8:23PM
The house finally remains calm as everyone retreats to their respective rooms. Zainab decides to fetch a bottle of water from the fridge when she unexpectedly encounters Rasheedat in the kitchen, who is inspecting her pot of soup. Zainab, feigning ignorance, heads straight to the refrigerator.
Rasheedat: Are you going to act like I don’t exist? You can't even greet me properly?
Zainab: (picks up the water and prepares to leave the kitchen when Rasheedat blocks her way, prompting Zainab to give her a cold stare)
Rasheedat: Don’t give me that look. Instead of being happy that I'm finally acknowledging you and our husband's prayers, you're here with a scowl on your face...
Zainab: Move out of my way.
Rasheedat: Or else what?
Zainab: (glares at her for a moment, then smiles) Welcome, my husband's side chick, who cunningly used pregnancy to trap him because you know it's his weakness for now. Congratulations on that.
Rasheedat: Excuse me? How dare you speak to me like that? I knew him before you even dreamed of meeting him. I understand him far better than you ever could. I should have been his wife, not you. But you snatched him away from me. Now I'm back to claim what's rightfully mine, and mark my words, you won't last in this house.
Zainab: (nods in agreement and smiles again) You have no idea. Because if you did, you'd watch every word that comes out of your mouth when speaking to me. But I'll spare you tonight because of your pregnancy. However, let me warn you. Don't even think about crossing the line with me, because if you do, I'll inflict a pain so silent, you won't dare to utter a word again.
Rasheedat: So you're planning to harm my unborn child, huh? Is that your plan?
Zainab: (smirks) You're amusing. That baby you're carrying, which we're not even sure belongs to my husband, is more desired than you. I'll do everything to ensure the baby's well-being. But mark my words, if anything happens to that child, you'll face consequences first. Take that as a threat. And regarding the soup you're smelling, if you don't like it, prepare your own. The kitchen is all yours.
Rasheedat: So you can't even attend to my needs in this house, huh? Is it too much to ask for you to bring my food to the room?
Zainab: (steps closer to her) Rasheedat, I welcomed you into this house because of him. (points at the door, where Ridwan stands, unnoticed by Rasheedat) If you dare mess with me, he can attest that it won't end well for you. You're only in this house because of that baby. So, neither of you should test me. Mind your business, and I'll mind mine. If you dare cross me, I'll take action. (pushes past her and leaves, with Ridwan following)
Ridwan: Baby, wait!
Rasheedat: Ridwan, where are you going? (panting heavily) How dare she speak to me like that? Who does she think she is? I'll show her that I'm the one in charge here, not her! Look how she's talking to me, this insignificant woman! I'll deal with her. (pretends to break down in tears)
Ridwan: (rushes back into the kitchen) What happened? Are you hurt? Talk to me, Rasheedat!
Rasheedat: Leave me alone! Instead of staying with your unborn child, you're there running after her like her puppet...
Ridwan: Can you hear yourself? Instead of being grateful to her for letting you into this house, you're saying this?
Rasheedat: Can you hear yourself too? I'm carrying your child, for crying out loud!
Ridwan: Just because you're carrying my child doesn't justify being disrespectful to my wife, okay?
Rasheedat: (shocked) So, you're choosing her over your child? You're choosing her over me?
Ridwan: Yes... I mean, no! You know what? Let's not escalate things...
Rasheedat: (breaks down in tears again) You don't even care about us...
Ridwan: (sighs) Look, I'm sorry, okay? Please stop crying... What do you want to eat? You didn't eat the food she prepared.
Rasheedat: How do you expect me to eat her food? What if it's poisoned?
Ridwan: (jaw drops) My wife would never do that.
Rasheedat: Can you just shut up? Every time "your wife"! As if she's put a spell on you... I am also your wife! And I don’t appreciate how you always defend her.
Ridwan: Actually… you are...
Rasheedat: I am what?
Ridwan: You are not my… my wife yet.
Rasheedat: Oh really? (breaks down in tears again)
Ridwan: Please stop crying now! Come on! Don’t hurt our child.
Rasheedat: (cries harder) You don’t even love me... You don’t love us.
Ridwan: That’s not true!! Okay!!! Fine! What do you want to eat, and I promise to get it for you.
Rasheedat: Ehen ehen?
Ridwan: Yes!
