Mayraah didn’t even look at him as she went to lock the living room door, her face tight with anger. He stopped her and said, “Let me get my car key.” As he said that, he set the crying child he was holding down on the balcony floor and walked past her into the living room.
Haseenah smiled smugly, staring at Mayraah. Full of arrogance, she said,
“If you know one thing, you don’t know the other. And for nothing—just because you stopped him from entering the house with his children. Right before your eyes, he’ll still take us where we deserve to be taken, because we are important to him. Even if it’s just to prove to you that we have more value and status in his life. We are far ahead of you…”
When Maheer came out, Haseenah fell silent, rocking the baby on her back who was crying. Maheer picked up Aryaan, who was also crying on the tiled balcony floor, and headed to the parking space with him, even though the rain was still pouring heavily. Haseenah smiled, her eyes fixed on Mayraah who was watching Maheer, and said,
“You’ll just have to wait until you see him again—if you even see him today. If you had sense, you’d understand by now that his children mean more to him than you. Just because you stopped him from entering the house with us doesn’t mean you can stop him from taking us elsewhere. You’ll just go back inside and wait for him—if you ever see him today at all. Completely useless.”
Mayraah had already locked the living room door. She leaned against it as tears streamed down her face, her breathing becoming heavy and uneven.
Haseenah followed Maheer to the parking space. He opened the back seat and laid Aryaan down inside, then held out his hand and said, “Bring him.” She untied Aymaan from her back and handed him over. Maheer placed him beside his brother in the back seat. When Haseenah tried to get into the car, he said sternly, “Don’t you dare enter my car.”
She stared at him in shock, her mouth open. She never expected that from him. The next thing she heard was him calling the security guard at the gate. The guard rushed over, and Maheer said,
“Open the gate for me, I’m leaving. And make sure you escort this woman out of this house. Today should be the last day you ever open the gate for her to enter my house.”
He walked around, opened the driver’s door, and got into the car.
Haseenah stood there speechless, staring at him. She glanced toward the entrance to be sure Mayraah wasn’t there watching what was happening. When she confirmed she wasn’t, she quickly turned and walked toward the gate. She stepped out of the house and waited by the gate for Maheer’s car to come out.
As he drove out, she whimpered,
“I don’t understand why you won’t let me enter your car, Maheer. Those are my children inside, and they need me the most right now. You should at least listen to my reason for coming here before—”
Maheer had already sped off, leaving her standing there, staring after the car with her mouth open. She was completely shocked—she never imagined he could do that. Where was he taking her children? Panicking, she ran after the car, but it had already turned the corner.
Ammi jumped up as Maheer entered her living room with the children and exclaimed,
“Maheer, where did you get these children from, soaked like this in the rain? Where did you bring them from?”
Without waiting for his answer, she rushed to him and took Aymaan from his arms.
Mama Ladi, stunned, cried out,
“Disaster has struck! What is this? Children drenched in rain like this? Where did you get them from, Ladi?”
Ammi hurried to her bedroom with Aymaan because the living room was cold. Mama Ladi picked up Aryaan and said,
“Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un. What kind of rain soaked these children like this?”
She followed Ammi into the bedroom with Aryaan. Maheer sat down, resting his chin on his hand, different thoughts racing through his mind.
Without delay, Ammi and Mama Ladi removed the children’s wet clothes. Thankfully, they had new clothes in the house that Dr. Khalil’s wife had brought after the children were taken to Kano. They rubbed the babies with balm and dressed them.
Each woman held one child. The children were burning with fever, their noses blocked, and they had no strength—just weakly staring at Ammi. Mama Ladi burst into tears, saying,
“Has Maheer gone mad to bring them out in the rain? Even a grown man wouldn’t withstand such rain, let alone these babies who have no one to defend them. Where did he even get them from? Weren’t they with their mother in Kano?”
Ammi laid Aymaan down, wrapped him warmly, then went back to the living room and asked Maheer,
“What is going on, Maheer? Where did you get these children from?”
Mama Ladi also came out after settling Aryaan. Maheer looked up at Ammi, then looked away. Briefly, he explained everything that had happened since Haseenah arrived in Abuja with the children the previous day—but he excluded what Mayraah had done, not telling them that part.
