“Of course you’ll say that — you brought me here and abandoned me. I’ve been neglected and humiliated.”
She stormed out angrily. He watched her go with frustration. Then he returned to the bedside and sat down. The only thing that came to his mind was Mufidah’s large bed and the pleasant scent of her room. He remembered the warm smile she always welcomed him with. Closing his eyes, he regretted not saving her phone number back when Dr. Isa had given it to him. Now he felt too ashamed to call the doctor again to ask for her number — especially after the unexpected help they had just given him earlier.
Fatiti’s eight friends said goodbye to her and left. There was no food left in the house because the guests had finished everything. Since he hadn’t told her he was coming, she hadn’t cooked for him.
When he heard that the guests had gone, he stepped into the courtyard and frowned at the scattered trash everywhere, as if it were not a proper home. She noticed his expression and started complaining, saying,
“I had guests, and they came with children — it’s not my fault.”
He clicked his tongue and said,
“Where are my own children that you’re busy raising other people’s kids? I haven’t seen even one of mine.”
She replied angrily,
“They went to Aunt Rabi’s house. They spent the day there.”
At that moment he realized he had made a mistake by building a house in the middle of her family’s neighborhood — there would always be guests, gossip, and people watching. His children would grow up wandering everywhere since relatives lived all around.
Angrily he said,
“Call them now. I want my children brought home.”
She picked up a small Nokia phone and called Rabi — apparently she had bought a phone but never called him with it. After greeting Rabi, she said,
“Bring the children home now. Their father is back.”
Usman went into the living room and sat down, admiring the beautiful furniture — even nicer than the ones in their Bauchi home. Fatiti busied herself cleaning the yard and preparing food. Suddenly her phone rang; it was Safiya. She answered happily, explaining how busy she had been with visitors.
Safiya began telling her shocking news. Fatiti became completely unsettled, feeling as though she was dreaming. When Usman saw her rushing into the living room with her wrapper loose and headscarf in hand, still listening on the phone, he became worried. She was sweating, trembling, shouting prayers and curses by herself. He only understood what was happening when he heard Mufidah’s name mentioned — and realized someone had brought gossip about him.
His heart sank; he knew he would not have peace that night.
Fatiti cried loudly, collapsed on the carpet, and wailed as if she had received news of someone’s death. When he tried to help her up, she pushed his hand away and shouted that he had betrayed her and gone to live with another woman. She threatened that either she or Mufidah would remain alive — not both.
Usman shouted back, telling her to verify information before believing gossip instead of jumping to conclusions. But she insisted she had heard that he had secretly arranged spiritual rituals so he could marry Mufidah. She swore that if he married again, none of them would live in peace.
He exclaimed, “Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un — are you even thinking clearly?”
Just then a young man named Nura arrived with the children. They ran happily to greet their father. After Nura left, Usman brought sweets and biscuits from the car for them. Fatiti recognized the snacks as the same ones Mufidah used to give them, which made her furious. She began throwing the sweets and biscuits everywhere, crying wildly. He struggled to calm her, but she refused to listen and stormed out of the house in anger.
He called his sisters Amal and Aisha to come help with the children. Later, when he tried to find Fatiti at her relatives’ homes, she was nowhere to be found. Eventually he found her at Samira Abba’s house but she refused to return home with him.
He spent the night restless and unable to sleep, exhausted by her behavior. The next day he prepared the children and took them to his parents’ house, then returned home to rest. While sleeping, Dr. Isa called with terrible news — Fatiti had gone to Bauchi and attacked Mufidah’s property, smashing her car windows and causing chaos, though Mufidah stayed inside the house without fighting back.
Fatiti continued insulting and provoking her, while others tried to calm the situation. Later she also confronted Jalilah publicly, warning her to stay away from Usman. Authorities were nearly involved, and people threatened legal action against her.
Eventually Usman managed to get Mufidah’s phone number through Imam Malik. Nervously he called her, worried she might refuse to answer — but she spoke gently. He apologized for everything, thanked her for her patience, and promised to repair her damaged car. She cried, and he comforted her with kind words until she calmed down. They spoke lovingly as if nothing had happened.
He looked at her, smiled, and said,
“Our new room looks beautiful, my bride.”
