Chapter 61: Chapter 61

You know that feeling? The feeling of forgetting all your worries for a mean time before they'll run back to you as if that was where they belong. That's how exactly how Ummi felt when she woke up. She was still on her bed, legs brought to chest as she placed her chin on her knees-staring vacantly into space.

She still couldn't scupper the meaning of the words: Al-amin is married to Laila. She still couldn't redefine the image of Laila cuddled with Al-amin in their living room's sofa, a place that once held the most priced posession memory of their lives-was now an indicator of her sorrow.

She knew it was weekend, but still_she needed getting this out of her head. She wanted to fill her jumbled head with thoughts that could atleast take off her mind from Al-amin and Laila. And suddenly, she thought doing a general cleaning might be of help.

She moved to the edge of her bed and kept staring at the marbled floor. For a minute, Ummi wished she was this floor_it doesn't have a heart in it. It wouldn't mind being cleaned or not, it was as solid as a rock. No feelings.

She walked to the bathroom, and the face that welcomed her through the mirror was horrifying. It wasn't that jovial girl that has no worries in her life-but what her Baba would bring for her. She wasn't that forever damsel that make guys swoon upon her appearance-with a single glimpse; one could tell she was a scorched lady that couldn't be mended.

She splashed the water in her hands on the mirror and hastily brushed her teeth, before she proceeded and had her bathe. She walked out of the bathroom with water dripping from her drenched hair. She blow dried it and made way to her closet.

'You'll surely know what it meant to dress like a prostitute in your husband's house!' These were her words, uttered to Laila. But she was sure, Laila would use them back against her. She will show her that they have the same status in Al-amin's life, if not; even better.

She gulped down a bitter lump in her throat, stifled back her tears and brought out a black pencil jeans with a white crop top_she wasn't feeling like covering up her hair-so she let it dangling from its pony tail. Her face was devoid of makeup, her eyes screamed pain and melancholy, but surely_her body was dangerous. Horrifying.

She took her phone from the bedside drawer-where it was laying since Al-amin texted her. She could remember the last time Azizah sent her the links to the latest Nigerian songs. Knowing she would surely need the energy to work-and she might not be herself anymore-but somethings surely won't change in her. She needs music for energy to do work. She downloaded all the songs Azizah sent her their links and walked out of the room.

She was walking with an aura of charisma. It was a bit breezy outside-which makes her pony-tailed hair to disperse through different directions. Her eyes holds a fiesty expression that wouldn't be slackened with just a threat. Majestically, she descended the staircases and and stood in the middle of the living room_scanning its areas, thinking of a better place to start.

She finally decided on rearranging the sofas Laila rearranged when she was in Katsina. With a small hiss escaping her lips, Ummi put on the music with a high volume and started walking. At some point, she would stop whatever she was doing and swivel a little before she continued. It was surely soothing her down, and taking off her toxic thoughts.

She finished rearranging the furnitures and swept the living room throughly. With seizing breaths, she was finally sweeping the dinning area- and that's when she heard thumping steps smacking the floor-by then, she was out of breathe_fanning her face as if that would stabilize her breathe.

Al-amin walked out of his room, he was wearing a sweat pant and a v-neck shirt. He was scrolling through his phone, looking for something decent to take off his head with-this weekend. He was used to doing a general cleaning with Ummi every weekened. Their giggles echoing through the confines of the walls. She would spritz water on his face, and in a second_that would call for a water fight. All that couldn't be done now, not after what he had seen.

He heard someone breathing loudly, as if he was out of breath. Speeding off a little, he found himself in the dinning area, and Ummi was slumped on the floor with the broom in her hand, her eyes turning upside down. In a minute, he forgot all that ever happened between them.

"Arub!" He shouted, sprinting towards her. He held her in his hand and began thumping her chest with his hands-completely agitated.

"I--I ne..ed wa..te..r," she slurred painfully, as tears spilled out of her eyes. They were tears of pain, tears of empathy towards those that couldn't breathe normally without having an oxygen mask, tears of gratitude towards Allah-He let her breath normally all those years, this was just for some minutes, but she feels like dying.

He scuttled to the kitched and brought a bottle of water, before he helped her sat upright, with her head on his chest_and he gave her the water with his hand, which she gulped down painfully-feeling as if her lungs were languished more.

After she drank the water, she felt all her limbs slackening, she had no choice but to lean more on Al-amin's chest-albeit that's the last thing she want to happen between them. A close proximity. She wanted to yank off her body from his and inquire wether he was ready to listen to her, wether he would ever forgive her, wether he still love her or not.

