Unwanted: The Arranged Marriage

Forgiveness

Suhaiba's 

I could hear the sound 'tick' as the message I sent was delivered. I was due sending the picture anyway, I sigh with a heavy heart Staring at ablah playing I felt a pang in my chest, I thought leaving would bring me happiness and stuff but I felt alone. Ablah often cried for her father, sometimes she kept saying his name and it hurt because I know I fell in love with him. 

"you miss Dada?" I ask my 3 year old daughter 

"yeah mama, I want Dada." she says almost in tears 

I nod carrying her trying to calm her and myself at the same time. I really do regret leaving, everytime I go out and see those families happy I couldn't help but get jealous. 

I look down at my now sleeping daughter and I felt guilty, I forced her to leave her father for my selfish needs. 

******

I stared at ablah as she runs around the park, I usually take her out to play and today was no different. I bought her cotton candy and we ate some sandwiches. After some time we left the park as the city was slowly getting dark. 

Arriving home I tucked her into bed and settled on the couch, the uncomfortable feeling I felt in my chest just got worse. Feeling tired I picked my phone up and called the one person I need right now, my assistant. Immediately she picked the phone up I took a deep breath and said.. 

"Claire get me on the first flight back to Nigeria tomorrow." I hung up and rushed to my room to start packing. 

After an hour or so she called back with the details of my flight, thank God it's an evening flight so I have some time to grab things in town. 

********

I woke up early, got dressed and left locking up the house holding on to my daughter. Our flight is at 7:00PM so we still have like 8 hours to go, I went to a nearby mall to pick some gifts and stuff. Our last stop was at the museum, ablah loved it and it's only fair to let her see it before we leave. I stared at my daughter as she clutched her candy with one hand, while she clutched her teddy bear in another, she pointed at things she found fascinating with awe in her eyes. 

After an hour or two we walked back home, ate, freshen up and got on our way. 

Abdulaziz 

I stared at the last picture suhaiba sent me of my daughter, the only good thing she did. Every 5 months she'd send me a picture of ablah with an numinous number. 

But it's been almost a year since she sent any, I don't know why. I guess she's taking that away from me too. My phone went off and I pick it up to find a message sent to me, opening it I felt tears gather in my eyes. It was a recent picture of my baby girl, I can't believe how much she's grown. 

"well she definitely has your eyes." Amina says from behind me 

"I know right, she looks a lot like her mom though." I smile as I save the picture as my wallpaper. 

"yeah, I wish I'd have this stupid kid too, it's giving me a lot of trouble." Amina huffed glaring down at her bump that is barely 5 months 

"well you just have to deal with it and your disturbing cravings, I mean who craves tomatoes and cabbages." by now I was full on laughing at her misfortune 

"it's all a phase it'll pass." she says taking a deep breath trying to calm herself down 

I smile nodding of course she's right it'll eventually pass. "do you still have feelings for her? Will you accept her if she comes back?" Amina mumbles in a voice barely audible. 

"honestly I don't know, mama told me I should try and forgive ever if she does. It's just difficult to trust her, anyway it's not like it's happening." I rest my head in my hand, it still hurt like it did two years ago....

"i guess you can start a new family, I'm not saying forget your daughter. Find another girl who's worth your love." I could see the pain in her eye, she's just as hurt as I am. She used to idolize suhaiba, but now she's just the girl who broke her brothers heart. 

"I guess you're right, I miss them though. She didn't only leave with my daughter, she took my heart with her." i sigh feeling down, I shake my head trying to rid the depressing thoughts. I could see my sister staring at me with pity, she understands what I've been going through. 

******

I was watching TV when a knock on the door interrupted me, I look at the time on my wrist watch. It read 4:50pm, I guess Amina is late today. She's usually here at 4 or 3pm, i made my way to the door and unlocked it without opening it knowing she carries the food baskets one by one into the kitchen as usual. 

I could hear two foot steps which confused me, it's usually just Amina. I slowly turned and the sight in front of me made me feel dizzy. I could hear my heart beating in my chest so hard, tears gathered in my eyes as my body begins to shake. 

"long time no see." suhaiba says with tears flooding her eyes. My eyes were fixated on one spot, the little girl who was looking around as she held onto her mother's hand tightly. Her eyes rest on me and I could see the excitement in it, she run towards me and I carry her hugging g her. I felt her tiny hand on my shoulder as she sobs hiccupping.

"she remembers me?" I ask suhaiba 

"I always showed her your pictures, I would never allow her to forget you." I felt the tears slowly roll down my cheeks. 

After am hour or so I was calm and so was ablah. I sat her gently on the couch as I made my way to the kitchen to get her some water. I hand her the cup of water and she sipped a bit before staring at me timidly, she truly looked a lot like her mother. 

I let my gaze wonder back to suhaiba who was fidgeting, she looked like she was about to pass out. The guilt was eating her up, I wanted to scream at her but right now all I wanted to do was hug her. So I did, I could feel her shaking as her tears soaked my shirt. I rub her back slowly trying to comfort her, but i know she was far from Done. 

We stood there, her crying and me comforting her. After sometime she calmed down and slowly pulled away from me with a furious blush on her cheeks. 

