Chapter 54: Chapter 54

She've grown up to know that mother's rejoice unendingly when they give birth, even if tears were shed, it was out of joy and love for their kids. But her's was different, her tears were out of pity, she pity her baby, for she could sense a thunder that would crumble her, she knew something really unpleasant will surely happens. What of Hayfah? What if something happens to her Hayfah? She would never forgive herself.

Shafa didn't opened the door until Talhah was out to the market. She hoped to see a died body sprawled on the floor, with either a died baby or a died bump attached to her body-but to her dismay; the first thing she layed her eyes on, were a beautiful baby that made her breath hitched. She was alive.

"W..what am I seeing? You didn't die, Rukayya?" She stuttered, walking zombie like into the room, still not believing the sight of Rukayya and peacefully sleeping Hayfah.

"You want me died, Shafa? Well...I didn't. Successfully, I've given birth to Hayfah Talhah Muhammad. She's beautiful, isn't she?" And as if she was going to give her the baby, she lifted her towards Shafa and swiftly snatched her away, before Shafa's hands could even touch her Hayfah.

"You think I'm dumb to let you touch her? That was in the past, Shafa. Excuse me please, I have a baby to bathe." And she didn't wait for her answer before she limped out of the room with Hayfah firmly perched to her chest-her heart always sways with joy when her little chest hummed softly.

A stupefied Shafa trudged out of Rukayya's room with an erratic heartbeat. She looked around the house, so she could see wether Rukayya has left Hayfah-and that would give her the chance to kill the girl and tell Talhah that Rukayya gave birth and ate up the girl in the night-but she saw none. She was still standing in the courtyard, when a limping Rukayya walked past her, looking freshly bathe and a clean Hayfah sleeping peacefully on her shoulder. And that was when she realized, she took almost two hours standing with nothing to rest on.

Rukayya entered her room and applied a vaseline on Hayfah-which she stopped using on her body since when she realized she was pregnant, because she knew its use would come, when she has no one to give her. Whenever Shafa gives her Amna's used clothes to throw out, she had been keeping them in her ironed box, and she saw their use today. She took a pair of clothe out and wore it on Hayfah, whom was still sleeping without having no worry in the world.

Rukayya felt tears pooling the brink of her eyes, how would she contact Neema? Who would name Hayfah? The ram for the naming ceremony? That made her burst into tears completely. She knew Talhah would never do anything without Shafa's approval, and she would surely be called a crazy woman, if she thinks Shafa would ever agree on something pertaining Hayfah's life-unless it's evil.

The dinner she didn't ate yesterday night was what saved her-for she took it out and ate to her fill, before keeping the remaining for lunch. She knew it wasn't the food she should eat, but who is she to whose what she like and not? Had it been Neema was here, some of this wouldn't have happened. At some point, she blames herself for being adamant on staying in Talhah's house, but if not for that, how would she have being blessed with Hayfah? She would forever thank Allah for the blessing of Hayfah.

She heard when Talhah entered the house with a salam and walked directly towards Shafa's room that was once hers. She gave them minutes before she scooped a sleeping Hayfah in her hands and walked out of her room with a thudding heart-she finally made a decision, so would stop being a coward for her daughter's sake.

"Assalamu Alaikum," she salaamed and entered the living, her gaze falling on Talhah's face, he was sitting directly opposite the door.

Rukayya gulped down a lump in her throat and walked further without her Salam being answered. She fixed her gaze on the ground and sat down below Talhah's legs. Her tears were the first thing to drop on the floor-before Hayfay's cry submerged.

She brought her to her shoulder and started rocking them, so she could atleast be silent and they could have the talk she want with Talhah-but it was as if Hayfah was being fueled for more baby cries.

What shook her to the world, was Talhah's hands that were stretched towards Hayfah, trying to hold her in his hands. Rukayya looked at his devoid face and reluctantly handed him Hayfah-and it took some seconds before she stopped crying and snuggled more onto her father's body-that made Rukayya's eyes spilled more tears. If only Hayfah knew he was just her father in name, but she doubt if he would take her to his heart.

"I gave birth to her yesterday, and I've already named her Hayfah, say the adhzan to her please," she begged, looking at him with tearing eyes, she hope he would atleast say the adhzan to Hayfah's ears, that would be something she would take as his token to her.

Talhah seemed into his own ruminative world, he was staring deeply at Hayfah's face, and Rukayya almost gave up when she saw him leaning onto her daughter's ears and he called the adhzan and named her Hayfah Talhah Muhammad. When he finished, she stretched out her hands towards him so she could take back her daughter and go back to her room before Shafa entered-but what she didn't know was, all happened before her eyes.

He slowly leaned in and pecked Hayfah's temple before thrusting her back to her mother, and she limped out of the room with tearing eyes. All he could see was her retreating back, he leaned on the resting head of the sofa and closed his eyes. He loves Hayfah! At first sight, he loves her more than his other children-just the thought of her slightly pink face brought a smile to his lips_which fierced directly through Shafa's heart, she knew she would be doomed, and she needs to act fast.

***

To say Rukayya was shocked would be an understatement, when Talhah brough tons of clothes and beverages for her and Hayfah, he wasn't looking at her, but this gesture was all she needed for her broken heart to start recuperating. He always sends Taheer to take her for him, and she would be with him for almost two hours before she would be brought back_and that's what makes Shafa to make an avow of getting Rukayya and her daughter out of her house.

