AT THE POLICE HEADQUARTER
The atmosphere is tense in the interrogation room as Zainab faces Mr. Blackberry, a suspect in a criminal case.
Zainab: Mr. Blackberry, is that correct?
Mr. B.B: Whatever. (He looks away.)
Zainab: (She chuckles.) Very well, let's get to it... What were you doing at Zamani Hotel around 9:23 PM last night?
Mr. B.B: Meeting a client.
Zainab: What kind of client, if I may ask?
Mr. B.B: I'm a businessman! If you don't have anything relevant to discuss, I'll leave. (He stands up angrily.)
Zainab: (Slamming her hand on the table and roaring) Sit down before I do it for you!
Mr. B.B: (Startled, he quickly complies, swallowing hard.) What do you want?
Zainab: Answer me properly. Which client were you meeting at Zamani Hotel last night?
Mr. B.B: I swear I'm telling the truth! It was just business... Please.
Zainab: (She stands and paces the room.) I've been lenient with you, but I can get tough. You'll regret it if I do.
Mr. B.B: Fine! I went to see my side chick! Now that you know, what next?
Zainab: Ah, so she was your side chick? Why did you kill her at the hotel?
Mr. B.B: I swear I didn't! We made love, but when I woke up, she was dead. It was natural.
Zainab: Natural? Then why did you run this morning? Did you think you could escape us?
Mr. B.B: I was scared. I forgot I couldn't run forever. Please, conduct an autopsy. You'll see I'm innocent.
Zainab: Does your wife know about your side chick?
Mr. B.B: Not really. Please, keep this between us. She'll be furious.
Zainab: You can't hide the truth forever. Back to business... The report says you had a heated argument with her late at night.
Mr. B.B: Just a disagreement, nothing more.
Zainab: Speak before I lose my patience!
Mr. B.B: She wanted to be my second wife, but I love my wife. She threatened to tell her everything if I didn't agree.
Zainab: And that's why you killed her?
Mr. B.B: No! It led to an argument, but we made up. I didn't want to marry her. I just wanted to enjoy her.
Zainab: (Nods in affirmation) Alright... So, how did you keep her quiet without telling your wife?
Mr. B.B: I promised to buy her a car and transfer money to her account. It's simple to keep a woman quiet.
Zainab: That's right. But the story changes here. Is the next room ready?
Mr. B.B: Ma'am, I swear to God, that's all. I didn't kill her! Please believe me, I swear!
Zainab: Prison is worse than hell, but death will be quicker. And I'm sure it will suit you. But if you confess now, we might reduce your sentence.
Mr. B.B: Please, ma'am! (He falls to his knees.) Have mercy on me. I didn't know she was dead, please. It was natural. You can conduct an autopsy, please, ma'am.
Zainab: Done. It says she was poisoned.
Mr. B.B: (Shocked) Ah! Kemi has killed me! Who gave her poison before she came to the hotel? I swear, ma'am, I can't even harm a goat. Please, believe me.
Zainab: This is frustrating. Then who do you think might have done it, apart from you? Who might she have had issues with before coming over?
Mr. B.B: Well, um... My friend. My close friend. He said he likes her, even loves her, and would marry her if given a chance. But I made it clear to him that he can't marry someone like her, a used product. He can't use her to start a family. So my friend went behind my back, asked her out, and she rejected him, saying he's broke. I guess ever since then, my friend stopped talking to me and promised to teach her a lesson.
Zainab: (Throws his phone at him) Give him a call!
Mr. B.B: (Startled) Y-yes, ma'am!
**********************
Mustakeem: I'll have four wraps of Amala with Abula, please make it snappy! I'm starving!
Waiter: Yes, sir.
Mustakeem: (Looks around and slumps into a chair) I've been searching for Taiye since morning, and her phone has been seized. Taiye, please don't do anything stupid until I find you. I miss you so much. I never thought I could live without you. Mum and Dad were wrong, they don't deserve to hurt you. God, please help me find her so I can know what to do next. Protect my sister from the hands of hoodlums. Where's the food now?
Waiter: (Presents the meal) Enjoy, sir.
Mustakeem: (Digs in and eats hurriedly) I love it. (Washes it down with two sachets of water. Suddenly, he spots Mustakeemah coming out of a mosque opposite the restaurant. He hastily pushes the table and races to meet her, while the waiter runs after him) Taiye???
Waiter: Sir, you haven't paid for your food!
Mustakeem: (Hastily digs his hand into his pocket and gives him a two-thousand-naira note)
Mustakeemah: (Turns around, shocked, then jumps into his arms) Kehinde!!!!
Mustakeem: (Welcomes her into his arms with a warm embrace) Where have you been? Are you okay? Are you hurt? (Checks her over, looking worried)
Mustakeemah: (Unable to control her emotions, she breaks down in tears and embraces him again) I've missed you so much, Kenny! I thought I had lost you too...
