I looked around, I was in Nia hospital, the closest to my house also one of the best in Abuja with exclusive IVF facilities and renowned gynecologists, I have been here before, perhaps not this room but they were identical. Ladi my maid was sitting on the sofa watching the movie that was showing, I tried saying something but my voice was weak, Ladi heard me all the same, she quickly came to my side.
‘What happened?’ I asked in hausa the only language Ladi seemed to understand.
‘We’re in the hospital’. She said fiddling with her fingers, I could tell she was nervous.
‘I know where we are, I am asking why am here.’ I said.
Just then the door clicked and saved Ladi, Nafisa my sister in law came in, she was not so good looking, I often wondered how my brother fell for her, in fact I was rest assured she used love potion, I never let her forget how ugly she was or how she didn’t deserve my brother. she sat by my bedside and she smiled.
‘How are you feeling?’ She asked.
‘Horrible, what happened?’ I asked again.
‘You fell’
I fell, when? I thought, then the events of that night came back, I was filled with rage but could express my anger, I was weak.
‘Nafisa did I?, I was afraid to finish the sentence.
‘Yes’ she said caressing my hair. ‘But dont worry doctor says you’ll be alright soon.’
Tears came to my eyes, not again I thought why!, why!, why! did this always have to happen.’ I wailed, my head was now resting on Nafisa’s lap, her wrapper was soaking my tears as they fell. The door clicked again, I heard heels click on the marble floor and I knew my family had come to offer their fake condolences.
‘Sannu Hajiya.’ Both Nafisa and Ladi said together, Nafisa was already getting up, I knew my mother was around, I could smell her signature perfume, she sat where Nafisa had sat and hugged me, I knew she felt my pain, she has gone through it before, five good times, she knows that the pain deviates from the pain of loosing to hatred towards people we had to live with, the ones who inflicted the pain on us.
‘It’s ok, don’t cry anymore, it’ll be alright.’ She said patting my back, at such times I could feel her love for me.
Sarah my eldest sister came to my side she offered her condolences, patted my thighs and went to sit, Noora My immediate elder sister was present but said nothing, Najma the youngest of all of us was also present, she sat at my feet, she said nothing but pressed my feet and gave me a warm smile. They stayed for sometime then Noora said she had to pick her son from school, it was a blatant lie, because she has never visited their school before.
They all left, even though only Noora had to pick her son from school, the clicking of their designer heels making a rhythmic sound that made me sick to the pit of my stomach.
Asad came in next, he looked dashing as ever, but I all I wanted was to shove shit on his face, he asked after my health stayed for a while, made a lame excuse and left, I was then left with Nafisa and Ladi.
I had lost yet another pregnancy, this was my third miscarriage, I didn’t want to be like Mama and Sarah who had miscarriages 5 times, it was always caused by our husbands when they got angry.
I looked at Nafisa, she was ugly also from a poor family yet her husband adored her, he has never laid a finger on her, she had the most perfect marriage, and I wondered how she did it, here I was beautiful, rich, gave birth to sons, yet my husband treated as a punching bag.
My life was a mess, I didn’t understand my family, my husband was a like stranger and we got distant from each other by day.
The cat was out of the bag, it was no longer a speculation, Asad was having an affair, I will soon be the new laughing stock. ‘Upon all her beauty, her husband is running after another girl, it serves her right.’ My enemies will say.
Asad has to pay, yes he must pay for ruining my life, polygamy was accepted in our religion but I was not ready to accept it. I thought of many ways to make Asad pay for his deeds, I was burning with the flames of vengeance, then it came to my mind just what to do to make Asad pay.
Dr zaks walked in casually, he happens to be the very successful owner, and CEO of Nia hospital, a Rolex was glimmering on his wrist, I could tell the shirt under his lab caot was a Pierre Cardin from the logo.
‘How are we today Hajiya Shehnaz?’ He asked.
‘Not fine, but fine enough to leave this place.’ I said jokingly, we happen to be friends, he was our family doctor.
‘Hope we haven’t offended you.’ He said flashing a smile.
‘Not at all.’
He checked on my pulse, blood pressure and other things and asked questions but I was not prepared for the last question that hit me.
‘Hajiya , how did you obtain this fall?’ He asked with concern on his face.
‘I really cant’ cant remember.’ I stammered.
‘Well you have to be careful, because you also had a rib fracture, that’s why you’ve stayed this long, I will be discharging you tomorrow.’ He said smilingly, ‘please try to stay safe.’ This time his face serious.
As he was leaving the room, my hatred for Asad was multiplying, he was responsible for this.
I closed my eyes and I went to a time, a time before I met Asad, a time when the world revolved around me and me alone.
