Chapter 70: Chapter 70

She's virtuous, yet stigmatized

Her heart irks at the reality of life

Because her past keeps haunting

She felt daunted by what the future holds

Hence, she became hard-headed

Not willing to give up living.

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FIVE YEARS LATER

"Good morning, darling," Saleem uttered, tapping his wife who opened her eyes and closed them back. He kissed her on the forehead and stood up from the bed.

"Morning" Salamat said, yawning and stretching her body. "How was your night?" She asked her husband.

"My night was good. How was yours and how is my boy?", he asked, looking at her big protruding belly.

"He's stubborn just like his father", she muttered.

Saleem chuckled. "The stubborn one here is you."

"I need more sleep", Salamat declared and turned to the other side, ready to sleep.

"No baby, come down and observe your prayer before sleeping. Let me help you", he said, moving close to her.

He helped her up and they both went to the bathroom to perform their ablution. Afterwards, they observed their morning prayers.

After praying, Salamat went back to bed while Saleem went to the sitting room to mark some scripts.

It was a Saturday morning and their daughter who was going to be 3 years old the next week had gone to spend the weekend with her mother's parents in Graceland.

Saleem finished marking the scripts around 7:30 am and he went into the kitchen to make breakfast.

He toasted some bread and boiled water for tea. He took it to the bedroom.

"Darling, wake up and eat breakfast. I don't want you to starve yourself and the baby."

Salamat stood up reluctantly. "Thank you for making breakfast," she told her husband and quickly finished up the food.

"Darling, don't forget we are supposed to go to mum's place today, I think we need to get prepared."

"Yes. I will go and take my bath now", She answered, trying to stand up from the bed.

"Hey stay there, let me help you up," Saleem said laughing.

"Why are you laughing?" Salamat questioned as she stood up with the help of her husband.

"Nothing." He responded, still laughing.

"There is something, you better say it." She warned, with a straight face.

"Ok. I am laughing because you look like you are carrying a dozen babies", he confessed and smiled.

"Don't be silly. "It's your handwork", she feigned anger.

"Uh..oh my baby, I was only joking", he mumbled, hugging her from behind. "You know I love you, don't you?"

"No, I don't", she replied.

"Come on, I was only joking. You look beautiful and lovely."

"Ok, enough of the flattering. Let me go and take my bath. Please call mum that we will be on our way soon. Asiya will be overjoyed", she said closing the bathroom door.

Saleem was retained as a lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, immediately after his Masters's Degree.

Salamat on the other hand was working at ABU Teaching Hospital, Tudun Wada and was working towards opening her own clinic soon.

Salamat came out of the bathroom shouting Saleem's name.

"What is it, baby?" He asked, wearing a belt on his trousers.

"I'm hungry." She replied.

"What?" He exclaimed.

"The baby is hungry." She said, with a wicked smile.

"Didn't you eat a few hours ago?" He queried.

"Yeah I did, but I'm hungry again. Maybe you should order some pizza."

"Is that what you want?" He asked her.

"Yes. The baby wants it."

"The baby or you?" He questioned eyeing her.

"It's the baby", she defended and laughed as she sat on the bed in her towel.

"Fine, I will go and order it."

"Thanks, love", she said lying down on the bed while her husband went into the sitting room to make a call.

He came back a few minutes later to see his wife sleeping soundly on the bed.

He shook his head and went to the sitting room to take his breakfast. He wondered if going to Graceland would be possible again, now that Salamat was asleep again.

He decided on going over to wake her up.

'She can sleep in the car', he thought.

He smiled to himself and stood up when his phone rang. "Professor in the making", the caller said.

"Abdul, I've told you several times to stop calling me that", Saleem chuckled lightly.

"Aren't you a prof in the making? Anyways, I have good news for you." Abdul announced.

Abdul was Saleem's colleague at work.

"You've been chosen for this year's conference in the U.S.A. Your papers are been recognized and I'm sure it will pave a way for your career."

"Hmm. Why will I be chosen when professor Hussain is there?" Saleem inquired with doubt.

"He selected you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"I know you joke too much," Saleem said.

"I don't joke with serious things like this, Saleem," Abdul admitted.

"Ok, I will try and....."

"Saleem", he heard a scream coming from the bedroom upstairs. Without warning, he disconnected the call and ran to the bedroom.

He saw his wife seated on the bed with an agonizing look on her face.

"My water just broke", she announced as he moved closer and carried her to the sitting room, taking each step at a time, conscious of the fact that he was carrying a pregnant woman.

He dropped her on the sofa and search for his car keys all to no avail. She whimpered in pain and he almost lost control of his emotions.

He was terrified and worried.

Then, he remembered the key was in the bedroom and he ran back upstairs to retrieve the key. He took his phone and the baby bag beside the bed and rushed back downstairs.

He took her up and led her to the car outside.

"Mansur, open the gate", he instructed as he helped her to the passenger's seat and dumped the baby bag at the back before slumping into the driver's seat.

The gateman took to the instructions and he zoomed off.

There were tiny beads of sweat on his forehead as he stared at his wife every minute. She kept on screaming in pain as he drove and he almost lost control of the steerings.

He increased his speed and got to the hospital 20 minutes later.

"Nurses", he yelled as he ran out of his seat to help his wife out, who was already looking exhausted from too much screaming.

The nurses rushed out and took her from him as he followed behind with the bag. They got to the ward and took the bag from him after urging him to wait outside.

Saleem was pacing around the reception of the ward with impatience. He was also keeping track of time as his phone was ringing continuously but he had no nerve to pick any calls.

He was almost dead with worry by the time the doctor came out of the ward, exactly an hour later.

The doctor shook his head and Saleem nearly fainted.

"Doctor", he said as the doctor moved closer.

"Saleem, congratulations", he grinned at Saleem.

"Doctor", he called again in eagerness.

"Your wife has delivered a bouncing baby boy." The doctor disclosed and Saleem collapsed with relief.

"Alhamdulillah (All praises be to Allah)", he muttered as the doctor directed him to the ward to see the beautiful mother of his kids.

He smiled widely as he said to himself, "He will be named Abdulrahman Ayobami Ifedayo Yusuf."