Maman Aysha's face lit up hearing the last part about malams , she adjusted her sitting position on the couch and comfortably fold her arms in her chest .

She opened her mouth to speak but  before she could do that D beats her to it .She decided to tell Maman Aysha her mind now that she's super angry courtesy of a certain person called her husband ,she is not nervous whenever she is pissed .

" By chance do any of the malams you visit has a mansion?an expensive car or smell of an expensive Cologne ?" Maman Aysha was taken aback with surprise evident on her face.  Seeing that she's not going to say anything D continued.

" Most of them live in hiding or mud houses, others are even in the woods. Haven't you ever wondered why ? Because they can't take care of themselves not to talk of other people's problem, it was just a charade of making money ,an illusion to you guys that whatever is happening in your lives is as the result of the help rendered to you using the charm,forgetting that whatever Is happening in your life, what will happen in a decade to come is by the will of Allah and no one else "

Maman Aysha's demeanour changes to that of awe ,she stared at Khadijah as if she's a precious gem .

" Have you ever seen a mosque in seclusion?or an ustaz hiding in the shadows to worship Allah?an ustaz can spread a mat in the middle of the road and no one will ask him why or curse him because he is doing the right thing by worshipping his Rabb. Have you ever seen a man who is stealing government money coming out in daylight when the anti corruption officials are chasing the likes of him? Don't you think that what you are doing is not good ?it will affect your dunya and aakhirah which we are all striving to to get a better life there. Have you for once ever thought of the torment of hell fire?Do you know that what you're doing is associating Allah with His servant and it's called shirk?"

Now D is in tears not because of that but what happened earlier, she was talking but her mind is somewhere else, the sound of breaking glasses and   ceramic wears resonating in her ears .

" You're lucky enough to have an amazing man as your husband why are you doing this?are you among the people who prefer this world than the next ? Death is certain maman Aysha and it doesn't knock on your door seeking for permission when it comes, you'll just go and never come back ,have you ever wondered about what you will tell your Lord on the last day when you stand in His presence? Don't you fear the torment of the grave and that of jahannam ?"

She started crying while maman Aysha wiped a lone tear, holding her by the shoulder she tried to shush her. She was trembling and every part of her body is shaking .

" You're a nice woman and you played a vital role in my existence maman Aysha please desist from such acts, repent, do away with all the charms ask for your husband's forgiveness and in shaa Allah you'll live a happier and better life please" Maman Aysha knew that there's something making D break down like this but she didn't ask .

" Thank you so much D may Allah azza  wa jaal reward you in abundance, am so sorry for suggesting that to you, if you haven't been a good girl I would've turned you to the wrong path . In shaa Allah I will stop from this instance and let me call my husband, if he doesn't forgive me and send me back to my father's house I won't feel bad because I deserve it " .

D was drained and she lay in maman Aysha's room, before she knew it she fell into a deep sleep. Maman Aysha had gone to the backyard to remove the amulets she was given by the malams but to her predicament she didn't see any of them , how is that possible?she mused but went back to the inner house.

Later at night when Baban Aysha came back home , after he had eaten and rested , with a fast beating heart and shaky hands maman Aysha told him everything and her reason for stopping and repenting.

" I  am really sorry honey, I know that you don't deserve any of such it was the evil of Satan but in shaa Allah such will never happen again, Dan girman Allah ka yafemin mijina I'm sorry " she was crying and clutching his legs .

Baban Aysha smiled ruefully at his wife. He had been waiting for such a day that she will repent. He once over heard her talking about it with her friend on phone, he was so angry at her that time but weighed the matter in her perspective and realised that she's doing all that not to loose him or be hurt by him,it was wrong and unjustifiable but he loves her so much to let go so he took it upon himself to dig up the charms every time she brought a new one waiting for the day she will turn over a new leaf .

" May Allah forgive us all , am glad that you have realised your mistake, now come here " he opened his arms to her but she was too shocked to run into his opened arms, is this man okay ?did he heard her right ?she wasn't talking about a stolen money or foodstuff here .

Seeing that his wife is not hugging him, he stood up from his position and held her in his arms, she burst into a new bout of tears and he rocked her till her cries subsided.

Maman Aysha's respect and love for her husband shot high that night and to Khadijah she will be forever grateful ,she will never get tired of thanking her.

Khadijah had to spend the night at Maman Aysha's house afraid that the devil might come back and cause more wreckage to the already shambled house .

