Five

Five months later.

"And you will be the one to cook and do whatever she wants" mom said pointing at me. I nodded with my head low.

Now that lujaina is four months pregnant, i know I'll suffer the consequences. She'll do whatever it takes to kick me out of this house.

"Please my daughter take good care of yourself" she patted her back. "Call me whenever there's a problem" she added before leaving. I stood up from where I was sitting and strolled into the kitchen.

I looked around thinking of what to cook for Jabbar. He can be anything but he chose to be a vegetarian. It's sometimes annoying.

Lujaina came in holding her waist. You could barely see the baby bump but she's acting like she's 9 months far. "C-cook noodles for me and make sure it's spicy and make orange juice for me" she finished talking and left.

I crossed my arms on my chest thinking of what just happened. Did she just.. What? I dismissed the thought. I'm only going to do this because of Jabbar and his mother.

I fried chips and made sauce for Jabbar and Maya before cooking noodles for... Well, you know who. Lantana helped me in arranging the warmers on the dinning table while I went to take a quick bath.

I dressed up in a pink shirt with black jeans that only reached my knees. I sprayed some perfume before Leaving.

     I met Jabbar on the couch holding a paper, his mouth wide open. Lujaina was sitting beside him grinning. "I don't understand what you're saying! So you mean you're pregnant? As In pregnant and it's mine?" He asked. He looked stupefy and buoyant.

I sat down on the couch far away from them. "Y-yes. Four months far" she grinned. "Congrats" he threw the paper at her and went upstairs. He didn't even notice my existence.

I followed him immediately. "What's up with you?" I queried folding my arms placing it on my chest. He was busy typing on his phone. "Jabbar". He looked up at me "what!?" He snapped.

I closed my eyes and heaved a sigh before opening it. "Your food is ready" I uttered and left the room. I went downstairs to the dinning room. "W-w-what kind of n-noddles is th-this? Do you want to kill me with all this pepper! When I said spicy I didn't mean you should put a whole company of pepper!!" She kept ranting.

She took the plate of hot noodles and poured it on my clothes. I didn't hesitate to slap her. I was out of patience. "Are you mad? Is something wrong with your dumb fish brain?" I yelled coming towards her in a threatening way while she walked back.

I can't deal with this crap anymore. "Lemme warn you lujina or whatever your name is. Be careful, stay away from me. Don't let me lose my temper on you, just don't because if you do, you won't like the other side of me" my eyes met with Jabbar as I turned.

I left him there standing, asking her what happened. I could hear her crying, trying to talk but couldn't. I went to my room and took another bath. I performed ablution and prayed isha.

I plumped on my bed. I was staring at the ceiling when Jabbar came in. He laid exactly how I did. "Why did you slap her?" That was the first thing he said after much silence.

"She's rude, disrespectful, selfish and annoying. She freaking stained my clothes with noodles". He laughed "I was behind you the whole time". I slapped his shoulder "and you didn't say anything". He pulled me close "look I'm sorry for how I talked to you, I wasn't in a good mood and now lujaina being pregnant is not helping".

I looked at him smiling "I wasn't mad at you in the first place". He bit my neck "lemme apologize properly". He kissed the back of my ear and bit my neck again. "No let's go and eat" I pushed him away.

He put his hand in my shirt kissing my neck. I started to feel weak. I couldn't push him anymore. "Jabbar" I moaned out. "Shhh" he shushed me. I let him express his love for me.

• • • • •

"Aunty Hidayah" I squealed and hugged her. "Hey Hayrah how are you?" She asked breaking the hug. "I'm good, Alhamdulillah. Please come in" I ushered her in.

I bought snacks and drinks for her. "What would you like to have ?" I asked smiling. "No Hayrah this is enough, I don't want to stress you out" she replied.

"Where's Jabbar?" She asked. "He went out with Jawwad a couple of minutes ago" I answered. Lujaina came down the stairs chewing bubble gum. She looked and waved at hidayah before turning her gaze to me "where's m-my lunch? I'm hungry. B-Bring it up to my room n-now" she turned to leave.

Hidayah looked at me shocked. "Is this what's going on in this house? You cooking for this girl? Does Jabbar know about what's going on?" She kept questioning. "She's pregnant and mom told me to... Uhmm do whatever she wants" my head was low as I talked. "I don't actually blame her, it's okay" I added.

She huffed shaking her head side ways. She took her phone from her bag.

"Where are you?"

"Ok I'm in your house and I need to talk to you right now. Come home ASAP" she hung up and kept the phone.

"Hayrah you need to start standing up for yourself. Don't let this girl get in your way. Not her, not my mother or anybody". All I did was kept my mouth shut listening to her.

"Salamu alaykum" the twins came in. If I didn't know what Jabbar was wearing before he left, I wouldn't know which one is my husband.

"So mom told Hayrah this crazy thing..." She trailed off and looked at me. "What crazy thing?" Asked Jabbar.

    "No wait lemme ask you this, when did Hayrah turned into lujaina's maid?" Her hands joined Together. "What do you mean? What are you talking about please?" He was running out of patience.

     "Well lujaina came down few minutes ago, telling Hayrah to cook and bring up her food and the rude girl couldn't even greet me". To me I don't see any reason for her to yell.

Jabbar stood up and headed upstairs. He came back with lujaina trailing behind. "Kneel down here" he ordered. She knelt down without complaining. "Apologize to Hayrah now" he commanded. "B-but I didn't do anything"

      "Lujaina, don't vex me. Apologize now before I lose my temper" he yelled at her. "Sorry" she said. "Now apologize to my sister and don't even argue". She looked at hidayah "I'm sorry" she apologized.

     "Leave this place now". She didn't say anything again as she walked away. They think doing this will make her to change her attitude. I know that girl will never change.

• • • •

       "No you'll be the one to cook tonight I'm really tired" I whined. I took the apron from the hanger and put it on him. He heaved a sigh "okay what do you want to eat?". I scratched my chin looking at the ceiling thinking of what to say.

     "Salad with grilled chicken and chips" I beamed. He rolled his eyes. "Go wait for me in the living room" he pushed me towards the door. I crossed my legs sitting down on the sofa turning on the TV.

       I heard the door bell going on and on. Who on earth is this? I opened the door and guess who! The boss! Mom! I squatted to greet her but I ended up getting a hot slap "that's for slapping my daughter in law". Before I could protest she slapped me again making me to scream  " and that's for accusing her of something she didn't do"

     Jabbar rushed out of the kitchen. He helped me to get up. "Mom what did she do to deserve this kinda slap?" He asked looking at her in complete amusement. "Why are you wearing an apron? Oh so now you've turned into her cook? Oh ya Allah" she shook her head.

      "See, lemme tell you. You have to choose between me and this garbage. It's either you divorce her or I disown you". My heart skipped a beat upon hearing that. He knelt down in front of her "mummy please don't do this to me. You know I love Hayrah. I can't live without her. Mummy Dan Allah karki min haka. Please I'm begging you".

      "Lailaha illallah! You can't do without her? Okay fine lemme see how you'll do without a mother" she turned to leave but I knelt down and grabbed her hand. "Mummy please don't separate us-" before I could finish she slapped me hard.

      "For the last time abdul-Jabbar if I'm the one who gave birth to you divorce her now!" She yelled. I knelt down there crying like a two year old. He quietly rose to his feet and went upstairs.

         He came back with a piece of paper folded neatly. He handed the paper to me. I can't believe this, I'm no longer his wife!