Mama Ladi exclaimed,
“May Allah curse Haseenah’s wickedness. She wanted to kill these children just to leave us in sorrow because she saw they mean a lot to us. Otherwise, who would bring babies out into heavy rain in Abuja at this time of day? She did it deliberately to hurt us. And how did she even know your house?”
Maheer sighed.
“I honestly don’t know.”
Mama Ladi continued angrily,
“But when you met them there, shouldn’t you have taken your children inside so Mera could give them first aid? She’s a nurse! Instead, because of your poor judgment, you brought them back through the rain to us. Even I’m feeling feverish now after the rain, let alone these infants—feel how hot they are, coughing nonstop. I wonder if Haseenah will leave this world safely after this. Allah is sufficient between us and her.”
Ammi stood silently at her bedroom door, speechless.
Mama Ladi added,
“Go back out in the rain and get medicine for cold and fever. This is no small rain—it soaked them completely, even their diapers. Ammi has already rubbed them with hot ointment.”
At that moment, the living room door opened and Haseenah entered, drenched. She leaned against the door, water dripping from her clothes. Mama Ladi widened her eyes and shouted,
“Look at this wretch! Why did you follow him here? Get out before I order the guards to throw you out! Even if you weren’t their mother, you wouldn’t bring them into the rain—let alone being their mother! I’ve never seen a more wicked woman than you!”
Haseenah cried,
“Mama, wallahi I didn’t enter the rain on purpose. I kept calling him but he didn’t pick up, and the children were sick—that’s why I brought them to where he was—”
Maheer stared at her, his temper rising as he tried to control himself. Ammi turned and went into her bedroom. Mama Ladi moved toward the door shouting,
“Get out, you nuisance! No one asked for your explanation! I swear you and these children will never know peace again. Get out before I call the guards!”
Haseenah was crying when suddenly Ammi screamed Maheer’s name from the bedroom. He rushed inside, and Mama Ladi followed. Haseenah’s heart sank—something was wrong. She ran after them.
She froze in shock, clutching her chest, when she saw Aymaan in convulsions in Maheer’s arms as he tried to give first aid. She screamed and rushed in, collapsing before them.
“I’m finished! Please, for God’s sake, Maheer—protect my honor. Let nothing happen to my son!”
No one paid attention to her; all attention was on Aymaan. Mama Ladi paced the room, crying and uttering endless prayers. After some minutes, the child stabilized but kept coughing—just like Aryaan in Ammi’s arms.
Only then did Mama Ladi notice Haseenah kneeling nearby, trembling. She snapped,
“Who let her in here? When did she enter?”
She grabbed Ammi’s bedsheet and began whipping Haseenah with all her strength, shouting,
“Get out, you devil! Who allowed you in here? Get out!”
Haseenah staggered up, crying, and left the room, still glancing back at Aymaan.
Ammi, deeply shaken, asked,
“Maheer, should we go to the hospital?”
He replied quietly,
“I’ll go buy medicine now. Even at the hospital, that’s what they’ll give them.”
As he left the room, Haseenah knelt before him in the living room, crying,
“Please Maheer, let nothing happen to my children, please.”
He didn’t even look at her and walked out.
Maheer soon returned from the pharmacy with medicine, Cerelac, and milk. Haseenah was still kneeling in Ammi’s living room, her eyes swollen from crying. Seeing him, she pleaded,
“Please let me stay close to my children—they’re sick. Let them feel my warmth.”
He ignored her and went into the bedroom where Ammi and Mama Ladi were praying. He placed the medicines down and looked at the children.
After finishing her prayer, Ammi turned and saw Maheer kneeling by the bed, holding Aymaan tightly, his eyes shut. When Mama Ladi also finished praying, Ammi approached him. He opened his eyes, which were red and swollen, and sat on the carpet still holding the child.
With difficulty, Ammi asked,
“Did you give him the medicine?”
He shook his head and said with great effort,
“He has passed away.”
Mama Ladi screamed, dropping her mat,
“Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un! He has died?”
Haseenah rushed into the room screaming, hands on her head, trying to grab Aymaan from Maheer. He pushed her away, staring at her with bloodshot eyes.
