way. They were trying to make her heart dry, and she hated the husband to be with passion before even having the chance to meet him.What a mess!It was a perfect day, cloudless and warm, and the singing breeze carried a tantalizing mixture of scents of cool air. Zeenah had woken a little bright, after finally coming to a decision on what to do. She had decided
It had never crossed her mind. She had no idea how it happened, neither had she ever imagined it. It came as a shock, a wild sensation trying to eat up her mind and soul.But he was there, sitting before her, in her father's living room, on her father's most cherished chair, looking at her as though a predator had seen its prey.Damn!He was looking at her with the same intensity she was looking at him. It was so hard to believe that he was sitting before her as her fiancee. It feels unreal, and he wasn't sure if he had ever imagined something like this happening.Not for the second time again...She looked so stricken as though she had seen a ghost, but that wasn't what amused him. The fact that she stood right before him, jaw clenched and her lips tightened in suppressed rage was most amusing, and he didn't know when his lips curled up slowly in an amused smile."You're
She was furious beyond comprehension. If she had known he would be the one, then nothing or no one would've forced her to go see him.Damn him! He was so full of himself. As arrogant as a peacock. But a peacock is way better than him, aye? How she hates him!She glared at his back as he left the room and stayed for few more minutes before she also stormed out angrily. She was fuming with rage and couldn't wait to get to her room so she can call Sameerah and rant off her ears. She knew about this, yet she kept quiet and pretended as though she didn't.That witch! She sneered inwardly, still walking towards her room."Sister Zeenah," she heard her name being called and groaned inwardly. Turning swiftly, her eyes locked with her maternal cousin, Maryam.
2nd May 2006Ten years later, Abuja. Nigeria."Ga Aljanin nan zuwa (the jinn is coming)" Safina whispered into the ears of her sleeping sister sakina "Get up quickly kis kis, you haven't prayed and he's going to take you away" she added.Sakinah yelped and jumped up, it was already past 11 pm and it had rained heavily that day which make it possible for everywhere to be dark.Safina and Nafisa laughed seeing the scared expression on their sister's face."Where is the jinn? Please tell it to go back I'll pray" sakinah said trembling."Well, you're praying isha very late, so it'll come over and punish you," Nafisa said smiling evilly."No!" Sakina shouted in her high pitched voice. Mama rabi quickly rushe
14th August 1996.Kano, Nigeria.9:13 pmThe cold humid air of early august blows around the hospital corridor, sending shivers down the spine of those waiting along the labour ward. Three, out of the four people waiting were seated, while one of them kept pacing to and fro. An unreadable expression on his face."Bello, get yourself seated, please!" His elder brother Alhaji Sa'eed said."I can't, Brother. I can't be at ease without knowing how my wife is doing in there. She's suffering" he replied as if his puppy-like face will save his wife from what she's going through."Sit down and pray for her. That is the only solution right now, this pacing of yours is pissing me off" Alhaji Sa'eed scolded him."Fine!" Alhaji Bello said, heaving a defeated sigh as he sat down "Allah gani gareka. (I'm in your hands, Oh Lord!)" It has bee
The next two days had been busy, and Zeenah spent them smiling all through like a loon. It was something she had never imagined was ever possible, her finding true love was nothing she had ever thought of, but she did, and she was going to relish in the thought. She recalled the teasing smile on Baba's face when she had told him that she would go back to AbdulRasheed in three days time. Baba's face lighted up with sheer joy, and she had recalled him asking her if there was anything she needs.Maama was also not left behind. She had raced to the room when Baba had told her and had asked Zeenah if that was true. Zeenah had ducked her head down and nodded in response."Alhamdulillah (to God be the glory)," Maama had said "I'm so happy that you've finally decided to give your love a chance, Zeenatu. May Allah continue to bless you in folds, and may you always and forever be happy, beautiful."She had wiped the lone
For the next two months, Zeenah had avoided everything that might possibly link her to AbdulRasheed. Not even when he calls does she picks, nor does she replies his endless text messages. But what annoyed her the most was that, despite what she thought that if she avoids AbdulRasheed, she would be able to forget everything and be happy, that didn't happen. Each time she lay back on the bed to sleep, she kept remembering their happy moments and wondered what would happen if they were still together.She remembered the constant nagging, begging and all from Samirah not to let go of AbdulRasheed, but nothing Samirah had said then had made her changed her mind. And even now, as she remembered everything, she would've still chosen for AbdulRasheed to set her free from all.AbdulRasheed, as strong-headed as she had always known him to be had refused to let her go. He promised to hold onto her for as long as she needs, he'll be waiting, with open