Mustakeem: I thought I had lost you too... (Kisses her forehead) Stop crying. I'm here for you now. No one will ever harm you again.
Mustakeemah: (Unable to let go of him, she continues crying like a baby in his arms) Why would Mum and Dad treat me like a bastard? What did I ever do to deserve all this hatred from them? Why did they turn me into a homeless child in the blink of an eye?
Mustakeem: Don't cry. They don't know your worth, but I do. You should be grateful they gave birth to you, but they're too blind to see that. But I'm here now. Don't cry again. (Pats her shoulder) Everything will be fine now.
*************************************
Zainab: (Enters the house) As-Salamu Alaikum... (She bumps into her husband, who is moving around the house) Dear, what happened?
Ridwan: (Ignores her and moves back to the room with a glass of water)
Zainab: (Scans the house and notices a woman's shoe at the doorstep. She exhales softly and moves to the room. When she opens the door, she finds her husband feeding a woman on their matrimonial bed)
Ridwan: Here, take it gently. Don't hurt my child, please.
Rasheedat: (Smiles) Thanks, dear.
Zainab: (Heart pounding heavily, she opens the door wide for her presence to be noticed)
Ridwan: Oh, you're back! Rasheedat, meet my wife, your senior-to-be soon.
Zainab: (Raises her eyebrows but doesn't show much reaction) What is she doing here?
Ridwan: Can't you see I'm feeding her? She doesn't need to be stressed at all. She's carrying my child.
Rasheedat: (Ignores Zainab and focuses on Ridwan as he feeds her) I don’t want the portion to be large.
Ridwan: Sorry, dear.
Zainab: (Clears her throat) Dear, can I talk to you for a minute?
Ridwan: Is it urgent? If not, we can talk later.
Zainab: (Raises her voice unexpectedly) Yes, it is!
Ridwan: (Notices her reaction, then gets up and follows her out) I'll be right back, my dear.
Rasheedat: Are you just going to leave me and your child here all alone?
Ridwan: I promise I won't take long.
Zainab: (In the living room) Why did you bring your mistress to our matrimonial home without giving me a heads-up?
Ridwan: Sorry about that. I wasn't expecting it to be a rush like that. But the good news is we'll be expecting our child into this house soon. I expect you to be happy.
Zainab: You mean your child?
Ridwan: It's still yours too. So I expect you to be understanding and welcome her with open arms. She's going to have this baby under my roof, and we need to take care of her until she gives birth.
Zainab: And how sure are you that child belongs to you? Or isn't she your ex-best friend? Or do you think I didn't recognize her? You were having an affair behind my back?
Ridwan: Don't get me wrong, baby. I did what I had to. I just want a child. Is that too much to ask? I thought you would be happy for me.
Zainab: Of course, I am happy for you. Congratulations.
Ridwan: (Smiles) Thanks, dear. I know you're wiser than her, and I expect you to treat her well. Maybe through her, Allah can answer your prayer as well.
Zainab: So you know I am fertile, but just because Allah hasn't answered my prayer, you treat me this way? You went ahead to sleep with another woman? (Takes a deep breath)
Ridwan: You don't have to be mad because I am entitled to four wives, so what I did isn't a sin.
Zainab: Are you married to her?
Ridwan: Not yet. But I want her to have this baby first, then I can decide on that.
Zainab: So you went ahead and committed adultery while starving me in the house... Ridwan, (takes a few steps closer to him) you know I'm not in my uniform right now, so I am talking to you as a wife. (Stands right in his face) If you think you are trying to punish me by doing all this, I swear it isn't. You are digging an early grave for yourself. You are digging more and more earthquakes of sins for yourself. You know adultery is a great sin, and you went ahead just because you want a child. There is nothing you will ever do that will surprise me again. Go ahead and live your life the way you want it, but I want you to understand the reason why I rely on Allah and no one else. What if the child we are desperate for happens to be a drug dealer or a prostitute in the future? What if the child we are dying to have wasn't meant to live long? What if we had the child and she died 5 to 6 years after? Every pain happens for a reason. I don’t care what you or anyone else thinks of me anymore. I always pray for blessed and pious children, not a child that will ruin my existence. By the way, I am very happy for you, but I will never run faster than my shadow. What is meant to be mine will be. And come to think of it, maybe you and I don't owe each other any child, but the future will tell. One more thing, never in your life address me as an infertile woman. As you are capable of doing anything, I am capable of messing you up as well. But the amazing part is, I don’t know why I still love you. But since expecting your child from another woman makes you happy, so shall I be happy too. And we will take care of her together. Now transfer her belongings back to the guest room. That room belongs to me and you.
Ridwan: (Short of words) Uh, okay, okay! I will do so.
Zainab: Good. (She drops her bag and heads to the kitchen) Ask her what she might want for dinner before I start making it.
Ridwan: Okay! Okay, dear.
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