The naming day come, and although Rukayya haven't invited anyone nor Shafa, a ram was slaughtered in the name of his daughter: Hayfah. Rukayya was overwhelmed, and she has now seen the power of Allah's blessing, and slowly; everything shall come to past.

Hayfah lives her life as a normal child with parents that are hell bent in love with each other, Rukayya would sometimes cry for her daughter, for she knew she would suffer as long as she's in this house. Life went on, and Hayfah was almost a year, and still-Shafa have never touched even the clothes Hayfah was taken into, she loathes her. And was looking for anyway to get her and her pathetic mother out of her house.

On a faithful Friday night, Hayfah was two and half years now-and she has started tasting the bitter side of life. For whenever she goes out, she comes back to Rukayya in tears and dirt, and without even asking, Rukayya knew it was Taheer and Amna's doing. It came to the point that Hayfah only goes out when Talhah is home, and she's always by his side and he would bring her back to Rukayya when she's asleep.

On this faithful night, Rukayya was in her room-folding Hayfah's clothes she washed in the day. Hayfah was with Talhah in their living room, together with her siblings and Shafa. Shafa excused herself and went to the toilet, and on her way back to the room_she screamed and slumped on the ground.

They all rushed out of their rooms and met her in the courtyard pointing at their metal door. "What is it, Shafa?" Talhah asked, tensed, he wished it wasn't something terrifying.

"I saw a man coming out of Rukayya's room with a loose trouser and he's shirtless!" She sobbed harder than usual-at the same time, Rukayya's heart loosing a bit. She knew it has came to the point, Shafa would never spare her.

"Innalillahi! Shafa, fear Allah, wallahi I've been in my room through out this night, and nobody ever came inside it. Please find another wa..," before Rukayya could even finish her sentence, a striking slap fell on her cheek, she held her cheek and looked at a fuming Talhah. Hayfah was already in tears, she doesn't understand what was happening, but she knew it was surely something desolating.

"Talhah, please hear me out! Wallahi she's lying, I've never talked to any man apart from you in my life, you knew it, Talhah," Rukayya begged, she was profusely crying now, just when she thought everything would be back to normal between them-because of Hayfah, but things are falling apart before her eyes.

"Wallahi I saw him coming out of her room, you can check outside, he might be around here," Shafa swore and stood up, dusting off her wrapper as Talhah ran out of the house-dropping Hayfah on the floor-gently.

Hayfah ran to her mother and hugged her legs, with tears running down her cheeks. Rukayya stooped down and hugged her to her chest, feeling as if she was drained out of blood. Hayfah broke their hug and began clearing Rukayya's tears with her fragile hands that made Rukayya burst out into more tears. She kept muttering some incoherent childish words Rukayya understand to be the words to placate her.

Talhah yanked off Hayfah from her body and slapped her hard across her face; again. "I divorce you with three decree! Don't ever come back to my life-or my daughter's life. We have nothing to do with an adulterer! Leave! Now!" He was beating her with his legs, pushing her as if she were a ball. Hayfah was crying and walking over her, but Talhah took her away and held her firmly on his waist.

"I need to take my daughter with me, she's my life!" She didn't know what to feel or what to say. It was finally over between them, Talhah had finally divorced her. Where would she head to? Who would she look for?

"She's my daughter, and you're not leaving with her. Go!" He pushed her towards the door, she was trying so hard to take a hold of Hayfah-for she too was trying to get out ot her father's hold.

"Amna, bring her a hijab; though I don't think she might use it!" He ordered, pushing her out of the house with his legs. Before Amna could walk back to her room, Shafa beat her to it. She took it from her room and walked towards Rukayya-flinging the hijab on her face.

She stooped down to her level and hushed, "This is what you get, when you mess with Shafa'atu. Have my words, Rukayya-no body go scotfree." And she walked back and hugged her children, flashing her a triumphant look.

Rukayya knew being vulnerable would never help her get her daughter, she stood up and put on her hijab-for they were now at the door, "I need to take my daughter with me, Talhah. I can't leave her in a house full of inhumanes. And for you, you must surely regret this." She didn't wait for his words, as she snatched away her daughter and headed for the door_but he yanked her off her hold and hold her tighter than before.

She looked at their entwined hands painfully seperating from each other, Hayfah's tears still soaking her hand. Before she could move a finger, Talhah pushed her harder than he had ever pushed her, and she fell on the ground, out of his house.

"Leave my house! I don't want to ever see you again!" He roared! Dismissing her with his hands.

"MA-MA!" Hayfah's baby voice echoed through the confines of the wall, it resonated through their earlobes and thundered through their hearts. This was her first word! And she choosed today to say it out!

Rukayya lounged forward, she was crying profusely, heart bleeding-for the words fierced her heart more than Talhah's divorce on her_but before she could reach out to them, Talhah closed the door on her face and locked the house. She could hear Hayfah's tears until they became muffled sound and all she could hear was the splitting of the veins of her heart.

The legs that were dragging her to the road weren't hers, for they were wobbly and she couldn't walk straight. She was going to kill herself, what's the use of this life? She walked blind eyes on the road and deaf to the sounds of the cars honking at her-and as she wished_she felt a truck swept her off her feet and she fell back on the road with a thud and breaking bones. That was what she wanted, and she've gotten it. Hayfah....we shall meet in another life.