Time flies so fast ,the twins are 19 months old and Khadijah had weaned them a month back, she has also written her JAMB exams and she passed with 207 points .

Today being Friday, she got ready to visit Zee , she has been going there over the months. She woke up and felt bored and restless so she asked Ummie for permission to visit her other half with the twins who are now walking around the house , the kids are so beautiful and full of life. They are the light that spark up the house with their cuteness .

" Allah Hafiz Ummie, I will come back before maghrib in shaa Allah don't bother to cook" Khadijah called out from the living room, adjusting Ihsan's shoes .

" Be safe dear, I will cook in shaa Allah ,take your time there but don't stay late, my regards to Hajia and everyone don't forget to stop by and collect the parcel from Laraba " Ummie replied back from her room.

She hailed a tricycle easily and they hopped in .They reached Zee's house after 15 minutes drive .

" Assalamu Alaikum" Khadijah said while the twins mimicked her at the same time with their incomprehensible blabs .

" Wa'alaikumus salam ! Ahh my co - wives are here, maraba lale marhabin come in " Zee's mom welcomed them with a wide smile referring to the twins as her co wives .

They entered the house full of smiles while the twins wandered around the house looking for Zee. Umma served them with water and snacks .They were talking about random stuffs and all for almost 30 minutes but Zee is nowhere to be found .

" Umma is Zee not at home?I haven't seen her and she told me she will be around today " Khadijah finally voiced out her thoughts .

" she is in the bathroom doing only God knows what for over an hour now ,help me go in and check up on her " Umma replied getting up to check the lunch she was cooking in the kitchen .

Khadijah picked her bag and went into Zee's room with a smile only to halt in her steps, her smile was replaced with fright . All her life she has never seen Zee in the condition she saw her in, she has seen her cry yes, she has seen her angry and frustrated yes ,but never this disheveled, pale and disoriented .Dropping her bag by the door D went in and hugged her friend rocking her back and forth without saying a word,letting her cry on her
shoulder .

" I know that you're hurting, you can tell me everything Zee , am here and I promise never to leave, we share our joys and sorrows and you have always been there for me and am gonna do just the same for you, don't hesitate to tell me , my past no longer hurts " D whispered in Zee's ear.

" D I don't know what to do without him, I swear my life will be miserable without him,am so used to him, it's like we are joined by a strong bond how can his mom do this to us after I've given my whole heart to him?" Zee said in between sobs.

" Shh it's going to be okay hunnay, pray for khair not what your heart desires , I know that Taheer will never hurt you intentionally but you have to tell me what actually happened ."

With a sigh Zee narrated to D what happened, she got up to take a bath when Taheer's call came in, she picked with a smile only to be met with his gruff voice sounding as if he had cried,he told her that his mom said he can never marry any other girl apart from ....she didn't let him finish off his sentence before switching off the phone, going down to her knees and crying out her heart. Hence the condition D found her in .

" Yahsalam Zee, I thought you've gotten over that conclusive attitude of yours a long time ago, you should have heard him out. But you just concluded everything and wasted your precious tears . Now dry your tears Besty, let me call him " D consoled her friend, praying in her mind that it is not really what Zee thought it is .

After the fourth ring Taheer picked the call with a salam and a normal voice, he sounded happy. D had to check the screen of her phone to make sure that he is really the one .

" Am at Zee's and she told me some parts of what you were telling her, please tell me what is really going on, I don't want to have a dead best friend " D joked the last part .

Taheer laughed out loud and heartily before finally saying " Zee trouble , I was only kidding , I was telling her that mom said she will never let me marry any other girl if not her and she would like for Zee's family to fix a date for the introduction she is tired of seeing me at home finishing up her food "

D smiled with elation " Alhamdulillah that's a good news, may Allah bless your Union with your cousin, don't worry about Zee in shaa Allah she will find Someone better than you soon " she paused for some effects .

" Nah, she is a strong girl, she will get over you in a week I promise , now take care bye " D made a poker face and sat beside an unmoving Zee who looked stunned to death .

" Am sorry dear, take heart, Taheer is marrying his cousin next week, it is against his wish but he has to obey his mother " Zee fainted before D could finish her sentence .

." Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun! Na shiga uku Umma ! umma !!" D shouted and ran into the bathroom to get water .

She sprinkled it on Zee the same time Zee's mother came into the room looking alarmed.

Some minutes later, Zee was lying on her bed looking as if she has been sick for a decade while umma and D kept saying sorry and asking if she needs anything . Umma had asked D what happened but D told her nothing saying they should let Zee calm down first before asking her.

"I am really sorry Zee, wallah had I known you will react this way, I won't have played that trick on you, am sorry " D said with remorseful voice.

Zee gave her a look saying she did not get what she was saying .

