Beyond his scope (II)

‘You see, the truth is that you wanted your new wife to finish off my cousin so that the two of you can enjoy your life together. Well let’s see how much you two can enjoy when your beloved ends up in prison.’ I threatened.‘Haba Hajiya Bint, that’s a far-fetched conspiracy theory. How can I […]

‘You see, the truth is that you wanted your new wife to finish off my cousin so that the two of you can enjoy your life together. Well let’s see how much you two can enjoy when your beloved ends up in prison.’ I threatened.
‘Haba Hajiya Bint, that’s a far-fetched conspiracy theory. How can I ever wish to have Dudu killed? She is the dearest person in the world to me. What will I gain by getting her killed?’ Sabo protested.
‘Who knows? But the only reason you will ignore your first wife’s cry for help when someone has grabbed her by the jugular is because you are in total accord with what is happening to her. Ask anyone.’ I demanded.
‘But I didn’t hear anything, I told you I didn’t hear anything. It must have been when I stepped foot into the bathroom. Yes, I did enter the bathroom after Dudu had brought my breakfast and left, that must have been when she cried for help. But believe me I didn’t hear her screams.’ Sabo insisted.
‘Look, our home isn’t one of those grand, overly spacious mansions that one can scream in and not be heard. You can hear even a child’s cries from anywhere in that house. And I was screaming at the top of my voice when I managed to remove her hands from my neck the first time. It was the same scream the guard heard that made him rush in because by the time she grabbed my neck again, I was too weak to fend off the attack and cry out.’ Dudu again countered.
‘Look Dudu, don’t start buying your cousin’s line about a conspiracy to kill you. You know I would never do that and I expect you to try to convince her.’ He appealed to his wife.
‘But this isn’t about trying to buy Bint’s theory. I was there remember? And I was the victim. I know that if you had wanted you would have intervened the moment we started arguing at the courtyard. One of your windows directly overlooks the courtyard. Incidentally it’s the very one I opened in order to let you have some fresh air. So do I need Bint to help me deduce that you wanted Talle to have her way?’ She queried. 
‘Ok, so let’s say I did hear your raised voices from the courtyard. Did you expect me to start racing down there to separate you? I didn’t get married so I can end up a referee in my own home. And if I did that today, how many times will I be there when you decide to fight? I decided to ignore you while hoping that you will see the futility of the exercise and stop. I had no idea it will degenerate into a full wrestling match.’ Sabo explained.
‘So when it became a full fight, with one party screaming for help, you still decided to continue ignoring them?’ I demanded.
‘Look Hajiya Bint. It’s not what you think and I don’t expect you to understand since you are not a man with two wives. But I’m trying my best but it is beyond my scope jumping over to separate them any time they fight each other. I have neither the time nor the energy for that.’ He declared.
‘Really, so what do you have the energy for? Marrying women you can’t control? Who told you marriage is only about the good times and not about times of pain and stress?’ I asked angrily.
‘In fact what I want to know is when you ever had to separate us during a fight.’ Dudu said raising herself to a sitting position on the headrest. ‘I have never had a fight with your wife before today. And it’s not because of lack of provocation on her part. No, it’s because I had promised myself that I will never descend to that level. I have seen how she walks into the kitchen making demands and criticizing anyone in sight, but I always walk away as soon as she came in to prevent a confrontation. So I fail to see how you could have gotten tired of separating us whenever we had fisticuffs.’ Dudu challenged.
‘You never had? How about the many times she reported to me that you two had quarreled while I was at work. Are you trying to deny that?’ Sabo demanded of his wife.
‘Yes I deny that because it all happened in her imagination. I had never argued with nor physically fought with Talle. If you don’t believe me ask the house helps since such a thing cannot happen without witnesses. But if this is what she has been claiming, why didn’t you ever talk to me about it? Is it because you are so ready to believe her that you can’t even tolerate my version of the story?’ Dudu demanded.
‘No I just want to avoid unnecessary tension. Whenever she said you two had quarreled, I’ll just tell her to be patient till you get used to having her around; that when you get used to sharing your house, you will be more hospitable.’ He disclosed.
‘I’ll be more hospitable’ Dudu repeated. ‘You mean in all the time you have been urging her to be patient with irresponsible, quarrelsome me, it never occurred to you to ask why I was being so quarrelsome. How can you be so completely on her side after only five years of marriage, when I have lived with you for almost two decades and never gave you reason to find me that cantankerous?’ She asked tearfully. ‘Now I know why you refused to come to my aid when she strangled me, you were giving her a chance to deal with me for all the times I supposedly gave her a hard time in that house. You were probably hoping she will deal with me so well that I will never make her feel unwelcome in your house again. Well I have good news for you. I am not going back to that house. You and your lying, violent wife can go and live there alone. Bint and my other relatives will come for my things. My kids will follow me home as soon as they come here to see me. I will never return where I am not needed.’ Dudu declared.            
‘I entirely agree with you Dudu dear. You must never return to his house. First he lied that he had been separating your quarrels that’s why he got fed up and didn’t try to save you this time.  Then when you said you had never fought with her before, he said she had been the one reporting you and he decided to believe her. What is obvious to me now is that if you had been the one beating her up he would have intervened to save her. However whether you decide to leave the house now or later, I intend to report this attempted murder to the police. She has to pay for the pain she caused you.’ I insisted.
‘Please and please Hajiya Bint, keep the police out of this. I promise to do whatever you want if you will let us settle this within the family.’ Sabo begged.
‘Are you begging because you want to avoid a scandal or because you don’t want your wife behind bars? Either way we have to report her. Next time she won’t play Yoko Zuna just because she happens to be bigger than others.’ I threatened.
‘Please Hajiya Bint don’t talk like that. I promise to be very stern with her, just tell me what you want.’ He pleaded again.
‘Okay, on behalf of my cousin I wish to demand that you remove your mad wife from that house and take her wherever you wish. As long as she is there Dudu will not return and neither will her children. This is our only condition. Take it or leave it.’ I said.
‘Ok Hajiya Bint I will take her back to her old apartment. The rent hadn’t expired so I still have the keys. I only brought her here because she insisted she wanted to be with the rest of my family and I had to quickly build the extension. But if living with her means losing Dudu and my children, I won’t have it.’ And turning over to face his wife, he put his hand on hers and said. ‘I am very sorry about what happened to you. Please forgive me, this won’t ever happen again.’ He pledged.
‘It’s alright Sabo, I hope you mean everything you said.’ And with that she looked my way and we shared a secret smile.