Burnt Embers

Chapter Twenty Two

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Khadijah  was too tired to even pay attention  to her phone  until the next day after she came back from  school  which marked the end of her registration .

She logged into WhatsApp  expecting to see his text  but was disappointed  to see none. With a shrug  as if she doesn't Care she typed the account number and pressed the send button before she changes her mind.  Kaybee has just widened  the already existing rift between  them. She wondered  when he will be man enough to apologize  or start behaving normally with her and she hates the way he comes in and out of her life like a shooting star. 

She was in the kitchen making gruel for Baba  when she heard some male voices saying  the salams. Knowing  that Baba  is in the living  room  to answer  the door,  she just answered the salam and continued  mixing the ingredients.

" Khadijah come and serve  our guests with water " came Baba 's voice.

She arranged a jug and drinking cups on a tray and securely wrap her veil before going out only to be shocked at the person looking at her with a smirk.

" You're welcome ina wuninku " she greeted dropping the tray on the floor with  shaky  hands.

She was taken back to  a moment in time, a day she tried  so hard to forget. Something she didn't tell anyone.  Not even Zee .

#
She was walking on a lonely deserted road late afternoon when his blaring horn made her turn around frightened that she's about  to be knocked off.  He came out with  a smile she wished she can wipe off with  a stone.

" Hey babe !  Long time no see,  I am still processing on how to make you mine so worry not you'll soon be my wifey " he stated cockily.

" How can you say such things to a married woman? " it is the only defence she can think of .

" hahah that's funny. Even that  guy told me the same thing,  I wonder  why you guys are hiding behind an already dissolved marriage,  I  have  done my research  and you my dear is a divorcee who's soon gonna  get married again to none other than me " he said grinning widely .

Her body  starts to tremble and she didn't  know when she broke  into a run. What scared her is the underlining tone of danger  in his voice. She has been married to a monster and she can sniff  one from a thousand miles  and she knows better to run away from such people.

She had a nightmare that night which is more like a rerun of what happened earlier, she prayed that Allah will not give Haroun the chance  to meet Baba  because they owe his father  a lot and she knows how people  in her society think . Baba  can Marry her off to him just because  of the favour his father had done them. #

She was so immersed in thoughts that she didn't  know when tears cascaded down  her cheeks. She was brought out of reverie by her  father's  voice.

" I am coming " she called back taking out the mug she will serve the gruel  in.

" I think you've seen this man before" Baba pointed at Haroun.

" Yes. He's Alhaji sani's son " she squeaked  out her heart hammering in her chest.

" Mashaa Allah,  he came here  with a marriage proposal  and I told him I will do my investigations on him and if you two  get to know each other and you're okay with  it then he have my consent  and blessings. " Baba  further explained.

Just then khadijah  felt like the world is crumbling  and her  life is coming to an end, how can she say yes to Haroun?but she's  thankful for two things, one being the fact that  she's a divorcee  therefore have the right  to choose a spouse  for herself and can't be forced into  marrying  someone she did not like and two the fact that Baba  is giving her  a choice.