He Still Loves Her

I am tired of this marriage, I can't be with you any longer, is having an affair not enough for you? Do you have to go to the extent of bringing a woman into our matrimonial home? my best friend, on our matrimonial bed?" Zainaba asked angrily. She had been tolerating him for forever. But she couldn't take it. It was too much. It had scarred her heart. She was feeling like slapping him at that moment.

"What do you mean?" Usman asked, giving her less of his attention though. He didn't even understand what she meant, she was tired. What could he do about her tiredness?

She snapped. "I mean I can't live with an adulterer any more." Zainaba's muttered lest people from the neighborhood would hear her banter with her husband. She knew it so well that if by any chance anyone heard, her secret would be spread anyhow.

"Did you just call me an adulterer?" Usman roared.

She pursed her lips. "Well, if you don't want be called an adulterer then why do you fornicate?" she said raucously. She didn't ask him to get an answer. She just said that to make him more furious than he already was.

Usman laughed dryly before he marched some steps away from her. "Hmm, do you have proof? I bet you only saw us holding hands not fornicating." He said, looking at her with a dare. He was a very cunning man.

Zainab felt defeated but she wouldn't give up easily. She smiled. "Then what should I call seeing you two together naked? isn't that Adultery?" She asked, settling on one of the cushions of her parlor.

Despite that she was trying to be strong? Her legs were becoming jelly each passing second.

Usman looked at her for a few minutes. For the second time, he was clueless of what to tell her. "Whatever, I have no time for this please." He said while walking towards the door.

"Yes you may not have time for this but you have time to fornicate." Zainab fired back.

The man she called her husband was testing her patience and she was afraid to say that her patience had exhausted. "What?" He turned back angrily. He didn't expect that type of answer from her."Let me remind you something just because I am keeping quiet doesn't mean I can't do anything!" He said boisterously.

Zainab stood up from where she was sitting. Her heart was slowly finding peace when she heard him say that. Maybe he would grant her, her greatest wish. To divorce her. So she tried her luck.

"Oya please do it. Let's end everything once and for all, I need a divorce."

"Hmm," he grinned. "Did you just say divorce?"

"Yes I need it, I am tired wallahi." She answered pleading with him with her eyes.

"Well if that what you want, let's visit your parents tomorrow to discuss everything in their presence." He answered and left the parlour.

Zainab sat back with a heavy and sagged shoulder. She waited for night to come. She was so eager to sleep and wake up in the morning. She wanted the divorce so badly.

*****

The next morning, Zainaba woke up early in the morning and got ready. She didn't even take any time to eat anything. All she wanted was to see her before her parents. Like he knew she was waiting for him, he also got up early and finished everything on time. She was in the sitting room when he came out wearing his watch. His perfume was heavenly in scent. The scent of his perfume used to make her crazy. But now, everything has stopped. She didn't feel anything. Like always she greeted him saying good morning. He answered delightedly as if nothing happened last night.

There was a smile plastered on his face."I am going for work." He informed plodding along the door.

"What do you mean by going to work? Have you forgotten our deal?" The happiness glow on her face was slowly vanishing into the thin air.

"A'a which deal are u talking about?" he asked, feigning ignorance."The Divorce issue." She replied shortly.

"Oh!" he grinned."Please dear let bygones be bygones." He was pinning her with his eyes. "Please Abban ummi let's end this marriage wallahi I am already bleeding. My heart is bleeding." She said, trying to hold her tears from dropping. Seeing that he had no intention of answering her, she rose to her feet and faltered to where he was standing.

"When I said I need divorce, I mean divorce. You know better than anyone I always mean my words." She deadpanned.

He pushed his head back. "Okay if that's what you want, let's go to your house." Zainaba was taken by surprise. She felt her mood lifting. Without another thought, she draped her veil over her head and followed him to where he parked his car.

When Abu and Usman arrived the house, her parents and her uncle were there. They greeted each other with respect, seat was offered to usman while Abu sat opposite to him close to her mum in a seating mound.