That would only happen when they're the only ones in the house, because before she could even bulge-Laila came out of her room; wearing a yellow bathrobe that suit her skin colour_with the head towel wrapped perfectly on her head_revealing only some strands of hair-which made her looked____Ravishing.

"Corazón," and she stopped from uttering the next words, when Al-amin and Ummi came to her veiw, and how Ummi was comfortably leaning on his chest looked as if she was created for that place. Only her.

"What is this? What are you doing, Yayah?" She asked, walking towards them with trudging steps.

Ummi closed her eyes, mustering the remaining strength in her_she knew this would never end well, and to avoid any humiliation towards her from Al-amin-because she knew he was kind because she was sick-she peeled off her body from his chest and stood up.

Trying so hard to stand on her two feet, she tried walking past Laila when she held her wrist firmly. "You aren't going anywhere without telling me what you were doing with my husband. Were you seducing him...," Ummi could see the glint of pain in her eyes, as if the word seduction hurts to even use it between her husband and her.

Ummi was weak, but she would never give Laila the chance to even glare at her next time_talkless of holding her wrist and addressing such a stupid question towards her. She yanked off her hand and turned to look at Al-amin, whom was looking at them as if he had gone dumb.

"Warn your wife, Al-amin. Warn her not to ever even dream of holding my hand, talkless of doing it practically. You so well knew the devils that lies beneath this soul of mine, I might be soft now; and in a minute-I can be a lioness." She was talking softly, yet her words were gigantic, they held a warning tone, pain and disgust. She glared at Laila and tried walking off, and she blocked her way_yet again.

"Mrs. Aysha, you aren't going anywhere without telling me what you were doing with my husband-knowing clearly he will be with me for the next 6 days to come. So...explain your poor self," Laila demanded, she stood there hands at akimbo, presumptuously looking at Ummi, whom eyes were closing by themselves-and she was trying so hard to dart them open.

Ummi clenched her eyes shut. Laila is just too small for her to deal with. They're married to Al-amin right? Then he would be the one she's going to do this with. She took off her eyes from her and looked at Al-amin, whom was now holding his phone with one hand, the other placed in his pocket.

"Al-amin, for the second time_warn your wife. I don't want to repeat this, she's your wife-so answer her question yourself. I'm too tired to waste my time on this." And she hissed softly before trying to manoeuvre beside Laila, so she could finally rest from the throbbing in her heart, the dizziness in her head, and choas in her life.

What Laila said next was what jerked her awake completely. It was what revived those devils beneath her soul to life. "You don't have time for this, or rather; you have more men to attend to, huh?" Laila spoke sneeringly, disgustingly looking at Ummi.

Ummi infuriatedly looked at Al-amin, but how he wasn't looking at them made her did the thing she was pushing out of her mind. "Al-amin! For the last time, wallahi tallahi we all are going to regret what I'm going to do. It's either your warn this stupid figure you call your wife; or you all are going to regret it!" She bellowed and diverted her attention back to a fuming Laila.

"And you, what ever you think of yourself, you're nothing but a classless and cheapest bride in my eyes. The lady that was used as a substitute! And let me tell you, he will surely regret marrying you! Mark my words. And about you having him for the whole week, Laila Mustapha Bugaje_if you like, have Al-amin for the rest of your lives, all I know it that-you just have the body figure_but his soul is still with me.

And you want to know wether I was seducing your husband or not? Well, I wasn't but let me jumble up his mind infront of you, let me flare up the emotions that were never to be revived in him but with me alone. I'm telling you, you'll regret this!" And she walked majestically towards Al-amin, before he could know what she was trying to do, she lifted up her legs and merged their lips. At first, it was for her to enrage Laila, but she realized she missed him more than she missed her died soul.

With glassy eyes, Laila watched as they kissed each other hungrily, with so much affection she felt like gulping down her heart. She watched as Al-amin dragged her closer to his body, taking her off her feets. With pain lecerating her heart, she watched as Ummi ruffled his trimmed hair and they kissed with so much longing than before.

With reluctance, Ummi slowly break their hug, and for some nanoseconds-she placed her head on his chest and closed her eyes, heaving a sigh as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Their hearts did the talking, emoting the feelings unspoken.

Ummi watched over her shoulder and saw ocean of tears cascading dow Laila's cheeks. She smiled triumphantly and broke their hug-which was to calm her down. She placed her hand on the position of stiffened Al-amin's heart-whom seemed out of the world they were living. She fondled it lightly and looked at Laila.

"This isn't his heart anymore-it's Aysha Abbakar Mashi's possession." And she walked bumptiously towards Laila, with a smirk playing on her cheeks.

