ACT TWENTY-ONE
A Month Later
The Empire’s community had been bustling with activity lately, marked by an unknown mission and plans. Different cars were bought, and the supply of weapons increased day by day. Sekinat observed everything from her new room, fortunate to have a window. She watched the happenings around the Hat Man's mansion, wondering about their next mission. Every time the Hat Man paid her a visit, she tried her best to get him to reveal the details, but he always responded with, "There's nothing to worry about."
One night, while Sekinat was praying, she heard a gunshot. She tried to focus on her prayers until she finished, then hurriedly got up and opened the window wide, not minding where the gunshot might hit. Suddenly, the door opened, and she turned to check who it might be.
Hat Man: (furiously barges into the room and hijacks the window door from her hand) What the hell is wrong with you? Are you trying to get yourself killed?
Sekinat: (surprised) Why are you overreacting? I was just checking on what’s going on.
Hat Man: (panting heavily) Don’t you know what danger really means? Now, do you understand why I put you in a windowless room in the first place?
Take it easy; you are yelling. (She whispers in her nervous voice) I see no
reason why you are so angry like this.
Hat Man: I am not yelling, okay! You just need to stay away from danger, please!
Sekinat: You are still yelling!
Hat Man: (tries to calm down and bows his head) I just don’t want to lose you, okay? Please. (He touches her shoulder, and she hurriedly hits his hand away) I can't afford to lose you; please, stay away from the gunshot.
Sekinat: Okay, fine! But can you tell me exactly what’s going on over there?
Hat Man: You don’t have to know, okay?
Sekinat: Why not? I am human, and I have the right to be curious about what’s happening out there. How do you expect me to be in balance when I can hear this gunshot? Or are we under attack again?
Hat Man: This is none of your business! Just stay out of the window. You know what, come with me?
Sekinat: No! To where again?
Hat Man: (he lifts her without any hesitation)
Sekinat: (hits him in the chest) What the hell are you doing? Put me down!!!! No! Hat Man!
Hat Man: (he doesn’t put her down until he reaches her previous room) There you go!
(immediately she lands on her feet, she slaps him in the face) I have told
you! Don’t ever touch me again. The next time you try this with me, I will not hesitate to shoot you.
Hat Man: (smiles) I love it when...
Sekinat: (cuts in) And don’t you ever love it when I hit you! Take that as another warning.
Hat Man: No wonder you are every man’s choice.
Sekinat: What do you mean?
Hat Man: Nothing! I just love your principles, you know.
Sekinat: No, it's not my principle. But the commandment of Allah s.w.t. But how would you know that when you aren't even a Muslim, let alone knowing what is halal from haram.
Hat Man: Speaking of it, I would really love to know more about Islam through you. Maybe you can guide me one day, insha Allah.
Sekinat: Insha Allah! (smiles)
Hat Man: Yes, insha Allah! Thanks… Well, um, I better get going. But sorry, I will have to lock you in again. I don’t want you to get hurt, please.
Sekinat: (she turns her back on him and moves to the bed)
Hat Man: There is nothing to be worried about, okay? It's just training and practice, okay?
Whatever.
Hat Man: I love you! (slams the door and locks it)
Sekinat: (smiles) Mttwww.
At the Police Headquarters
Summayah: I demand justice for my husband’s death! He was killed, and you are saying he was a mafia? What was that supposed to mean?
Police: Madam! You can't just come in here and yell at us. We might lock you up
for this.
Summayah: C’mon! Go ahead! Lock me up! And I will make sure you lose your
job for saying that.
Police Officer: Hey! You over there! Lock this woman! D.P.O: Hey! Let her go!
Police Officer: (salutes) Yes, sir!
Summayah: (turns to the D.P.O) Sir! Please help me! Please. D.P.O: Come to my office to discuss better.
Summayah: OK, sir. (She follows him)
3 Minutes Later
D.P.O: Concerning your husband’s case, I sent my boy to give you the report last month, but you yelled at him, saying he doesn’t know his work. If you find it hard to accept the bitter truth, then wait until you are able to digest the truth. If your husband happened to be alive, he would have been jailed if we figured out the truth! He had killed and kidnapped many victims, and now this is a general case, and every victim demands justice too. What do you have to say about that, huh? There are lots of pieces of evidence right in front of you, but you still fail to believe it! How do you think the victims' families would react if they find out you’re the mafia’s wife? They would have ripped you off before someone came to your rescue. Your father and I are brothers and losing him too soon was unexpected for me. So, the reason why I called you in is to open your brain and help you digest the truth. Nothing other than us being related. I won't sit here and talk to you like this if you were just a civilian. I would have jailed you since we found out the truth. But you are also a barrister, so be prepared for more justifications. And be ready to defend yourself, your family, and your husband.
Summayah: (soaked with tears) I can't believe this is really true! Suraj! So you had all this with you all this while, and you hid your true identity from me? Ahhhh!
Mogbe! And my parents warned me about him; I didn’t listen. I was blinded by
love.
D.P.O: This is why it is good to listen to one's parents because they see what we don't see. You can go home and prepare for justice. An attack might come for you at any time, so be very conscious.
Summayah: Thank you, sir! (crying bitterly) Subhanallah! How will I ever face the world again? Lots of women will judge me. Lots of people will paint Muslim women like us bad. This is their opportunity. Summayah, what have you done?
Where have you landed yourself?
D.P.O: I will find all means to close this case if you don’t make more scene, okay?
Summayah: Even if you close the case, how would I ever forgive myself again? How?
