Chapter 107: Chapter 107

A Week Later.

"I said I want to see my wife! Tell her to come right away!" He pushed the ceramic verse on the table, down.

A nurse came to his ward to calm him down but he pushed her away

"Don't touch my you little wench!"

"You should calm down and take your drugs Alhaji Musa, you'll get worse withou_" he cut into her words before she completed her words.

"Is it you again? Why is it you?!" It looked at her as if he was stunned. "Haven't I confessed to the whole public? Everyone knows I killed your husband now so leave me alone!" he barked like a mad dog. He must be seeing Binta again.

"I'm your nurse, okay. And I'm not married." She shouted back at him, getting the syringe prepared for him. Working with the psychiatric section is so faustrating, indeed.

"You must be tensed about something. What did you want? Should I help you with anything?" The nurse asked him.

"I need my wife! I need to see her before I die!"

"And who said you'll die?"

"You all want to kill me here. I don't want any injections he pushed her away." With one push, she hit her head on the wall and passed out. Other nurses had to rush to his ward.

"What happened, Alhaji Musa?" They asked him, with puzzled faces.

"She wanted to kill me!" He reported, breaking down in tears.

"And all of you too... Get out of here!" He chased them away like goats disturbing his farm. He took a pice of the broken ceramic on the floor and sliced his throat.

It was a deep, sharp line across this throat. He passed out immediately. Some of the nurses ran to him while others went to call the psychiatrist.

When they came back, he had already passed out. The nurses placed him on the bed as his neck was dripping with blood.

"Oh my! Why did you allow him hurt himself life this?" The psychiatrist asked annoyingly as she started treating him, giving him a drip and closing the cut.

The cleaner moped the blood and packed the pieces of the broken vase.

Minutes later, the psychiatrist called the nurses.

"When we wakes up, restrain him and put him into seclusion after an hour! She ordered. "Give me his wife's contact. She'll have to come down here right away!"

Alhaji Musa wouldn't eat or sleep. All he does was cry and shouts of still seeing Binta, in dreams and in reality. He disturbs other patients receiving treatment in the therapy session.

***

Miss Monica Daniels, the psychiatrist had to call and convince Engineer Almirah to come back to Nigeria. She told her about how disheartening her husband's health has become and how important she needs to be with him at least. Especially during this critical time when things are difficult for him.

He has nobody, Ma'am. No friends or family member. You're the only one that can help us right now. All he calls is your name. I feel he wants to tell you something important.

"Okay, doctor. I've heard you. I'll come as soon as I'm chanced. Only because you asked." She hissed and cut the call.

***

The Following Day...

Engineer Almirah came to visit her husband. Alhaji Musa was looking so slim and unhealthy. Since he stopped eating. He looked so sad most of the time and his blood pressure also increased but the doctors tried their best to keep him alive.

He was still receiving drips and a huge plaster covered this neck

"You're here wifey. I thought you'll never come." He started.

"I heard about your confessions. It's a good thing indeed. I see you've changed... I hope it's for the better?"

"Almirah. There's a lot I need to tell you. But first, there's a secret I've been hiding from you. Please, sit right next to me. I want to tell you a story."

She sat on his bed as she helped him sit upright with the pillows adjusted to his back.

"Okay, I'm listening."

"Long ago, during my youth. There's this girl I liked. I liked her so much but I didn't have the courage to speak to her. Later on, I met Ahmad and we became friends. He helped me in the field of business and we became business partners.

One evening, he introduced to me his wife to be and...it was the same girl. The one I liked and couldn't talk to. Too bad she didn't know about me or my feelings but I later got the courage to tell her all of it. She told me it was too late because, by then, It was already a month to their wedding."

"Are you talking about Binta?" She asked

"Yes dear. Binta was that girl. She got married to Ahmad and had to stop working. I met and married you there after. You've been a loyal wife to me, Almirah... I've been the jerk for too long. He chuckled at his words and thoughts.

It took ten years before Binta was able to bare her first child, Humaira. Despite the hardship of family drama and the hardships, she had to go through all that pain, all alone. Ahmad's sisters were still on his neck, that they wanted another child from Binta. Probably a male child...but nothing worked. Ten years later, I called her to meet me along the street. That I wanted to discuss something important with her. Meeting me in my car, I... I drugged her. Then I took her to an hotel to get intimate. She got shattered when she woke up beside me. I had no choice, Almirah. I did that just because I loved her so much and I wanted to save her from all the maltreatment she received from her in-laws. Hopping that it would be a boy... I begged her not to tell Ahmad about it, else. It would end our friendship, business and my chance of survival in life. With lots of convincing, she agreed to keep it a secret. Until she gave birth to the child, Zainab."

"W...what?! You mean what happened then was really true? You were responsible for her pregnancy?" Tears pierced in her eyes as Almirah asked her husband.