"That is called seduction; or rather, mind jumbling. He wouldn't be himself for the next two hours now. Come here for some tips on him, I wouldn't mind helping a sister." And she stared at her crying self before she shook her head with a feign sympathy. "I told you, you'll surely regret it-Our Lily." And she scoffed, with a sarcastic tone laced on her voice. Without looking back at a half living Al-amin; she walked up to her room and locked the door_slumping down on the ground-as tears washed down her face. What she realized was; she missed Al-amin.

***

"Lily, please I'm begging you_how would you go back now? When there has to be the poeple that came for the wedding still in that house-and you know Hajia so well, she wouldn't take this lightly on us." Al-amin was pleading with her more than an hour ago. And as Ummi said_it took him two hours before he was finally himself and met Laila packing her clothes_saying that she wouldn't stand being humiliated in her own matrimonial home.

She was crying profusely, her eyes were bloodshot from the tears, and her face was puffy. She looked at Al-amin and shook her head, she can't do it anymore. What she saw in his eyes when they were kissing each other was sheer adulation. And whenever she looked at him, Ummi's word 'substitute' screamed through her ears, which makes more tears to gush down.

"I really can't do this, Yayah. Just see how she kissed you in my presence, and you were responding like a hungry lion. While knowing fully I'll have you for a whole week before anything. But see? Just a day into the marriage, I was being humiliated wholly." Those were her exact words. And that kiss hurts her more than she was ever hurted in her life.

Al-amin palmed his forehead; he was resisting himself from going to Ummi's room-and here, Laila is making him reminisce the best kiss he ever had with Ummi in his entire life. He gulped down a lump and looked at Laila, "Lily, won't you do this for Yaya? And you where the one that instigated that kiss-I knew she's capable of teaching you a lesson in the most simplest way_that's why I didn't interfere. But wallahi I didn't know that's what she's going to do."

Laila broke down in tears, yet again. So Al-amin was really amused by how Ummi taught her the hardest lesson of her life? So good of him. "Yaya, as she said; I'm just a substitute. Can I have my trolley? I might need to leave as soon as possible; I can see you aren't fully back to yourself_may be the two hours aren't enough. You just love her so much to even realize you were smiling when talking about that kiss." Just talking about that kiss made her closed her eyes, her heart throbbing with so much pain.

She didn't know how, but all she could feel is was being hovered by Al-amin's tall figure. She looked up at him with her innocent eyes and made a puppy face, more tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Laila," he spoke softly, placing his hands on her shoulder. "I love you too. May be more than I've ever loved Aysha. Please don't leave, okay?"

She opened her mouth to protest, but her words were made guttural-as he coalesced their lips together. She closed her eyes, savouring in the lips of Al-amin's lips on hers. It was something she had been longing for, to feel how his lips would be on hers.

All Al-amin could see were Ummi's honey orbs, all he could feel was her cute luscious lips that always makes him out of his mind. He wished she was the one ensconced in his embrace_having to kiss her all over again.

Meanwhile, Ummi was thirsty and came down to take water-her eyes were red from tears. She was passing through the veranda from the kitchen to her room; which has Laila's room in it_when her ears heard Al-amin's raspy voice uttered, 'I love you too. May be more than I've ever loved Aysha. Please don't leave, Okay?' All her world came crashing down, all she was afraid of happening was confirmed to her even before she asked.

With an excruciating pain lecerating her heart, she trudge to her room and hopped on the middle of her bed. She brought her legs to her knees and dived her nails to her legs. She was just staring into space, the tears weren't even cascading, all she knew is, her heart is in a pool of blood.

____

Al-amin made sure Laila wasn't angry anymore before they came out together and prepared their breakfast. He wanted taking her to somewhere romantic today, but he couldn't take his mind off the lady behind the closed door. Ummi.

There was a knock on the door, Laila wanted getting the door but he beat her on it. Mallam Garba gave him a letter, saying it was sent by a guy; that it's for Ummi. Al-amin collected it with tentative hands before he walked back into the living room.

He excused himself from Laila and walked over Ummi's room_luckily enough, it wasn't locked. He wanted seeing the content of the letter with her before him. He entered the room and found her curled up on her bed, only her raspy breaths could be heard.

He cleared his throat, and that made her sat upright and looked at him, with a throbbing heard and head. She was a mess.

"This letter was for you," he informed, without looking at her face.

"Read it out, there isn't anything left for me to see." And as she predicted, eventhough she prepared herself for the worst; this was just more worst than she expected. It scared her to the point that she let out a wail and looked at Al-amin with a seizing breathe and a shaking head.

A disgusting and hateful look, was all he flashed her before he placed the letter on her bed and walked out of the room. As she heard the sound of her door being closed-so as the sound of her heart being shattered.