Ammi sat on the edge of the bed, tears streaming down her face as she watched Maheer clutch Aymaan’s lifeless body. Despite her grief, Mama Ladi drove Haseenah out of the room, beating her with Ammi’s phone charger and shouting,
“Get out! You’ve killed one child—are you satisfied now?”
Bilkisu rushed in at the sound of screams. Mama Ladi shouted,
“Drag her out, Bilkisu! She’s killed one child and left us with one. Take her away so we can mourn in peace.”
Bilkisu dragged the distraught Haseenah out. Ammi looked at Maheer and whispered through tears,
“Be patient. May Allah make him a savior and preserve his brother.”
Maheer didn’t lift his head, still holding Aymaan’s body.
Later, around 10 p.m., Ammi sat in the living room carrying Aryaan. Mama Ladi sat on the floor sobbing uncontrollably. She didn’t calm down until she confirmed that Usman had chased Haseenah out and instructed the guards never to let her in again. Haseenah was left crying hysterically at the gate.
Maheer sat slumped in a chair. Usman silently left the living room. Ammi gently said,
“Maheer, go home—it’s late, and Mayraah is alone.”
Mama Ladi objected sharply,
“Where should he go? Isn’t it better he stays and watches over the remaining one?”
Eventually, Maheer left. In his room, he tried calling Mayraah but she didn’t answer. Later, Ammi brought him tea and comforted him with prayers.
Throughout the night, Maheer repeatedly checked on Aryaan. Around 4:30 a.m., he returned to Ammi’s living room and found her asleep with Aryaan on her back. Mama Ladi was also asleep on the floor with her rosary.
Maheer gently woke Ammi and took the child from her. After some time, Ammi suggested giving more medicine for the cold. Maheer didn’t respond. Then he looked at her, his eyes completely changed, and said softly,
“He is gone too.”
Ammi jumped up, shaking, crying,
“Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un.”
Mama Ladi woke suddenly.
“What happened?”
Ammi, crying, said,
“He has also passed away.”
Mama Ladi screamed and rushed out of the living room, wailing uncontrollably.
Mayraah didn’t even look at him as she went to lock the living room door, her face tight with anger. He stopped her and said, “Let me get my car key.” As he said that, he set the crying child he was holding down on the balcony floor and walked past her into the living room.
Haseenah smiled smugly, staring at Mayraah. Full of arrogance, she said,
“If you know one thing, you don’t know the other. And for nothing—just because you stopped him from entering the house with his children. Right before your eyes, he’ll still take us where we deserve to be taken, because we are important to him. Even if it’s just to prove to you that we have more value and status in his life. We are far ahead of you…”
When Maheer came out, Haseenah fell silent, rocking the baby on her back who was crying. Maheer picked up Aryaan, who was also crying on the tiled balcony floor, and headed to the parking space with him, even though the rain was still pouring heavily. Haseenah smiled, her eyes fixed on Mayraah who was watching Maheer, and said,
“You’ll just have to wait until you see him again—if you even see him today. If you had sense, you’d understand by now that his children mean more to him than you. Just because you stopped him from entering the house with us doesn’t mean you can stop him from taking us elsewhere. You’ll just go back inside and wait for him—if you ever see him today at all. Completely useless.”
Mayraah had already locked the living room door. She leaned against it as tears streamed down her face, her breathing becoming heavy and uneven.
Haseenah followed Maheer to the parking space. He opened the back seat and laid Aryaan down inside, then held out his hand and said, “Bring him.” She untied Aymaan from her back and handed him over. Maheer placed him beside his brother in the back seat. When Haseenah tried to get into the car, he said sternly, “Don’t you dare enter my car.”
She stared at him in shock, her mouth open. She never expected that from him. The next thing she heard was him calling the security guard at the gate. The guard rushed over, and Maheer said,
“Open the gate for me, I’m leaving. And make sure you escort this woman out of this house. Today should be the last day you ever open the gate for her to enter my house.”
He walked around, opened the driver’s door, and got into the car.
Haseenah stood there speechless, staring at him. She glanced toward the entrance to be sure Mayraah wasn’t there watching what was happening. When she confirmed she wasn’t, she quickly turned and walked toward the gate. She stepped out of the house and waited by the gate for Maheer’s car to come out.