"Yes dearie. I just had to deny her that day. When Ahmad learnt about it, he threatened not to stop doing business with me. So, after he confronted me, I had to act before things gets worse so, I planned for his death. I offended Ahmad and his family so much, Almirah. I impregnated Ahmad's daughter; Humaira, and she had a son for me.

"S.. subhanallah! So what happened back then was true?" She shed more tears.

"That which I've come to regret but yes, my dear. It was all true. I've done a lot of wrong in my life, I don't even think I'll be able to make heaven right now because I can't remember doing a good deed. Telling the truth might serve a way for me." He coughed.

"Wait... Musa, why are you telling me all of these? Too bad, I just realized the kind of man you are. You must be proud of your achievements."

"I'm not telling you this because I'm proud of myself. I'm telling you this because I need your forgiveness as a wife. I also need your forgiveness before I leave this world, Almirah. Again, Humaira's son is with me. I'll give you an address to help me give Humaira her son." He suggested.

"W..what? What are you talking about?"

"Maybe you could help me, Humaira. As my death wish." He letbout deep, whooping coughs.

"Do I look like a fool to you?! Wait, do you think I'm crazy or something? Who would go through all that stress? Me?" Like an angry butterfly, she fluttered her eyelashes at him and stood up.

"Please, dear. Don't be like this. I need you the most right now, please." He begged as his breath deepened. Grant me this favour, Almirah. Unite a child with his mother... please."

"I'm so sorry, Musa. It's over between us. I can't do a thing for you. Being married to you was the worse curse ever! Do you know? Walidah is sick.

"W..what happened to her?" He coughed.

"She's having blood cancer. Her red blood cells are contaminated, but how would you know?! All you think about is yourself! After that is yourself and after yourself, is yourself! When last did you even visit your daughters! Jameela died at childbirth, too bad you couldn't even visit her grave!"

Anger laced her voice.

"I know I wasn't the good husband you deserve more was I a good father to our girls but trust me, I still love and care about you." he coughed incoherently as tears washed down his eyes.

"So what did you want me to do now, Musa. I'm tired of this stupid confessions you're making. I lived a beautiful life before I met you... I regret ever getting married to you at the first place" She grabbed her hand bag, about to leave.

"I need your forgiveness Almirah. And maybe... only if you can help me take the boy back to his mother."

"Me!" She beat her chest. You must be out of your mind." She hissed and left the hospital.

After that, Engineer Almirah went back to their apartment to pack all her most important things. She took all her luggage and fled out of the country. Tired of Nigerian air, she just wanted to travel far away from his troubles and live the rest of her life with her children.

Alhaji Musa cried so hard as his life history played before his eyes. He regretted every wrong he has done. Too bad, there's no going back now. It was already is time. He cried so hard that he chocked in his own tears.

Gradually, he started coughing, slowly until he finally lost it. Miss Monica along with other nurses rushed into his was but the was breathing as if he was claustrophobic. Taking deep, heavy breaths that fill his lungs.

She rubbed a transparent gel on the CPR machine, trying to wake him up but lots of trial, nothing worked.

"Come one guys, his pulse has stopped." She covered his face with the white hospital blanket.

"Tell the guys to come and pack up his his body. I'll call his wife." She walked out of the ward as others followed.

There he was, Alhaji Musa is now dead. He died a slow and excruciating death. The doctors had to pack his body into the mortuary, preserved with other dead bodies.

Doctor Monica called Engineer Almirah about her husband's death but she the plane she boarded was just landing in Canada.

Hearing about his death, she just cut the call and took a taxi to Walidah's house. She dropped her baggage and went to visit her in the hospital where she was admitted.

Hearing the news, Faridah the third daughter of Alhaji Musa took a flight to Nigeria in order to give her dad a befitting burial and withness it as well. She went with a trusted friend as they booked the flight together. At the airport, Faridah and her bestie got scanned and the security agents find 3kg of cocaine on their bodies. Confused Faridah don't know how it got there but the both of them got arrested. The doctor treating Jameela called on Engineer Almirah and told her about her daughter's health issues.

"So sorry to inform you ma'am As you know, your daughter has been diagnosed with blood cancer and she's in it's last stages. The thing is, I'm not sure how long she's having but there are possibilities that she might last half a year. For now, there's a little we can do. What would help her the most is to be treated with so much love and care... She would really need you in her life especially during these times..." The doctor explained.

Hearing this, Almirah broke down in tears. She didn't know what next to do.

"You have to take heart ma'am. And be strong for your daughter." He muttered. Just then, Almirah's phone rang.

"Am I speaking with Engineer Almirah Musa Adamu?"

"Yes, I'm the one. Who am I speaking with please?"

Your daughter, Zainab Musa was arrested today for smuggling drugs." Hearing this, Almirah fainted. It was too much for her too bare.

Alhaji Musa's death was announced on television. His company was demolished While Engineer Almirah tried living a good life specially for her daughter's that had limited time to live. It's obvious that their father's sins also affected them as well.

***

Words and Translations

-C.P.R Machine: Cardio pulmonary Resuscitation.

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