Alhaji Badaru clear his throat before he begins to speak. "I was almost afraid something had gone wrong when you called" Baba manage to say while looking at Usman who is busy with his phone, Usman raised his head and look at them before he starts saying. "Well this visit is unusual but I believe it's the way to solve the little problem we had between us (Him and Abu). As I told you previously on phone We will be coming for some issues. The thing is Zainab asked for a divorce and I tried to appease her but things are out of my control" usman said looking back at his phone.

They were shocked to hear his words "What Divorce zainaba are you out of your mind, Didn't you know that Allah dislike women asking for a Divorce, you better get back to your sense divorce isn't a solution" Abu's uncle said boiling with indignation.

Her father snapped before saying "to kinji dai, you better follow your husband back to your home" he said peering apparently in to Abu's face whose chin is still on her palm she totally look in trouble.

Usman look at her and hum saying "Hajiya am leaving, do you want me to drop you or pick you up after work?" erstwhile His smiley face was the best thing she likes about him but not any more, she sometimes felt molested whenever he gives her such Kind of look. She glared at him them said "As I said Earlier I need Divorce and am not going any where, Kawu, Baba, pls help me end this marriage am tired, wallahi living with him is crushing me, am already in a hell, although he have enough but never cared about what I and his children eat no does he care about what we wear, if not for his mother who is helping me our marriage won't last long, I don't know what he thinks of marriage but to me Food isn't the only thing we need, we also need someone to secure us, he sometimes leave the house early in the morning when it's still dark and never come back until it's midnight in most cases he come back after 3 days and if I ask he will only hum, she blow out a little air before she continue, Wallahi I have been enduring his reckless behavior for so long and it's for your sake (she means to keep her parents dignity) and my children but not anymore I just can't take it", she keeps quite for seconds she added "all that isn't enough he is now seeing another women". She said in a little low voice trying to hide her tears.

Her father smile before he said Zainab "you must know that the beginning of marriage is not easy every couple quarrelled so much with each other but with Time and patient the marriage will stick for yrs just look at us here we are after some 20yrs." She shakes her head a little saying "But Baba you can't compared people of your time to people of our time more especially people like Usman. You guys are matured."

Hmm her uncle hum and said "Now yes, but not then we are just like you guys, in life person needs to be patient."

She take a deep breath, all she wishes right now is for her parents to understand how she is feeling , " If not because he is seeing another women I wouldn't ask for divorce" zainab groaned.

" Uhum do you just bring seeing another women as excuse mind you man can marry 3 wives apart from you the first wife you better come back to your sense" her father said in way that shows how tired he is.

"Yes Baba am aware of his freedom of being able to marry another 3 woman apart from me, But it's not like he wanted to marry one of them infact they are just fornicating, she said sadly.

"What do you see them together" her uncle asked.

she's so confident thinking may be her parents can understand her now so she said "Yes I saw him with sa'ada"...... before she could say a word further Usman who seems not interested in what they are discussing says

"She only saw us holding hands that's all" he said carelessly.

"Wallahi he is lying I saw them together na"....

Shut up liar" her uncle mentioned beligerently.

Zainab begins to sob, she was little confused she was begging to realize that she was causing a serious problem, her uncle and father's uncontrol reaction and the icy look on her mum face showed that clearly clearly.

For some minutes Zainab and her parents including her husband sat motionlessly before Zainab said.

" Pls Uncle consider my feelings am in despret earnest, I never want my children to be a victim of broken home but living with him will result to my dead" she said begging.

Mtttts her uncle hissed, "oya die but you have to follow him back" he said plodding outside.

Umma whose been quite for the whole time Said, "Kawun yara won't you wait for lunch to be ready"she asked in a little pitch voice.

"No I can't stay here any longer or else this girl will make my blood pressure go higher than it was" he said and move out of the house.

Baba raise to standing position before saying "Let me accompany him you better leave before I come back" her father mentioned in anger.

Usman who was sitting raised to standing position before saying "Umma am leaving too, i will come back later to pick her up."

Umma shakes her head a little and say "No usman you have to leave together you heard what Malam said".

