WHATEVER, POLICE OFFICER

Fifty Six.

ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA.

Ruwaidha took a deep breath and release it through her mouth. What Zainab Babagana just said actually hit her where it's not supposed to and she badly wants to retort but the words won't just come up in a sentence. Her eyes fell on her son again, he is just blankly staring and waiting patiently for her to talk. But like Zainab Babagana had said, there is no lying this time around because both figures are here and one lie from her will make her a liar for the rest of her life in Ahmad's eyes and she doesn't want that. Such a nightmare.

She leaned forward and took his right hand in hers, gave a bittersweet smile before she started. "I've lied to you about that fact because I was so jealous of her. She's got your father's love while I couldn't even get him to smile, she's got you when I have no hope for a baby. I was very stupid to say all those things about her but I was hurt too. I didn't know which root to take or how to vent out my wrath on your father so I settled on you. I'm so sorry what I did made a great impact in your life. I never knew it would come to this. I'm sorry."

Ahmad didn't say anything for a long while and only examined her with dull eyes, he didn't give anything away. She's waiting for him to talk and say anything, should stop staring at her like this but Ahmad didn't. It felt like he himself is out of words and is conjuring what to tell her, nothing came to his head. After a while, he turned his head away from her and close his eyes as if he is suddenly too tired of the drama taking place in his life. His mother had betrayed him just like his father which left on Fatima Babagana now to do the same. That would've been his undoing, Fatima betraying him and hurting him like this because she is the only one he cares about now and same thing from her he will lose faith in humanity.

"Can you leave me alone? I want to be alone because I need to think. You are just like father, you've betrayed me in the worst possible way. I could've had two mothers, without any fright that my biological one loves me just as much as my father's wife but you ruined that. Maybe father's betrayal is caused by you." He saw her flinch but that's the truth and she knew it too. She's been nothing but pain to his father, there was never love or affection between them and he's always wondered why.

Ruwaidha's eyes filled up with tears, she couldn't believe what he son is saying. The truth hurts so much and all he's said is true, every single thing that left his mouth. Maybe that was why she didn't feel the pain he's felt when he found out about what his father had done. "You are hurt and angry, I understand but please don't cut me off from your life now that you know the truth. I cannot bear it, I only have you. Please."

Ahmad swallowed thickly, he still loves her because she was the one who cleared his tears when he got bullied first day in school, clean his nose and took care of him when he was sick and was incapable. Things are not going to be the same anymore but it doesn't mean he will cut her off, he cannot do that to her. People have different mindset and this is her own foolishness that was made in fit of jealousy and immaturity. He will forgive her for this just like he's forgiven his father, he is borne to forgive anyway.

A dua for our mothers; may every year that has ever fallen from their eyes on our behalf become a river for them in Jannah, Amin.

He let go of her hand and threw her a reassuring smile that answered her questions. Silently, Ruwaidha stood up, glanced at Fatima who's busy with the her phone to notice her sudden departure then left the room. She's prayed that their marriage shouldn't work out but she is seeing the exact opposite of her dua. Fatima and Ahmad are getting ridiculously closer to one another which further confirmed that she is not his mother neither had she been a great stepmother.

Fatima stood up after she's left, a small smile on her face as she examined him. Ahmad raised a brow in question as to why she is smiling and why does she look suddenly so chatty. He could see the smile shivering on her lips which is something he's come to learn that she does whenever she wants to talk. How much he's come to learn about Fatima in just a few days is beyond him. That is how some things are, you get to know someone in matter of few days while others it took years and you'd still never understand a shilling about them.