Ibrahim

To say I am shocked will be an understatement. How did she know him, even I don't know. Yasir is the man we've been looking for for almost two years now.

He is the husband of Khadija that disappeared out of the blues. Without any trace, he vanished. We searched every where for him, there is no place that we didn't hang his picture but all in vain. And now? Here he is right next to me sleeping peacefully in dirt, oblivious to his surrounding.

"Ibrahim let's take him with us" Maryam sobbed uncontrollably.

"hey shh! It's alright, I'm taking him with. Just please stop crying" I wiped her tears feeling uneasy already. There are a lot of questions I want to ask her. Why she is crying for this man, how she knows him. But I can't because now is not the right time. When the right time comes, surely she'll tell me.

Maryam attempted taking his cat and in the process he woke up. He looked at her as if she is having two heads, then later on starts smiling.

"come let's go home" she told him taking his hand. I wanted  stopping him from taking my wife's hand, but she just shook her head. He gladly accepts it and she signals me to take his cat.

They both walked in total silence leaving me behind, and they both were smiling. On reaching the car, she opened the back door and they both settled in. With no other choice, I dropped the cat in the passenger seat and took off.

The same thing happened when we entered the compound of our house, they both left without even sparing me a glance. I know this is not the right time to be jealous, but I am. I really feel like separating their entangled hands. I mean doesn't she know she's married.

"here sit down" she offered him a seat in the living room. The moment he got seated he stretched his hand to me, I looked at him weirdly until Maryam signaled his cat that's with me. I did an ohh and then settled the cat on his lap.

"so Yasir tell us what you were doing there all alone" I asked sitting on the chair opposite his.

He stared at me for some moments and then turned his head back to his cat petting her. I opened my mouth to ask him more questions when Maryam gave me the don't look, while rolling her eyes.

Bathing was the same issue because when we asked him to take a bath he looked at us for some minutes and continued petting his cat.

We asked him a lot of questions but he just wouldn't answer. He won't even open his mouth, all he does is smile at Maryam and it creeps me out. I signaled her to follow me to the kitchen because I wanna have a talk with her. Seriously.

"so how do you know him?" I sat on the counter taking an apple from the fruit basket.

"he's my big brother, Yasir. The one I've been telling you about. Now where do you know him from?"
She asked arms akimbo.

"he's Khadija's husband" I answered back in utter shock. Wow I can't believe both I and my sister married from the same family.

She blinked her eyes for quite some time before finally finding her voice.

"Oh my Allah! Really?. I'm so happy" she did a little dance before composing herself and continuing.
"so now how do we know what's wrong with him, and why he is not talking only smiling"

"That I don't know, but I need to call unlce and ask for his permission, because I can't continue with this meeting. We'll be going back home next tomorrow in sha Allah"

"but we just arrived this city barely some hours ago" she whined like a baby.

"that's why I said next tomorrow, so that we can get to rest before taking off to our homeland. I miss me some home air. And besides it'll be a night flight" I completed exiting the kitchen.

Yasir is still where we left him, petting his cat. When I walked in he didn't seem happy at all until he saw his sister. I guess he can only remember her, but still why doesn't he talk.***

"yes father thank you very much" Maryam ended her call smiling brightly, because she just finished talking to her father I guess.

"I asked for my uncle's address from father. Their house is just two hours drive from here. We'll be taking Yasir to them early in the morning tomorrow, so we can get at least a hint of what's going on with him"

"I don't get you?" I asked not quite getting what she's going on about. I mean aren't we going home tomorrow .

"unlce has a very bright knowledge on Islam. He'll just do some duas on him, because I'm sure this is a spiritual issue" I nodded in approval and listened to some more information on her uncle.

***
"Don't ask about how we got him to sleep, because that's a different story. And yes he refused to take his bath again this morning, and that's how we brought him here to your house" Maryam explained to her uncle.

"innalillahi wa'innailaihi raji'un. That's really how she turned your father?" uncle asked cleaning his sweat soaked face.

"yes uncle. But the worst part is that, he wouldn't divorce her. It's not that he doesn't want to, he just can't" Maryam concluded wiping her tears.

I wanted to be the one to wipe those tears. I hate to see her vulnerable, I hate seeing her tears. It's not good on her face and most importantly not good for her health. She worries too much which can result to her having a blood pressure because she's pregnant, and pregnant women are likely to have blood pressure. Right?

Aunty Sumaiya, uncle's wife couldn't say anything but just muttering some supplications. It is hard on her I can tell.

"shh it's ok, now some things are beginning to make some sense. But if Yasir has been in this town for over 3 years now, then how comes I never knew" Uncle said deep in thought.

"I don't know but before we lost contact, he did tell me he was staying with you" Maryam replied back a little surprised.

