Fatimah: Uhmm… good afternoon, sir. A woman gave me this address card.
Gateman: Say no more, dear. Just come in. As I said earlier, we’ve been expecting you.
Fatimah: Please give me a sec. (She quickly recites Ayatul Kursiyu) Okay… now I can go in. Please lead the way.
Gateman: Okay, ma’am. (He leads her into the palace. To her greatest surprise, the entire family is seated, waiting for her) Here is my princess… your highness.
Fatimah: Your highness?
Mr. Olowolayemo: Welcome to our family, my dear. I am Mr. Olowolayemo, head of this family.
Mrs. Olowolayemo: And I am Mrs. Olowolayemo, his wife.
Oyetunde: (adjusting his throat) And I am Oyetunde, the heir of this family and only son.
Ifeoluwa: And I am Ifeoluwa, the only daughter of this family.
Mr. Olowolayemo: Now that we have introduced ourselves, please introduce yourself.
Fatimah: Uhmm… good afternoon, everyone. My name is Fatimah Sulaiman. I am a Muslimah. I am nobody… although a strange woman gave me this house address, so where is she?
Mrs. Olowolayemo: (smiling) Well, the woman you are referring to is our maid. She is cursed by our family. Her duty is to find a bride for our heir, and only then can she die peacefully.
Fatimah: Wait… what? A bride? Which bride?
Mr. Olowolayemo: Please, have a seat, my dear. You are far too beautiful to be stressed.
Fatimah: I’m fine like this. I… I’m just confused. Why? I don’t even know what to say. Please, I need to see that woman. I am not here as a bride.
Oyetunde: (rising) Look, my princess, that is the tradition of our family. Look at me—am I not good enough for you? I have everything you need: money, cars, a mansion… I am already in love with this beauty queen. (He tries to move closer)
Fatimah: Don’t you dare take another step toward me! Do you think money is everything in life? Do you think beauty is everything? This face you are falling for has ruined my life several times, and I hate it! Don’t fall for my looks. Now bring out that old lady, or I leave this place!
Mr. Olowolayemo: I like this girl. For the first time in history, my son has found a real woman, not a fake one. Dear, we are willing to do whatever you want. Guards!
Guards: Yes, sir. (They bow their heads)
Mr. Olowolayemo: Get Wura for me.
Guards: Okay, your highness.
Oyetunde: (admiring Fatimah) Please, have a seat, my dear.
Fatimah: (ignoring him) I want to see the old lady.
Guards: Here she is, your highness. (They push her to the floor)
Fatimah: (rushing to her aid) Are you okay? Why would they push you like that? That’s wickedness. Please, get up, ma’am.
Strange Woman: Please… let me be like this. (Tears roll down her cheeks)
Fatimah: (feeling sorry for her, then facing the family) Please, let her go.
Mrs. Olowolayemo: No, we can’t let her go. Her punishment is death.
Fatimah: Why? What did she do?
Mrs. Olowolayemo: I will tell you everything. This maid had been honest for 25 years, but she is being punished because she seduced my husband’s friend—a foreigner who stayed with us almost a year. The man was kind and loving, but this maid seduced him and became pregnant. We overheard him promising to take her with him to his country to start a new life. She betrayed us, ruined friendships, and affected our businesses. We locked her up for 9 months. She was freed the day she gave birth.
Strange Woman: That’s not true! (She cuts in, crying) The foreigner loved me. After I gave birth, you were so jealous because my daughter was beautiful. You hated to see us, you locked me up again, took my child away, and you killed her! (She shouts in pain)
Mr. Olowolayemo: (facing his wife angrily) Is that true?
Mrs. Olowolayemo: No! She is lying!
Fatimah: (already soaked in tears)
Oyetunde: Why are you crying, my princess?
Ifeoluwa: Yeah, why the tears for that… witch?
Mr. Olowolayemo: Watch your mouth! (He faces his wife again) Did you lock her up because of jealousy, or because you found out I had feelings for her?