Rasheedat: Get me a vegetable salad with... with, um, with chicken and a burger.
Ridwan: (glances at her oddly) Are you serious right now?
Rasheedat: Are you going to get it or not?
Ridwan: That’s junk! You can't have that... It will affect our child.
Rasheedat: Well, it won't affect our child, okay? That’s what the baby wants now... You know I'm just recovering, and the doctor said I should eat well. So please go and get it; I'm waiting.
Ridwan: (at a loss for words) Fine! I'll be right back. (He heads into the room to get his car keys)
Rasheedat: Please hurry up! We're starving.
*****************************************
12:03am
Zainab: (awakens to a knock at the door while she's already in a deep sleep) Who's there?
Ridwan: It's me, baby. Open the door.
Zainab: What do you want?
Ridwan: What do you mean, "what do I want"? Just open the door!
Zainab: Well, sorry, but it's late already! Why aren't you in your mistress's room?
Ridwan: Please, open the door now.
Zainab: If you can't speak properly and give me a reason... goodnight!
Ridwan: Baby, please, I'm begging you. I just want us to talk...
Zainab: At this time of night?
Ridwan: Did you just call me "Mr. Man"? Me, oh!
Zainab: (adjusts her pillow and tries to sleep)
Ridwan: Zainab! (bangs on the door) I'll break this door down!
Zainab: Break it down if you can! It's your house anyway.
Ridwan: Why are you acting like this? Open the door!
Zainab: What do you want? There's nothing to talk about! You're tired of me and sick of me... you went ahead and started your own family... and I understand, as your cheated-on wife. What else do you want me to do?
Ridwan: Please, why are you talking like this? Open the door first... don't wake the neighbors.
Zainab: Let them wake! They deserve to know your latest good news.
Ridwan: (clenches his fists) I command you! Open this door right now!
Zainab: (sighs, sits up, and rolls her eyes, then opens the door) What?
Ridwan: (rushes in and locks the door behind him) Why are you behaving like this?
Zainab: Like what? You should be in the room with your baby mama! Don’t leave the baby without his father in the middle of the night.
Ridwan: Why are you acting like you care?
Zainab: Well, I do!
Ridwan: Yeah, right! I know you're mad at me... and I want you to understand why I took this step. Please, if this child comes into the world, I promise you, I'll never do it again. In fact, we'll take the child and take care of him. She'll soon be out of the picture.
Zainab: (smiles in disbelief) I didn't know my husband was this heartless until today... you'll never do it again... Mr. Biggest Liar... Anyway, it's your choice! You chose this path... so watch me take my own path as well...
Ridwan: What do you mean? Are you trying to cheat on me?
Zainab: (bursts into laughter) Please, don't let me wake the neighbors! Me, cheat on you? As if you've never cheated before! Hell no! I'll never do that to my loyal husband. And by the way, I'm not like you... you met me as a virgin. That should make you understand how committed I am to my body and my Creator! Just know, if this marriage doesn't last, it's what she wants... she wants to kick me out of this house while she marries my husband... congratulations once again. But I, Zainab, will never let anything you do hurt me again. You taught me something I never realized, and I want to thank you for that. Just as you focus on your happiness without considering mine... you've taught me how to love myself for me. Self-love. To derive my own joy and happiness, take care of myself, and live a healthy life. You can marry and cheat as much as you want! You're not doing anything to me... you're just creating more problems for yourself in the hereafter... and the moment I realize I don't love you anymore, I'll leave this marriage and start a new life. That's my promise. (climbs into bed and sleeps)
Ridwan: (speechless) Why are you always talking like this? You've been threatening me all day... you know I didn't mean it... honestly, it was all a mistake, and there's nothing I can do about it.
Zainab: The same mistake will lead me to do what makes me happy as well.
Ridwan: But I am entitled to four wives now... it is against Islam to go against me marrying another wife.
Zainab: You are absolutely right on that... I have no right to even divorce you when you wish to have another wife... but she isn’t even your wife. You committed adultery, that’s a huge sin that men in the time of our prophets were killed for... and you have the guts to say this? See, I am tired already... don’t add to my pains... I have an unfinished case tomorrow, and I love myself more than anybody now. Kindly go back to your mistress and leave me alone.
Ridwan: This is my room as well, and I have every right to sleep here... so you don’t have the right to stop me.