The next morning ,D and Maman Aysha went into her house to clean it up , Maman Aysha shout out in shock seeing how the neat house is now rowdy with clothes, kitchen utensil and a smashed TV every where almost ten bags of sachet water were busted making the house almost flooded with water .

" Am sorry to ask D but by chance is your husband a bipolar ? How can a sane man who has such a wonderful woman like you as a wife behave this way ?" She asked deeply pitying D .

" Hmm it's fate that brought us together Maman Aysha just include me in your du'as please am at the verge of breaking down am so tired of this life " wiping her eyes and willing back the tears she brought out the brooms and they got to work and time to time Aysha will bring the twins whom she left in their house to be fed and she will take them back .

*

After he left his house. He went straight to Hauwa's mansion where he met her partying and smoking, when she saw him her eyes lit up with mischief, she gave him a hug and with a slurred voice said  " where have you been all this while Ahmad ? I've missed you "

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her, how can she say she missed him when she was the only person he called when he was arrested to bail him out and she didn't show up .

Gently shoving her aside , he hissed "I can see that you miss me  that's why you bailed me out "

" I'm sorry about that but it's your fault ,I heard that you were with a chick when you were arrested   that's why I didn't bail you out. You know how possessive I am when it  comes to you " she said trying to wound her arm around his torso .

He kept trying to keep her at arms length but she is relentless and whatever Hauwa wants she gets .
She lured him to the bedroom and they did what they do best .

The next morning Ahmad wanted to go and check up on Cat and the kids but Hauwa didn't let him out of her sight, every move he makes she's behind him like a glue .It wasn't funny as he wanted to go and see his family.

" Babe aren't you going out with your people tonight ?" Looking for an excuse to have some air alone without her suffocating him Ahmad  asked the devil straddling his torso .

" You're my people Ahmad. I will be with you for as long as I live. You're extraordinary and special never doubt your worth in my life " She whispered into his ears sending shivers down his spine .

A part of him is asking him why he's trading Cat for Hauwa, Cat is the most beautiful girl he had ever come across in his life. She's so kind, she's calm, she's nice and very patient unlike Hauwa who doesn't possess all those qualities, his love for Cat is something he is still confused about, he had loved her beyond words quite alright but why is it that he no longer cares? He no longer feel the urge to always be with her ?To shield her from the world and to provide her with everything she needs  after all he agreed to be with Hauwa to provide a better life for Cat. He knows that she's hurting real bad he can see it in her eyes,but why does she have to bring into the world those scrawny little creatures two at a time for crying out loud ! He wants her and no one else why do they have to come along the way just why ?

He miss his mother so much it hurts like hell, he has been thinking about her when he was in jail ,how can he not miss the woman who is his best friend? One who loves him more then she loves herself ? But he cannot go and see her even at gun point , she has to suffer for siding with an outsider not him .

'Ahmad are you insane?' The reasonable part of his heart asked ? How could you claim to love the people you hurt  when all you want is to have money?You don't love them it's money you love so set your priorities right .

Love is when you go hungry to see the one you love satisfied, love is when you put your loved ones happiness before yours, love is when you dare not hurt the one you love on purpose.  Love is being honest, love is sacrifice and love is pure.

But he lacks all that making his heart devoid of love for either his mom or wife.

Khadijah sat on the couch with her hands on chin thinking of what to do next . She's tired of everything  and her resolve to make Ahmad change his ways is wavering, how can a man who doesn't appreciate you neither acknowledge his own blood be set right?

She wished she didn't ask Taheer to bail him out , Zee was right for saying she's better off without him. She squeezed her heart and feel like punishing it for caring about a monster like Ahmad. She wondered if he use to pray the five daily prayers but she doubts. She cannot tell her parents what's going on in shaa Allah ,she will be strong and keep praying to Allah to choose what's best for her but something  in her mind is telling her that her khair is not in Ahmad's house but somewhere else.

Her phone ranged bringing her out of reverie. Seeing it's her mother in law she cleared her voice and said the salam but was met with a totally different voice that sounded hoarse from crying .

" Please are you Khadijah Ahmad's wife ?" the woman asked and Khadijah nodded then she realised that the woman can't see her .

" Yes I am Khadijah , is anything the matter? Is mama sick? Where is she ??" She started panicking praying in her mind that all is well with Mama .