Mrs. Olowolayemo: (speechless)
Everyone: (surprised, covering their mouths)
Strange Woman: What did you say?
Mr. Olowolayemo: It’s true. I once had feelings for you, but those feelings died when my wife told me you wanted to kill my son. That’s why she locked you up.
Strange Woman: (bursting into tears) Noooo! I swear with my life, I never attempted such a thing! She never let me come close to any of you, let alone your son. And she… she killed my daughter! According to what I heard, she placed my daughter on the road, and she was crushed by a car! (She cries uncontrollably)
Fatimah: (shocked) What did you say?
Mr. Olowolayemo: You killed her daughter? And you told me she gave her baby to relatives to take care of her? (He shouts at his wife)
Strange Woman: No! She is lying, your highness! (She begins coughing violently, making Fatimah and the rest very worried)
Fatimah: (already soaked in tears, rushing to her aid and embracing her) Please help! She must not die!
Mr. Olowolayemo: Call the family doctor now! (He shouts at his wife) I will deal with you later. If anything happens to her, I won’t spare your life. Hurry!
Mrs. Olowolayemo: (body shaking as she tries to call the doctor)
Fatimah: Water, please! Someone, water!
Ifeoluwa: (runs to get the water)
Strange Woman: (still coughing) Why are you crying, my dear?
Fatimah: (tears streaming down her face) Please, water!
Ifeoluwa: Here, water! (Hands it to her)
Fatimah: Thank you. (She gives it to the strange woman, who drinks it entirely. Fatimah bursts into tears again) Please… more water!
Mr. Olowolayemo: (getting on his feet and rushing to the strange woman) Guards! Water! (He shouts)
Fatimah: You will be fine, I promise.
(10 minutes later, the strange woman lies on the couch, sleeping. Fatimah sits next to her, sobbing while the family waits for the doctor.)
Mr. Olowolayemo: Dear… you’ve been crying for no reason? Do you know Wura from somewhere?
Hajia Habibah: (rushing in) Sorry I’m late, sir. What’s the emergency?
Mr. Olowolayemo: (points at Wura) She is the sick person.
Hajia Habibah: (turning to her) Okay, let’s have a look. Madam, please excuse me while I do my work here. (Sees Fatimah soaked in tears, she gasps) Fatimah!? Is that you?
Fatimah: (raising her head, tears streaming) Mom!
Hajia Habibah: Fatimah! My baby! (She embraces her) I’ve looked for you everywhere! What are you doing here? Wait… don’t tell me these are the people you told me about?
Fatimah: (wiping her tears) No, mom!
(Everyone is surprised to see Fatimah call Hajia Habibah “mom.”)
Oyetunde: Doctor… is she your daughter?
Hajia Habibah: Well, yes. (Turns to Fatimah) Stop crying now.
Fatimah: Please, save her life! I don’t want her to die! I beg you in the name of Allah!
Hajia Habibah: Who is she to you?
Fatimah: Please, just save her first!
Hajia Habibah: Okay, but first… guards, help her to her room so I can examine her.
Mr. Olowolayemo: Take her to the guest room.
Guards: Yes, your highness.
(10 minutes later)
Hajia Habibah: (coming out of the guest room, removing her stethoscope) Well, she will be fine. It’s typhoid and malaria. Here is the list of drugs to get. (Hands it to a guard) I guess you’re set to get the drugs as usual?
Guards: Yes, ma’am. (Heads out)
Hajia Habibah: She will be fine; she’s on a drip.
Fatimah: (still crying) That’s a relief. I have to go now. Thank you very much, ma.
Oyetunde: Please don’t go yet. We’re not done with our conversation about my love for you.
Fatimah: (her face changes immediately) You must be sick! (She angrily leaves the mansion while Hajia Habibah runs after her)
Hajia Habibah: Fatimah!! Wait!
Fatimah: (about to walk out of the gate) Please… just let me go!
Hajia Habibah: I can’t afford to lose you again. Never!
