Chapter 51: Chapter 51

Hayfah looked at him with an agaped mouth. Why would he ask for her forgiveness? Isn't she the one supposed to ask for his forgiveness? All this aside, curiosity got the best of her.

"Abba, why are you asking for my forgiveness, when I'm the one to ask you that?"

She gazed as he squinted his eyes painfully before he darted them wide open, and that was when she saw the ocean of tears in his eyes. What would've happen when she wasn't here? Could it be the marriage thing? Abba shouldn't worry about that, albeit she isn't okay with his decision, but he shouldn't cry because of that also.

"Abba please, if it's because of Malik's proposal, don't get yourself tensed up_Allah it's totally okay with me. Stop your tears please," she whimpered, feeling how his tears were dripping directly onto the aorta of her bleeding heart.

"It isn't because of that, there is that guiltiness also_but what's eating me up is because of Rukayya, would you forgive me, Hayfah?" Abba slurred, he was determined to unveil the mystery behind Rukayya, and nothing will ever stop him.

Hayfah felt a pang in her chest. What brought Rukayya into their conversation with Abba that he had to cry and ask for her forgiveness all? She thought that story was only cooked up by Umma, for a second_she've never thought Abba knew something about that.

She pushed the chair forward, squeezing his hand lightly, more tears were cascading down her cheeks. They were tears of unfathomable emotions, she too doesn't know what she's crying for. All she knew is, Abba's critical condition is among.

"I've forgive you without even knowing whatever it is. You're hurting, Abba_stop talking and rest please."

A wide painful smile graced Abba's lips. He closed his eyes, inhaled deeply before he darted them open; and that was it_Unveiling the mystery behind the name 'Rukayya.'

~Mysterious Rukayya~

Talhah and Shafa were oblivion to the condition of Rukayya, nor were they aware of the new unannounced guest they have. They finished flinging out the things, and that's when all their gazes fell on lifeless Rukayya and a profusely crying Neema.

Shafa got stilled in her position, this wasn't what they planned with Barakah, they've never wanted Rukayya to die like this, where they would surely be questioned. For she knew, this Neema of a woman would never let it slide.

She forcefully dragged her legs to where Rukayya was laying down, head on Neema's lap. Her gaze suddenly fell on the pool of blood beneath Rukayya, and that's when she got completely agitated. What's this blood for? Could it by....No! That would never be possible. She's surely a barren.

"What happened to her, Neema?" She quivered, trying to squat down also. She looked over her shoulder, and that's when she saw Talhah carrying her things from her room to Rukayya's room. She squealed inwardly before sobering up her emotions.

"What happened? Are you insane or what? Shafa'atu would you get out of my sight before I loose my control and do something we all will surely regret it?!" Neema roared, disgustingly looking at smirking Shafa; feeling as if she would strangle her to death.

Shafa stood up bumptiously and dusted off her wrapper, with a sneering look_she glared at both of them "Oh sorry there Lioness. I thought I'd be of help, since she might be bleeding to death. But I'll take my leave, dear cousin." With that, she flipped Rukayya's things with her legs and entered the room that was once Rukayya's.

Simultaneously, Neema's bloodshot eyes fell on the pool of blood beneath lifeless Rukayya. She screamed and brought her to her chest. To which emotion should she act on? Her died Inna or Rukayya? She was crying profusely, feeling how all the grief in the world was junked onto her frail shoulders.

Ali got tired of waiting for her in the car, they should be heading to Galadimawa village by now, where Inna would be buried. He knocked numerously on the door and entered when he didn't get any response. His gaze fell on Neema, slumped on the ground with Rukayya's head brought her chest.

Ali didn't wait for any permission, he hastily walked towards them and held her sobbing shoulders. "What happened? Why is she in blood and looking lifeless?" He asked.

On feeling his hands on her shoulders, Neema broke down more than she had ever thought she would cry in her whole life. "They've killed her, Talhah and Shafa. She isn't moving, Ali."

He glanced at Rukayya's lifeless body, and that's when he saw a vein pumping on her neck. "Move aside, let's take her to the hospital." And he carried her in his arms, not minding the blood that was still gushing out of her body.

Inleiu of Neema to follow him immediately, she walked back to Rukayya's room and saw Talhah arranging Shafa's things on the cupboard.

"Talha! Mark my words, if anything happens to Ruru am, you will surely pay for it with your own cowardice blood. Bloody fool!" She spatted out and hissed loudly before thumping out of the room_meeting Shafa on her way out.

Shafa stood in front of her, and before she could utter a word_Neema pushed her aside and walked out of the house completely.

They took Rukayya to the General hospital, Ali went alone to Galadimawa so Inna would be buried and left Neema with Rukayya. He knew his wife was struggling so hard. What would beat loosing an only parent and also the sibling sibling you have was trying to slip out of your hold? He couldn't even imagine that.

