She wore tight jeans with belt, and then wore another jean on top before covering both jeans with a denim skirt. Why? She was meant to be happy, enjoying her new marriage life but it was the other way round. Her parents should have let her be.
Then she heard the sound of the gate being opened by the gatekeeper. She felt her heart sinking. She ran to the window and saw Jubril driving in. She watched him park the car, then alighted without even locking the doors.
Was he tensed up? Did he have an hidden agenda? Hidden? He said it straight that he was coming for her tonight. Oh no! He was coming in when she heard her phone ringing. She was startled by the sudden buzz of the phone, maybe because she was already scared.
She went for the phone, aware of her shivering body. “Hello.”
“Thank God you have not changed your number…Miss Sunshine. Where are you?” Boom! The rumbling sound that swept through her head could not be described. Then she felt as if her heart jumped up to her mouth, then a confused state of mind, trying to assure herself that she was not dreaming.
“My Hayatti?” “ My love. I came back for you. It was hell. Just tell me where you are.” Justin's voice was clear and unchanged. She heard Jubril climbing up the stairs………..
…………………………………………………………
Haya….Justin!” she called remembering that she was still married to Jubril, she felt it was wrong to call him Hayatti. “Justin! What happened? Where have you been? I felt it. I felt your heart beat.” She asked.
“After they shot me….” She heard Jubril’s steps and she quickly ended the call. She did not know what he was up to and how he would react if he knew she was talking to Justin. But she was nervous, filled with mixed feelings.
Justin called back and Jubril came into her room. She could not pick the call. Jubril must not know it was Justin She did not know what to tell Justin. What a dilemma.
Jubril stood firmly, and she noticed an expression on his face which looked stern, the jovial ,placidly contented façade was gone. “Your phone is ringing.” He said.
“I know .”She said, “just a pesky friend. Let it ring.” “But rudeness is not part of your etiquettes .You never reject calls.” “You are wrong. Some calls must be ignored, some rejected and some picked to warn.
I told her not to call again but she refused.” He shrugged.
“You are welcome.”
“Thank you. What is wrong with you?” Jubril asked.
“I am fine.” Petra responded.
“But you look nervous….oh…you are scared of what I said to you before I left, huh? Do not worry, you will enjoy it. It’s just fear.”
“Please Jubrili….Jubril..” “You never made such a goof before even though both named are very similar.” He said suspiciously.
“I used to wonder but today you did it.”
“I am sorry.”
“Sorry for what? You are not sorry. You are looking for an escape route so stop being nice .You shout at me when I barge on you; you vituperate when I try to touch you. It is six months, living with a woman I married and not even a kiss, not a hold of hand and my friends feel I rock the night, my mother watching you to see if I am bringing fort a grandchild for her. Do you pity me? Do you feel anything for me? After a wedding like that!”
“But I told you before we got married and you agreed. I never expected you to agree. I said it to send you off but you agreed and I believed you…” Petra said.
“Did I not hold on to the bargain? Tell me.” “But you are breaching the pact right now.”
“I am not.”
“You are a nice person, I know that and the past six months have shown that you are a gentleman….”
“Excuse me; can I use your restroom?” She gave him a suspicious glance and then nodded.
“Thank you.” He walked majestically into the restroom and then came out with a pale of water, sponge and soap. Petra wondered what he was doing.
“Okay, I am ready.” He said. Something was wrong with this guy, she feared. “Ready for what?” Petra asked.
“Wash. You can’t verbally wash me. Use soap, Sponge and water. I am a gentleman, huh? Now, listen, if you think I am going to struggle with you to make love to you, no. We have a few days to six months anniversary.
When the time comes, I am going to talk to your father and tell him that you have never allowed me come close to you since we got married. But there is one thing I will do…I will deny that we ever had any agreement. That agreement was a mistake.
I am your husband and have the right to you at anytime. And you know what will happen when I tell him. You are traumatized and delusional. That Justin of yours is dead. I never told you this, I met your cousin since when I was in college. He is my friend.
I never knew he was your cousin until his father started handling our marriage issue. After our wedding, I tried to find out about Justin from him but he seemed not to know much. I did my private investigation and realized that he is not anywhere close or available.
He was shot, like you said and must have been devoured by crocodiles. I am doing this because I know you are only preserving something for a corpse. He must have become bones now.
You will come to realize this later and you will thank me to waking you up from your dreams. I will go to my room. We have six days to six months. Better think about it so we can make it without a third party.
I promise, after the first one…phew, I will start hiding from you….”
“Okay.” She said feeling disgusted. “I will think about it but before then, please remember our agreement.” She said.
“I told you , I am a perfect gentleman. Good night.” He responded.
“What about dinner?” He shook his head. “That is the only thing you do which wives do; cook and give me food. I want food, that food, I am so hungry so keep this food, I am waiting for that food.” He walked out and shut the door behind him.
She rushed and locked the door, came back, returned the pale and soap back to the toilet then came and sat on her bed. She was shaking. She thought of running away to meet Justin but had a second thought. She loved Justin with every breath she took but Allah was the first and greatest love then His Prophet and that meant His law over everything.
She was married and could not go out to meet another man or go out without Jubril’s consent. Then what would she do? She called Justin’s number. She could not believe it for real.
Justin? After all these years! Petra said.
“I thought you were with Father (Dad) when you refused to pick.” His sweet voice said and it went straight into her heart, yet she was trying to resist it, resist him, for she was still married and had to respect that.
“I am sorry.” She said in a low tune. “I don’t know where to start from. What happened? Who were they and why? Why did you and Addy have the same mark? How are they involved and where the hell have you been that you could not reach out to me?” Petra asked…
“You know I will always reach out to you at the slightest opportunity. It is a story that cannot be told over the phone but I was bedridden for almost a year. My survival was a miracle. I came back just for you.
I met a family who looked after me. They are willing to stand for me. I have a job. I run a computer business centre near a university campus. I have saved enough to get married now. I am sorry I could not make it on March 10 as I predicted. It is not in my hands….”
Now she was crying. How would she tell him that she was married? Just how?
“Justin.” She called him and he paused. She could feel the tensed silence. She was used to calling him Hayatti and she had only called him that once which was a mistake.
“Miss Sunshine.” “When you left….mum organized a search party for you and they searched for over two months. You were never found. That night, three people attacked me. The man was called Kacha, then the lady was called Bas, and another guy who I cannot recollect his name. They wanted the PDA but I destroyed it along with one of my father’s car. My life took a turn.
I do not have to go into details of what I went through. I never looked at any man. I kept waiting for you…..” she kept explaining until she got to the point where she paused, then said, “I got married. I am married.”
“What?” Justin Exclaimed.