"no, I don't think he was staying with your uncle because I know the man that Yasir stayed with. He is a friend of my father, Uncle Shehu. He was the one who married him to my sister"

"yes I know Shehu, he is a good friend of your father as well" uncle answered referring to Maryam.

" I think it's time to pay uncle a visit" I stated standing up.

**
"Welcome kids... Where is he?" Maryam's father asked the moment we descended the plane.

I moved and he caught a glimpse of his son standing behind me. Alhamdullillah uncle called a Mallam and he prayed for him, and now he is a little better than before except he still doesn't talk.

Yes he took his bath before we left California, and he is dressed in one of my Kaftan. The moment he saw his father he smiled but as if remembering something his smile faded.

Dad as Maryam calls her father hugged the living midnight out of his son. At first he didn't comply, but later on he hugged him too.

After the father son moment I and Maryam squat down and payed our respects. He hugged her and even hugged me too. Ok to be sincere I was a little bit uncomfortable but then when I felt the fatherly hug I relaxed.

We left the airport in dad's car and headed to his house. Even though we were a little bit scared of taking him to the house where we know that  Rukkaya woman is, we did went through with it.

After minutes of driving we finally arrived the house. The gateman opened the door in hearing the hunk. Immediately the car was parked my phone started ringing.

"hello mom"

"yes son have you arrived yet"

"yes mom I'm in my in-laws house already"

"and how is Maryam and Yasir also. Is he alright"

"yes mom just like I've told you earlier there is still no improvement"

"Ibrahim I know you don't want Khadija to know but she knows. She overheard our conversation and now she's freaking out"

"what! How did it... Never mind just you don't have to come now, in the morning is alright" I concluded and we said our goodbyes.

Everyone went into the house when I was on phone so I entered also. As if on cue Rukkaya woman descended the stairs, to do what? Even we are about to find out. Don't get me wrong but honestly and sincerely speaking I can't call her aunty, I'd rather call her Rukkaya woman or just Rukkaya.

She stopped right in her tracks looking from Maryam to Yasir and lastly to their father. After seconds of staring at them she let out a loud wail.

" I knew it, I knew it. Mallam told me it will happen. He warned me against it. But no! I had to make him wander around and even making him dumb. Wallahi he can hear you, I know he can. Why did you come back? Aren't you supposed to be living in filth. I should have listened to my instinct and killed you" Rukkaya said pointing at Yasir.

Yasir who didn't notice her until when she pointed a finger at him faints when he saw her face.

I hurried with reflex to catch him before he gets to the floor and her father took hold of the woman and locked her in a room near by.

I settled him on the sofa and we tried all the possible ways bring him back to consciousness but to no avail. So we let him to wake up by himself in the morning, by then we would have called a mallam.

"Maryam take your husband and go take a rest while I'll find out what's wrong with this woman. When it's time for sahur, I'll let you know" her dad said pointing at the locked door that has Rukkaya in it.

We climbed up the stairs and she led me to her room, the room is sparkly clean and everything is arranged.

"wow, I didn't expect the room to be this clean and arranged" I voiced out my thought.

"yeah, the maid always arrange the room, and besides my father likes everything and everywhere to be sparkling in the house. He inspects"

"wow I like that, anyways I'm exhausted, come here" I crashed on the bed bringing her along with, of course being careful because of her tummy.
"so tell me, how are you today"

"I'm heavy as you can see. Climbing the stairs is getting hard each and every passing day" she answered eying me.

"woah don't put the whole blame on me, you also wanted it"

"yeah right" she rolled her eyes lying down completely, making a pillow with my shoulder.

I kept listening to her heart beat in a complete and comfortable silence. I don't know for how long we stayed like that, but a faint knock on the door broke my train of thought; and if i am asked what I was thinking wallah I wouldn't say, cause even I don't know.

Maryam who was already fast asleep didn't hear the knock so I adjusted her head to the pillow and left to see who is at the door.

"Ina Kwana dad (good morning)" I bowed my head a little greeting her father.

"lafiya lau, na katse maku barci koh? (fine, I woke you up from sleep right)"

"nooo it's nothing" I answered back scratching the back of my head.

"ok I just wanted to let you know that the food is ready, you should come down for sahur. Or will you rather have it up here in your room?"

"a'a we'll be down in a flash" I answered him back and he left with a nod.

I turned back to my wife and she is sleeping peacefully, well sorry wifey but I have to wake you from this beauty sleep if yours.

"but I just started sleeping" Maryam finally replied me after the tenth attempt to wake her up.

"I know, but you have to wake up for sahur. You have to eat and you know that"

"fine" she sighed and pouted her small lips. I couldn't refuse the urge so I gave her small peck there.