It was late at night, but Neema couldn't close her eyelids. All she could think of was Inna. She knew she was long buried, without her and Ruru bidding her farewell. She prolonged all her sujoods, crying to the rabbil arshil azeem to ease her pain, grant Inna jannatul firdaus, and to make Rukayya healthy.

Neema was sitted on a chair beside Rukayya's bed, hushing some supplications_when she heard Rukayya uttering some incoherent words. She jerked wide awake and held her hand in hers, squeezing it lightly_feeling as more tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Ruru am, open your eyes please, it's your Neema," she whimpered, bringing Rukayya's hand to her lips.

Rukayya painfully squinted her eyes until they were wide opened. She dumbfoundedly stared at Neema before all that happened registered into her head, and she felt a pang of an excruciating pain under her abdomen. Her Inna! Was what hurt more!

"Neema, where is Inna?" She wanted her to say it was only her hallucination, that Inna was fine and would come inside in a bit, but what Neema answered her with broke her heart.

"She's dead, Ruru am. She had already been buried." There was a distant look on Neema's face. She was just so numb to the pain, and so she let her body got strained.

"Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihir raji'un!" Was all Rukayya could utter. Inna's face flashing through her mind. The last time she saw her was almost a year ago, when Talhah was still Talhah, not this façade. Talking about Talhah, she opened her wet eyes that were cascading painful tears and looked at sobbing Neema.

"What happened to me? Why am I here? Did you went to my house? Neema I feel pain all over me, especially my heart. My lower abdomen hurts like hell. Neema won't I just die and rest? Wallahi I'm very tired of this world, it's full of pain." It was just too much on her. Inna has died. Talhah wasn't himself. Shafa got married to her husband. Her room was now Shafa's. Everything! Just everything hurts more than she could ever say.

Neema broke into more tears than she was already in. She squeezed Rukayya's hand and sobbed for almost five minutes before mustering the courage to tell her everything.

"Ruru am, every human being has what it is decreed in his life. Everyone you see in this world isn't and would never be completely happy. There is something that has to be excluded from his life, which he'll need more than all he has. Inna is dead, but that didn't mean the world should come to an end, she needs our prayer the most_that's the beauty of giving birth to good and religious children.

I don't want you to freak out, accept this with a pure heart and a good faith. The doctor said you had a miscarriage, that you were 8 weeks along. That's the will of Allah, he'll never burden a soul with that which it could never resist."

Since when Neema started talking, Rukayya just glued her eyes on an empty space. As the word 'miscarriage' hits her earlobes, she slowly snaked her cold hand on her body until it reached her stomach, that's when painful tears cascaded down her cheeks.

"I've told him, Neema; I told him it's hurting here_but he didn't care that we lost our child; the child he had been longing to have. Who's at lost now? It's surely me. The frail girl that lost her mother and unborn child on the same day. The girl that isn't loved by her husband. The girl whom her cousin and also co-wife kicked out of her room. I'm a looser, huh Neema?"

Neema couldn't fight back the tears she had been trying to stifle. She wanted to be strong, but how would she, when her Ruru is as scorched as a young lady of her age would never be? She sat on the bed and engulfed Rukayya into a hug. A hug that meant I'll be here for you. A hug that speaks you aren't alone in this. It was a hug worth billions of words.

Rukayya was discharged on the fifth day, and through the span of those five days_Talhah had never even for a mistake visited them. She was just alone with her Neema and Ali. He also spend almost all his day in the hospital. Brings them breakfast, lunch and dinner. Rukayya would seclude herself in the toilet and cry her eyes out, fondling her lower abdomen.

Neema insisted that she should take her to her house, but Rukayya being her-thought she would fix whatever it is between her and Talhah. They took her to the house, and fortunately enough_they met Talhah in the courtyard, with a tumbler brimful with Fura beside him.

Briskly, they exchanged pleasantries with Malam Ali and sat down on the woven mat he was sitting down. Rukayya and Neema sat opposite them, but Talhah wasn't kind enough to even flash Rukayya a single glimpse. That almost broke the little hope she has in her, but she was Rukayya, and she would never give up.

"We came here because of what transpired between you and Rukayya. I know you weren't like this, but whatever it is_she said you dragged her out of her room amd flinged out her clothes. Moreover, she had been in the hospital for five days, but you didn't even visited her for once," Malam Ali spoke, flashing Talhah a pierce and intense look. He could see something beneath Talhah's eyes that wasn't there. Which was Rukayya's hatred. He flinched in disgust whenever her name is mentioned.

Talhah made himself more comfortable on the woven mat and flashed a fidgeting Rukayya a hateful look before diverting his gaze back to Malam Ali. "I understand you're here because she's your sister inlaw or whatsoever. But that's the least I could care for. What's her use in my house? Just to eat away food and sleep without something productive? I really can't bear feeding a barren.

I have to kick her out of the room, because Shafa would soon be pregnant, do you expect that small room to occupy her and 'My children'? There's no way that will happen. And if care is not taken, I'm going to kick her out of the whole house itself. She should go and leave with her lioness of a sister."