Chapter 10
Few weeks after my graduation, we got married. It was the best day of our lives, getting married to someone we love was a dream come true.
Sofiyah looked really beautiful, our henna and dresses were made by Granny, She made them with love. Grandpa told Sofiyah she could stop the wedding if she wanted to, but Sofiyah said she wanted to
get married. I felt something wasn't right but I couldn't figure it out.
Granny was happy, her daughters were getting married. It's every mother's dream to see her daughter(s) getting married, prayers were made and the ceremony came to an end. While we were about to leave, Granny told Sofiyah she was scared she said something wasn't right but darling Sofiyah assured Granny she's fine.
We all parted in tears, Sofiyah and I left for our husband's house in Lagos.
Days, weeks and months passed after our wedding. I was happy in my marriage and I was in law school. Sofiyah was done with school already, she was about to go for her NYSC. I didn't see my sister for a long time after our wedding, our parents were worried too. When we visited the house they were living, we were told they've moved out. I last saw Sofiyah during her Convocation.
We tried to get to Usman's parents, they said Sofiyah and Usman were fine. Usman parents lived abroad and didn't know where Usman lives, his siblings promised to send us their address but they never did. It was a really difficult situation, no one knew where Usman was working. He didn't have a job when he got married and no one has his phone number too.
I was out one day to get groceries when I saw Usman, he was looking very different from the last time I saw him. I greeted him and asked about my sister.
"How is Sofiyah, I haven't heard from her in a while"
"She's fine, she's been busy lately. She just got a shop" he said
"She should've checked on us, everyone is worried about her" I said bringing out a pen and notebook from my handbag "Can I have your home address, I went looking for her and was told you've moved out of your previous apartment"
He was reluctant to give me, but he did give me the address to a house. I went further to ask for Sofiyah's shop telephone number, he said she doesn't have one and his house telephone was faulty.
"Can I have yours" I asked
"OK. 025…." He called out the number
"I'll call you, please tell Sofiyah to come see me" I told, but he didn't reply me.
After meeting with him, I kept recalling his attitude and how he wasn't willing to give me the address to his home nor his telephone number. I visited the address given to me and it was his sister's house, She told me she hasn't seen him in a while. When I tried calling the telephone number, it was his sister's.
I was getting scared, I told my husband about it and he decided he was going to help look for Sofiyah. He asked me where I saw Usman and he began the search. According to him, his house shouldn't be far from the market since he came to get some groceries. I called Faiza and told her what has been happening, she promised to come to Lagos.
My husband called me few days later and told me he knows where my sister lives. I was excited about the news. I left for the place and when I got there it wasn't far from my house. Sofiyah lived in a house two streets away from mine, I couldn't believe my eyes. I always walk pass the house where she lives and I never saw her. My husband told me I should come back the next day, but I insisted i was going into the compound.
I walked into the compound, there were two buildings in the compound and both were bungalows. I saw a lady who had a piece of cloth tied across her chest sitting on the terrace of one of the building, she was picking bean. I recognized her, she was Sofiyah.
I called out her name, she saw me and ran towards me. I haven't seen her in months. Sofiyah was surprised see me, she gave me a warm hug.
"I have looked for you everywhere, i saw Usman but he gave me a wrong number and house address" I said in one breath
"Baraqah am so happy to see you, am sorry" she said
"Me too, why are looking like this" I asked her, Sofiyah looked unkept.
"There's a lot to talk about" she replied.
"Why don't we go inside" I suggested
"No way!, Usman will be back soon. I don't him to meet you here, he'll get angry" she said
"Why?" I asked "I haven't seen you in months" I was surprised
"There's a lot to it sister, let me have ur telephone number so I'll call you" she said. I gave her my house phone number.
"I will be expecting your call" I said
"I will call you" she said giving me another hug. I left the compound with a heavy heart.
Chapter 11
After my visit to Sofiyah house, I wasn't happy. My sister was looking unkept, Usman was looking great when I saw him. I kept wondering what was happening to her, she was also pregnant.
I was restless, I kept thinking about our conversation. Sofiyah was scared, she didn't want Usman to see me with her. I could remember he gave me a wrong number and address, which means he didn't want anyone around her. I started having weird feelings about Sofiyah and Usman, I waited patiently for her call before I could conclude.
