A YEAR AFTER
Ridwan: I've had enough of this! When will you admit you're infertile, huh? You keep talking like a possessed woman all the time. I can't endure this anymore. Enough is enough! (grabs his suitcase) I'm out of here!
Zainab: (doesn’t utter a word, but waves at him and heads back into the room, trying to control her emotions) In just one year, everything changed so quickly. He despises me so much... why? What is happening to me? (breaks down in tears) Why am I going through this, God? This is really unbearable. When will you answer my call? Please... (falls on the bed with her uniform as she sobs bitterly)
Dad: Don’t test me, Kehinde! You better watch your words, or else!
Mustakeem: Or else you'll kill me?
Mum: Kehinde!! What has come over you? Talking back at your father?
Mustakeem: I should ask you two the same question. Why do you call yourselves parents but never behave like one?
Dad: (roars at him) Don't test my patience! You! I will deal with you.
Mustakeem: Just like you did to Taiye, huh? That's what you're good at. But I don't really have business with you, Dad... I have business with Mum. I have one question for you... just one... and please answer me with your sincere heart. Did you... really give birth to Mustakeemah? And also, are you sure Mustakeemah and I are twins?
Mum: (gasps) What did you say?
Mustakeem: I don’t expect you to be shocked because she asked the same questions several times. Even before the day you threw her out of the house.
Dad: For your information, young man... she left! We didn’t chase her.
Mum: We did what we had to so she wouldn't go astray in this world. But she makes it seem like we don't love her when all we want is the best for her.
Mustakeem: Really? I can't believe this is coming from a woman who carried us for nine months to bring us into this world... and could sleep peacefully while her daughter was missing. You don’t even deserve to be called a mother if you can't act like one. (both of them land a hot slap on his face at the same time)
Dad: How dare you! How dare you talk to your mother like that?
Mum: (panting heavily, with her angry face) Who are you to judge me? You ungrateful goat! After all I went through for you two? How dare you speak to me in that manner? After all my sacrifices to raise you two... You have the audacity to say this to me? No! I will make sure you never have the tongue to speak again. I will show you that I gave birth to you.
Mustakeem: Yes, I know! Because that’s the only way you two can show that you are our parents, and we don't want it! And guess what, parents? You are not my parents. The moment you watched your daughter leave this house, no real parents would stand here calmly when their child isn't with them. (tries to walk away, then pauses and faces them again) You didn’t just lose Taiye! You lost the two of us! One more thing... if anything should happen to her, I will not hesitate to take dangerous actions against you two, even if it costs my life. Because neither of you deserves to be called parents. (walks out of the house)
Mum: (her body shaking with fury) Kehinde!!!!! Get back here!!
Dad: Leave him! Let him go! Children nowadays can't learn the easy way... When they starve for two days, they'll come running back to us with their knees on our doorstep.
Mum: (stares angrily at him and walks into the room)
Dad: Anyway, I’m off to work. (as he's about to leave, he bumps into Munir, who is in tears) And what's wrong with you too?
Munir: He left us! She also left us, and you expect me to be happy? And you don’t feel any form of guilt, Dad?
Dad: I can see you also want some rough handling to set your brain straight. Anyway, they'll be back soon. They're somewhere close to the house. So stop crying and go and prepare for your exams.
Munir: Dad! (tears streaming down his face) How do you expect me to live in this house without my sibling? How do you expect my life to be perfect without my blood? I don’t know why you don’t feel anything, but I can't live without my siblings, and I want them back, please... Daddy, please... bring them back home.
Dad: Young man! I don’t have time for this. I’m late for work. Go and meet your mother! She will prepare breakfast for you. (taps his shoulder and heads out)
Munir: Dad!!! Daddy! (rests his head on the wall as he slides to the ground, crying heavily)
The Next Day
Mum: As-salamu alaykum, my dear...
Habibah: (no response)
Mum: I know you can hear me. Here's your food by the doorstep... You must be starving. I just want you to know that I care.
Habibah: When you know you care, why is it hard for you as a wife and as a mother to speak up? Your husband locked me in here for a complete 24 hours, and you couldn’t even do anything about it? Ummi! I never wished to be part of this family anyway. Just let me out, and I will never come back! (bangs at the door)
Mum: (her hand trembling) Just hang in there for a little while... I will get you out of there soon... You just need to understand one thing... Your dad loves you, and he wants the best for you... But you are going astray, and that’s his biggest fear in life.
Habibah: Yes, you are right! All you care about is your husband's thoughts alone! None of your kids matter anyway! You are so scared to even confront him... Why on earth would you support your own child? Sometimes I wonder if he forced you to marry him.
Mum: (hits the door furiously) Watch your mouth, Habibah! I willingly married your dad because he fights not for this world, but for our home. He's doing everything he can to guide us to our true home... But you're heading toward the wrong path, Habibah! The world you desire is nothing but a beautiful lie. Everything that begins in this world will surely end.
Habibah: Well, if that's the only thing that will make me happy, then I will gladly die for this world. All I ever wanted is to be happy! But being happy is a sin under this roof.
Mum: You don’t understand, Habibah! I can't believe all this is coming from you... What has come over you?
Habibah: All I know is, Mum, let me out of this room and I will never come back into your lives ever again.
Mum: That can never be possible... Because as long as I gave birth to you, I will not watch you enter into ruin. I will do whatever it takes to bring you back to your senses. I just need you to be patient with me. I promise to get this under control... Please. (passes her food underneath the door) Eat. You need all the energy.
Habibah: (bangs at the door) Just get me out of this prison!!! Please, Ummi!
