There was a viand in front of her, she was smiling and happy. So full of life and the man beside her look familiar and yet she couldn't see his face clearly ,he reached out to tuck back a strand of hair from her face and she smiled at him while he returned the honors with enthusiasm. He reached for a fork to feed her when she heard a faint voice sounding very far way urging her to wake up from her slumber...the voice sounded desperate and like that of Zee, she fluttered her eyes open and immediately shut them back because of the light that threatened to blind her, she made another attempt before finally opening her eyes ,she feel pain all over her body and then what happened the other day was it still that day  ? She had no idea, the memories  came crashing down and she sobbed ,making an attempt to get out of the bed and run with all her might to the only sanctuary, her father's house where her Baba won't let anything happen to her, where he will shield her from the evil person she call her husband ,the man who has no iota of humanity in him.

" Be careful D , don't make any move, you're still sore " came Zee's voice which sounded hoarse, turning towards her friend, Khadijah saw that Zee had been crying .

" when did you come  here Zee ? " that was the first question she asked .

"I went to greet Ummie, she gave me a parcel to give you, I knocked and no one answered ,thinking you went out ,I turned to leave then heard your cries for help, I barged in and saw the most heart breaking sight D, how long had this been happening ? Why didn't you breath a word of it ? Ahmad is a traitor no wonder he's sending glares my way every time we meet "

Zee huffed out in annoyance ,looking as if she's going to murder someone and that person will definitely be Ahmad .

Khadijah burst into tears and narrated everything to her friend, right from the day she was brought into the hell hole till date and Zee gasped out in shock, saying inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun over and over again like a mantra , like it will wipe out the things she had heard  ,to turn into a nightmare she will soon wake up from.

"I will never trust a man ever in my life ,if Ahmad the guy who showered you with the kind of love and care I've never seen in my entire 20years of life will treat you this way from the very first day not after a year, two years or a decade then every man is capable of doing such and worse "

" Please don't say such , not everyone is like him, don't loose hope in Allah's Rahma, it's a test for me, Allah can test you too but I pray you get a husband who will treat you good not the way Ahmad is treating me .Please can you boil water for me ? Then you'll take me home, I have no intention of letting my parents know about this but I've had enough, he might kill me soon "

With  tears trailing down her now swollen cheeks she managed to get down, looking down at her molested self in the mirror she made a resolve so strong it  sent a zing  through her body and she shivered, Ahmad had had enough, she can tolerate anything but he will never touch her body again, she's not a fool and even though she's not that educated, she knows her right and she is not going to let a beast like Ahmad trample on those rights.

Three hours later, Khadijah with the help of Zee had packed a big box filled with Khadijah's clothes and all the necessities she might need , taking out the bags of sachet water to Maman Aisha's house and calling an almajiri to take out the refrigerator to the same house. 

She sent Zee to let her know that she is travelling for a while and she should please continue with the business before she comes back, knowing that something must be really amiss Maman Aisha just nodded and wish her safe journey ,what baffled her is that if Khadijah will travel why don't she come in by herself and say goodbye,she had noticed that the girl is troubled but not ready to say  it out that's why she didn't probe on the matter , praying for khair in her mind, she told Zee that in shaa Allah she will take care of Khadijah's business with utmost care and with that Zee left the house, hailing a tricycle that just dropped a customer, the almajiri brought out the box and they left after giving him a 50 naira note as a reward .

Zee held Khadijah's hands squeezing them in a reassuring manner, words were not spoken but both their hearts are heavy ,Zee is super angry being the type of person that will let something slide no matter how bad it is if done to her, but if you want to see her bad side then lay a finger on her friend then you'll get more than what you deserve ,right now she is thinking of all the possible ways known to mankind that she can torture Ahmad the traitor, he had betrayed her too and she can't wait to give him a piece of her mind and maybe a slap and a kick down there will be satisfying .

Ummie was  taking out the firewood from the shed when they made their presence known with a salaam , She smiled at the two friends but immediately her smile turned to a shocked inquisitive expression when she saw a boy come in with a big box ,Khadijah's wedding box, she dropped the logs clapping her hands.

" Yah salaam ,Deejan what happened?don't tell me you've broken your marriage , inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun " she exclaimed Still clapping her hands, Khadija limped to her mother and hugged the life out of her sobbing her heart out, it was when she calmed down that Zee  narrated everything to Ummie.

" Ummie I won't have believed it also if not because I've seen him with my own eyes and the shameless son of a bachelor left without sparing me a glance he didn't even look remorseful "

" Malam was right, even today before he left this house he voiced out his fears to me because Ahmad saw him in the market and pretended not to see him,he talked to him and he disrespectfully greeted him leaving without even letting him finish saying what he wanted to say,he told me that he feel that all is not well with you and you're in trouble but I comforted him telling him if you're then you'll definitely inform us ,it has just been 5 months and now this ? Ahmad had cheated us "

Ummie said , wiping a tear with the tip of her wrapper.

Zee swept Khadijah's old room and she supported her to the room where she lay down on bed staring at nothing , thinking of how cruel life is . After Ishaa the last obligatory prayer for the day, Baba came home with his signature smile , seeing a dull looking Ummie, hands on chin and deep in thought, his smiley face turned to a worried expression. 

" Habibty what's wrong, who  died? I haven't seen you in such a condition for long " he asked sitting beside her, she burst into tears

" He has cheated us Malam, he betrayed our trust, he would've killed her if not because of Zee, what have we done wrong to deserve such from the backstabber? "

she sobbed into his chest, he was confused who is he? What happened?
" I didn't get what you're trying to say Habibty, please explain in details who is he what has he  done to her? "

the only thing she said was Khadijah and Baba sat up abruptly " I knew it!didn't I tell you ? " he exclaimed with a voice laced with anger,

Ummie told him everything and he went into Khadijah's room to find her sprawled on the floor , clutching her stomach and whimpering in pain, without saying a word, he carried her on his back, calling Ummie to wear her hijab and they went to the hospital, fortunately for them, Dr Taheer was on duty and without wasting time he attended to Khadijah, muttering cuss words under his breath for Ahmad, he had reached his limit, so upon all the things he had told him he had  done it again ? Men like him are supposed to be put behind bars ,a prison cell is even a merciful punishment for men like Ahmad , he treated her pitying her parents who from all indications love her so much, especially her dad who keep pacing the hospital corridor.

" I am sorry Baba , but we have to admit her here , she's badly wounded and we have to take some tests to see what caused the severe stomach ache, she's sleeping right now " Dr Taheer explained to Baba in his office after he came out of the room Khadijah was  admitted in .

" Ba damuwa, please Dr take care of my daughter, do anything that's possible Dan Allah " Baba pleaded and Dr Taheer assured him that he will do anything that is within his power in shaa Allah , instead of Leaving their daughter behind , the parents spend the whole night with her and that broke Taheer's heart more .He brought out his phone from his pocket  dialing a number " take him and beat him to pulp , don't let him escape !!!" He barked an Order to only God knows who .

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Juma'at Mubarak  from me to you beautiful people, a short chapter for you because I'm happy with your positive response with regards to this book .God bless you all.