Zainab: Oh yeah! That’s right. C’mon! Climb the bed and sleep... it's all yours.
Ridwan: (drops his car key and joins her)
Zainab: One last thing, don’t! I repeat! Don’t even dare to lay your finger on me... or else!
Ridwan: Now you are going to deny me of touching my wife? Zainab!
Zainab: By the way, I hope you were able to get her the chicken and burger she asked for?
Ridwan: (embarrassedly nods) Yes.
Zainab: Good! Good night! (turns to face the other side of the bed) You better go back to her because if she dares knock at my door again, it will be a bigger problem.
Ridwan: She will not! Just sleep, please. (sits up and begins to stare at the ceiling) Oh God! (sighs heavily)
**********************
THAT SAME NIGHT
Mustakeem: Are you gonna sleep here? It's late already, what if someone tried to attack you here?
Mustakeemah: Shebi I have explained everything to you now. I now live with the Hajia, and she is really taking good care of me. It's late, and you are getting me worried already, just go back to Mum and Dad. Please.
Mustakeem: I am not leaving here without you!
Mustakeemah: But I don’t belong in that house. The moment I step my foot back into that house, I might do something you won't believe I can do. So please, go back home.
Mustakeem: And you think I will just go back without you, and I won’t make a scene? What's the point of them without you? The house is totally empty without you. Munir was crying seeing us leaving. The family is breaking apart without you. We need you, Taiye. At least come back for my sake. Please.
Mustakeemah: I am sorry, Kenny! But my mind had been made up. You can sleep in the mosque if you want. But I'm heading inside now. You are on your own now.
Mustakeem: (holds her hand) You are just gonna leave me like this? Taiye?
Mustakeemah: (yells at him) What do you want me to do? Always do as you and your parents want? Do any of you ever care about how I feel for once? My opinion never counts in the family. You all act like you know it all when you are the most misguided. That is not my family... they are not my parents. For me to go back into that house and become their baby-fornicating toy? I would rather beg on the street! Besides, they don’t even feel anything... were you not the one that said they don’t feel remorseful about their actions? I would rather die than go back. And one more thing. You are their precious son. They will find you but not me... and do you know why? Because we are not twins. They are not my biological parents!
Mustakeem: How do you know that?
Mustakeemah: Maybe I was picked up by the roadside on the day you were born or something. But real parents don’t do that. Real parents give their children a listening ear... just because we are their kids doesn’t mean we don’t have something reasonable to say. Our opinions count as well. And you are gonna force me back into that house as well... I promise I will cut all ties with you as well. So leave me alone! Leave! (roars at him)
Mustakeem: (grabs her into his arms) You can cry all you want… but I will never leave you! Never! You can cry out your pains on my shoulder. But I will never let you go.
Mustakeemah: (breaks down in tears) All I ever wanted is to be heard... to be listened to for once. All I ever wanted is to be closer to Allah!! Why is that sooo hard for them to love me for me? Love me for my choice in life! Not like I was blind to see how the world is being distracted by these worldly affairs... I see it... but I don’t want that type of life. All I wanted is to see beyond the world. Why is that a sin to my parents, why??? (cries out bitterly)
Mustakeem: It’s okay… (pats her back)
**********************************
The next morning
Rasheedat: (yawning) Are you just gonna leave me alone with your wife in the house?
Ridwan: Madam! I have work to do, and that’s how I provide for this family.
Rasheedat: But you're leaving me in the hands of the devil. What if she did something to me and our baby? What if she tried to kill me?
Ridwan: My wife is not a killer! And she left for work over 10 minutes ago. So, you can see there isn’t any excuse for you. The house is all yours.
Rasheedat: So you're just gonna leave me all alone in the house?
Ridwan: You will be fine. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me, okay?
Rasheedat: Okay then.
Ridwan: Alright then, bye...
Rasheedat: Are you just gonna leave without giving me a kiss?
Ridwan: I... I... am sorry, I can't.
Rasheedat: Why? I am your woman too.
Ridwan: Look, I'm late for work. We'll talk when I get back. (rushes out of the house)
Rasheedat: Ridwan!!! (furiously throws away the pillow) How dare he leave without giving me a kiss or hug? (panting heavily) Don’t worry... I know how to get you back on your knees. Because you are mine and you will always be.