Our very own Camilla

‘It isn’t the matter of a weight loss secret Bint. I have been though hell and back in the last three days. That’s what did the trick.’ She explained walking into house. ‘Through hell and back, how do you mean?’ I enquired, sitting next to her on the settee.‘Did I ever mention the name Hajia […]

‘It isn’t the matter of a weight loss secret Bint. I have been though hell and back in the last three days. That’s what did the trick.’ She explained walking into house.
‘Through hell and back, how do you mean?’ I enquired, sitting next to her on the settee.
‘Did I ever mention the name Hajia Fitna to you?’ Farida asked in response.
‘Yes of course, isn’t she your husband’s cousin?’
‘Exactly’ she replied and continued ‘well that cousin turned out to be no blood relation at all. Both of them had been pretending that she was, encouraging me to bring her close and share with her my every problem. But in truth Fitna was his long-time girl-friend who got tired of waiting and married the next available suitor. Four years and two kids later, my husband and I got married and came to live in the same town with her. She somehow got to know and got through to him. She insisted on seeing me and he agreed to introduce us. But not knowing how best to describe her, he said she was his cousin and I believed him. I believed him because I had no reason not to. When at some point the devil overpowered them and they decided to pick up where they left off, it was to her that I ran. I ran to her Bint because as the only relative of his living near us I thought she was in the best position to intervene on the issue of his late night secretive phone calls. Fitna was quick to tell me to ignore those phone calls and concentrate on making my husband happy.
She assured me that all men were like that and it takes them time to realize that they were no longer boys who must go after everything that took their fancy. I tried to agree with her but I was too deeply pained to ignore it. Anyway the late night calls continued, almost every night as soon as I lay next to him. No matter how I protested he will still pick his call and walk out of the room to answer it. Of course I went right back to Fitna and said I couldn’t bear it. And she urged me to be patient and all will come to pass…..’
‘But why her?’ I interrupted Farida impatiently. ‘Why did you keep going to her? Don’t you have friends or sisters? How about me, couldn’t you trust me with a problem like that?’ I demanded.
 ‘No, it’s not like that. I wanted to talk to someone who could intervene and talk to him. Someone, who is both close to him and familiar with me. She fits the role perfectly. But the signs were there if I had cared to notice them. Like she never offered to talk to him any time I complained, instead she only tried to excuse him or ask me to persevere. Then the time his younger sister came to stay with us for a week. In all that time she never asked to visit their cousin. I dropped a hint by asking whether she wanted to see anyone but she said she had no one else to visit in this town. I didn’t pursue the matter, preferring to believe that she probably doesn’t get along too well with their cousin to wish to visit her.
But when his secrecy and phone calls continued I realized that I couldn’t take it anymore. I went to his friend Habib and complained that he was always talking to some strange woman every night without any regard for our private time and the sanctity of our marriage. Habib seemed speechless for a while. And thinking that my news had shocked him, I remained silent too. But Habib’s wife, Aisha, made a strange comment. From where she sat next to her husband, she simply said ‘My only advice is next time he introduces anyone to you as a relative, try to confirm from other sources.’ And with that curious comment she rose and walked away.
I looked at her husband and all he said was ‘I will talk to your husband soon inshaAllah.’ When I asked what Aisha meant by her advice, he said he honestly didn’t know. I was forced to leave the house without unraveling that mysterious comment. Things went on as usual. He continued answering his night calls and acting as if there wasn’t a thing wrong with what he was doing. For her part, Fitna continued to visit me and act as if she was a friend. How was I to suspect a thing when she always looked elegant and happy, the perfectly happy wife and mother. One day I even mentioned to my husband how perfect her life seemed to be. And he quickly said that I had no idea what Fitna’s life was like in reality.
He said she was married to an uncaring rich politician who always denied her his company in pursuit of his political ambition. He said that she only looked happy because she was working hard to conceal the truth about her unhappy marriage. After our discussion, I began to understand why she told me men were all like that. I also began to feel sorry for her. I wished she would confide in me the way she did in my husband so I could console her, share her pain. I was with this mind set when the truth finally hit me in the face last Saturday.’ Farida concluded.
‘How did it happen?’ I asked.
‘That Friday night after we went to bed, she called at her usual time, after midnight. He must have been very tired because he picked the call right there and began to talk. When I got angry and reached for the phone he suddenly jumped away and said to his caller ‘You know how jealous Farida is. She just reached for the phone to stop me from talking to you.’ I stood there frozen because I had no idea the lady even knew me or my name. Then I walked out of the room to my bedroom and slept there.
In the morning I went to Habib’s house and narrated all that happened, even asking him whether he had spoken to my husband like he promised. He said he did and had hoped ever since that things had improved between us. I told him that I was amazed the lady knew me by name. Again Habib fell silent as soon as I said that. But his wife walked into the room that very moment and said ‘I’m sorry to disappoint you but the lady behind your troubles is Fitna. No one but her.’ She declared.
‘But how come? Fitna is his cousin, his married cousin too.’ I replied in shock.
‘Yes she is married but no she isn’t his cousin. Never has been. She is his former girl-friend, a long time sweet-heart who never stopped loving him. I just didn’t know that the two of them were capable of deceiving you this much.  I’ve been after my husband to tell you the truth but he couldn’t. He said it will devastate you because you considered Fitna a friend. Anyway I got fed up with them and decided that you deserved to know the truth.’ Aisha said defiantly.
To be continued.