Ibrahim

I LEFT AISHAH in the hospital to help Fareedah buy the stuffs Aishah needs in the hospital, Fareedah is not healthy enough that's why she needed me by her side

I met her at the designated place we decided to meet,she smiled at me and I know it doesn't reach her eyes,I was so grateful to her she had been a good friend to my wife and I couldn't ask for any more support

We bought what we needed to buy and she entered my car while we drove silently

"Do you know Aishah is hurting?"she asked out of the blue

"We are all hurting"I replied not really sure where she's heading to

"Hers is different from us Ibrahim,you haven't been a good husband to her at all"She said and I had to stop my car at the side of the road,I didn't understand what she is saying I have been trying my best to be the best husband to Aishah so where have I get it wrong

"I don't understand!"I replied and she shook her head like she had expected that answer

"Have you ever tried to talk to her and know how she feels or what she wanted,have you ever try doing things in her own way,things she likes or making her feel how important she is to your life or have you ever tried knowing if she still love you?"Fareedah asked all this questions and my mind went blank

Have I really been a bad husband

"I'm trying my best Fareedah everything that's happening is not my fault,I wish I had control over it"I replied

"You do have control over everything that's happening,you just choose to ignore it, Halimat had hurt Aishah in many ways than one,she had really break her to the extent I don't know if she will ever be alright,so the question is what did you do? Someone you claimed to love what did you do?"Fareedah said and I became speechless

Thinking about everything that happened,she was right I never really did anything to Halimat to prove to Aishah I was with her,I only thought she will understand and I will make things right when things were only getting worst

"It might be too late to make Aishah happy again since she lost Nadeerah but you have to try your best and prove to her you can make her happy"Fareedah added and I nodded

"Thank you so much Fareedah you just opened my eyes to things I didn't see and right now I know how wrong I have been and I know Aishah might really feel alone"I said and she nodded smiling at me

We ride back to the hospital and I took all the stuffs we bought going inside the hospital, Fareedah was ahead of me after I told her Aishah already woke up she wanted to be the first to greet her,she ran into the hospital and I chuckled,it's hard to believe the two of them aren't related but the love they had for eachother is strong

I went inside the room and met Fareedah confused gaze then my eyes landed on the bed that's empty

"Where is she?"Fareedah asked thesame question that's in my mind

"She was laying here when I left"I said dropping the goods

"Let's wait for her,maybe she went to ease herself"Fareedah said shrugging but I knew something was wrong

I look at the drip on the bed that's supposed to be in Aishah's hand,the drip look like it was forcefully removed and my heart skipped

Did Aishah ran away or was she kidnapped

"Something is wrong!" I quickly voiced out and Fareedah look at me looking confused

"This was supposed to be in Aishah's hand but it isn't, something is wrong"I said pointing at the drip and Fareedah face imitated mine immediately

"Oh no!"she said rushing out of the room and I followed her

She rushed to the receptionist area and went to meet one of the receptionist

"I'm looking for one woman,her name is Aishah she was admitted here three days ago,she's young and she was wearing a blue abaya"she said and the woman nodded in disapproval

"I didn't see anybody like that"she said and my heart jumped again,I was so scared of what might had happened

We left there and search through the hospital but Aishah was nowhere to be found,we met the doctors and they said she can't be found,we spent the whole day looking for her and my mind went flying, I was only trying not think about different scenarios or what could had happened

Fareedah started crying when we spent hours looking for her and we were advised to take the case to the police station,we did and the police men requested for her picture and we did all the necessary

We left the police station and I checked the time it was already eight in the night

"Fareedah you have to go home to your husband,don't worry we will see her"I said trying to convince myself too

"I'm scared Ibrahim,what if she killed herself? What if she's tired of everything and think that's the best solution!"she said bursting into more tears and I draw her closer hugging her while she cried on my arms

"Don't think about the worst please,we might find her no! We will find her,Aishah is a strong woman she won't think of ending her life"I said but she kept on crying and I thought it was the best I call her husband

I took her phone from her and called her husband who sounded worried saying she haven't been picking up his calls,I told him our location and he promised to meet us as soon as possible,as promised he was here and he took her away while I sat on my car resting my head thinking about everything that might have gone wrong

