Chapter 53: Chapter 53

Rukayya felt her blood rising to her throat, what she had been dreading to happen. She knew a day like this would come, but never in her lifetime did she ever think it would be this soon. Swiftly, she drapped back her shirt to her protruded belly and kept staring at Shafa with bulged eyes that screamed tension.

"I didn't committed adultery, Shafa, you of all people knew that I'm not even stepping my leg out of the house. Wallah it's a legitimate child, don't tarnish my child's image before it's even born," Rukayya begged, with hands brought to a pleading gesture_tears were flowing unchecked on her cheeks, and her heart hurts like it never did before. Shafa calljng her child an illegitimate child was a hard blow to her.

"If not an illegitimate child, tell me who's child it is, Rukayya!" Shafa roared and walked towards her, she was fuming with rage, eyes clouded with jealousy. So that's what Talhah would do to her right? Betraying her whenever she isn't around huh? Was that what they agreed on?

Rukayya stood up and moved backwards, petrified at the fierce she saw in Shafa's heart. She wants everything to happen to her, but mever her child. She loves it so much. Fondling her stomach, she felt the child kicked softly, and that brought more tears to her eyes, and despite that_she smiled ruefully. That's one of the blessings of being a mother, feeling a little creature growing in you.

She heard a loud striking slap on her cheek, before the pain slowly started registering on her skin. She looked up, and her gaze met with an infuriated Shafa. "How dare you ignore me when I'm asking you important questions? Rukayya, you must tell me the father of this child, else; you're leaving this house today! With your illegitimate child!" Shafa thundered and pushed her to the wall, which made her head to smack the wall and blood gushed out in a rush.

Rukayya felt the blood from her forehead to her mouth. She knew always being the silent and patient type wouldn't sometimes solve her problems, she have to atleast stand up for herself, even if it's for once. She regained back her composure and looked at Shafa with the nost feisty look she could ever plaster on her face. She had pushed her to the wall, and it has came to the point that she couldn't take it anymore.

"Shafa, have you ever realized you were once my cousin and also a friend? Do you ever thought that the same blood that runs in my veins, runs in yours? What kind of heartlessness is this? What kind of a geart do you possess? You got married to my husband, isn't that enough torture to me? But you proceeded into transforming him to a monster I've never imagined he could be. You instigate him, as he could humiliate and abuse me. Shafa, I'm sure you've never told your kids about me being your cousin sister, they just knew me as that selfless maid and enemy.

All this for a man? All this for a man that was never in love with you? Are you willing to enter Jahannam while he's in Jannah looking at with with a disgusting expression? You did all these just because of love? Have you heard the word? 'LOVE' you've sacrificed your heareafter for the joy that wouldn't last forever. I've always told you, the truth shall always previal, no matter how long it would take.

About this child, be it a boy or a girl, Shafa wether you like it or not; it would bear the name of Talhah Muhammad! So better put this in mind, it's his blood, you can deal with that later! I'm tired of all this! Just because Talhah let you have all you want doesn't mean I don't have a heart in me. I'll do all it take to protect my child. You'll surely regret ever doing this to me, the days might not come soon, but before you die_Allah's justice will surely fall on you."

Without looking at a stupefied Shafa, Rukayya maneovered beside her and walked towards the place she keeps her ailments. She took a cotton wool and dabbed it on her head, before treating her forehead. She ignored Shafa's presence in her room, and used the advantage of having a torchlight in the room to clear up the mess Amna amd Tahir made-for her room is their playroom.

"Rukayya, just have this in mind, you will leave this house! That I'm sure of. And for your information, it would be better for you to burn down that thing you call a child, for the hardship you taste in this house would be a preamble to what he/she would taste. It's a promise." Shafa avowed and stomped out of the room with her torchlight in hand. She've never being so angry in her life like today. How would Rukayya be pregnant when she's still breathing? What if that makes Talhah to act soft on her? What would she do to abort this pregnancy?

Rukayya shrugged off Shafa's words with tears trembling on her cheeks-not that the words didn't hit a soft that has the uncertainty of bringing the child to this house. Bur what she knew is that, she would never abort her child, and sneaking out of the house? She wouldn't even want to think about that.

Life continued rolling her between one end to another. She knew Shafa has told Talhah, but he has never shown any sign to her. May be she was just thinking, and Shafa would never told him. But the day he entered her room in the night, with a black leather that has suya in it-she knew he knew. He throw her the leather and quickly decamped out of the room. She ate the meat with tears on her cheeks. Tears of joy and grief. Talhah was afraid of Shafa.

