Chapter 3- The Talk
1901 Words
Khalid
"You've been doing well this whole week. You know",I tell Zaynab who looks up from her laptop and smiles.
"Yeah?".
"You've gone out at least thrice which is an improvement".
"Sooooo that means you're proud?".
"Very".
"Want me to order today?"I ask her.
"No. I already made rice, stew and chicken. I also made fried yam, the way you like it, and fried some spicy stew with dry fish. So whichever one you want"
"Fried yam please".
"Yeah? Okay",she stands up and puts her laptop on the desktop.
"Wait"I hold her hand and oullher into my lap.
"Yeah?"she smiles.
"Nothing, I just missed you",I whisper.
"Ah I see",she chuckles then she stanfd up on the bed and lays down while pulling me onto her.
"Show me how much you love me",she whispers.
"Easiest task I've had to do".
She giggles and covers her mouth.
"You're s-"
My phone starts ringing cutting her off. I roll off of her and pick it up.
Me: Malik? Wassup?
M: the last has agreed to take the case. What's your next move? Should I give her your address?
Me: yeah do that. Is she charging before that or after?
M: she says she likes to meet with the clients and understand their cases from their explnantion first before going through with the payments
Me: yeah? Well then okay. When is she available?
M: that's what I wanted to tell you. She's heavy with work for a while so she wants to meet y'all today if possible?
Me: today? Around what time?
M: in an hour or so. She says 6 but she can make it before that
Me: its 5 now, so I guess. Yeah give her the address. Thanks
M: no problem. Zaynab doing okay?
Me: yeah, she's....improving
M: that's good. That's good. Well man, I gotta vet back to work. Tell her I said hi and to take care
Me: will do
"Malik says hi and to take care and also the lady is coming over at 6 to go over the case together",I tell Zaynab who sits up.
"In that case, come eat quickly".
I nod and fix my shirt then stand up along with her.
"Wow, this is actually really good. What else did you add to it? It tastes better than the ones you usually make".
"My love"she winks.
"Really, so what were you making the others with? Hatred?".
"Man shut up",she pushes my shoulder away. I chuckle then drink some juice.
"It was really good. Thanks for the meal",I tell her.
She smiles and nods.
"And I just added more seasoning to it and a little more spice",she says as she packs our plate.
"It's my turn today",I take it from her and follow her into the kitchen. I place it into the kitchen and start washing the plates while she cleans the table.
The doorbell starts ringing so she drops the cloth and smiles.
"She's here. Go open",she ushers me out of the kitten while watching me with excitement.
"Don't get your hopes up yet",I tell her.
"Yeah, yeah. Just go",she waves me off.
I open the door revealing a middle aged African looking woman in a colorful cultural dress with a black hijab wrapped around her head. She looks young for whatever age she is. She's definitely around the same age as my parents but she dresses young which makes her look young. She's beautiful though mashAllah.
"You must be Mr Ali",she smiles and extends her hand.
"Yeah, and you? Am sorry, I haven't had time to look into your work properly",I apologize to her and let her in.
"That's quite alright. I understand, this is an urgent case".
I smile and nod.
"You are?".
Zaynab walks out of the kitchen putting her phone in her back pocket.
"Oh, this is my wife, Zaynab",I introduce her to the lady who I still don't know her name.
"Hi, nice to meet you",she smiles and extends her hand out politely to Zaynab who shakes it.
"And you are?",Zaynab asks her.
"Just call me Taibat",she smiles.
"Ah, you're Muslim.... And Nigerian? I think?",Zaynab asks.
"Yeah, correct. So your son got kidnapped?".
"By his father",Zaynab mumbles.
"Sorry?".
"Long story. It'd be better to explain",Zaynab sighs. I take a seat beside her and opposite Taibat.
"Abiodun Asebisi is my ex husband. And he took my son after I gave birth to him 2 years ago. He left me this note",Zaynab hands her the sticky note.
"Who's Abeke and Abisola?",Taibat asks
"Abeke was his wife, ex and Abisola was his daughter. He killed them".
"How many wives did he have?".
"From what I've been told, 3. Zara was his first wife but he killed her and they have a daughter together who was adopted by Khalid's twin brother, Aayan. Her name is Salma. Abeke was his second and Abisola was her daughter and his also. I was the last".
"Can you give me a brief background of everything so that I have a better understanding of what's on the ground".
"Sure",Zaynab clears her throat then she takes a deep breath in before releasing it.
She then explains everything from the moment she met Abiodun to the day he was "killed" and up to the court trial then the hospital chaos.
"So he now has your son. Has he gotten into contact with you ever since the hospital?".
"No. But I feel like he's everywhere though. He has a thing for keeping an eye on people. He used to have cameras all over his house. I feel like he's everywhere, it's like I can feel his presence".