She called one day and requested I come over to her house. "Hello, Baraqah this is Sofiyah" said the voice as I answered the phone
"Sofiyah thank God you finally called, hope all is well
"Am fine, Usman will be traveling tomorrow" she said whispering.
"Ok"
"You can come over tomorrow, don't call this number. Be at my place by 12noon tomorrow" she said and hung up.
Sofiyah was whispering throughout the call, something wasn't right, nothing has been right from the first day. I prepared myself for the next day and told my husband about the call, he said Sofiyah was probably going through something and I should be gentle with her.
I got to her house the next day, I met Sofiyah at the terrace she was waiting for me. We hugged each other and she welcomed me into her home, we started talking and soon Sofiyah was in tears.
"How have you been Sofiyah, what's going on with you" I asked her as I settled on the sofa.
"Baraqah am not doing well" she said in tears
"What do you mean, what is happening with you. No one heard from you after your Convocation" I said
"There's a lot to it Baraqah, am suffering" she said. I placed her head on my shoulder trying to comfort her.
"Tell me everything" I said
NARRATOR- SOFIYYAH
"Baraqah, I don't know what came over me. I really didn't like Usman when I first saw him" she said. "I could recall our first meeting, it was at the school cafeteria. Usman sent one of his friends to me, I told the boy to leave me alone. At noon that same day, Usman came to me"
"I sent my friend to you this morning" Usman said "Well I like you and I want you to be girlfriend" he said pulling my hand "Am well known inside and outside campus" he added. Usman continued to brag about himself
"it's better you forget it, I can't go out with you" I told him
"No one turns me down, I own this campus" he said and I walked away from him.
200lvl second semester, I was in the library when he came over. I suddenly started liking him and that was how I fell in love. I don't know what came over me, I started doing and believing everything he said. I became secretive and didn't find any fault in him, I wanted to be with him. He's from a good background, but Usman is evil.
After our wedding, everything was going well. I thought I married the man of my dreams, few months later he told me we were packing out of our apartment. He said he didn't want family coming around to interfere with our marriage. I did as he instructed without confronting him.
Usman bewitched me. He doesn't pray nor fast,he drinks, womanizes and smokes. He brings this women into our home,whenever I confort he beats me up. so many times I tried to escape,but I couldn't.He has someone watching over me.
"How did you get to know he bewitched you" Baraqah
"I was sweeping the house one day,when I decided i needed to change the interior.I was through with the sitting room and decided to do the same with the bedroom. I was picking out some clothes he wasn't wearing anymore when something dropped from the pocket of one of his clothes.I picked it, it was a small bottle the size of an ink bottle. I opened it and found a substance in powered form, a piece of paper was buried in it. I opened the paper, my name and his were written on the paper. I found another object tied in with a black and white thread, I loosed it and behold it was my name written on another paper with his.
After seeing all these, my eyes became cleared. It was then I realized I have been bewitched, I cried out but no one could hear me. I started to recall everything I did, my heart was heavy. I tried calling you or Faiza that was when I realized I don't have anybodys contact. I tried escaping but i couldnt, he has some boys mounted outside to watch over me, it was as if he knew I was going to find out.
When Usman came back that day I confronted, he took everything from. There was nothing I could do than to confront him. Usman beat up and I was pregnant, I almost lost my baby. He didn't take me to the hospital, he said he did it to teach me a lesson.
"When I asked you out in school, you were ignoring me abi. Didn't I marry you, I got to see everything you were hiding. I married you to teach you a lesson that no one says no to me"
I was shocked, I ever expected such. I only refused him because he wasn't a good person but I ended up paying for what I know not. Usman started bring women home, he drinks and smokes.
He said "When you give birth to my child you can go back to your family, till then you can't leave this house. Don't even think about it, my boys are outside"
Usman hides his phone from me, I got to call because he forgot to take his phone to the bathroom this morning. He does that everyday, I sleep in a separate room and I work as a slave, I haven't been to a hospital since I got pregnant. Baraqah I don't know what to do, am dying here please help.
...To be continued.
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