Dried Ink

53

"Khalifa you don't speak to your mother that way" Karima scolded.

"You don't tell me what to do. Plus, My mother is in Kano" he replied curtly.

"She's the one who gave birth to you, you owe her some respect"

"Respect is given to people who stand by you in your dark times, people who trust you even when they don't know you well. And besides, I never disrespected her." He hissed.

"Stop raising your voice Babe" Karima said.

He nodded before banging the door to the bathroom open.

Karima breathes out and sat on the bed. She stretched out her legs and silently wondered what was going on between her husband and his mother. She never even knew his mother was alive. She thought he lost both parents.

She searched for her phone in her bag. The only person who would tell her a few things about her husband would be his sister.

She dialed Anty Maryam's number praying she'd pick up before Khalifa was done with his shower.

"I assume you've met Mummy?" Anty Maryam asked immediately she picked the call.

"Yes" Karima nodded. "And I'm so confused" she added.

"Khalifa and Mummy don't see eye to eye" Anty Maryam said causing Karima to roll her eyes.

"Did you also see Firdaus?" Anty Maryam asked.

"No. I don't know who that is"

"You must have seen her. She's our cousin and she practically lives with Mummy" Anty Maryam informed.

"She was the one that got the door I think" Karima guessed.

"If it's not one of the maids, she probably is."

Karima nodded.

"She has everything to do with his problems with Mummy. That's all I can tell you, it's his story to tell. Not mine" she explained.

Karima almost hissed In annoyance. Why would she start saying something and not make sense in the end.

"Okay Anty Maryam . Thank you" they talked a little before hanging up.

Khalifa came out of the bathroom with a towel sitting comfortably on his waist. Water rolled off his body and dripped on the towel and some got to the grown.

Karima's lips flew open as she quickly averted her gaze. Khalifa chucked a little.

"Na you sabi" he said before heading to the closet.

Karima abruptly stood up and walked towards him turning him around. She thought she had seen a scar but she just had to confirm it.

It was there, a scar very similar to Mama's. One she got after her kidney surgery.
If her assumptions were right, her husband had given her mother one of his kidneys. Yet, she had disrespected him and talked back at him on so many occasions when it was with his help her mother still breathes.

Karima fell to the ground, spellbound. Khalifa immediately squatted in front of her.
"Are you okay?What happened?" He asked, his voice laced with fear as he saw the tears in her eyes.

Karima was speechless. It all made sense now, he 'escorted' Mama to India for her surgery and they spent three months there. It made sense how Khalifa had a personal doctor.
She threw her left hand on her mouth and tried to stop her sobs.

"Baby, are you good? I'm sorry, did I do something?" He panicked.
She quickly shook her head in negation.

"You were the donor?" She managed to ask.