(Sulaiman tries to move closer to Grace, but she raises her hand, stopping him.)
Grace: Don’t take another step. Start explaining now—where did you get this child, and who is her mother?
Sulaiman: (calmly) Grace, please… learn to calm down.
Grace: Calm down?! You want me to calm down in this situation? You must be joking. I’m still waiting!
Sulaiman: (sighs deeply) Okay… remember the day you gave birth to Aisha… (He narrates everything to her—the discovery of Fatimah, the basket, the nurse, the care). … That’s why I brought her here. To live with us. To be one of us.
Grace: (shaking her head in disbelief) Why was I not aware of this all this while? Why now, Sulaiman? Why?
Sulaiman: I didn’t want to make things hard for you. Raising our daughter and Fatimah at the same time? Imagine now. That’s why I left her in the care of someone I trusted, for seven months.
Grace: (furious) So you think I’m a fool? You expect me to believe this nonsense? You think I haven’t seen your chats with your so-called girlfriend outside? It’s normal—I can never satisfy you. You greedy man! You impregnated another woman outside, and now you’re bringing her child here, forming lies. After all I’ve done for you… (she breaks down, sobbing) After my pains, my stress, my sacrifices… I should have listened to my mother. She told me, no matter how much a woman gives, she can never satisfy a man. God will judge you, Sulaiman. Wicked man!
Sulaiman: (snaps, raising his voice) Enough! I will not take insults from you any longer. I am your husband, Grace! I’m only trying to help this child. And if you don’t believe me, fine—let’s go for a DNA test! Because I don’t know what else to say. This child doesn’t even look like me! You’re the one creating problems for yourself. But listen carefully: this child is staying—whether you like it or not. She is staying! And you must accept her as your own. She is part of this family now.
Grace: (points at him with trembling hands)
Never! You have two options right now. Either she stays and I leave, or she leaves and I stay. Choose!
Sulaiman: (smirks, shaking his head) You’re funny. Look, honey, if I wanted to cheat on you, I would have done that long ago. Stop acting childish.
Grace: (shouting, tears streaming down) Answer me! She leaves or I leave!
Sulaiman: (coldly) Fine. You win. She will leave, and you will stay. (Grace breathes a sigh of relief) But hear me well, Grace. The moment Fatimah steps out of this house, I will definitely get a baby mama outside. And I won’t hide it from you. I’m not one of those men who live in lies. So yes, she can leave. (He turns to Fatimah) Fatimah, come here, my dear. (He lifts her up) Good night. Don’t expect my return tonight.
(He heads for the door. Grace, trembling, suddenly rushes forward and blocks his way.)
Grace: (stammering, torn between anger and fear) She… she… she can…
Sulaiman: (pauses, impatient) She can what?
Grace: (choking on her words) She can stay with us.
Sulaiman: (turns back in disbelief) Come again?
Grace: (louder this time) I said—she can stay with us.
Sulaiman: (soft smile) Good. Now help me put her things inside.
(Grace obeys but glares at her husband with burning eyes.)
Grace: (mutters bitterly) Wicked man.
Sulaiman: (laughs) Eheh, wife of a wicked man. Fatimah, Abdulrahman, and Aisha—these blessings are enough now. No more adding children. This country is not smiling with their high prices. Grace honey, don’t forget to set the dining—I’m so hungry. I mean we are hungry.
The Next Morning.
(The family is bustling—Grace prepares her husband and son for work and school. After dressing them, they all sit for breakfast.)
Sulaiman: (looking around) Honey, where is Fatimah?
Grace: (shrugs) She’s still sleeping.
Sulaiman: Wake her, please, so she can eat.
Grace: (nonchalant, eating) Let me finish first. I’ll feed her myself.
(Sulaiman’s face darkens instantly.)
Sulaiman: If she was your daughter, I know how quickly you’d rush to wake her. My friend, will you stand up and get her for me?
Grace: (snaps back) So because of that child you want to treat me harshly? My God will judge you.
Sulaiman: (firmly) Just do it quickly. Bring the child.
(Grace storms off into the room. Fatimah is still asleep. Grace scowls, then harshly spanks her. Fatimah wakes in shock and bursts into tears.)
Sulaiman: (from outside, alarmed) Did I just hear you hit her?!
(He rushes into the room, furious.)
Sulaiman: What is this rubbish? Why did you beat her?
Grace: (defensive) Because I’ve been waking her! She refused to answer, so I spanked her a little, and she opened that horrible mouth to cry.
Sulaiman: Don’t you ever raise your hand against her again. I know how you treat your children—treat Fatimah the same way. I’m late for work already. Nothing should happen to Fatimah! I repeat—nothing should happen to Fatimah. Have a nice day. (He pecks her cheek quickly, then leaves with Abdulrahman.)
Abdulrahman: (cheerful) Bye, Mommy!
Grace: (smiling at her son) Bye, my prince. Greet your teacher for me.
(She turns back to Fatimah, her face instantly hardening. She bends close, whispering with venom.)
Grace: Now it’s me and you, you little witch. Since you came into this house, my husband has changed towards me. I will make sure I starve you to death.
(She slaps Fatimah hard. The child falls, crying bitterly and rolling on the floor. Grace picks her up roughly and locks her inside the room, ignoring her loud wails.)
Grace: Nonsense. If I even give you food at all, it will be at 4pm.
(She slams the door shut. Fatimah’s cries echo painfully through the house.)
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