"Now go brush your teeth" I said picking up my Jallabiya from my luggage.

"have you brush yours" she asked exiting the bathroom.

"yeah on the fifth attempt of waking you I got tired, so I did was important before deciding to wake you up again"
I answered back pinching the bridge of her nose.
"now let's go, dad is waiting" I added claiming her petite hand in mine.

**
omniscient POV

"I'm sorry but I can't do anything for her, it's the bad deed she did that is finally catching up with her. Karma is real you know" an imam said sitting on the carpet with Rukkaya on the floor near him.

She laughed when the Mallam finished talking and attempted slapping him, luckily her husband held her hand on time before it could land on his face.

Across the room is Yasir looking at the woman with hatred, and with the look he is giving her you'll know he is in his right sense of mind.

"I don't know what to say to you, Aunty Rukkaya" he said the name with venom dripping from his words, that you can even see the bitterness on his face.
"but ki je duniya ce ( you'll see). He said standing up, and just in time Ibrahim, Mom, Khadija with her baby beside her; walking but not very well and Ahad entered the living room.

Yasir stopped right in his track when he saw his wife, his life standing before his eyes and with an exact replica of him beside her. Could he be his son, he wondered.

Not minding the people in the room he ran toward her and hugged her like she'll disappear if he let her go.

She cried back hugging him too, and tears started pouring down face. God knows she missed him beyond words can express.

"no don't cry my love, I'm right here and I will never leave your side in sha Allah" he whispered wiping her face with his hand, a lone tear escaping his eyes too.

"Uhh-uhum" dad cleared his throat and that's when Yasir remembered that there were people in the room.

Maryam who came down the stairs seconds ago saw all that happened and she also had tears in her eyes. She  can't imagine how much pain she had to endure, and she wouldn't want to imagine it.

"don't" Ibrahim muttered under his breath that only she can hear, she smiled a bit and that's when her eyes landed on Ahad.

She motioned for him to come and he came running to her and stood right in front of her.

"I want to hug you" he said looking down.

"then what are you waiting for, come give it to me" she responded squatting down to his level with much difficulty.

"but papa said if I hug you your belly will burst and I will no longer have a sibling to play with" he fidgeted his fingers so innocently while saying that.

Everyone in the room bursts our laughing except for Rukkaya who is not in her right sense of mind.

"come on you can hug me nothing will happen" she hugged him and he hugged her back.

Dad went up the stairs and came back with a paper on his hand, he handed the paper to Rukkaya and then uttered the words everyone had been waiting for the entire time.

"na sake ki saki uku ( I've divorced you three times)" he said and she let out a loud wail.

"please Alhaji don't do this to me, wallahi it was the shaitan's doing. Wayyo Allah na shiga uku (I'm finished). It's all their fault, it's your fault" she pointed upwards to no-one in particular.

"I'm sorry please don't take me, I won't do it again" she yelled looking at the door. She yelped while standing up and scratching her back in the process. Then finally she ran out of the living room shouting 'I won't do it again'.
Nobody turned to look at her, they just continued with what they were doing.

"so is he ours" Yasir asked asked picking up little Aarif in his hand, as if the boy knows he is his father he laughed so hard at him.

"yes he is" she answered back wiping her tear stained face. With that he hugged her and the baby feeling their warmth not wanting to let go.

"can't I hold my grandson" dad said from across the room sitting on one of the many couches in the palour, with Ahad on his lap.

Yasir scratched the back of his neck and handed him Aarif and he gladly went to his grandad.

When everything was back to normal, the whole family sat in the living room having the best time of their lives.

**
"Come on babe! All you have to say is you're heavy and can't go on this journey" Ibrahim said sitting down on the bed collecting the shirt she is about putting in a tiny luggage.

"no, no, no! I won't say it and besides even I want to go to Adamawa, I mean it's a nice state and all" she answered back collecting the shirt from him.
"and as you can see I'm done arranging our clothes, it's only Ahad's that remains" she added putting the last clothe in the box.

"and done" she exclaimed giving her husband a pointed look that means we are going there in sha Allah wether you like it or not.

He heaved a dejected sigh and just nodded in agreement because he knows he can't win it with her.

"Adamawa here we come" he said leaving the room.

It's three days to sallah and the whole family decided to go to Adamawa for Sallah. Ibrahim and his family, Yasir with his family and mom, even Dad is coming.
And Ibrahim doesn't want to go but by the looks of it, he surely is going because Madame of the house said so.

*
Hey it's another chapter. I know it's short and all and it came a little late than expected, but do bear with me.

I didn't update through out this month and I'm sorry for that... It's just that I've started my exams and I don't have time for wattpad.

And the book is coming to an end, so I'm having a hard time wrapping it up.

Love you loads💕
Hussainatouh💖