She pouted and replied,
“Of course you’ll say that — you brought me here and abandoned me. I’ve been neglected and humiliated.”
She stormed out angrily. He watched her go with frustration. Then he returned to the bedside and sat down. The only thing that came to his mind was Mufidah’s large bed and the pleasant scent of her room. He remembered the warm smile she always welcomed him with. Closing his eyes, he regretted not saving her phone number back when Dr. Isa had given it to him. Now he felt too ashamed to call the doctor again to ask for her number — especially after the unexpected help they had just given him earlier.
Fatiti’s eight friends said goodbye to her and left. There was no food left in the house because the guests had finished everything. Since he hadn’t told her he was coming, she hadn’t cooked for him.
When he heard that the guests had gone, he stepped into the courtyard and frowned at the scattered trash everywhere, as if it were not a proper home. She noticed his expression and started complaining, saying,
“I had guests, and they came with children — it’s not my fault.”
He clicked his tongue and said,
“Where are my own children that you’re busy raising other people’s kids? I haven’t seen even one of mine.”
She replied angrily,
“They went to Aunt Rabi’s house. They spent the day there.”
At that moment he realized he had made a mistake by building a house in the middle of her family’s neighborhood — there would always be guests, gossip, and people watching. His children would grow up wandering everywhere since relatives lived all around.
Angrily he said,
“Call them now. I want my children brought home.”
She picked up a small Nokia phone and called Rabi — apparently she had bought a phone but never called him with it. After greeting Rabi, she said,
“Bring the children home now. Their father is back.”
Usman went into the living room and sat down, admiring the beautiful furniture — even nicer than the ones in their Bauchi home. Fatiti busied herself cleaning the yard and preparing food. Suddenly her phone rang; it was Safiya. She answered happily, explaining how busy she had been with visitors.
Safiya began telling her shocking news. Fatiti became completely unsettled, feeling as though she was dreaming. When Usman saw her rushing into the living room with her wrapper loose and headscarf in hand, still listening on the phone, he became worried. She was sweating, trembling, shouting prayers and curses by herself. He only understood what was happening when he heard Mufidah’s name mentioned — and realized someone had brought gossip about him.
His heart sank; he knew he would not have peace that night.
Fatiti cried loudly, collapsed on the carpet, and wailed as if she had received news of someone’s death. When he tried to help her up, she pushed his hand away and shouted that he had betrayed her and gone to live with another woman. She threatened that either she or Mufidah would remain alive — not both.
Usman shouted back, telling her to verify information before believing gossip instead of jumping to conclusions. But she insisted she had heard that he had secretly arranged spiritual rituals so he could marry Mufidah. She swore that if he married again, none of them would live in peace.
He exclaimed, “Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un — are you even thinking clearly?”
Just then a young man named Nura arrived with the children. They ran happily to greet their father. After Nura left, Usman brought sweets and biscuits from the car for them. Fatiti recognized the snacks as the same ones Mufidah used to give them, which made her furious. She began throwing the sweets and biscuits everywhere, crying wildly. He struggled to calm her, but she refused to listen and stormed out of the house in anger.
He called his sisters Amal and Aisha to come help with the children. Later, when he tried to find Fatiti at her relatives’ homes, she was nowhere to be found. Eventually he found her at Samira Abba’s house but she refused to return home with him.
He spent the night restless and unable to sleep, exhausted by her behavior. The next day he prepared the children and took them to his parents’ house, then returned home to rest. While sleeping, Dr. Isa called with terrible news — Fatiti had gone to Bauchi and attacked Mufidah’s property, smashing her car windows and causing chaos, though Mufidah stayed inside the house without fighting back.
Fatiti continued insulting and provoking her, while others tried to calm the situation. Later she also confronted Jalilah publicly, warning her to stay away from Usman. Authorities were nearly involved, and people threatened legal action against her.
Eventually Usman managed to get Mufidah’s phone number through Imam Malik. Nervously he called her, worried she might refuse to answer — but she spoke gently. He apologized for everything, thanked her for her patience, and promised to repair her damaged car. She cried, and he comforted her with kind words until she calmed down. They spoke lovingly as if nothing had happened.