***

It was difficult to even move a finger, but that didn't stopped her from doing all the chores she was used to doing. And at some lucky nights, Talhah will throw her black leathers that were the highest means of affection between them. She would and dispose the leather in their pit, afraid of what Shafa would say when she sees it.

She wasn't wearing two wrappers anymore. Her legs had swelled up and even her face. She was sick and having some disorders, but who would she tell? None other than Allah, and she's sure he would never leave her hanging without any help.

Slowly, she began feeling some cramps in her lower abdumen, for the pregnancy was into the ninth months. She wants to tell Talhah but she knew he would even beat her. She always cries herself to sleep, and wake up with an excruciating pain in her lowe abdumen and even her back. Things weren't easy, and life wasn't pleasurable.

On the 5th of January, 1996_she was sleeping on the bare floor of her room, for the bed feels like fire. She was woken up by an excruciating pain thats she've never felt before, it was just soo hard to even decipher where was paining her. She sat up from her laying position and knelt down, holding her lower abdumen with both hands. She was now crying profusely, with tears cascading down in ocean.

It wasn't late, but who would come to her rescue? Slowly, the pain started getting unbearable. Her whimpers and graonings turned to wailings and sobbing. She had a sheen of sweat formed on her forehead. She was clutching her eyes shut and hands dipped into her legs with her lower lip clenched in her mouth.

"Shafa!" She screamed, when she felt as if her bones were being broken each. She knew it was hard for Shafa to help, but she kept calling her in a muffled voice that scream pain.

Shafa heard as if her name was called, she listened and later on realized the voice was coming from Rukayya's room. She smirked, for she saw some labour signs from Rukayya since morning. It was time for a payback! She stood up and told Talhah that she was going to check up on Rukayya, he nodded his head, and she left with a smiling face.

She entered the room and found Rukayya curled up on the less spacious floor. She was graoning in pain. She rushed over to her and helped her sat down, Rukayya flashed her a puzzled look, and she smirked back. Rukayya thought she was there to help, not knowing it was the perfect time for Shafa to pay back.

"Shafa, help me please-I'm going to die," Rukayya slured, feeling as each word erupt out of her mouth, so as her soul leaving her body.

Shafa scoffed and glared at Rukayya, the torchlight she came in with-illuminating directly on her sweaty face. "This is what you get, for bringing an illegitimate child, Rukayya. If you die, you'll know the repercussions there. Good night, and have a sweet way to heaven." Despite Rukayya's begging, Shafa didn't listened; and she walked out of the room and locked it from outside. When she went back ti their room, she told Talhah that she was fine and needed some sleep.

Rukayya never knew the amount of pain a mother encounters with before bringing a life to the world until today. It got to the point that she wasn't crying anymore-just clutching and unclutching her eyes and fists_waiting for death to take her soul, so she could rest. She felt something as if her pelvic bone being broken with force, and from then_she dashed out. And she knew she was died, so her unborn child that she loves so much.

***

The cool breeze of mornings glided through her room and splashed into her face. She squirmed slowly and began squinting her eyes, that's when all that happened in the night came back to her. She knew she was in so much pain before she dashed out, but she wasn't feeling anything now-only less painful cramps that didn't hurt like yesterday's.

Horrified, she felt for her stomach and it was back into it's flat belly, only that it wasn't flat like before. "Where's ny child!" She cried, and sat upright with aplomb. Her drained eyes began scrutinizing the room, and her gaze fell on a baby with blood all over it's body, and its placenta was tied losely on it's throat.

Through her tears-the first genuine smile she did for years graced her lips. She crawled over the baby and took it into her room, that's when she realized it was a girl. She wiped away the traces of blood on the baby's face and her beautiful face was revealed. Happiness filled her heart, and tears of joy kept dripping down on her bundle of joy.

"Hayfah: beautiful of slender body. That's your name my girl." And she hugged her tightly to her chest. Thinking about all her struggles. And she believed, everything was a blessing in disguise. Allah made her endured all those hardships because she would be blessed with an angel like her Hayfah.

Hayfah shirlled as her naked body got in contact with her mother's chest, and she began crying in whimpers. Rukayya broke their embrace and kissed her temple, smiling fully. She knew the joy of being a mother. She knew the happiness of bringing a living creature to the world. To top it all, she brought her girl; a princess, an angel-that despite all challenges, it graced the worlf with it's presence.

She was sure she heard when Shafa locked her room yesterday night, and she knew she have to wait for her to unlock it before she could bath Hayfah. Hayfah's crying intensified, she cleared off the blood traces from her body and wrapped her up in her wrapper-and with so much love, she brought her to her chest and started feeding her. Looking at her, she knew she has a companion. A person she could share the most truelest and purelest form of love with. Her daughter. Hayfah Talhah Muhammad.