After several minutes I started the car going back to my house,I met Halimat watching the television and I felt like strangling her,she's the cause of everything that's happening and she's not the first to be married to a polygamous family so I don't know what's wrong with her

"You are back!"she said smiling and my anger grew

"Where is Aishah?!"I asked menacingly

"I don't know!"she replied looking confused but I knew better,she is good at pretending

"Halimat I swear if you don't tell me where she is I don't mind killing you and ending up in jail!"I yelled and she got scared,I was satisfied because that's the reaction I wanted from her

"I swear Ibrahim I don't know where she is, I was in the house all day"she said and I shouted

"Argh!!"I started destroying everything in the sitting room while Halimat shouts like a scaredy cat and cried

"You witch! You caused everything,what did she ever did to you?! Now I can't find her,what if she kills herself? I swear to you I will never forgive you if something of such happens!"I yelled at her and I got angry with myself,this is what I should have been doing all this while but I let Halimat had her ways

"Get out of my house!"I yelled

"Where should I go to?"she asked crying and her eyes were bloodshot

"Anywhere that's not here! I don't wanna see you in my house if I don't see Aishah!"I said and she cried the more

"Why are you treating me like this like I was the one that asked her to run away,I thought you said you love me and you will never love any woman the way you love me!"she said and my head got heavy,my eyes stinging in pain and I felt like just killing her

"Halimat for the last time get out before I do something I will probably not regret!"I said and she took my tone seriously

"It's late Ibrahim!"she cried

"I don't care,get out!"I yelled breaking one of the vase in the dining room,she jumped and ran out of the house

**********

I kept on searching for Aishah and this is the fourth day,the police had no idea where she is and it angered me the more,I went to the TV stations with Fareedah asking them to please broadcast her photo so that if anyone sees her should call with ransom of cause

On the sixth day nothing happened and Halimat knew how serious I was and decided to join the search till she came home with Aishah's phone

"I went to the hospital she was admitted and found her phone under the bed"she said and I took the phone from her searching through it,her last call was Abubakar and my heart squeezed angrily

Why haven't I think about it,the next person she could probably ran to is Abubakar and no one else

"I have to go!"I said but Halimat stopped me looking worried

"It's 10:34pm you can't go anywhere by this time"she said and I wanted to pull her away but she didn't budge

I yelled and threw the phone away going back to my room,the following day I left the house as early as possible only to found out that Abubakar had relocated and we haven't been talking much for me to know,I packed my car outside of his office waiting for him to come out because I don't want to cause a scene and being arrested

Luckily enough he came out of his office entering his car and I silently followed him,he wasn't aware and we got to his house

He finally noticed my presence and his face changed scornfully looking angry and wouldn't lie if I say we had thesame look

"Where's Aishah?!"I asked

"No greetings?"he asked amusingly

"To hell with greetings where is she?!"I demanded and he didn't answer me going into his house and I followed him immediately

"Where is she?!"I yelled as soon as we entered his sitting room

"I told you time without numbers that Aishah is not here,you should be out there looking for your wife instead you are making my house a hell!"Abubakar yelled back at me

"You were the last person she called! I found her phone and I saw that you guys had lengthy call so definitely you were the one she could only run to because non of her family is around and Fareedah doesn't know where she is too"I yelled too getting furious

"Ibrahim get out of my house!"Abubakar said with a menacing voice and I chuckled inwardly,I have a strong belief she's in this house

"Aishah please come out! I beg of you! We can sort this out I promise to treat you more better,I know how hurt you're that Nadeerah is dead and I felt the pain too,she was our daughter,our light but please don't abandon me because everything that happened I love you so much,I really love you!"I yelled on top my voice praying she could hear me,I know I have failed her and I have never been so determined to make things right

"Get out of my house!"Abubakar yelled loudly looking furious

"I'm not leaving without searching all the rooms in this house!"I yelled at him like did he expect me to just believe him,he tried to push me but I push him back opening the doors to the rooms and he came after me trying to stop me but he couldn't,I suddenly open a door and I met the window opened

"Shit!"I heard Abubakar muttered

"She was really here? She heard all I said!"I said and broke down crying, I'm not the crying type but I couldn't help it when I discovered Aishah was actually running away from me

She was here!