As he drove out, she whimpered,
“I don’t understand why you won’t let me enter your car, Maheer. Those are my children inside, and they need me the most right now. You should at least listen to my reason for coming here before—”
Maheer had already sped off, leaving her standing there, staring after the car with her mouth open. She was completely shocked—she never imagined he could do that. Where was he taking her children? Panicking, she ran after the car, but it had already turned the corner.
Ammi jumped up as Maheer entered her living room with the children and exclaimed,
“Maheer, where did you get these children from, soaked like this in the rain? Where did you bring them from?”
Without waiting for his answer, she rushed to him and took Aymaan from his arms.
Mama Ladi, stunned, cried out,
“Disaster has struck! What is this? Children drenched in rain like this? Where did you get them from, Ladi?”
Ammi hurried to her bedroom with Aymaan because the living room was cold. Mama Ladi picked up Aryaan and said,
“Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un. What kind of rain soaked these children like this?”
She followed Ammi into the bedroom with Aryaan. Maheer sat down, resting his chin on his hand, different thoughts racing through his mind.
Without delay, Ammi and Mama Ladi removed the children’s wet clothes. Thankfully, they had new clothes in the house that Dr. Khalil’s wife had brought after the children were taken to Kano. They rubbed the babies with balm and dressed them.
Each woman held one child. The children were burning with fever, their noses blocked, and they had no strength—just weakly staring at Ammi. Mama Ladi burst into tears, saying,
“Has Maheer gone mad to bring them out in the rain? Even a grown man wouldn’t withstand such rain, let alone these babies who have no one to defend them. Where did he even get them from? Weren’t they with their mother in Kano?”
Ammi laid Aymaan down, wrapped him warmly, then went back to the living room and asked Maheer,
“What is going on, Maheer? Where did you get these children from?”
Mama Ladi also came out after settling Aryaan. Maheer looked up at Ammi, then looked away. Briefly, he explained everything that had happened since Haseenah arrived in Abuja with the children the previous day—but he excluded what Mayraah had done, not telling them that part.
Mama Ladi exclaimed,
“May Allah curse Haseenah’s wickedness. She wanted to kill these children just to leave us in sorrow because she saw they mean a lot to us. Otherwise, who would bring babies out into heavy rain in Abuja at this time of day? She did it deliberately to hurt us. And how did she even know your house?”
Maheer sighed.
“I honestly don’t know.”
Mama Ladi continued angrily,
“But when you met them there, shouldn’t you have taken your children inside so Mera could give them first aid? She’s a nurse! Instead, because of your poor judgment, you brought them back through the rain to us. Even I’m feeling feverish now after the rain, let alone these infants—feel how hot they are, coughing nonstop. I wonder if Haseenah will leave this world safely after this. Allah is sufficient between us and her.”
Ammi stood silently at her bedroom door, speechless.
Mama Ladi added,
“Go back out in the rain and get medicine for cold and fever. This is no small rain—it soaked them completely, even their diapers. Ammi has already rubbed them with hot ointment.”
At that moment, the living room door opened and Haseenah entered, drenched. She leaned against the door, water dripping from her clothes. Mama Ladi widened her eyes and shouted,
“Look at this wretch! Why did you follow him here? Get out before I order the guards to throw you out! Even if you weren’t their mother, you wouldn’t bring them into the rain—let alone being their mother! I’ve never seen a more wicked woman than you!”
Haseenah cried,
“Mama, wallahi I didn’t enter the rain on purpose. I kept calling him but he didn’t pick up, and the children were sick—that’s why I brought them to where he was—”
Maheer stared at her, his temper rising as he tried to control himself. Ammi turned and went into her bedroom. Mama Ladi moved toward the door shouting,
“Get out, you nuisance! No one asked for your explanation! I swear you and these children will never know peace again. Get out before I call the guards!”
Haseenah was crying when suddenly Ammi screamed Maheer’s name from the bedroom. He rushed inside, and Mama Ladi followed. Haseenah’s heart sank—something was wrong. She ran after them.