Mum: (wipes her tears and walks away)
Habibah: I swear I will break down this entire house... I will set it on fire the moment I get the chance! I swear to God! (suddenly hears the voice and footsteps of her father, she hurriedly goes mute and begins to shiver in fear as she squeezes herself into one corner of the room).
Dad: (stands by the door) What were you saying? Burn the house down? Is that your next move, huh?
Habibah: (shivering)
Dad: (roars at her) Answer me!
Habibah: (suddenly breaks down in tears)
Dad: (angrily opens the door) Get out!
Habibah: (sweating and shivering) Please, Ahbi! Please, sir.
Dad: You said you will burn down the house, right? Now I'm giving you the opportunity to do so. Come out and do it.
Habibah: Daddy..., please..., sir. That’s... that’s not what I... what I meant, sir. (stammering)
Dad: I SAID GET OUT AND DO AS YOU SAID! (his scary voice becomes deeper and scarier, making Habibah scream out her mother’s name in fear) Not even your Ummi will save you.
Mum: (stands by the corner watching them in tears)
Habibah: (suddenly falls on her knees as she reaches the door and touches his knees) Ahbi! Please forgive me... you know I don’t know how to do anything... please.
Dad: How many times have I warned you never to kneel down for me? Have you really turned into them, huh?
Habibah: (hurriedly gets up) Daddy, please... don’t beat me again, please.
Dad: Why on earth did you turn into this? Who is the friend you are following? You've made me the talk of the town... Today, I will beat those jinns out of your body.
Habibah: Mummy!!! Please come and beg Daddy, please... Tell him I promise to change, please... Mummy!!! He will kill me!
Mum: (unable to bear the weak voice of her child when she rushes to intervene) Please don’t hit her, dear. I don’t think this is the way to change her mind. We need to sit her down and talk some sense into her instead.
Dad: And did I call for you? When was the last time I told you not to interfere when I’m dealing with my child? My own daughter... you do not interfere.
Mum: (forced to speak up) Well, she is my child as well. I gave birth to her, carried her for nine months. The point is just that you never want to hear me out, never! Your own daughter is more scared of you than death itself. You are causing huge trauma in her, and she will carry it with her for life. She is your child! There aren’t any good memories she has with you. When will you understand that beating a child can't change them but only worsens the situation? Besides, she isn’t a child anymore! She is old enough to be someone’s mother as well... she is 23 years old. If her own father hits her like this, how do you expect her spouse to treat her? This needs to stop! I've been quiet about this all this time, but you believe you're always right. But I'm telling you today that you're wrong in how you bond with your children.
Dad: (tightens his fist) You've grown quite bold, facing me for the first time on how I raise my children?
Mum: You think this is raising them? Yes, it's raising them for war and hell, not for harmony. I'm sorry for confronting you today, but I can't bear to see you beat them all the time. Yes, I know she has gone astray, but we can fix this together. Didn’t you hear what that girl said? She said her heart was killed with violence in this house. And that means you! I don’t care what you do to me as well, but I cannot watch you do this anymore.
Dad: (panting heavily then walks out on them)
Habibah: (breaks down in tears again) Ummi! (she falls on her knees)
Mum: (also goes on her knees and embraces her) It's okay, my dear. I am here now. I promise to make things right this time. I will help you embrace Islam and see the good in it. I will show you what your father never showed you.
Habibah: (crying heavily) I am so sorry, Ummi!!! I am really sorry...
AT THE OFFICE, LATER IN THE NIGHT
Ridwan: (rests his back on the wall and sighs heavily) I don’t really think my wife can ever give me my happiness. I know she doesn’t give me trouble... but I need a child, even if it's just one! I want my house filled with the cries of a baby or a little toddler playing around. Assuming my parents were alive, my mother would have taken some action for me... This is the benefit of having parents... She has her own parents, but they couldn’t do anything about it... (his phone suddenly rings) Who is it? (sees the name and picks up) Hello? Yes? What news? I want good news! (hurriedly jumps to his feet) You are what? Are you serious? Oh, my God!!
The Next Morning, 6:20 AM
Ridwan: (happily enters the house)
Zainab: (approaches him, trying to take his suitcase) Welcome, sir.
Ridwan: (prevents her from touching him and walks inside happily)
Zainab: What is this about? When was the last time I saw him this happy? (she follows him inside) Dear! What's the good news? You look happy today?
Ridwan: And since when did you care? Since when, huh?
Zainab: (exhales softly) Okay, I'm sorry about that... Anyway, I want us to discuss something that will benefit us.
Ridwan: (pulling off his clothes) I'm listening.
Zainab: I was thinking... what if we adopt a child from an orphanage home? Until Allah answers our own prayers.
Ridwan: (hisses and enters the bathroom) You are not serious.
Zainab: (jaw drops) I didn’t know it had gotten to the extent of him hissing at me? Oh God! This is another breaking chapter of my marriage... At least even if it's one child, please... He has stopped sleeping with me for the past 3 months now... Even when I've requested it, he gives excuses that he is tired.
Ridwan: (comes out of the bathroom) If not because I was the first man to deflower you, huh? I would have assumed you have aborted several pregnancies for your exes. But this still baffles me a lot! How is it possible for a virgin not to conceive? How? Instead of you finding a solution to your barrenness, you are now telling me to adopt someone else's child as ours when I am 100% capable as a man to father a child... I am the one wasting my time talking to you... Move out of my way.
Zainab: (gently moves away and heads to the kitchen, nodding her head in disbelief) Alright!! I should be expecting something shocking soon from him then... I need to work on myself rather than focusing on him again... Since he only cares about himself... I should do the same... Enough!! Is enough!