Za'afar

xxxv

This was one of their heated arguments in the last week, all in the name of zainab.

Hajiya Rafi'a watched her husband with no enthusiasm as he rant afraid he will shut off her hearing.

"And you let him?" She asked bewildered

"Off course I did, that was the most sane thing to do" Alhaji yahaya Garko replied all riled up.

"Are you in your right mind" she stood up to him "we have finally found a solution to this girls problem and you let him slip within your fingers, nothings changed, the story is still the same, she did what she did, the only difference this time is that her companion was willing....... is this the truth he told you"?

She asked face red from anger.

"Yes he admitted he lied which shows he's undeserving of our daughter".

"Hhhhm" she dramatically sigh "don't forget this girl is a divorcee, she's low on the market grand as we know, and his cousin that I wanted to match her with is yet to decide and I can't sit around and do nothing while we have a way out" she gritted

"Rafi'a what has come unto you" he asked his anger falling

"Your daughter.....your daughter is what happened to me" she boomed.

"No one is above mistake you know that, zainab is dying in the inside I can see how she strive so hard to earn your forgiveness but you remain adamant"

"It's been a long time and you ought to stop holding that grudge that such away your kindness leaving bitterness in It's wake" he continued

She grunt in disapproval.

"Rafi'a she's your daughter fa"

"And yours too" she snapped.

"If you're after what she did may I remind you of your past too?" He asked giving her a knowing look.

"I was nothing like her"

"Oh no you weren't, you were worst"

She glared at him.

"You forgot how you once ran to your boyfriend's house because your parents didn't approve of him"

"We did nothing" she was quick to reply.

"Like how zainab also did nothing, if you can weigh there isn't much difference from both your past, the only thing is that you were worst than her and may I remind you how your parents married you off to me because you have become a nuisance to their life" he shouted as she faced him in surprise "and being your father's errand boy I can't say no too......" he boomed "ba kya jin magana Rafi'a, marriage was the only thing that tied you down and with prayer Allah kuma ya shirye ki.....you've forgotten all of this, and may I remind you of how you fought a grown up man in the market square just because he punched your boyfriend, and may I remind you........

"Enough! That's enough" her eyes were shining red.

"Then you better renounce whatever nonsense game you are plating and talk to your daughter" he yelled "she misses you, do you know how many times she cried herself to Sleep, all she asked for was for you to forgive her, your mother didn't stop loving you after all the pain you caused her, then why zainab, why!!! because you don't care!!!"

"Off course I care, I care more than you can imagine" a tear slipped.

"I doubt" he huffed

As rivers of endless tear flow, a sorrowful cry escape her and she collapsed to the ground.

Alhaji yahaya watched his wife break down and he sigh.

He sat on the bed beside her waiting for her sobs to subside.