ACT TWENTY
Empire: (studies him for a few seconds) This is the first time you've expressed your inner feelings to me, which was unexpected, and I respect that. But why didn't you tell me all this while? Does that mean the last mission you took her with you, you were...?
Hat Man: (bows his head) I'm sorry, my lord. Love pushed me into doing such a
stupid act. You know I will always tell the truth, no matter how hard it is. You didn't ask me for confessing my true feelings, but let's look at the bright side. She had the opportunity to escape but chose to save me and killed the leader of our enemy. She had done such a brave job by saving me and making the mission an accomplished one, which is why I'm here to... (goes on his knees) to beg you!
Please, I don’t want you to hurt her in any means, sir. She has been through enough already because of me, and I hope you understand how it feels, sir. I know I have no right to say all this to you or to tell you what to do, but this is my first time asking this favor from you. Please, my lord! And I’m making this promise today! That if you grant this union, I will serve you for the rest of my life and never stab you behind your back.
Empire: (soft smile) Well... Your speech was convincing! For how long have you been working on this speech, huh?
Hat Man: Sir?
Empire: Get up!
Hat Man: (obeys) Thank you, sir.
Empire: I don’t know, I trust you 90%! Why? Like what did you use on me? Can't believe I'm going to accept defeat to you for the first time in my history.
Hat Man: I'm sorry, sir.
Empire: You don't have my blessing yet! Because that girl has been entering my eyes for a few weeks now, and when I wanted to have her, you showed up! And I had an interruption in my mission.
Hat Man: Thank you, sir... one more request, sir.
Empire: What again? Don’t tick me off.
Hat Man: I’m sorry, sir. Can I proceed?
Empire: (gives him a sign)
Hat Man: Please, I want the decision to come from you! I want you to announce it to her. I don’t want it to come from me because she doesn’t love me yet! But I'm going to find all means to win her heart.
Empire: Hmmm! Interesting! I'm in! I love to see her disturbed or bothered about things… it gives me so much joy. I will gladly do that, once I approve it. But now!
I need time to think well, and you know I don’t approve things without getting something in return. So just go! I've got this.
Hat Man: Thank you! (he bows and takes his leave)
Empire: (uses his eyes to escort him out of his palace) Hmmm, very clear boy! (resumes back to his gold)
9:30 AM
Sekinat was enjoying the cool light shining towards her face, making her imagine she was in paradise. She smiled and held her pillow tight while she savored her morning sleep. Unbeknownst to her, the Hat Man had been sitting opposite her bed, staring and admiring her.
Hat Man: (thinking) I wish I could make you smile like this forever! I have never seen you so happy before, even in your sleep. I know I have hurt you thousands of times, but I will make this right this time around. The Empire makes his plans, and
I make mine! This whole mafia thing isn’t about him alone anymore but about me. And finally, being happy again with the woman that owns my heart! My Sekinat.
Sekinat: (realizes the light is from reality and not from her dream, which forces her to wake up) Uhhh... what a lovely sleep! (yawning and stretching) Now, I'm starving. I wish I had something after praying Fajr; this sleep would have lasted longer. (She screams in shock immediately she sights him) You scared the hell out of me! What are you doing here?
Hat Man: (bright smile on his face) Good morning.
Sekinat: (hurriedly adjusts her long hijab) How long have you been here?
Hat Man: Hmmmmm! Just half an hour.
Sekinat: (gasp) Thirty minutes? For what?
Hat Man: To watch the most beautiful smile in the world.
Sekinat: Oh really? (She gets down from the bed and confronts him) Now get out! If you don’t have respect for a female, then I shall teach you. Leave!
Hat Man: (chuckles and confidently sits on the chair) I love it when you talk to me like this, you know?
Sekinat: Just get out, please!
Hat Man: (admires her for a few seconds, then finally gets up. His height makes Sekinat a little bit scared because he is almost 7 inches tall, which makes her look like a small girl right in front of him. She steps back a little) What do you want to have for breakfast? Just name it.
Sekinat: Did I tell you I want your food?
Hat Man: Oh, really?
Sekinat: I want swallow.
Hat Man: (bursts into laughter) You are such a funny young lady... and what?
Sekinat: That’s all.
Hat Man: Alright! (about to leave)
Sekinat: Wait!
Hat Man: Yes, ma’am.
Sekinat: How do you feel now? You should still be resting; you are yet to recover fully.
Hat Man: Yeah, you are right! But I'm not the type of person to stay in bed throughout the day, no matter the condition of my health.
Sekinat: But how do you do that anyway?
Hat Man: God's grace.
Sekinat: Since when do you believe in God?
Hat Man: You know what? I will send the chef to your room, okay? See you later.
Sekinat: Don’t forget I need to clean your wounds.
Hat Man: Got it! (takes his leave)
2 Weeks Later
The darkest moment for late Alhaji Sulaiman’s family and Mr. Suraj’s family had been the most challenging period of their lives. They tried to be there for each other but reuniting again and living under the same roof was a way to heal and support Summayah, who refused to give up on her husband’s murder. She kept in touch with the police and her soldier friends, carrying out an underground investigation. Until this day, the police and a soldier appeared at Alhaja Selimat’s house.
Summayah: (enters the living room) As-salamu alaykum sirs.
Soldier and Police: Wa alaykum salam, madam. How have you been?
Summayah: Alhamdulillah, we are healing. How is the investigation going?
Police: Actually, that's why we are here now.
Summayah: Really? That’s nice… so what's the latest update? But wait, are you two working together now?