"i-i-im sorry." she says with her head bowed down in shame. 

"not now, we'll talk about it later. Why don't we go see my mom. She always said you'll be back and I think it's only fair to take ablah to her grandmother." she nods as she picked her bag, I carried ablah and my car keys. 

******

Arriving at my parents I could see Amina's a car outside, that girl never stays in her husbands house. I open the door and walk in, suhaiba followed holding a curious looking ablah. I took a big breath and begin to walk upstairs, arriving in front of mom's bedroom door I said my Salam and entered. 

"Abdulaziz you're here, I thought you'll be coming tomorrow." she sound surprised 

Amina huffed "he's probably lonely at home." she replied stuffing her face with food. 

"you're elder sister called earlier, she worried about you." my mom looked over at amra who was chuckling at God knows what, amra might be my sister but God is she weird. 

"um tell her I'm fine, I don't like talking to her these days. All she tries to do is set me up with other Girls." I grumbled irritated 

"well it's not like you're wife is anywhere to be found, so I get her Point" I stare at Amina blankly 

"oh my God, no way! " she screams 

" yeah she's back." i look over at my mom who choked on the water she was drinking 

"she is? Where is she?" I could see the hope in her eyes. I open the door and suhaiba walks in slowly, Ablah was in her arms with a lost look on her face. 

I turn to look at my siblings who were glaring at suhaiba, this is a begining of a long day.

Suhaibas

I look around the now calm room I was sitting in, ablah was with Amina who's cooing at how cute she looked. Amra was taking pictures of her and Abdulaziz's mom stared at her with a smile on her face. My daughter on the other hand was enjoying the attention. 

"so how have you been?" his Mom asked with a smile 

"good we've been here holding up just fine"

"you know we talked about you with your mother yesterday, she's worried about you. Your elder brothers got married last year, both of them. And your sister got remarried " I nod at her words, I saw the pictures on i********: 

"i saw, Im hoping to go see them soon" I felt nervous about visiting them, they were angry at me for leaving, they were all ignoring me. Safwan graduated too and I wasn't there, I was busy being childish and I missed so much. 

"don't look so down, I'm sure everything will turn out great." amra says shocking all of us 

"I think you should go see them, they're at sameera's house. Her husband lost his mother, so they're all there trying to cheer her up." i felt bad for ya sameera, she was close to her mother in-law. 

"okay, we'll come see you on Saturday, I'm sure baba will be back by then." we stood up about to leave, my eyes wonder to my daughter who's clutching her dad like he's about to disappear. 

*******

Arriving at ya Sameera's I took a deep breath and I slowly follow Abdulaziz who is conversing with his daughter about God knows what. 

"no, not it." ablah huffs, Abdulaziz bark a laugh out. He was trying to trick her by giving her a 500 hundred naira note, he was trying to convince her that the 500 hundred naira note was more valuable than the 1000 naira note. 

"she might look like me but shes exactly like you, her personality matches yours exactly." I smile at the way he's staring at her like she's his world. 

The front door was wide open, we walked into the house swamped with the familiar voice of ya sahil. We walked into the living room and heard their voice grow closer.

"they're at the backyard." I say to Abdulaziz. We walk out the backyard, and behold my family 

Ya sahil and ya Salim were arguing about cars, ya sameera was sitting on the chair beside saffiya who's holding a baby that's barely a year old. Ya suhaila was beside Safwan who's taking a picture of them. I spot two unfamiliar faces, two girls sitting beside saffiya staring at the two brothers that were arguing about something so small. They were so engrossed in what they're doing they barely realized I'm here.

"I'm telling you a land Rover is better." ya sahil says with laughing 

"i doubt that, I go with Kia as usual." I say catching their attention. I could hear their various gaps, Safwan runs towards me and pulls me into a hug. I could feel the tears swarm my eyes, those damn tears. 

I sit between my siblings, we were all sobbing except the guys of course. I missed them like crazy 

"how can you Just leave without so much as a word." saffiya says finally calming Down

"yeah, how can you? You just disappeared. Do we Mean so little to you?" ya salim asks angrily. 

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking." I felt the tears again 

"it's okay, all that matters is that your back now." ya Salima replied rubbing my tense shoulders 

"pish posh stop crying like a baby, where's my cute niece? I miss those cubby cheeks." sahil asks with a fond smile playing on his lips. I point to Abdulaziz who walks over shaking my brothers hands, they all rush towards my daughter. I smiled at how they carried her around admiring how much she's grown.

"suhaiba This is my wife Ni'ma and ya Salim's wife Hajara." they hugged me and told me stories they've heard of me. 

"so how Is Abdulaziz taking all this?" ya Salim asked staring at Abdulaziz who stood about 29 feet away from us talking on the phone. 

"so far he hasn't said anything about it, it's like waiting for a storm you know it's coming." I gulp at the fear of losing him 

"come on, you left the poor guy to suffer alone. You'll be lucky if he doesn't divorce you, just try and talk to him about it before he does" Safwan says bluntly, the idiots mouth is still sharp and apparently he's gotten a lot smarter than he used to be. 

" yeah true, I hope he forgives me. I really do love him." they all 'aww' at me making fun of me for saying I loved him. 

God! I miss these idiots.