Khadija Nadabo is the person who everyone wants to befriend or claim they know. She's a friendly and timid person with a smile plastered on her face whenever and wherever.
Not to mention having a family anyone could envy. Married to a successful wel...
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I DECIDED TO GO OUT TODAY. I've been cooped up at home doing nothing so I decided to go out for shopping to make myself feel better. I took my time to style Jamal that left me giggling for ten minutes because of how cute he looked. Especially how moody he was.
I stepped out of the car into the scorching sun letting out a deep breath at that, before pulling Jamal out of his car seat and into his stroller, making my way towards the huge building in front of me with several people exiting and several trooping in.
I made my way towards the a children's store to get more clothes for Jamal only to bump into someone in the process. The person muttered an apology taking a few steps back finally giving me my personal space only for both our eyes to widen. It was none other than Aisha my old classmate in secondary school. Let's just say we ended on bad terms because she always had something against me until I set her straight and we parted ways.
"Khadija?" She gasped walking towards me, her eyes darting from Jamal to me. My eyes darted to her friends from secondary school, Laila and Hadiza. They usually snickered whenever she picked on me, but they were quick to stop as soon as I threatened to punch them.
"Aisha." I flashed her a tight smile just as she embraced me. I paused with my hands in the air before I awkwardly tapped her back twice just as she pulled away placing her hands on my shoulders with a grin.
"What are you doing in Kaduna?" Laila tilted her head to the side.
"Just came to visit my aunt." I shrugged my shoulders pairing it with a passive smile.
"That's cute. Leaving your husband all alone at a time like this though." There was a biting edge to her words that made me smile wider as I pressed my lips together.
"He can take care of himself." I waved the idea off with the wave of my hand dismissing the topic altogether.
"Other women won't have a problem doing that though." Laila asserted getting an immediate reaction from me as I jerked my head back, letting out a laugh.
"You're right." I agreed with her which didn't seem like she was expecting my reaction as she stared at me blankly. Laila gasped clapping her hands together in as as she peeked at Jamal in his stroller.
"Your son?" She asked earning a nod from me as my hold tightened on the stroller.
"He's cute." Hadiza commented passively.
"I'll be leaving first." I declared not acknowledging her half assed compliment.
"Everything okay though?" Laila's shrill voice halted my actions as I turned to face her, slightly curious.
"Is there anything to worry about?" I replied smartly, my patience running thin.
"Your aunt had a lot of," Aisha paused finding the right words to say. "...concerns regarding your marriage. I couldn't help but share her worry as per your marriage seems to be in a bit of a fluff and you even got a kid. I mean the responsibility seems too much to handle." Her face morphed into one of concern, though the smirk on her lips highlights her biting tone.
Laila pursed her lips at her statement looking off to the side and my eyes quickly darted to Hadiza folding her lips in an attempt to hold her laugh. My heart clenched at the revelation that everyone in town knew what was going on and it was all thanks to my aunt.
"One would expect some semblance of mental evolution after so many years. But I guess I expected too much of you." I jeered clouded with my emotions.
"What —" she started.
"That's really offensive to say, Khadija." Hadiza interjected obviously against what I said.
"And what she said isn't?" I raised my brow defensively.
"We're adults now. We're not the children we were, we can't handle situations like we did before." Laila remarked adding to Hadiza's point.
"The funny part is I left this state and built my life even if it's rocky, I know I've changed some aspects. You, however are in the same position listening to petty gossips about people to convince yourself that you have it better." I hurled the bitter truth at her.
"You're crossi —" Laila tried interjecting but I paid no heed to her.
"I have no idea what's going on in your life, all of you." I scoffed, my eyes flickering from Laila to Hadiza before it finally fell on Aisha.
"You know why?" I questioned. "Because I have better things to do. I really thought we could have a normal conversation but I guess I asked too much of you." I sneered shaking my head in utter disgust as I made my way to the entrance, no longer in the mood to shop.
•••
Mahmoud sighed slamming the door to his house close immediately going to the kitchen for water. He was welcomed with the sight of Jamila in an apron rolling what appeared to be cookie dough.
He made his way to the fridge without a word to retrieve a bottle of water. It was only then she noticed his presence as she raised her head up.
"You're late." Jamila blurred out, waiting for an explanation. Mahmoud made his way to one of the stools taking a seat gulping down the whole bottle in an instant. Her eyes followed every single movement he made, even when he rested his hands on the counter top, his hands on his head.
"Where were you?" Jamila asked once again, only to be ignored once again but his eyes remained closed.
"Just get off my case today. Can you do that?" He ran a tired hand down his face, his voice gravely. Jamila pursed her lips dropping the dough on the counter placing her hand on her waist. This was the fourth day he's been out and came back very late and the fact that he usually comes back tired made her paranoid.
"This is the fourth day —" Jamila started, her lips pressing against each other.
"You counted the days?" Mahmoud let out a breath as a laugh though it sounded more like a scoff, shaking his head in what appeared to be disbelief.
"Do you blame me? You want me to sit back and watch you do whatever you wish?" Jamila expressed agitatedly, her voice increasing with each second.
"I'm not allowed to do what I wish?" Mahmoud tilted his head to the side daringly. Jamila pursed her lips realizing she made the wrong choice of words as she tried constructing her speech.
"I meant to say —" Jamila started but she already hit a nerve.
"You seem to be forgetting your role here. Snap out of it." Mahmoud's eyes snapped to her sternly, his voice heavy with disdain. His eyes held hers for a couple of seconds before he tore his eyes off her making his way out of the kitchen leaving her all alone in the kitchen.
