Chapter 8: The Threat!

Madina saunters into bushra's room with a smile. 'Salamu Alaikum... bestie," she began. She knew Bushra was upset with her for not making it to Adila's naming ceremony. Bushra lifted her head and glared at her before averting her eyes away. Madina jumped on the bed and pulled her into a tight embrace.
'Madina... I can't... breathe..." She spoke breathlessly as she gasped for air. 'I know, and I am not letting go until you say you forgive me." She tightened her embrace and Bushra couldn't escape the tight hold. 'Ok... ok, fine!" She declared and Madina lets go of her immediately. She hit Madina's back brutally. 'That's for not showing up to the ceremony and for trying to choke me to death."
Madina grimaced in pain, trying to rub the pain away. 'That was really painful," she lamented and pursed her lips. 'I kind of deserved it," she admitted. Bushra laughed enthusiastically. 'Sorry." She mouthed and rubbed down the place she hit her.
'I'm sorry I couldn't make it yesterday. I really wanted to but Mommy's condition got worse and I couldn't leave her all by herself at home." Madina tried to clarify her reason for not showing up. Bushra's brows shoots up with concern 'How's she doing now? Why didn't you tell me, Madina? Oh Allah, I could've visited her today." Bushra spoke, already getting worked up. Madina's mother was diabetic and had a leg problem.
'She's better and she was the one that insisted I go see the baby. I did before coming here to beg for forgiveness," Madina said dramatically. Bushra giggled at how Madina was being theatrical.
'So, fill me in. I know there's a lot that I've missed." Madina said gleefully. She adjusted her sitting position on the bed and faced Bushra.
'A lot did happened." She sighed just as she slumped back on her pillow. After the event yesterday, Bushra went back home later in the night to meet her father waiting for her. He was so angry about what she had said to aunty saude, Sadiq's mother. Bushra couldn't argue because she knew she did it and he asked her to go and apologise to her before she returns to Yola.
'Spill!" Madina chirped, shaking Bushra's shoulders. 'Oh My God! Ok, ok I will." She giggled blithely. 'Guess who I met at the event yesterday," she began. Madina was already anticipating her before she hears the whole chit-chat. 'Mahir. Turns out he's Yasmin's husband's friend. I just... I never expected to see him there. And he was claiming the universe was giving us a sign to go out ‘for dinner' not ‘a date', ‘dinner' as he said." She said, emphasising on Mahir's words.
'So... let me get this straight, he asked you on a date?" Madina asked to clarify her doubts.
'Exactly, but he claimed that he wasn't. It's just going to be a normal dinner to show his appreciation for helping them resolve the issue with his father's account. I'm their account manager; As if I had any other choice?" Madina kept nodding her head the whole time Bushra filled her in. 'What did you say then?" Madina asked, hoping her instincts were right.
'I rejected," she mouthed nonchalantly. She could sense Madina's reaction by her judgemental look. 'What! Why?" She questioned. She'd smack Bushra's face at the moment if she was given the chance. 'This was your chance and you blew it, Bushra. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and you freaking wrecked it." She said aggrievedly.
Bushra hissed disturbingly. 'I never told you I was interested in him, nor did he show any interest in me. I do not want anything that has to do with him, Madina. Even if I do like him, I can't just accept on the first proposal. C'mon... men like him deserve to be anguished for a bit because he's so used to getting what he want in a blink of an eye – he has forgotten what the word ‘NO' means."
Madina was still dissatisfied. 'I am not going to put you to something you don't want to do, but I don't see any harm in being with him if he shows interest in you. And besides, he only offered to take you out for dinner, that's it. And in my opinion, Bushra, it was rude of you to reject him that way." Madina said, her tone was as serious as her face.
'Look... I didn't reject his dinner date..."
'Friendly dinner," Madina corrected. Bushra groaned out of annoyance. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She wasn't going to let herself get worked up over this small issue. 'I did not reject his ‘friendly dinner' because I wanted to prove something or make him feel bad -- I rejected because I was not interested in going out in public with him. I do not want to be seen with him. In fact, I don't want to be anywhere near him. I am done with the rumors."
Madina tried to suppress her giggling, but ended up bursting into loud laughter. Her laughter could be heard throughout the house.
Bushra furrowed her brows as she stared at her agitatedly. 'Are you done?" She asked grimly. 'I'm sorry, but I just had to..." She begun to laugh again. 'Okay, okay... I'm done. Sorry. But common, Bushra, you have already been seen with this guy. Even your colleagues think you guys are together..."
'That's the point. The rumours. You want me to prove that their rumors were true?" Bushra yelled unknowingly. She heaved a sigh to relax and calm the heartbeat rate. Madina stared at her for a moment. 'We have been talking about this for over 15 minutes and I will not stop asking you this. What is the problem with being in a relationship with him? You're not even giving him any benefit of doubt. Quit judging this guy and give him a try. You're only the one fighting here -- he isn't obviously."
To think of it, Bushra was the one getting herself beaten up over something he didn't seem to care. She was the type of girl who'd give orders, speak confidently, hold her head high -- but everything seems to vanish the moment he comes into the picture. She becomes nervous, heart beats fast, cheeks flushing, stomach churning with tension -- it all happens even when he doesn't speak, even when he wasn't looking at her. The moment they were in the same room, she finds it hard to concentrate.