" What I mean is that I was joking, Taheer was trying to tell you that his mom approved of you and told him to tell your family to fix a date for the introduction " D breath out waiting for hell to break loose on her, knowing that Zee won't let this slide .She will rant and shout, maybe squeeze her ears and twist her hair .

" Are you serious ?" Zee asked with such a hopeful look it breaks D's heart, she just hope that Taheer will never make Zee go through an iota of what she went through because looking at her best friend she knows that she's whipped to the point of no return .

"Yes dear, you're soon to be Mrs Taheer now, so get up ,wash up  and break the good news to Umma, I will be waiting with a pen and paper for the list " D shoved Zee into the bathroom with a wink and opened Zee's school bag to fetch a pen and paper .Giving her full concentration she started jotting down the list of items needed for the wedding .That's how excited she was.

***

Taheer was sitting in his office smiling to himself, he is over excited and very happy, he cannot wait to see his sweetest later at night after he close from work . He cannot believe that Zainab Loves him this much, she is feisty and caring, a combination of more fire and a tad bit of an ice, a deadly combination but he is somehow like her and he knows that they are going to make a terrific couple . There will never be a dull moment in their house .

He was unaware that Ahmad was standing by the door since the time Khadijah called him, with pale eyes, thin body and a bleeding heart beneath his skin .

"Hey man " Ahmad finally waved at Taheer who is far into dreamland of a beautiful future with Zee.

" He..." Taheer didn't finish off his sentence when he realised that Ahmad is standing by his door. He felt a pang of pain in his heart .

" What the hell are you doing here ? Get out " He banged his table seething with rage .

" I have no where to go and no one to go to, am sick man please help me out, you're a Dr and you save lives please save mine "

"Am not the only Dr in town am I ? Go and look for someone to save yours what about the money, the house , the car and everything you think is all you ever wanted and all that can make you happy ? Where is your slut ? The one you chose over your own mother , wife and kids ?"

" Let's not dwell on that Taheer, please just save my life, I can feel that am dying, I know I've hurt you and I am sorry , I am suffering more than you can ever imagine please all I need is a test and prescription and I will not bother you again " it might be the desperation in Ahmad's voice or the fact that Taheer still care about him that made him pity his friend .

" Take a seat and tell me what you're feeling and for how long "

Ahmad released a sigh of relief and told Taheer all the symptoms of HIV he has been feeling for months, his own took months to manifest but now from his looks it's eating him up not slowly but real fast .

"You have HIV man " Taheer casually stated as if it is a mere cold that's bothering Ahmad .He knew it all along, and he knows that Ahmad deserves a fate worst than suffering from HIV. Among all the things he had done,what hurts Taheer the most is how Ahmad treated his own mother when she was alive and after she's no more .

Ahmad did the unexpected by bursting into tears , he does not know whether it's tears of regret or relief because he preferred death over living in this world considering the kind of life he's living now .

" Na shiga uku " is all he kept ranting, he stood up to leave then as if he had remembered something he turned to look at Taheer with red rimmed eyes.

" Is cat infected ?" He asked with a trembling voice .

" That's none of your business, she is no longer part of your life and you're no longer part of hers too" Taheer said with a tone of finality in his voice giving no room for argument and left the office Ahmad trailing behind him with the prescription in his hands .

With a heavy heart Ahmad went back to the prison he now call home .He met her with a guy, hooking up unashamedly in the living room, while people are going to and fro, without giving her another glance he made a beeline to the room only to be stopped by her voice .

" Come and join us" it was more of a command than a request and he knows that it's better to join than to decline .

He was doing it and crying. He cannot ask Allah for forgiveness or relief. He was too far gone and ashamed of the person he has become, he feels like nothing he will do will make Allah forgive him and make things better for him. He had totally forgotten that Allah Is the Most Forgiving Most Merciful .

It was that day that he had an inkling of what it feels like to be raped .He will never forgive himself, he will never forgive Hauwa and he will forever curse the day he met her.

He no longer prays,Hauwa sets that rule ; not to ever face the qiblah in the name of praying in her house. It was an obey the rule or find your way out of my house order and he cannot leave that house. The house where he tortured Khadijah has become like a graveyard to him. He just can't go there without been hunted , he has thought of selling the house times without number but always decide against doing such.

***

After they ate lunch and Zee was out of shock as to what happened earlier. They left to Maman Aysha's house. Khadijah has not set foot in that area since the day Zee and her packed and left the house .

Since she knew about the visit, Maman Aysha welcomed them as she will welcome a royal guest, Khadijah's heart was beating fast from the moment she stepped foot into her former street, where the house she was tortured in was situated .

" I am so happy right now I feel like pouring water on the ground and licking it " Maman Aysha said rubbing her hands together in an excited manner

" We are happy to see you too, if not for anything ,then for this special delicacies " Zee said with a teasing tone and munching on a red velvet cupcake .

" Where is Aysha ? I miss that girl so much " Khadijah asked after Aysha her heart still beating rapidly .