"How so?".
"When I used to live with him, whenever he used to be anywhere near me, my heart would just start racing and beating super fast, my breathing increases. I'd feel suffocated, and I already have a history of asthma from my child-"
"You did? Was it an event that caused it? Or?"
"Yeah. I was around 2 months old when my house burned down".
"And you survived it? Your mother?".
Zaynab scoffs and rolls her eyes.
"I don't regard her as my mother. She didn't want to risk her own life. But anyways, her friend actually went in. If not because of her, I wouldn't be here today. Now she's my mother and my dad's wife. But that accident is what lead to my severe asthma. But with treatments, I was able to control it. But that's what am saying, whenever am near him or whenever I feel him in the same area as me, I instantly lose my control",she explains.
"Mm"Taibat whispers and frowns.
"Oh don't feel sorry. I just want my son",Zaynab smiles.
Taibat looks at her and smiles a little.
"Yeah. Have you been in contact with your real mother?".
"Her? No. I don't even know what she even looks like sef. I didn't want to know either so I never asked for a picture. Who knows, she's probably somehwee living large. Isn't that what she wanted?".
"And if she apologizes?".
"Her apology would be as useless as she is. Anyways that's besides the point. How are you going to do this?",Zaynab asks taibat who sighs and looks down at her notes.
She takes a deep breath then releases it back out shakily.
"You okay?".
"Yeah. Am just trying to think",she replies.
"Okay. So Abiodun is a gang member. He has help around everywhere he goes, from cops to who knows what. He always has cameras in his house. He "died", came back and finished off his work with his second wife and daughter. He took your son and left you alive. First off, am concerned with your safety. Am trying to get around WHY he left you alive and killed the rest. But based on this note he left,
I always knew you were special.
So you baring him a son may be the reason. But we don't know if your life is actually safe. So what you want me to do, is basically locate the man. And then do what?",she asks.
"Well get my son. I just want my son",Zaynab sighs.
"And Abiodun? What about him?".
"Can't he just be put to prison? Or is everyone working for him? If he could be jailed. That would be amazing but I know that's impossible at this po-"
"In that case. You want me to save your son and make sure that Abiodun serves life imprisonment. That will be done. But for that, I need your full cooperation. Any information I need, I need you to give me, HONESTLY. Each time".
"Anything you need",Zaynab nods.
"In that case. I'll take my leave. I'll keep you up to date with my search",Taibat stands up so we follow after her.
"Oh wait, what about the payment?",I ask her.
She looks over at Zaynab then at me and smiles.
"Free of charge".
"What?"both Zaynab and I look at each other with confusion then look back at her.
"But, people are apparently paying millions just for you take their case...and you're doing this for us, free of charge?",Zaynab raises an eyebrow at her.
"Yeah. Let's just say, am working up to repentance for some wrong things I've done which I regret",Taibat smiles.
"Oh", we both whisper.
"Well may Allah make it easy for you then".
"Ameen".
"Word of advice",she turns to Zaynab before walking out of the door.
"Yeah?".
"What your mother did was despicable. She chose wealth over the child she kept for 9 straight months. But sometimes, destiny is destiny. It's probably her own test, to show her that wealth is nothing compared to what matters the most. Faith, family and love. Am sure she regrets it now. Wealth can't bring happiness for long. It fades off.
Allah forgives us all for sins we commit. We should be able to forgive each other. If she ever asks for forgiveness... Will you ever forgive her?",she asks Zaynab who's just staring at her.
"I'd be dea-"
"But you're not. If she didn't mess up, she wouldn't learn. She would've left either way. You wouldn't have met your husband",she glances at me then looks back at Zaynab who frowns.
"You talk so fondly of her, do you know her?",I ask her.
"No *chuckles* I've just sinned a lot. Against myself. I've hurt many and by the time I realized. It was too late. Now I fear that they will never forgive me",she frowns at the last part.
"It's never too late to repent. The best thing is that, you realize whatever you did was wrong, you acknowledged it, pray on it, meet whoever it is you have offended and beg for forgiveness. The most important thing is that you try. Even if they don't forgive you. Just put in the effort. May Allah make it easy for us all",I tell her.
She looks at me and smiles.
"I'll try that. Right after finding your son",she adds then nods at us before walking towards her car.
"She's a weird one",Zaynab whispers with her arms linked to mine.
"Very"I whisper while watching Taibat as she enters her car. I close the door and sigh.
"Hopefully this goes well".
"It's time for Maghrib. Let's pray",I tell her.
"Do you have your wudu (cleansing before prayer)?".
"Yeah, but I feel dirty so I'll perform another",she whispers then groans out loud before walking up the stairs while dragging me beside her.
- Writer