She froze in shock, clutching her chest, when she saw Aymaan in convulsions in Maheer’s arms as he tried to give first aid. She screamed and rushed in, collapsing before them.
“I’m finished! Please, for God’s sake, Maheer—protect my honor. Let nothing happen to my son!”
No one paid attention to her; all attention was on Aymaan. Mama Ladi paced the room, crying and uttering endless prayers. After some minutes, the child stabilized but kept coughing—just like Aryaan in Ammi’s arms.
Only then did Mama Ladi notice Haseenah kneeling nearby, trembling. She snapped,
“Who let her in here? When did she enter?”
She grabbed Ammi’s bedsheet and began whipping Haseenah with all her strength, shouting,
“Get out, you devil! Who allowed you in here? Get out!”
Haseenah staggered up, crying, and left the room, still glancing back at Aymaan.
Ammi, deeply shaken, asked,
“Maheer, should we go to the hospital?”
He replied quietly,
“I’ll go buy medicine now. Even at the hospital, that’s what they’ll give them.”
As he left the room, Haseenah knelt before him in the living room, crying,
“Please Maheer, let nothing happen to my children, please.”
He didn’t even look at her and walked out.
Maheer soon returned from the pharmacy with medicine, Cerelac, and milk. Haseenah was still kneeling in Ammi’s living room, her eyes swollen from crying. Seeing him, she pleaded,
“Please let me stay close to my children—they’re sick. Let them feel my warmth.”
He ignored her and went into the bedroom where Ammi and Mama Ladi were praying. He placed the medicines down and looked at the children.
After finishing her prayer, Ammi turned and saw Maheer kneeling by the bed, holding Aymaan tightly, his eyes shut. When Mama Ladi also finished praying, Ammi approached him. He opened his eyes, which were red and swollen, and sat on the carpet still holding the child.
With difficulty, Ammi asked,
“Did you give him the medicine?”
He shook his head and said with great effort,
“He has passed away.”
Mama Ladi screamed, dropping her mat,
“Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un! He has died?”
Haseenah rushed into the room screaming, hands on her head, trying to grab Aymaan from Maheer. He pushed her away, staring at her with bloodshot eyes.
Ammi sat on the edge of the bed, tears streaming down her face as she watched Maheer clutch Aymaan’s lifeless body. Despite her grief, Mama Ladi drove Haseenah out of the room, beating her with Ammi’s phone charger and shouting,
“Get out! You’ve killed one child—are you satisfied now?”
Bilkisu rushed in at the sound of screams. Mama Ladi shouted,
“Drag her out, Bilkisu! She’s killed one child and left us with one. Take her away so we can mourn in peace.”
Bilkisu dragged the distraught Haseenah out. Ammi looked at Maheer and whispered through tears,
“Be patient. May Allah make him a savior and preserve his brother.”
Maheer didn’t lift his head, still holding Aymaan’s body.
Later, around 10 p.m., Ammi sat in the living room carrying Aryaan. Mama Ladi sat on the floor sobbing uncontrollably. She didn’t calm down until she confirmed that Usman had chased Haseenah out and instructed the guards never to let her in again. Haseenah was left crying hysterically at the gate.
Maheer sat slumped in a chair. Usman silently left the living room. Ammi gently said,
“Maheer, go home—it’s late, and Mayraah is alone.”
Mama Ladi objected sharply,
“Where should he go? Isn’t it better he stays and watches over the remaining one?”
Eventually, Maheer left. In his room, he tried calling Mayraah but she didn’t answer. Later, Ammi brought him tea and comforted him with prayers.
Throughout the night, Maheer repeatedly checked on Aryaan. Around 4:30 a.m., he returned to Ammi’s living room and found her asleep with Aryaan on her back. Mama Ladi was also asleep on the floor with her rosary.
Maheer gently woke Ammi and took the child from her. After some time, Ammi suggested giving more medicine for the cold. Maheer didn’t respond. Then he looked at her, his eyes completely changed, and said softly,
“He is gone too.”
Ammi jumped up, shaking, crying,
“Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un.”
Mama Ladi woke suddenly.
“What happened?”
Ammi, crying, said,
“He has also passed away.”
Mama Ladi screamed and rushed out of the living room, wailing uncontrollably.