'I'll leave you to your thoughts, Ma'am. I have to run some errands for mommy before heading home." Madina got off the bed and grabbed her bag that was sitting on the side drawer. 'We should go together, I want to check up on her." Bushra offered and Madina nodded.
Later that day, Bushra went back home after checking up on Madina's mother and baby Adila. She hopped out of the car and opened her trunk to get Yasmin's stuff. She was coming home the next day to stay for forty-days like any newly mother did in their culture. Bushra was excited that she gets to spend more than a month together with her sister and her niece. She took everything inside and came back to fetch her phone.
As she closed the car door, she looked up -- a low, waning gibbous moon hovered tenuously in the twilight firmament, bestowing a very dim light upon the land. She smiled, strolling towards the house entrance. The night air was crisp and cool.
The living room was silent which means her father wasn't home yet and Aunty was in her room. She calmly headed towards her mother's room. Strolling into the room, Bushra called her out. 'Aunty, I'm home." She slumps down on the bed tiredly.
'Why are you just coming back by this time, Bushra? What if your father came home and you weren't back? You know he'd blame me for your whereabouts." Aunty lamented. Bushra folded her arms and pursed her lips.
'Quit acting like a small kid, Bushra!" Aunty spoke grimly. 'Exactly, Aunty. I'm not a kid anymore. I can take care of myself wherever I am." She said loftily but it made Aunty more furious. 'You are a woman, Bushra, and with what has been happening in our society you should not be roaming around at this time, alone. If you want to stay out late, then ask Sadiq to take you."
Bushra snapped her head towards her. She appeared taken back by the comment. She winced uncontrollably. 'Aunty, the time now is 9:15pm. You're getting yourself worked up over nothing. And the reason why I stayed out for this long was because Yasmin held me back. Aunty please, I beg you to stop mentioning Sadiq in my life. I don't like it." Unhappy lines on her face etched deeply.
Aunty gaped her eyes out. 'Ikon Allah! Because I mentioned Sadiq, that's why you want to start with the water works? Okay, that's enough. I won't mention him again -- I am just look after your safety." She uttered and patted Bushra's back. Bushra beamed and pulled her into a gentle embrace. 'That's enough now, Bushra." Aunty chuckled. She couldn't recall the last time she embraced her daughter. It was always a moment she cherished.
'Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go shower. Adila threw up on me and I reek of it." She spoke, almost gagging at the stench. 'I thought as much when you hugged me. And don't forget about dinner, I know you're fond of doing that, Bushra." Aunty reminded her. Bushra waved and hurriedly saunters out.
Bushra dropped her bag and dumped her veil into the laundry basket. She sashayed into the bathroom and undressed before hopping into the bathroom. She exhaled softly as the water leisurely warmed her, appeasing the ache that clawed at her limbs. It released so much tension she knew not about.
Tersely, she draped her body with her soft towel and strolled out of the bathroom. Drying her body with a small towel, Bushra wandered to her mirror and sat down on her vanity chair. She did her night routine before wearing her sleeping gown.
She closed her drawer slowly, as she unhurriedly turned her head, sensing someone in her room. She steadied her breath and tried to calm the panic. 'It's just me," he mentioned. His deep voice sending chills down her spine. Bushra embraced her body as she shifted uneasily. 'Please, get out!" She voiced courteously.
Sadiq scanned her from head to toe – She was wearing a knee-length silk peppered red nightgown. It hugged her form through the bright light of her room. Sadiq looked at her with hungry eyes – his mind went black, so as his heart did. He stood up from the edge of the bed and approached her. 'By Allah, if you take one more step closer, I'll scream and you know Aunty will hear me." Her heart was pounding like tribal drums.
He shrugged and stayed rooted to his spot. 'I just wanted to talk – about what you discussed my mother yesterday." He said dispassionately.
She hastily opened her drawer and fetched out a hijab, but before she could wear it, he has already gotten a handhold of her and covered her mouth with his right hand, and firmly held her with his left hand. Bushra tried to wiggle herself out but it was insufferable.
'You're making this difficult for the both of us," he whispered coarsely. 'Now listen… you think I'm playing at some game? You think iron will keep you safe? Hear my words, Bushra. Do not mistake me for my mask. You see light dappling on the water and forget the deep, cold dark beneath. Listen. You cannot hurt me. You cannot run or hide. In this I will not be defied. I swear by all the salt in me; if you keep running your mouth haphazardly, the remainder of your brief mortal span will be an orchestra of misery." His raspy voice had a deep timbre, the kind that anchors your soul a single moment in time.
He pushed her to the wall roughly and she fell to the ground. A sharp pain filled her body and radiating through her head. He gave her a disgusting look before walking out of the room. He just threatened her and that was his way of showing her his love? Or she was mistaken it for something else?
This was the man her parents wanted her to settle with? Settle with someone that didn't respect her – that was ready to maltreat her and make her life miserable. And now, if she were to report this to her parents, they might not believe it. They'd think she was making it up to get out of it.
The blank, emotionless expression swept over her face as the realization of the moment gradually seeped in. She laid there silently, hunched over and with a sense of loss so powerful that her muscles wouldn't respond to commands. She felt like her heart had been ripped out. A state of misery that she couldn't see the end of the tunnel. A terrible weight fell into her shoulders as she deliberately got to her feet and laid on her bed. It was as though a giant boulder landed on her and she couldn't straighten out.
This was a situation she had to get out of sooner than later. If she doesn't take care of Sadiq's matter, it would definitely take a wrong turn and wreck her life.