Digging her own grave

Atika was at the door to answer our salams and usher us into her house. It’s almost as if she was standing there waiting for us to arrive. I couldn’t help saying so. ‘Yes, I was by the door waiting for you to arrive because I left my room the moment you said you had […]

Atika was at the door to answer our salams and usher us into her house. It’s almost as if she was standing there waiting for us to arrive. I couldn’t help saying so.

‘Yes, I was by the door waiting for you to arrive because I left my room the moment you said you had left home. My house helps are both out on some errands and I didn’t want you to have to wait too long before the door is opened.’ She answered, her head down as if she was trying to avoid meeting our gaze.

‘Well, you summoned us here as if the world was about to end and now that we are here, you don’t even want to look at us?’ Maryam observed, looking harshly at her sister.

‘At least come in first. Let’s all get seated before I narrate to you my emergency.’ She replied with a little smile. We followed Atika inside the sitting room and sat on a settee, next to each other.

‘Let me get you something to drink.’ She offered, walking towards the fridge in a corner of the room. 

‘Please, we are not strangers here, so cut out the niceties and tell us what the emergency is.’ Maryam demanded.

‘Oh Yaya Maryam, ever the impatient one. Anyway this is what I want to discuss with you.’ Atika replied, handing each of us an envelope. We both opened them quickly and came face to face with a wedding invitation card. It said Atika’s husband was getting married to some lady called Nadia. 

‘Is this what you couldn’t tell us on phone? You know we would still have come running if you had said Haruna was taking a second wife. But why sound so mysterious, almost like you have just been diagnosed with an incurable 

disease?’ Maryam queried, angrily.

‘Please, don’t be too hard on her 

Maryam. Since we came in you have been picking on Atika one way or the other. This’ I said, lifting the wedding card up in my hand, ‘is an emergency any day. So allow her to respond to this situation the way she deems fit.’ And looking at Atika, I added ‘I’m truly sorry to hear this. It’s the saddest news any married woman can get. But bear patiently with it and Allah SWT will reward you for it. I can imagine how you feel right now, but remember that Almighty Allah tries His faithful servants in whatever way He wills. Its the way He tests our iman.’ I advised.

‘You are right Anty Bint. But the real sorrow I’m trying to deal with is not the fact that he decided to take a second wife but the role I played in that decision.’ Atika answered, at the point of tears. ‘That was what I couldn’t tell Yaya Maryam on phone and that was why I begged her to bring you along if she could.’ She added, enigmatically.

‘What role did you play in his decision to marry again?’ I asked.

‘You see two months ago, Haruna and I were seated in this room watching the news.’ Atika began her story. ‘A young lady was shown reporting the news from some location. She was pretty and had on a beautiful hijab that made her look quite decent. I turned to him and joked ‘This is the kind of woman I’d like to find for you.’ 

‘What do you mean the kind of woman you’d like to find for me?’ He asked, looking confused.

‘I just meant that if you were to seek a second wife, a pretty, modestly-dressed lady like this one will be just the type you should seek. She is attractive enough and an obvious hijab wearer, so you won’t have a problem with her coming to teach our daughters to flaunt their charms.’ I replied, smiling.

‘I see, so in other words you agree it’s high time I take a second wife?’ He asked, suspiciously. 

‘Well, not really but all I’m saying is in case you do want to, go for someone like this young reporter. You wont have to worry about preaching to her.’ I replied, with a laugh, just to show him I was still joking. 

‘Ok then, I’ll bear that in mind.’ He answered. And we continued to watch our TV in silence. In the following weeks he never brought the topic up again, he never even acted like we ever had such a conversation. Then ten days ago he walked into my room and said to me ‘Congrats, I’ve found what you suggested.’

‘What I suggested where?’ I asked, confused.

‘I’ve found a nice hijab-wearing young lady to marry. She has agreed and her parents have welcomed the decision. And it’s all thanks to you for giving me the idea.’ He explained, extending a hand to shake mine.

‘But you are joking, are you not?’ I asked.

‘No, I’ve never been more serious in my life. I took your suggestion seriously and said to myself, this kind of situation is rare, you better go for it. And so I did.’ He replied.

‘But I was joking, I was only testing you to see what you’ll say. How can I ever tell you to go and take another wife? Am I crazy?’ I demanded.

‘Well, that’s to bad. You didn’t tell me you were joking and I had no way of knowing otherwise. Now it’s too late to change anything. I am getting married in two weeks’ time.’ He announced.

‘Haba Haruna, how can you do this to me? How can you betray me this way?’ I asked, at the point of tears.

‘No Atika, I didn’t do anything to  betray you, if anyone is to be blamed for this situation, it is you. You succeeded in digging your own grave in this matter.’ He argued. 

To be contd.