An angel or demon?

‘You shouldn’t have bothered at this hour of the night Bint.’ She replied, ‘I just wanted you to know now so that we can talk about it in the morning.’ Rashida explained, rising from her bedroom chair to walk towards the bed with the aid of her two crutches. ‘I have been on that chair […]

‘You shouldn’t have bothered at this hour of the night Bint.’ She replied, ‘I just wanted you to know now so that we can talk about it in the morning.’ Rashida explained, rising from her bedroom chair to walk towards the bed with the aid of her two crutches. ‘I have been on that chair for hours, now my whole body feels so stiff I need to stretch out on the bed.’ She added.
‘I know, you’ve had a devastating experience.’ I answered, moving over to help her sit on the bed. ‘When did you find out?’ I asked, after collecting the crutches from Rashida and having her resting on the propped-up pillows on her bed.
‘Just this morning. You know my sister arrived last night. She heard everything from the house-helps and decided that I should know today. She thinks it will be cruel to tell me only after the event.’ Rashida replied.
‘You mean even the house-helps knew before you?’ I asked.
‘Yes, it’s not that Zahirah had wanted them to know. Though she’s lived with and worked with them for the last two years, she really didn’t take them into confidence, for obvious reasons. They themselves stumbled on some things just before she left.’ Rashida explained.
‘So she’s been around for up to two years?’
‘Yes, actually it’s a little while longer. She came here just before my accident. When I slipped in the bath and injured my spine, Zahirah stood by me better than anybody else. She stayed with me at the hospital even before the surgery and right afterwards. My sisters and other relatives all had to play second fiddle to her while I was in hospital, but I had no reason to dislike that, in fact I was ever grateful for her being there. Even when I returned home from hospital, she continued to run things around here and I kept thanking Almighty God for the kind of angel she turned out to be.
I mean one keeps hearing horror stories about husband’s relatives but Zahirah never gave me cause for concern. One day I began to worry over her educational pursuits, fearing that her continued stay might make it suffer, so I called her and asked what she planned to do about higher education. You know she came here soon after she finished her WAEC exams. She said there was no cause for alarm because her WAEC result was good and she can use it anytime she wished. She assured me that the most important thing was my health, that she wouldn’t pursue any personal agenda until I can walk on my feet.
I expressed my heartfelt gratitude and immediately prayed to God to reward her for her selfless service to me. Well, I have been able to walk on my feet for the last three months, though with the aid of my crutches. That must be when she decided to finally pursue her personal agenda. I don’t really know how it started and when. All I know is what my sister told me.’ Rashida concluded, wiping away a lone tear from her right eye.
‘And what exactly did she say? Because, honestly, I still find the whole thing hard to believe.’ I stated.
‘You better believe it Hajia Bint, the invitation card is there as evidence. As for what Halima said, you know it was already night when she arrived, so she went to look for dinner as soon as she prayed. My two house-helps served her dinner and then asked permission to show her something. When they did, it was the wedding card of my husband with Zahirah. She was so shocked that all she could ask was where they got it from. They said they saw many copies of it with Zahirah so they asked whose it was. She said it was her wedding card but that she didn’t want me to know because I was yet to find someone who could take care of me once she goes.  So she extracted a vow of silence from them that they will not mention it to me. Since neither of them could read they didn’t know what the groom’s name was. Three days ago when she mentioned that she had to travel home, they managed to steal one copy with the intention of showing it to me but they couldn’t muster the courage. So they showed it to my sister instead.’ Rashida concluded.
‘But didn’t they ever see anything that was unusual between those two?’ I asked.
‘Yes they did, in fact that was why they were curious when she said she was getting married. According to them there was a day, some months ago when she came here and saw me comfortably in bed, then went to the children’s room and also saw that they were fast asleep. So she went to the kitchen and declared that I was safely in bed and that my kids were fast asleep, so the house-helps should close for the night. They agreed but asked why she had the tea kettle on. She replied that she needed to make tea for Baba. So they offered to remain behind in case she needed help. While they were still with her she got the tea things ready, put two cups on the tray and transferred the hot water into the flask before telling them to go and sleep.
But they were already curious so they left the kitchen but hung around long enough to see that instead of dropping the tea things in Baba’s sitting room and coming out she simply sat on the carpet there and continued to chat with him, while taking her own tea. In fact so engrossed were they with each other that when the girls stood by the parlour door and peeped at them they didn’t even notice them. He was still seated on the chair while Zahirah was on the carpet near his feet, when the house girls walked ahead to their room. Several times after, they said they have seen my husband and Zahirah sharing a smile, when they thought no one was watching.
This was what got them suspicious when they saw her wedding cards. As for him, Danladi did not say anything up to the time he travelled last weekend. He just said to me he needed to travel home for some family engagements which might last a week. Zahirah travelled two days later and was honest enough to say that now that I can move myself unaided, she needed to go and sought out her future. But she will be back, inshaAllah, once everything is sorted out. I had no idea she was speaking in riddles till my sister told me about their wedding plans today.  I don’t know at what point he planned to tell me, but I got through to my uncle as soon as I got over the initial shock.
He assured me he will get through to him and ask whether this was true. Of course, Danladi admitted to my uncle that everything was true but that it was the most difficult decision he had to make, that was why he never had the courage to tell me. He had plans, however, to send his closest friends to tell me as soon as the wedding was over. And he wanted me to be assured that we will never live together, so I need not worry about how to interact with Zahirah from now on. My uncle called me back and repeated Danladi’s admission. He advised me to be patient and bear with everything since it is an additional trial from God which will come to pass inshaAllah. He then promised to come with my mother, aunties and sisters tomorrow so that they can keep me company.
Uncle Wada is the only one living among my father’s siblings. So he takes his responsibility as our sole remaining father-figure seriously. I am expecting them in the morning. But I don’t think even their visit can change anything. I feel so totally betrayed and angry that ending this marriage is the only way out for me. Danladi’s logic, probably, is that now that I am a virtual invalid, he needs a healthier wife, but must it be this one girl that I totally trusted with my life? Why couldn’t he just go out there and pick any stranger or even if it has to be a relative, why must it be Zahirah?’ Rashida asked, the tears flowing freely down her face.
‘I am very sorry Rashida. Some things just defy a rational explanation. Because another thing you could also ask is: why him? Why should Zahirah settle for your husband instead of a lot of other men closer to her age and in totally uncomplicated circumstances? As hard as it is for you to believe that your angel might have been a demon in disguise, she might have gone out of her way to appeal to him, to be at his beck and call now that you were ill, to make him feel that if he needed another wife, she was available. Just be patient like your uncle advised and leave everything to Almighty God. Concentrate on regaining your health and being a good mother to your children but don’t consider leaving, because that is letting Zahirah win everything hands-down. Persevere and put your whole trust in Allah, inshaAllah, He will grant you an easy way through this trial.’ I advised, putting my hand on her palm to assure her.