For the next two months, Zeenah had avoided everything that might possibly link her to AbdulRasheed. Not even when he calls does she picks, nor does she replies his endless text messages. But what annoyed her the most was that, despite what she thought that if she avoids AbdulRasheed, she would be able to forget everything and be happy, that didn't happen. Each time she lay back on the bed to sleep, she kept remembering their happy moments and wondered what would happen if they were still together.She remembered the constant nagging, begging and all from Samirah not to let go of AbdulRasheed, but nothing Samirah had said then had made her changed her mind. And even now, as she remembered everything, she would've still chosen for AbdulRasheed to set her free from all.AbdulRasheed, as strong-headed as she had always known him to be had refused to let her go. He promised to hold onto her for as long as she needs, he'll be waiting, with open
Two days laterShe tried to open her eyes, but it felt as though they've been glued by something. She tried again but quickly shut them back as soon as she had opened them because of the blinding lights from the light bulbs in the room. The next time she tried, she was able to squint her eyes a little to adjust to the blinding lights. However, the first thing that caught her attention was the white Celine and the white walls surrounding her. Was she dead already? Perhaps, she might already be in heaven. God, what a life she had had to live to have died that way.She turned her head a little, and that was when she saw someone sitting right beside her. From all indications, it was a man, because the curly hair was bent right towards her, enough to want to make her move her hand and run them through the hair. A sigh escaped her lips when she finally realized who was sitting there.At the sound of her sigh, AbdulRashe
AbdulRasheed surveyed the house once more before he moved toward it slowly. This was the house he had met Aliyah the night Zeenah had been kidnapped. He had called her number and was lucky that it went through and she picked up, telling him to come to meet her there if he wants to get his wife back.AbdulRasheed didn't waver, however, he had told Bashir to come along but stay hidden. He hooped out of the car and turned discreetly to check up on Bashir, who had parked some few meters away from the house. He had no idea why Aliya had told him to come over, but whatever it is, he was going to see the end of it today.He thumped on the door and waited for some minutes before the door was yanked open. Aliya stood by the door, dressed in a mint green fitted gown. Even her breasts were showing, despite knowing the consequences of her actions, it seemed as though all that didn't bother Aliya one bit. "Hello, handsome. Look, I'm wearing your favour
The room was dark, and there was an unbearable stench to it. She moved a little, and the rope which held her hands tightly behind the chair squeezed more tightly. She groaned and yelled angrily and felt like yanking so hard at her hands, maybe, just maybe she'll set them free and remove the blindfold from her eyes. The only time she wasn't blindfolded or tied to a chair was when she was being fed. The first day she had been brought, Zeenah refused to eat everything she was given. But by the second day, when she realized that she needed to eat to survive, she began eating, while the large hulk man stands beside her, his hands folded across his chest.She was still yet to see any face apart from his. She tried so hard to think of any reason why someone will decide to kidnap her but couldn't. Nothing actually makes any sense to her no matter how hard she tried. The only other time she had felt a presence, was when she was snapped. She knew she had been snapped beca
Three days later.Three days and six hours later, Zeenah was still yet to be found, and nothing has been heard from her. Despite how hard AbdulRasheed had tried, he couldn't hold it in anymore. So, he did the only reasonable thing that came to his mind. He went home and told his parents about the situation. His father had been furious that he took that long to tell them what had been happening. Worse of all was Maama's reaction after telling that Zeenah was missing.If Bashir hadn't forced him to, AbdulRasheed wouldn't have told his parents or Zeenah's parents about her disappearance. He had had a firm belief that Zeenah had run off away from him, not that something happened like they were all insisting.But, what if something had really happened to her?"Let's go to the police station," AbdulRasheed's father had announced the second day they couldn't get a hold of Zeenah. "We can't wait here when we