BK 2 chapter 10

It had been a month since I'd left Abdulrahman's house. I sighed tiredly and rubbed my temple, I'd been feeling a slight headache. Abdulrahman used to visit once a week and pleaded for me to come back but I couldn't because I wanted him to know my worth.

Maryam visited me every weekday after work. I'd returned back to the office after I'd left it in care of my younger brother- Lut.

The person sending the letters was still a mystery. I received gifts and letters almost thrice in a week.

~**~

"Divorce you".

"No, she can't do that?" He said anxiously.

"She can't leave you, uhn?. You never make her happy except by adding pain to the opened scars." Maryam yelled at him.

"She can't leave me" he laughed nervously, looking at me skeptically waiting for me to reply but I didn't.

"You will leave me?" He asked while I turned away from him.

He fell on his knees and crawled to me. "Sophia please don't leave me, I love you. I'm a shattered man without you." He said agonizingly.

"No," I said coldly, my voice void of emotions. He looked astounded and happy while Maryam looked shocked, "I'm not divorcing you" I said firmly, then he stood and hugged me. "But..." I continued, "I need a space without you," I said not looking at him while his shoulder slumped.

"Sophia, please don't do this. I'm sorry, I've realised my mistake." Wheezed. "Please if you leave me, I will go crazy and I don't want to go back there again." He bawled. "You were the drug that always keeps me sane" he choked on tears. When you left me, I was chained for months; beating till I fell unconscious and resumed when I regained consciousness "he said frantically while I shuddered in fear.

How could someone be so cruel!.

"Please don't leave me, I swear to God, I've changed" he cried out.

"Even though I still love you but you've lost some part of me and you need to win me back" I sniffed, my heart was breaking inside with the steps I was taking away from him but I need to.

"Sophia, I love you. Please forgive me" I left the house without looking back.

When I and Maryam reached the car, I burst out in tears. I cried while Maryam patted my back gently, telling me everything would be alright.

"Maryam, I love him but.."I hiccupped while my lips trembled, "I'm afraid of him. He's a ticking time bomb. He loves me too" I crouched down.

"Yeah," she said sentimentally.

~**~

I jolted out of the past while releasing a frightened shriek, panting heavily. I was scared, my heart was pounding like it wanted to remove from the rib cage.

"Momma, what happened?" He asked, concerned.

I didn't know how this small baby knew when I was feeling good or not.

"Why?".

"Because you've been thinking too much lately. Is it because of Dada?", he furrowed his eyebrows while he continued," he will come home soon. He loves us" he said softly.

"When did you enter?" I changed the topic.

"Now" he shrugged his shoulder, "I've been saying Teslim and no one answered me," he said disappointedly.

"Sorry".

"Mom, what is today?" He asked cheerfully, beaming with happiness.

"Don't know?" I said dismissively.

How would I know!, when all I've been doing was crying and thinking!.

"Oops momma" he looked dejectedly.

"What?" I said confusedly.

"Even strangers remember today is my birthday" his voice wavered while tears gleamed in his eyes.

"I'm sorry bibi".

"You forget my birthday" he cried while I tried to shoo him.

I shook my head vigorously 'no', "how would I forget my baby's birthday?" I lied while he raised his head, smiling widely.

"I was just teasing you" I tapped him on his forehead.

"Momma, let's go to the pack. We've not been there lately" he grinned.

"Who is that stranger?" I raised my eyebrows inquisitively.

"Captain Z" stuck his tongue at me.

"Captain Z?" I asked inquisitively.

"Yes" he nodded," he said we should call him that," he said swirling his backpack around.

We headed out of the house going to the nearest entry to buy ice cream. He never stops talking about captain Z. He continued that captain Z was this and that. I couldn't wait to meet that mysterious captain Z of my son. After we ordered our ice cream and went out of the shop he danced and laughed widely as  I laughed along too.

When was the last time I laughed happily without fear!.

I held his hand tightly because we were on the roadside. When he tugged my hand for attention. I whipped my head around and faced him," what is it Bibi?" I asked while he pointed to the other side of the road. I squinted my eyes because I didn't know what he was pointing to.

"Momma, see captain Z" he beamed excitedly. I squinted my eyes very well then I saw the person's back. The person's posture looked familiar. My c.h.e.s.t beat frantically while I turned to the woman I was talking- wanting to leave her.

I released Abdullahi's hand while holding out my pulse to pay for the balloon. I turned to hold Bibi when I noticed he was running to another side of the road. I screamed loud because the incident was repeating itself. The balloon and the pulse, I was holding fell down from my hand while I stood still. My baby's body fell on the ground with a loud thud while everything seemed frozen because it happened slowly.

So much blood!.

The same way his father died?. My thoughts were about highways.

Everyone was running to help him, calling an ambulance but here I was, still fighting with my brain to comprehend.

"No!" I screamed frantically, seeing my baby's blood paint the floor red.

"Abdullahi!" I released an agonizing scream.