Soldier: Don’t worry about that. What matters is carrying out the investigations.
We are here to give you some clues. Your friend said she couldn’t come, so she sent me to take over for her.
Summayah: Okay, you are highly welcome, sir.
Police: I will go first. (He hands over some papers to her) We found some cocaine and money in that tunnel where we found your husband’s corpse. After much investigation, we’ve concluded that your husband happened to be the head of a mafia team.
Summayah: What?
Soldier: Yes, madam! We know this might sound weird or unbelievable, but your
husband was truly a mafia. Here is the evidence in these pictures. (He hands them over to her)
Summayah: (goes through them and is in shock) Subhanallah! This can't be true. It must be some sort of mix-up or something. This might be photoshopped. What if the killer himself is giving you guys these fake clues?
Soldier: We thought so too until we were able to arrest some of your husband’s subordinates after locating their hideout.
Alhaja Selimat: (joins them in the living room) As-salamu alaykum.
Soldier and Police: Wa alaykum salam, Alhaja. (They pay their respects)
Summayah: Mum! Ewagbami! See what these people are saying. (She passes the paper and pictures to her) They said my husband is the head of a mafia. Can you believe the nonsense they are uttering out of their mouths? My own husband? The husband that I know inside and out.
Alhaja Selimat: Are you guys sure you know your job well?
Soldier and Police: Absolutely, ma’am. We know this is difficult for you to digest, but that's the truth.
Police: Your husband had taken many lives of innocent people, and we finally got the answer we need. There was an attack that very night with their so-called enemy. So I guess your husband's enemy attacked his den, which also led to the loss of many lives that night, both the attackers and your husband and his subordinates.
Summayah: I can see you guys are sick! I think some nut has been removed from your brains because I can clearly see how mentally unstable you are. Look at how you are telling us a mafia story and using my late husband’s name as one of the characters? What sort of rubbish is this?
Soldier: Look, madam! This is a thorough investigation with joint forces. We are telling you the main truth and fact, and if you find it hard to digest, we will come back next time. But we won't be coming alone this time because this is now a general case. The wives of the corpses demanded justice for their husbands. So you are not alone. But we came here to give you the real truth behind his death. Your husband was killed by his enemy. But we are yet to find the enemy's hideout, and that’s what we want to start working on. So if you still think we are not in our right state of mind, then I shall take my leave.
Summayah: (breaks down in tears) Mum! Can you hear the rubbish they are saying about my innocent husband? What has he ever done to the world to deserve these lies, even from you, the police and soldiers? Why?
Alhaja Selimat: (consoling her) It's okay, my dear. We will find another solution to this case. But dear sir, are you sure of what you are saying? Because if this happens to be a made-up story, I will not take it lightly with you.
Police: No problem, madam. This case will be investigated by joining forces. As for the case of your missing daughter, we are yet to get any tangible information about her, but we won't relent either. Once again, we are sorry for your losses, and do have a good day, Alhaja. (They get on their feet) We shall be on our way now.
Alhaja Selimat: Thank you. I really appreciate it. Thank you.
Police and Soldier: (shut the door behind them)
Summayah: Mummy! Could this be true about my husband? No! My husband can't be a Mafia! He is a religious and very quiet man. Abi, don’t you believe me too?
Alhaja Selimat: Of course, I do! Weren't we the ones who fought you for bossing your husband around like the head of the house? So your husband can't even lead his home. How will he lead a mafia?
Summayah: (raises her head from her body) What was that supposed to mean?
Alhaja Selimat: The truth, honey! That’s why I find it hard to believe what they said.We need to think of other ways of investigating this case since we aren't 100% sure about the information given to us. But assuming your father is alive, he would have gotten an answer to this mystery.
Summayah: I really miss Dad so much. (resumes crying)
Alhaja Selimat: (also joins her in crying) Now you are making me shed tears again, after I thought I have won him over… ahhh! My loving and caring husband, my one and only Adio!
A Week Later
Sekinat failed to show her face to the community or to be seen by the Empire because she believed she had suffered enough already in their hands. If she brings no trouble to them, they will let her be. So she stays indoors throughout her day but only goes to the Hat Man’s room to dress his wounds.
Sekinat: (plastering the wound) There you go! You sure have good skin; it's really helping you heal.
Hat Man: (smiles) All thanks to the amazing woman behind it.
Sekinat: Yes, sure. Amazing indeed.
Hat Man: Sekinat, there is something I need to tell you.
Sekinat: Okay, I'm listening. (glances at him)
Hat Man: Hmmmm, it's for your well-being, and I know you won't like this decision.
Sekinat: You are getting me worried, just say it already.
Hat Man: (exhales softly, finding it hard to open up) Uhhmm, you know how… how…
Sekinat: Hmm hmm hmm? Talk now!
Hat Man: Well, uhhmm, can you tell me about how you would love to settle down and have a family?
Sekinat: (confused) Is that what you wanted to ask me? And for stammering?
Hat Man: Yeah. I know I have taken your freedom and happiness away, and I have been thinking of how to make you happy again.
Sorry, but I’m still confused.
Hat Man: (as he was about to speak the truth, one of his subordinates speaks from outside the room)
Subordinate: Sir! The weapons have landed.
Hat Man: Oh, yeah! I'm on my way now.
Subordinate: Okay, sir.
Hat Man: I'm gonna go... see you later. (He puts on his shirt)
Sekinat: But you!
Hat Man: We shall continue later, okay? Take care of yourself for me. (He takes his leave and waves at her) Sekinat: Okay, o.