D.P.O: Who knows if your husband was actually the one that kidnapped or killed your sister?
Summayah: (gasps in shock) Noooo! Please don’t say that!! (she gets up and takes her leave)
Throughout that day, Summayah locked herself in, trying to digest all she was told today about her husband and the sins he had committed. She cried her eyes out and even failed to attend to her son. She locked herself in, avoiding the sight of everyone around her. This got her mother really worried.
The Next Morning, 7:30 am
Alhaja Selimat: (standing by her room door) As salam alaykum, Summayah. I know you can hear me. At least answer my teslim.
Summayah: (answered in tears) Walaykum salam.
Alhaja Selimat: You are still crying? Please don’t injure yourself like this. You are all I have got. Please. I don’t want to lose you too. What type of problem is this?
Summayah: I’m sorry, Mum.
Alhaja Selimat: Okay, I have heard you, but at least open the door. Let me in so we can talk.
Summayah: I’m sorry, but I can't do that, Mum. I am so sorry.
Alhaja Selimat: (exhales softly and sits by the door) There is nothing to be sorry about, okay? I am here for you, and I will never leave your side, no matter the choice you make in life. I will always be there for you because I am your mother.
So, come out and have your breakfast. You haven’t had anything since yesterday morning. Please, for my sake.
Summayah: (she weakly jumps down from her bed to open the door, then she embraces her mother and cries bitterly)
Alhaja Selimat: It's okay, Okomi! Everything will be fine, insha Allah! Just don’t hurt yourself for me, please.
Summayah: I swear, if I knew he was this type of person, I swear I wouldn’t have married him. I swear.
Alhaja Selimat: We know, and we never knew this was who he was. We just didn’t like him back then; that’s why we are both surprised to discover his real identity. So don’t blame yourself.
Summayah: I have failed you so many times, especially Dad! I am so sorry, Mum.
Alhaja Selimat: It's okay. I can't cry anymore because I’m tired of crying rather than accepting my fate and moving on. So please, learn to move on.
Summayah: I know you are just saying that to help me heal, but you can't move on, Mum. You couldn’t even if you had the chance. But I want to move on. I'm stuck with my past life. I had his son. How am I ever going to face my son again?
Alhaja Selimat: Is that why you failed to attend to him? He needs you too. Don’t punish him because of his father’s sins, please.
Summayah: That's not it, Mum. But how would I ever tell him his father’s true identity? How? What if he had a hand in my sister’s kidnapping or even worse?
Alhaja Selimat: Auzubillahi mina shaytoni rojim… What are you saying out of your mouth?
Summayah: What if it's true, Mom? What if?
Alhaja Selimat: Please, don’t ever say that again, okay? Don’t worsen my condition, please.
Summayah: I’m sorry, Mum! I am really and deeply sorry for every pain I have caused you. Please find it in your heart to forgive me.
Alhaja Selimat: (places her hand on Summayah's chest) Everything will be fine.
We just need more time to heal, okay? It's okay, my child!!!! (She rubs Summayah's head)
Sekinat: Who is there again? I have received my breakfast already.
Hat man: Just open the door.
Sekinat: (rolls her eyes and opens the door) What do you want?
Hat man: Good morning, my Queen.
Sekinat: (looks behind her) And where is she?
Hat man: Standing right in front of me. How was your night? Can I come in?
Sekinat: My night? Alhamdulillah! And to come inside? NO!
Hat man: (chuckles) Are you still mad at me for locking you in the other time?
Sekinat: Whatever.
Hat man: I guess now you are comfortable living here. I'm so glad to see you not overthinking or crying again. (He said all that in his mind) So, can I come in? Sekinat: I said no! Have a good day. (She tries to close the door, but he stops it with one hand despite her using all her strength.) Let go of the door!
Hat man: You can't even ask what I'm doing here.
Sekinat: I don’t care! Leave the door alone.
Hat man: I need some medical attention. I think my wounds are reacting, and it hurts.
Sekinat: Uh? (She leaves the door) What happened? Did you allow water to stay there for too long?
Hat man: I don’t know. That's why I'm here.
Sekinat: (Curious to see the wound) Show me.
Hat man: (Smiles at her, making sure she doesn't notice it) Well, are you going to let me in now?
Sekinat: No!
Hat man: Ahah! Why now?
Sekinat: I think now I understand what you are trying to do. So please, go away.
Hat man: Fine! I’m just here to see you, be by your side for a while before I return to my office. Let me watch the reason I'm still breathing.
Sekinat: (Glances at him) Why do you keep saying these things despite knowing I don’t care?
Hat man: It doesn't matter. As long as you listen, I'm okay with that. So please, I won't cause you any trouble. Just let me in, and I won't touch you, I promise.
Sekinat: Just like that.
Hat man: Yes, just like that, please.
Sekinat: (Scans him from head to toe) You and this hat! You can come in, but don't close the door. Let your subordinate see us.
Hat man: Okay. I'm not called the hat man for nothing.
Sekinat: Whatever. (She gets seated on the bed, resumes back to her writings.)
Hat man: (Sits on the chair and admires her) What are you writing?
Sekinat: It's a woman's discovery of nonya.
Hat man: What's nonya?
Sekinat: None of your business!
Hat man: (Bursts into laughter) You are my comedian.
Sekinat notices his subordinates gossiping about him, laughing for the first time.
Sekinat: I guess you don't laugh often.
Hat man: (Resumes back to his stern face, relaxes his head on the chair, and admires Sekinat without saying a word again.)
Sekinat: Can I ask you a question?