Replacement Girl

Chapter 43 - Ahmad

Ever since Naziha and I met again, I hadn't been myself. Not as if I wanted her back but I felt like she didn't deserve the life she threw herself into.

If you could remember, what she did in the past was for the sake of the two of us. Or rather, for the sake of our family overall.

She had wanted conceiving against all odds, to give our family an heir and that was what led to everything. From one clergyman to another, until everything later fell apart. If only she had accepted her fate.

Allah had created her barren and she wasn't the first nor would she be the last person to be created that way. She should have been patient and keep praying, perhaps it was a test to see how patient she could be but then she failed.

I kept thinking about her until finally, I decided to visit her today. Her shop number was still on my head so I drove to the shop in the market after work. She was also about closing when I arrived at the shop.

"Ahmad?" She puzzled as soon as she saw me.

"Hi, are you closing?" I uttered.

"Yes, it's almost time" She said locking the shop's door. "I thought you wouldn't come"

"I never wanted to" I said staring at her.

"Hmm" She huffed. "You look great, Ahmad"

"Thank you" I managed to smile.

"Don't mention" She said. "So, why are you here?" She continued. "We both know you are not here to buy something, Ahmad Jaafar Zaki"

That moment, the Naziha I knew surfaced in her. I could remember the first day I met her at Brimstone, it was love at first sight. I thought we were going to live together till death do us apart but nay, life would always be dynamic.

"Can I drive you home?" I asked.

"Yeah, sure!" She smiled.

We both went into my car and she told me her destination which was an old countryside in Minna.

The residers of the place used to call it Shanu Village, it is situated / located at the back of Police Secondary School.

...

It was a silent drive to her destination. I pulled over and just as she was about alighting from the car, I halted her by holding her arm.

"There is something I want to tell you" I said releasing the hand.

"What's that?" She asked.

"It's about my promise to your mother" I said with a sigh. 

"You are taking me back, right?" She asked somehow excited.

"Not really, I am just offering you a job in my company. That way, you will live a better life and your mother won't have to ask me on the day of resurrection why I didn't fulfill my promise of giving you a better life till the end" I uttered. 

"No, thank you!" She said about leaving.

"Stop, Naziha" I held her arm again. "Don't make this hard for the two of us, just accept the offer please"

"No, I can't!" She objected.

"Why?" I queried.

"Because living around you will be difficult for me unless you are going to marry me again" She said.

"Marry you again?" I wrinkled a brow at her. "Naziha, we both know I... I will never dare do that. I can't!"

"Then leave me alone. Come to me only when you want to buy my stuffs and don't feel sorry for me ever again because I deserve the life I threw myself into. I deserve everything!" She said in tears. "For all I care, whatever I did was for the Zaki Family and your father was the one that pushed me into it. You know that!"

"I know, but he's dead now so forgive him" I said.

"I've forgiven him already" She sniffed.

"Good, now just take my offer and..." I said as she cut in.

"I will not, Ahmad!" She yelled at me crying even more. "All I want is you, I want you back into my life not your damn job. Fuck it!"

"Right? Then I am sorry because I can't help you with that" I said releasing her arm. "I am so sorry" I huffed, deeply.

"You should be!" She said as she stormed out of the car. "Farewell, my love" She shut the door off and left.

I needed nobody to tell me she still loved me, but there was no way we could ever be together again. In fact, my mother would never even agree to us coming back to each other. 

Humairah and Rania too, they would never wish to share me with her. In fact they don't really like talking about her, whenever I bring her topic up they would find ways to change it.

Especially Rania, she disliked Naziha a lot. She had burnt some of the latter's remaining belongings to ashes, such as portrays, crafts, and so on.

I believed she did that in order to help stop me from ever remembering Naziha, how I loved it when she does things her own way! I had suggested she just hide the things than burning them but she didn't listen.

Well I didn't stop her also, I wouldn't even dare because she would think differently about it. And when Rania thinks differently about something, she gives it a whole new definition or meaning.

...

I drove back home and never told anyone about my visit to Naziha. My mind was clear and I lived my life peacefully with my two beautiful and hot wives, together with my mother and lovely kids.

I believed one day I would see her again the fact that we were partially living in the same twon. We may probably bump into each other or I may see her by the road and then give her a lift to wherever she would go to.

After all, she was that amazing puzzle piece I would always remember. I may forget about our bad days but our good days would forever linger in my mind, she was my test and hopefully I had passed the test.

It wasn't easy though but Alhamdulillah, all praises and thanks be to Allah the Lord of Dignity and Honour. I believed one day, she would be happy again!

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