Tales

                Tales of A Widow
               Season 2 Episode 15                    

Episode 15:

Grandma placed the tray on a small table in her room, and stared at her son with disdain.

"What kind of question is that?" She retorted.

"Maami, don't you think it will better if you tell me the truth before the situation of things get out of hands... What is my wife's phone doing in your bag? Your phone rang, I dipped my hand in your bag to get it for you, only to bring out Habeebah's phone alongside your own " He replied frankly.

"So, because you found your wife's phone in my bag, does this means I'm keeping her in my bag as well. Anyway for your information I've siezed this from her... After all it was bought through my son's sweat. And if your wife has decided to hide her herself from you what's my business in that." Grandma replied.

"Maami, if you're so bent on not spilling the truth, your Ibrahim will go far away from you. You won't see me anymore, perhaps I'll be able to live my life peacefully, knowing fully well I'm free from your  possessiveness." He fumed.

"How dare you threaten your mother, all because of a woman? This is not my Ibrahim, my son will never go against his mother come what may. Or have you forgotten all I went through in raising you? Ibrahim! I lost my husband in my prime, and ever since then, you've been defending your mother and assisting her in her daily hustling . Now that you're married you will turn your back against her? You allow your wife order you around like a puppet. She had a miscarriage and compelled you not to tell your mother and you obeyed. I even came to your office to find out the truth, yet you lied about it, now you're threatening me you'll go away from me If I fail to tell you the truth, do you even know the difference between wright and wrong? I doubt it....." She flared.

"I'm so sorry Maami, I'm to be blamed not Habeebah. I was the one who ordered her no to tell anyone, I thought another will come before you know. I never had the intention of hiding it for long please forgive me ma. Insha Allah this will be the last time such thing will happen.. " He pleaded contritely.

"Why building false hopes on a woman with a damaged tube, when you are surrounded by fertile women who will bring you joy and tranquil in your home. My son, don't be blinded by one stupid and crazy love that will destroy your future." she replied arguably.

"SubhanaLlah! Where did you get such rumors from, because my wife's tubes are still intact?"He inquired with his mouth agape.
"And you expect me to believe you or tell you the person that told me. When you my own son can conceal it from me...Concerning your wife, I know nothing about her whereabouts.... I think she left because I slapped her, and not because I sent her out of my son's house, the scumbag was on the verge of calling you on phone and I snatched it from her that's all." She said unperturbed.
"You mean you slapped my wife?" Ibrahim asked flabbergastedly.

"Yes! I did, and I would do it again if I'm oppurtuned, because she insulted me." She uttered with a disdainful looks.
Ibrahim decided not to push it further and informed his mother of his leave. As it is, he already has the plain picture of the reasons why his wife was missing.

"Maami, insha Allah I'm off to the Masjid. It's time for salaatu Maghreb. From there I will leave for my house." He said with a weak voice.
"Won't you settle for anything before you go, or better still sleep over." She said pitifully.
"I'll be fine ma. I'm not here with extra wears and tomorrow insha Allah I'll go to work..." Ibrahim replied. He was about to leave when Grandma approached him with a pack of food. He thanked her and left.

Ibrahim concluded his Maghreb and Isha salaats before leaving for his house. He tried to eat that night but could only swallow five morsel of the semovita his mother packed for him. He's used to eating together with his wife in a single dish.... They only eat separately when a visitor is around or either one of them is on trip.

Sleep refused to come either.. It seems to him, like the night was longer. He stood for tahajjud prayers at third part of the night, he prayed for guidance from Allah in order to locate his wife and to settle the dispute between his mother and his wife... "If only Habeebah could conceive as fast as possible we won't have to go through this. Yah Allah! Only you can give children,please grant my wife the friut of the womb.. If I'm able to hide my tears from everyone I can hide it from you.. Because you created me,You know my pains and my sufferings, deliver me my Rabb. Change my mother's heart towards my wife. You are the turner of hearts.. Grant us offsprings among the pious ones." He prayed as his shirt was dampen with his flowing river of tears...

Ibrahim didn't leave any stone unturned, he avoidably allowed history repeats itself. So, he determined to  inform his mother in law of the heart wrenching scenes that transpired between his mother and Habeebah. He  wouldn't want his inlaws to find out from another source....
Therefore, In order to avoid mongers disseminating catastrophic rumors to them he left for Ummu Habeebah's house the day after....

Immediately after reaching there, he explained everything to Ummu Habeebah. She was infuriated and disheartened after listening to Ibrahim.

"Oh! My poor daughter! Only Allah knows what she must be going through. She did not deserve any of these, she has always been a loving and caring personality. If your mother could do this to her, it means she despise her so much. And my daughter? She prefers to keep her matrimonial issues to herself except for the one apparent for all. Where could she have possibly gone to? Ibrahim I think we have to involve the police. " She lamented with her cascading tears amidst some streaming mucus from her nose.

"Ummy please for Allah sake! We'll find my wife insha Allah. I don't think involving the police is the next thing to do. I'm sorry for causing you these emotional trauma ma."he said contritely.

"Ibrahim, if you don't want us to involve the police now, it's simply because your mother is involved. Have you forgotten she was my daughter before she became your wife? Even if I'm yet to have a daughter in law, I always teach my sons to be kind and loving to everyone most especially women. If I didn't give my daughter a good upbringing I know this trash wouldn't occur,because she won't condone her act of intruding.

My daughter is not God that provides children, it isn't her choice not have children by now, but her fate..."Habeebah's mother whimpered.

Nonetheless, Habeebah's younger sister A'isha arrived from school that day. It was obvious something was amiss due to the gloomy attitude worn by her mother. She exchanged pleasantries with the duo and demanded for the reasons for the demeanor looks . On listening to the saddened occurrence she screamed.

"SubhanaLlah! Hope is not what I'm thinking?"

"And what is that? if I may asked." Ibrahim interjected

On my way home from Ilorin, I encountered an accident along Lagos Ibadan exprssway. And from what I heard about the fatal accident, is that a niqobi was also among the passengers, I just hope my lovely sister is not the Niqobi sister..... ." She sobbed..


To be cont'd. 
Olafiku Maryam Umm Muslimah..