Fatimah: Please, just let me go for now. I’m not in a good state!
Hajia Habibah: At least give me your home address.
Fatimah: (hands it over) Bye, ma. (She runs out of sight)
Hajia Habibah: At least wait, let me drop you home! I’ll find you wherever you live. I must sue that witch in court… Oh, I almost forgot, I need to attend to these people. (She walks back into the mansion)
(30 minutes later)
Fatimah enters her home, crying like a baby.
Grace: (in the living room, watching a movie) Madam… where have you been?
Fatimah: (continues crying loudly, not responding to Grace, who is surprised)
Grace: (walks closer) Are you alright? Why are you crying? Did someone hurt you? Talk to me.
Fatimah: I just want to be alone for now! Please! (She walks into her room and locks the door)
Grace: Ahh! That’s unusual for her… I’ve never seen her like this. I know I was wicked and caused her pain, but I’ve changed. (She knocks on the door) Fatimah, my dear, I prepared lunch. Should I bring it? I know you must be hungry.
Fatimah: Please… leave me alone! Please!
Grace: Okay, okay… (She hears a knock at the door) Who is it? (She opens the door and is surprised to see her children finally back home in tears) Blessing! Abdulrahman! (They embrace her)
Blessing: We’re sorry, Mom… for everything! (They begin crying)
Abdulrahman: We realize the pain we’ve caused you, but you know, you were mean to Fatimah as well.
Grace: My children… (bursts into tears) I am so sorry. I have repented… I’m so sorry for everything.
(Blessing notices Fatimah standing by the door, staring at them)
Blessing: Fatimah! (She jumps up with joy and runs to embrace her) You’re back! I’ve missed you so much! I thought we lost you.
Fatimah: (fakes a smile, looking sad) I missed you too.
Blessing: OMG… you look even more beautiful! What’s wrong? Why the sad face? Did Mom hurt you again?
Grace: No, I didn’t, I swear.
Fatimah: (smiles faintly) No, it’s not Mom… in fact, she’s good to me now. She treats me like her own.
Blessing: Wow, that’s a relief! Ahh… I missed you, my gist partner.
Abdulrahman: (standing by the door, looking down) Uhmm… Fatimah… how are you?
Fatimah: (smiles) Brother mi! (Runs to embrace him) Welcome home.
Abdulrahman: (embraces her in tears) Sorry for everything, for all the pain I’ve caused you. I promise to make it up to you.
Fatimah: It’s okay… I forgive you. We are all sinners, you know.
Grace: Fatimah, I… I’m so sorry for the pain I’ve caused you since the beginning of your life till now. (She goes down on her knees)
Fatimah: Mom! What are you doing? Please get up!
Grace: Let me be like this. I deserve punishment for my wickedness. Please… find it in your heart to forgive me.
Fatimah: Look, Mom… you have no idea. How you treated me was actually home training. You trained me so well, and I’m benefitting now. But the nightmares, the other side of it… I’m still trying to overcome that. But I forgive all of you, just as I want Allah to forgive me. That reminds me… if you really want to see how much I love you, there’s one thing you all must do, and you must promise me.
All three: We promise.
Fatimah: Good! I want all of you to revert to Islam. I promise… you won’t regret it.
Abdulrahman: I’m okay with it. Besides, our dad is a Muslim, isn’t he? Right, Blessing?
Blessing: Uhmm… I don’t know.
Fatimah: I remember Dad used to call you Aisha once in a while. Remember?
Blessing: (smiles) That’s true… I miss Dad! (Looks sad)
Fatimah: We all do. So, Mom… what about you?
Grace: Well… I was born a Christian, you know.
Fatimah: (holding her hand) I promise you won’t regret it, trust me.
Grace: Well, since you say so, and you sound very convincing… I guess I have no choice.
Fatimah: Really? (She embraces them all) Welcome to the religion of peace. We shall begin the necessary steps to convert to Islam. I love you all.
All of them: We love you too.
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