" We should be patient Khadijah , every soul must taste death and we are all waiting for our time to go, Mama passed away 15 minutes ago in her sleep. Tell Ahmad that the janaza will take place at his uncle's residence in Jigawa .We should pray for her not mourn over her, she is in a better place in shaa Allah " the woman at the other end cut the call wiping her tears away.

It took every ounce of strength in Khadijah not to shriek out in agony. Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun ! Mama is gone , she is dead and she is angry at Ahmad how can he ever see light in his life when his key to entering jannah, his key to becoming successful in life, his key to finding peace in this world and the next is no more and left with a grudge against him ?with shaky hands she dialled Baba ' s number and informed him of the tragic news before trying Ahmad's number it rang but no answer .She kept calling him for over fifty times but the son of the devil didn't pick .

Since it is an hour thirty minutes journey to Jigawa Khadijah hastily packed a bag and they left to Jigawa with Ummie and Baba and even on their way she kept calling Ahmad .

She called Taheer who also assured her that he will keep trying, he will be in the theater shortly and promised to come the next day for the condolence visit assuring her that before then he will find Ahmad and come along with him.

They arrived when the body is loaded up in a pick up van and Khadijah started crying uncontrollably  recalling her best memories of the woman and praying that she will find respite in her grave, for Allah to forgive her sins and make her among the dwellers of jannah .

The women went inside while Baba followed the men to the graveyard where she will be buried and that's the end for her innalillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun! Now she will be left with nothing but her good deeds, if she has done good in the world the angels of Rahmah will be welcoming her and if she has done bad the angels of torment will be welcoming her, the daily prayers she offers will be her companions and if she used to miss salah all sorts of scary things will keep her company, if she isn't able to answer any of the questions she will be tormented beyond our wildest imaginations.

That's why no matter how bad a person you are never ever play with salat, in the grave there is no escape route, you wont be given a chance to come back to the world and repent ,you have all the time now to turn back to Allah. Small acts of ibadah have big rewards like the recitation of ayatul Kursi after each salah  which makes only death the barrier between you and jannah , the two raka'ats at fajr which makes Allah to build you a home in jannah, two raka'ats at sunrise which makes your sins to be expatiated .

A smile at a poor man , a basmalah, an act of kindness toward others , obeying our parents, becoming good advocates of Islam are all acts of ibadah yet we are all so negligent of them. You can have fun in life , a halaal kind of fun but don't be too absorbed in the beauty of this dunya , in the distractions because we are all visitors here and someday we all will go back to the permanent home .

Khadijah cried her eyes out that day listening to people raining all sorts of insults on Ahmad and some even included her saying she's the cause of the rift between Ahmad and Mama . They were told that Mama kept telling them to call Ahmad so that he will apologise to her before she leaves the world because she will never forgive him if he didn't repent and apologise .That breaks the remaining  unshattered piece of Khadija's heart .

The next day Taheer and Ahmad's other friends came but there is no sign of him. people kept asking about the son of the deceased but no one has an answer to give .

Taheer went to Hauwa's house but was told that she can't see him at the moment and Ahmad is not around while the son of a bachelor was in the house scrolling through the numerous missed calls from cat, Taheer, Baba and some of his friends and laughing. Saying he has become a very important person,they shouldn't worry he will return the calls after a week.

Baba left Ummie and Khadijah to stay for a week and went back to kano with Taheer who kept telling Baba to dissolve the marriage between Ahmad and Khadijah before it's too late.Taheer tried to convince Baba that it's better for Khadijah to be a divorced mother of two than staying in that hell hole .

" Baba consider your daughter first before what the world will say about her failed marriage, Khadijah isn't at fault it's her husband and marriages do fail even the happy ones ,I'm afraid Khadijah might break down and it will be nasty " Taheer adviced and Baba nodded saying he will see what he can do .

After a week and the 7th day prayer had been done ummie and Khadijah travelled back to kano and still there's no news of Ahmad and his whereabouts .

Ten days after mama's death, Khadijah was in the courtyard  washing her clothes when a boy came running into the house panting heavily and almost out of breath  " Aunty Khadijah it's your husband he's ..." Khadijah didn't wait for the boy to finish his sentence before dashing out.

°•°

Assalamu alaikum ladies and gentle men how are you guys doing this  beautiful friday morning if good then Alhamdulillah .

Don't forget to read suratul kahf .

Remain pure and heartily blessed .

Thanks for reading

#Lash Lash