Abu who is still crying says "Wallahi am not leaving with him" she s said in tears her sob were isolated but heavy, "I can't live with adulterer any more."

Her mum slapped her in a twinkle of eye mama... before she could say a another word blow rained in to her "Abu what have you turned your self into, is that how we raised you innalillahi you calling your man Adulterer" her mum mentioned angrily.

" Umma pls stop beating her am ending everything now and for all, he turned to her isn't divorce what u wanted am granting your wish now I Usman divorce my wife zainab 3 time"

umma intrude Shockley "kai are you mad how can you decide while you are in anger?"

Umma am not vexed i just want to end everything that's all and for our children am taking them to my mum before I marry another woman Usman said rushing to outside....

Umma pls stop beating her am ending everything now and for all.

I Usman divorce my wife Abu 3 time umma intrude are you mad how can you decide while you are in anger.

Umma am not vexed i KUST want to end everything that's all and for our children am taking them to my mum before I marry another woman Usman said rushing to outside....

As Usman approaches out side his legs begins to quarks, What do I do he asked himself, this is not like you, divorce and 3 times Usman why his inner voice said

He stopped in his car for about 20 min not knowing what to do.

He was still in his car when Malam Badaru (his father in-law) come back he was like a'a Usmanu are still waiting for her No Baba am leaving now will be back later.

Usman clearly know that he is the one to regret this.

From there he drove directly to his office he set up some documents before he was lost in thinking, what will he tell his mother about today what will be her reaction he know very well that she admire Abu that the kind of questions that keeps coming to his mind.

*****

When Baba entered the house he said to Abu, Abu you better be ready on time don't let him wait kinji ko.

Uhum wait for what he is not coming back he ended everything between them Umma pronounced.

What ended everything like how Baba asked.

When you are out to accompany kawu Abu picked on her husband calling him so many bad names and that make him Divorce her and the worse part of it is three times divorce Umma mentioned languidly.

Being a divorcee is what attract you, if that the life you choose for your self you are welcome her father said nodding his head vigorously before entering his room.

Umma turned on her with icy stare and hissed saying useless trash before leaving for her room.

Abu already know she is in trouble her parents faces clouded dangerously.

*******

Sa'ada was sitting beside her father down his chair, malam imranu who was sitting in his 3 legged chair he was an old man of not less than 50 years.

He Clear his through before calling her name.

Sa'ada his voice shows that he wanted to discuss something serious with her.

She answered Na'am baba paying more attention to him.

Why do you make Usman divorce Abu

Wallahi Baba I don't even know he will she replied.

Then why do you keep going to there house especially when she is not in the house.

Wallahi baba she is lying, she's jealous of me, I can only admit seducing him to marry me but not committing fornication.

Why will you do that Abu loves you purely, why Her man. Her father asked in anger

I also loves him purely with all my heart after all they now broke up pls Baba let bygone be bygone we are getting married just wish us well sa'ada said while leaving the room without listening what her father have to say.

He just nod his and say if that what you choose for your self.

Since the divorce incidence Usman never pick sa'adas call no does he reply her message.

She finishes all the marriage prepation she is some what not happy with the way usman entreat her and she have no one to complain to Abu was her only friend that they share secret together due to what happened she can say she has no one to advise her.

She was sitting in her room her chin was on her palm busy thinking on what to do maryama entered.

A'a our bride what are you thinking maryam asked. Sa'ada hum and say nothing.

Common girl say it or else your plight will get worse and you may become depress boring sorrows alone doesn't solve your problem.

. Usman change he never pick my call no does he reply my message since his issues with Abu.

Ayya you know better than anyone he loves her very much if not because he has passion in women his loves for her won't let him have an affair for now you have to give him more time to get over her maryam replied.

Which time maryam, after all it's 2 weeks now Sa'ada said.

Well two weeks isn't enough for a person who loves someone with all their heart to be over with them after break up he needs more time maryam said.

But why not we go to his office to discuss with him he may listen maryam mentioned.

It's a good advice can we go now sa'ada asked.