A conditional beginning

fe he used to cut his mango towards me.‘I mean everything worked better than we expected. But as happens every time I left home without eating anything, I am so hungry I have to eat more of this mango before I can tell you everything. I hope you have ordered more food for breakfast because […]

fe he used to cut his mango towards me.
‘I mean everything worked better than we expected. But as happens every time I left home without eating anything, I am so hungry I have to eat more of this mango before I can tell you everything. I hope you have ordered more food for breakfast because the way I feel now I can’t settle for only your raw breakfast recipe and be satisfied.’ I enquired.
‘Yes I have asked Cook to make some kunu and qosai. I hope that is heavy enough for your mighty appetite.’ He replied.
‘Yes it is thank you. Apparently just like me, a few of Jaleelah’s neighbours had decided to make an early start in order to meet her before she leaves. I arrived to meet two of them already chatting and helping her pack. They were also very disturbed by the situation and were desperately seeking a way around it. She introduced me to them and mentioned how I had helped her yesterday at the hospital. ‘Did you try to call your husband last night?’ I asked.
‘No Hajia Bint, there was no need. If he couldn’t stand me so much he had to run away while I was attending an antenatal clinic, then it’s no use at all trying to keep in touch with him.’ Jaleelah answered.
‘She might not have got him even if she tried.’ Halima, one of the neighbours chipped in. ‘Taufiq had switched off all his phones throughout yesterday. My husband tried to get him after hearing what happened but he couldn’t be reached on any of his lines.’ She added.
‘Yes that’s true but my husband said one of Taufiq’s lines went through this morning’ Zulaikah, the other neighbour declared. ‘He said he will keep trying Taufiq till he gets him.’ She explained.
‘But what are they trying to get him for?’ Jaleelah asked with emotion. ‘He said this marriage is over. He tricked me into selling all our household items and admitted that he planned to tell me we were through only when I reached my family home in England. So this is obviously a man who had thought his plans through. It will be a waste of time to ask him to change his mind. Even I wouldn’t be happy to know that he had to be begged to have me back. I have my pride. So please tell your husbands to give up on all their efforts. I greatly appreciate what they are doing but I certainly don’t wish to stay here any longer. I am all set to go home tonight.’  She declared, heatedly. At that very moment a man peeped through the door and said.
‘Aha, here they are.’ I later found out that he was Halima’s husband. Apparently the two male neighbours had kept phoning till they got Taufiq to pick the phone. When he did, he surprised them by saying he was on his way to the house. Being a Saturday both men were home when he arrived. Their wives were, of course, with Jaleelah. They had a little talk with Taufiq and the next thing we knew they were at the doorstep asking to come in. As soon as they did, the two older men flanking him in front and back, Taufiq went straight to his wife and knelt before her. We all watched amazed as he began to tell her that he had the worst night of his life yesterday and had been contemplating how to come and woo her back since the first light of dawn this morning.
‘Why did you leave me if you cared, and where did you go?’ She asked.
‘I went back to my parent’s home. For some reason I always felt overburdened whenever I stepped foot into their home and saw my unmarried elder brother leading an easy and care-free life. I envied him his freedom and unending youth. Although he goes to work, he lives in an apartment close to them and is almost always there when I visit them. He seems to have unending freedom, eating with them, going to parties, going on holidays, in short all the things I couldn’t do because I am married and can’t afford to. One day I must have said something about wishing to do a masters degree because my mother immediately offered to sponsor me anywhere in the world. But she added that she wasn’t rich enough to take care of both me and my family once I’m back in school. That got me thinking that if we no longer live together then I will be free to pursue my studies and enjoy the kind of freedom my elder brother enjoys without guilt. Satan made the idea seem so attractive to me that by the time I told you to auction our stuff because we were moving back to England, I was completely convinced that I was doing the right thing. Anyway last night opened my eyes to reality. There I was back at my old room in my parent’s home but I just felt I didn’t belong. I spent the whole night tossing in bed and telling myself that I had done the wrong thing. By the time I prayed Fajr (dawn) prayer, I had decided that I had to have you back. My life is with you and our children. But my problem was how to convince you that I mean well. I was hugely glad when our neighbours reached me and said they had been trying to get us back together. Please forgive me Jaleelah. I promise never to do so again, inshaAllah.’ Taufiq pleaded.
‘I will be very happy to forgive you Taufiq but I still have to go. My mother and I had been on the phone most of yesterday, ever since I returned from the hospital to see you gone. I have already told her how we sold everything except a few furniture items and our clothes. If I were to tell her we are no longer coming because you now want me back, it will confuse her and get her worried. After what happened yesterday, I have to go home first. If you still feel this way in a month or two or after the new baby is born, you can come for us. For now my main concern is my mother’s health, she is a hypertensive patient and you know it.’ Jaleelah said, resolutely.
‘Won’t you reconsider your stand Madam?’Halima’s husband asked gently. ’We can talk to your mother on his behalf.’ He offered.
‘No, thank you so much for your concern Alhaji, but I have to go home to Mother. She cried endlessly in my ear yesterday when she heard what was going on. She is right now completely worried. I don’t think anything can assure her that all is well with me until she sees me. But like I said, Taufiq is welcome to visit us and bring us back here anytime he wished.’  She declared.
‘This is fair enough, I think.’ He said looking over at his two neighbours. ‘I think I deserve a little punishment for what I did. I will let them go tonight and arrange to follow them soon. Thanks a lot for your concern, I will stay behind and help her finish her packing before I take them to the airport. Thank you so much for being such good neighbours.’ Taufiq said, rising up to see them to the door. That must have been when he noticed me, because the moment he looked at me, he fell silent. He obviously had no idea a total stranger was in the room, watching everything.
‘This is Hajia Bint, the kind lady who gave me a lift from the hospital yesterday. I text to tell her I was leaving for England this evening, so she came to bid me farewell.’ Jaleelah explained.
‘Thank you very much Hajia Bint.’ he said, shyly. And with that he followed his neighbours out of the house. I congratulated her on how things had turned out and she confided in me that she insisted on going only in order to give him time to know if he really wanted them back. ‘I don’t ever want to experience what I went through since he told me our marriage was over yesterday morning. That’s why I want him to taste life away from me. If he comes to take me back, I want him to be convinced that it’s what he really wants.’ She said. I wished her luck and drove back here; hungry but grateful to God that I have you.’ I said flirtatiously, batting my eyelids.