It was twelve midnight, Asiya was restless and couldn't sleep. Khalid had just finished working on his laptop. He went into the bathroom, washed his face and sat on his side of the bed. He pulled the duvet up to his waist and turned to face a restless and worried Asiya.

"What's wrong my queen?" He asked as he caressed her face.

"I'm just wondering why Hafsat would do such a thing. I mean what could her aim be? What have i ever done to her?" Asiya lamented.

"I told you from the start that i never trusted her. You are too gullible, i didn't want to hurt you too much. Allah alone knows what she has up her sleeves. We must find out," Khalid said.

"I'll visit her tomorrow morning In shaa Allah,"

"Better do, we have to see the doctor tomorrow at 2 okay?" Khalid reminded her.

"Love, i'm tired of this please, we both know chances of me conceiving again are very slim and it will endanger my life so pl..."

"We have to keep trying! Or would you prefer i marry again!?" He yelled at her angrily.

"I'm sorry i didn't mean to hurt you. All i was trying to say was i need time, some few months before i..."

"Take a year, for all i care!"

"But..."

"Goodnight," he said coldly and turned away from her to sleep.

Asiya silently wept and turned away too.

xxx

The alarm set at 5 woke Khalid up. He went to the bathroom and performed ablution ready to go to the mosque. When he came out of the bathroom, he realised Asiya wasn't in bed, he then spotted her in the walk in closet on her prayer mat, in tears.

"Oh no! What i said last night must be bothering her," he said silently.

He walked over to her and knelt beside her, looking deep into her eyes.

"You didn't sleep last night did you," He asked and she shut her eyes tight signalling to him she didn't.

"Look, I'm sorry i know i said a lot last night that might have hurt you. I should understand your plight, I'm sorry my love,"

She hugged him really tightly for about two minutes before letting go.

"I thought for a moment you were going to leave me i was really scared."

Khalid chuckled. "I know. About the second wife thingy right?" He laughed again. "Don't worry, i won't do that,"

"Khalid. What if i never get pregnant? Won't you ever marry another woman? I know how desperate you are to have a child, but i can't give you one. If you really want to, you can marry again, i won't deny you your rights,"

"Subhanallah shhhh, stop talking like this. Allah will bless us with a  child very soon, keep your trust and hopes in Him." He hugged her. "Now look, you've made me late with all your crying, kai women hmm,"

"Let's pray together then," she laughed.

xxx

Aisha, Mama's niece and Khalid's cousin had come to stay after Amirah's wedding. She'd just graduated from Zamani College in kaduna and was going to Nile University. Instead of paying extra for hostel, her parents arranged for her to stay with her aunt and every one was okay with it.

She'd just served breakfast and called everyone to the dining. Mummy showed up uninvited to have breakfast with everyone.

"Where's Safiya? She's not here with you," Mama asked.

"She's probably on the phone with one of her boyfriends," Baba said as he took a bite of his potato.

"You all always speak ill of my Safiya. She's there suffering in her room, she's seriously sick."

"Subhanallah! Aisha check up on her will you,"

"Okay," Aisha got up immediately and went to Safiya's room in their section.

"Subhanallah Safiya what is wrong with you?" Aisha asked worriedly. She found her rolling on the floor and vomiting. She said she felt dizzy and her back ached.

"Aisha please take me to the hospital. I've been experiencing this every morning for a week now. I think it's morning sickness and i might be pregnant," Safiya winced in pain and Aisha rushed to get her a hijab and they headed out. She called the driver immediately and they went to the hospital. On their way, she told usman the driver to call home and tell them as she'd forgotten her phone at home.

On reaching the hospital, she was immediately taken to a ward and was given an injection. Few minutes later she was much better. The doctor went in and examined her, after he was done, he turned to Aisha.

"Are you her relative?" He asked.

"Yes i am," Aisha answered.

"Well then, congrats she's a month pregnant," The doctor announced smiling and he left the room.

"Safiya what have you done?! How did this happen? Whose child is it?!" Aisha yelled at her. Safiya couldn't talk, she was in tears and speechless.

"What do you mean whose child is it?" Aisha heard baba's voice and turned frightened.

"Umm baba...mmm--"

"What happened here?!" He yelled.

"She's one month pregnant!" Aisha dropped the bomb.

"Innalillaji wa'inna ilaihi raji'un, subhanallahi La'ilahailallahu Muhammadu Rasulullahi salallahu alaihi wa sallam!!!!" Mama exclaimed. Mummy went over to the bed and gave Safiya a tight slap.

"How dare you Safiya! Who taught you this nonsense?!" Mummy reprimanded and Safiya just kept on crying.

"This is the effect of all the stupidity you've been teaching your daughter, can you see? I warned you but you didn't listen," Baba shouted at mummy.

"No matter what, this child will not live, abort it! Because i will not raise an illegitimate child in my house!" Mummy said to Safiya.

"Hajiya it's not a matter of aborting talk less of raising a child in your house. The point is whether she chooses to abort it or not, she is getting married to whoever impregnated her. Whose baby is this Safiya?"

She kept crying uncontrollably.

"For the last time, whose baby is this?"

"Baba I'm sorry please don't marry me off please i beg you,"

"Whose baby is it?! I'm not asking for your stupid apology,"

"F...faisal,"

"Faisal who?"

"Faisal lawal,"

"Let's go home now!"

Aisha helped her out of the bed and they all walked over to the car. On reaching the house, they all gathered in Baba's living room.

"Call Khalid and Asiya," Baba said.

Aisha quickly got her phone and called them. Luckily they'd just left Hafsat's place and where around the house so in less than 10 minutes they were in the house.

"What's going on here?" Khalid and Asiya asked in unison.

"Asiya my dear, you know how you are unable to conceive right and Khalid how you long for a child, well your stupid amd useless sister over here thinks having children is a child's play and decided to get pregnant."

"Subhanallahi Safiya!" Khalid turned to her.

"Safiya if only this baby belonged to both of them. If only Asiya was carrying this child, i would've been so happy."

"What have you decided now?" Mummy asked.

"I called Faisal and he is on his way. His parents are coming--"

Just before he could finish his sentence, the bell rang and the maid opened the door. Faisal and his family walked in and sat in the living room too.

They all exchanged greetings and Faisal's eyes met Safiya's teary eyes.

"What has happened? !" Alhaji  lawal asked.

"Maybe you should ask your son?"

There and then Faisal knew it had something to do with his relationship with Safiya but he couldn't figure out what.

"What?!" Faisal said with scrunched up brows.

"You are marrying Safiya in 5 days time because you are the father of the child she is carrying,"

"What?!" Faisal said and stood up immediately.

"What am i hearing Faisal?" His mum looked up at him.

"Mama it was a mistake.. wallahi...I...i didn't know she'd be pregnant...and--"

"Shut up!!! Putting your penis into her vagina more than once won't make her pregnant? Tellme how you came about in this world, Nonsense!" His mother said and slapped him afterwards.

"Alhaji Bande, in 5 days time both of them will get married, that is final!" Alhaji lawal said.

"Thank you for understanding."

They all discussed some other issues before Faisal and his family left. Asiya and Khalid had also gone home and the air in the Bande house was just suffocating.

Everyone felt restless and disturbed.

Another chapter down! I know this one was quite eventful, hope you had fun reading it. Next chapter will be even better.

Safiya has really disgraced us fah but sha I'm not very surprised.

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Asmaa💞