This hide-and- seek game

‘Yes why not, though it’s a bit too early for your normal routine.’ I replied rising up to go to the kitchen. ‘I have an early appointment which might last till noon, if I don’t eat now I may end up observing a half-day fast.’ He explained. ‘It’s alright I can rustle something up in […]

‘Yes why not, though it’s a bit too early for your normal routine.’ I replied rising up to go to the kitchen.

‘I have an early appointment which might last till noon, if I don’t eat now I may end up observing a half-day fast.’ He explained.

‘It’s alright I can rustle something up in good time inshAllah.’ I said, walking away. Forty minutes later Tahir was deep into his breakfast when I felt I couldn’t keep my question to myself any more. Looking up at him, I simply asked:

‘Tahir, if you were ever to have a child out of wedlock, will you be honest enough as to come straight away and tell me?’ Almost dropping the forkful of food he was taking into his mouth Tahir replied in shock:

‘Why would I ever want to have a child out of wedlock?’ He asked.

‘I’m not saying it is something you’d wish to do but if it were to happen due to temptation…..’I tried to explain

‘Somehow I never knew you’d wish me that kind of fate Bint. I have remained faithful to the Quranic injunction ‘Go not near adultery’ so I do not go anywhere near, let alone take part in adultery. How then can I father an illegitimate child?’ He demanded in anger.

‘It was a hypothetical question Tahir, I just want to know what you will do if that were to happen somehow.’ I explained.

‘Well that will never happen, inshaAllah, and if the whole point of your hypothetical inquiry is to ruin my appetite, then you have succeeded because I am no longer hungry.’ He said, pushing his breakfast plate away.

‘I am very sorry, I suppose I was so disturbed by what happened to Zahra’u, my cousin, that I just brought this up without much thinking. Please eat up your meal, you did say you have a long day ahead. I won’t disturb you again.’ I urged.

‘Ok, I suppose you have a point there. What happened to Zahra’u?’ He asked continuing to munch his food.

‘She had what I could call a woman’s greatest nightmare two days ago. When she came here yesterday and told me, I kept wondering at her strength of spirit. You see her husband always had this habit of leaving home after dinner for about two hours every day. He will always take a bath, dress up in fresh clothes and say he had gone to meet his friends. Zahra’u never questioned his movements nor did she ever complain about it. Two days ago he went for his usual after-dinner outing and stayed longer than usual. According to her he’s usually back by 10.30 or latest by 11pm but on this night he remained outside till midnight. Several times she felt tempted to call his number but she restrained herself fearing she might hear the worst. At about a quarter past midnight, the doorbell rang. Her three daughters were past asleep so she was the only one keeping vigil for him. Zahra’u rose to the door and asked who it was. Her husband answered. With much relief she quickly opened the door for him. But the first thing she saw when she opened the door threw her completely off-guard. A little boy of about five years stood sleepily in front of her husband. A look at the boy’s face left no doubt as to his paternity. He was the spitting image of her husband. She looked up at her husband and saw a totally confused man who could not say a word to her. She simply moved aside and let the two of them in. Even while in the house Bala was simply tongue-tied. She took pity on the exhausted little boy and said “Let me get this young man to bed” and that was when he found his voice and said “Yes please, thank you.”

‘Zahra’u took the boy to her children’s room gave him a quick shower and dressed him in one of the girls’ pyjamas, luckily he is a little younger than her youngest daughter. After putting the boy to sleep she went into Bala’s room but he was busy praying. She lied down and went to sleep. In the morning when they woke up to pray he was still avoiding her gaze and not saying a thing. She went ahead and got her daughters ready for school. They were very curious about the little boy but since she herself knew nothing to explain his presence she just said he was their visiting cousin. After they left for school she fed the boy and asked her husband whether he had any other clothes to wear. Bala said yes and went to the car to bring the boy’s clothes, still not explaining a thing. After the three of them had had their breakfast together Bala rose to leave for work, still not saying anything. At that point she said “Perhaps we will need to enrol him in a school” hoping it will lead to some discussion on the boy but all that her husband said was “Yes, yes that will be a good idea. Please find him a school nearby.” And then he rushed out of the house. Totally frustrated and angry she turned and asked the boy what his name was and he told her his name was Sadiq and a few more questions revealed the school he was attending, his mother’s name and how “Mummy said Daddy must take me away tonight, that she was tired of waiting.” Zahra’u listened to the innocent little boy in wonder before making up her mind that she will confront her husband directly as soon as he came in.

‘She was in the kitchen when he returned from work early that evening. He sent one of their daughters to call her and she felt relieved that he had decided to tell her everything without her asking. When she stepped into his room, it was to see him holding an envelope in hand and saying to her. “Here, I have a little gift for you. You can either buy yourself a new car or you can just keep it in your account and use it as you like, it’s all yours.” Zahra’u collected the envelope and opened it. Inside was a cheque for five million naira. “What is this for?”She asked. “Just a gift for you” he replied. “I see, thanks a lot.” She said, too surprised to say more, she had no idea he had that much money. Zahra’u was just about to leave the room when she strengthened her resolve and said to him “About the boy, don’t I deserve any explanation?”

“Yes you do. And I want you to know that I greatly appreciate your maturity and self-control last night. His mother was my colleague. One day six years ago, I gave her a lift when we attended a course out of town. I dropped her at home and she let slip that she lived alone because her parents lived in another town. One thing led to another and I began to visit her there. Well, you know all about temptation and before I knew it this boy was conceived. She insisted that I should marry her but I had no such wish. She was a cantankerous person but I learnt that only too late. She resigned from my workplace when she went on maternity leave but I continued to give her child support. Now she works somewhere else but she always threatened that if I wouldn’t marry her I should take my son away. Yesterday she made good her threat. The moment I walked into the house she pushed the boy at me and handed me his suitcase. She said she didn’t want have anything to do with either of us. I took him away and drove all over this town not knowing what to do. Finally I brought him home, expecting the worst from you but still hoping you will allow him to spend the night here. You can’t believe my relief when you acted the way you did. I’m eternally grateful.” He concluded.

“So you want him to live with us?” She asked.

“Yes if you will have him otherwise I will have to take him home to my mother.” He replied.

“I’m sure the girls wouldn’t mind a little brother to dote on but how do we explain this to them?” Zahra’u asked.

“You’ll have to help me with that Zahra’u, try to make them understand. I will have to handle my mother and other relatives. I know it will be a trying period for us all but we will inshAllah survive it. And I promise you that I will never, ever give in to such temptation again.” He pledged. So now Zahra’u is five million naira richer but without an inkling how to sit her daughters down and tell them where the boy came from.’ I concluded.

‘I see, and so you decided to believe that all men are like her husband.’ Tahir observed.

‘Well one can’t be sure hubby dearest, one can’t ever be sure.’ I said putting my hand on his. This hide-and- seek game.