" All the kids went out with their dad but you'll soon see them " maman Aysha replied playing with the twins .

They nattered away for a while until it's time for them to leave .

" That man came here few weeks back and ran out of the house as if it is hunted by ghosts " Maman Aysha was referring to Ahmad .

" Oh" was all Khadijah could say .

" Serves him right, when next you see him around help me ask him how is karma ?" Zee said her mood changing .

" Am a married woman madame , you can do that yourself .Thanks for coming . Endeavour to visit once in a while "she waved them off and they left D still palpitating .

As they were walking the short distance to Zee's house. Haroun saw them and immediately recognised Khadijah. He was in his car with a lady ,his new conquest whom he wanted to marry because he is tired of wife number 9 and in need of someone to take up her position.

" Excuse me, I saw my long lost cousin sister, I will be back in a jiffy " he didn't wait for the lady to reply before jogging up to meet up with Khadijah.

" Assalamu alaikum beautiful " he greeted with an arrogant smile .

Neither Khadijah nor Zee answered him. They kept walking and talking not minding that he's still following them .

" Khadijah don't you recognise me ? I am Haroun Alhaji Sani's son" he stated hoping she will remember him

" Afwan I didn't recognise you. How are you and everyone ?" They finally stopped walking .

" All good. Can I have your number please " what is wrong with him and being polite? He is Haroun , girls swoon over him .

" I am sorry I can't, my regards to the family fi amanillah " With that Khadijah left him standing mouth hanging, unable to decipher what just happened.

He went back to his car fuming with anger, he dismissed the lady rudely and drove towards his house.

She is playing hard to get but he is not going to back down without a fight, he knew that his father will never let him marry her considering the way he cares about and respect her father. He usually hire men to serve as his father and waliy whenever he is going to take up a new wife but Khadijah's case is a different one and a very hard one he is going to give all his best to.

" D I have been wanting to tell you something for a while now but I am afraid you will be mad at me " Zee said nervously fidgeting with her hands, something she hardly do .

" Do tell me Zee, in shaa Allah I won't be mad" stated D changing Ilham's dress in preparation of going back home .

" It's about Ya Kaybee, I know that you guys are not on talking terms and it's mine and Nabeeha's fault" Zee narrated everything that happened that day exempting the part of mommy's involvement in the issue ,she just gave D details of what happened that day .

Khadijah kept mum for a long time which shows how angry she is at them .

" I am really sorry D please forgive me , we thought it was in your best interest but we were wrong and I am sorry " Zee pleaded.

" It's okay, it was destined to happen anyway .Thanks for today, regards to ango and fill me in on the fixed date for the introduction " D coolly said and they went out to a waiting car, Zee's brother will drop them off at home .

Later that night while the two lovebirds were having a moment ,Taheer teasing Zee about how she reacted to the prank he pulled .Khadijah was restless at home , bored out of her wits ,sleep eluded her and she kept thinking about Ya Kaybee wondering whether Zee and Nabeeha's hunch that he has feelings for her is true .Whatever the situation is, she is not going to call him ever again besides he should have asked her about it right?

The next Morning Khadijah woke up with a massive headache and droopy eyes. She could not sleep a wink last night, the moment she close her eyes the scenes from her first night with Ahmad kept replaying in her mind and it felt like it was happening all over again .She went back to bed immediately after saying her morning prayer and taking sudrex for the headache .

She was able to sleep till 12pm and Ummie did not wake her, knowing that she doesn't stay late in bed unless something is wrong with her. Her nostrils welcomed the sweet aroma of bean cakes with groundnut pap .She said some du'as before getting out of bed .

After a warm and relaxing shower. She offered two units of salah before digging into her breakfast slash lunch .

" Good afternoon Ummie " Khadijah greeted Ummie who was in the kitchen making lunch .

" Afternoon Deejan. What is wrong with you ?"

" I couldn't sleep last night and woke up with a massive headache " Khadijah replied collecting the knife from Ummie and chopping the onions .

" Hope you're okay now ? Keep praying, in shaa Allah everything will be fine. I think it has to do with you going to maman Aysha's crib" how ummie always guess right about what is wrong with her is a mystery that will remain so forever.

Ummie's phone rang and she picked with a smile ,from the conversation Khadijah deduced that it was Ya Kaybee that called .

"Deejan and the twins are fine ,in shaa Allah I will extend your regards. Do take care of yourself too."Ummie said before finally cutting the call .

When the greeting was relayed to Khadijah she didn't say a word and Ummie knew why so she didn't probe further .She knows that if the two are meant to be together no force on earth can stop that from happening and that gives her respite .

°•°

Yay! Another update from Aishatu to all of you !

Hope you like the chappy and the direction the book is taking ?

What's your favorite scene ?? Do let me know pls .

Stay blessed fellaz .