Tisha's POV
I was already in the final lap of my NYSC.
The faster the days went by, the faster my heartbeats.
I had started having morning sickness but I got lucky as Mus'ab was always going to work early.
I was totally enjoying my marriage.
At least mostly.
Aqsa made my life a living hell as she pestered me to tell him everyday.
We were miles apart but that woman sure knew how to rile me up.
"So you just expect me to go up to him and say 'Hey I'm carrying another man's baby in my womb'?!!", I stated sarcastically one morning during a video call.
She smacked her head,"No dumdumbo. You prepare a really nice dinner for him, ensure he's in a good mood, and spill. Not shove it in his face like it's his fault!"
"Oh so now you're saying it's my fault?"
"No no no...but wait oo. Tish, we haven't really talked about how you got that baby inside yourself. For all we know he could be the father."
I shook my head,"Honestly Aq, I really don't want to go there. Let me have this baby first safely. Then we could brainstorm on how I got a sperm inside of me."
Her widened eyes from the other side of the phone indicated she either saw something or had thought of something.
I chose to go with the latter.
She chuckled nervously.
"So about that story... let's do it this way. You're pregnant and don't know who the father is. Accepted. But you can't be married with someone else's child and pin it on your husband. You know what? I'll think of a matching story line and get back to you soonest."
I blinked.
"Is this one okay like this?? Who's talking about story?? I'm in a....",she was making signs with her hand which was indicating that I either played along or shut up.
I chose to do neither.
"Look Aq, I'm not in the mood for play this morning. I'm starting to show signs of pregnancy and sooner or later he's gonna find out."
I paused for a second as a thought hit me while her eyes kept pleading for me to keep shut.
"Come are you okay like this?? Is someone else there in your place??", my eyes lit up.
"Is it that corper guy that likes you from the school??"
She rolled her eyes.
I shook my head in amusement as I continued to make up all sorts of scenarios, none of which I knew wasn't true. But I loved to annoy her.
"So you've got a man in your apartment. How nice. Seeing how you've always hated having anything close to do with them....ehn ehn back to my matter."
She got up and I could see her heading to her kitchen,"So na my case you wan go take drink for. Okay na."
She sighed deeply as she came back.
"I'm gonna need it. Oya continue. And no, I don't have any man here. I still hate 'em."
"You're not gonna marry yourself yunno."
She chuckled.
"I know. Now spill."
I lowered my eyes, "I'm going to file for a divorce."
The next moment was a blur as she spat out her drink on her phone's screen and I heard a voice I so much dreaded to hear at that moment from behind me,"You're what???"
My eyes widened as I turned around and took in the sight of my husband.
He looked like he was going to strangle someone soon.
And I happened to be that someone.
I had to open my stupid mouth.
Aqsa seemed to have gotten over herself and she must have heard his voice too as she came back on the screen with fear written all over her face.
Fear for me.
Fear for what I was about to face.
The phone was still leaning against the wall of the counter so she could see him advancing towards me.
I moved back in fear.
She was quick to intervene.
"Hey hey Mus'ab buddy. Calm down. It's not what you think."
He said nothing but his eyes spoke volumes.
I was paralysed with fear.
I didn't know why, but there was always a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach whenever I got really close in contact with any angry male.
It was as if a part of me knew why but my memory couldn't comprehend that fact.
He was an inch away from me before bursting into laughter.
"You should have seen your face in the mirror. Didn't know I had such effect whenever I showed my anger",he grinned as he turned to face my phone while Aqsa was staring daggers at him.
"Even the almighty Aqsa was scared", he burst into another fit.
To say I was relieved was an understatement.
Aqsa was quick to recover though.
"Oh shut up Moose. You sneaking up on her like that ain't amusing. At all."
He sobered up.
"I know I know. But I didn't know she was writing a story. A complicated one at that. And what I didn't also know, was that her scary friend could actually look scared. You both should have seen your faces honestly."
I was still too shocked to speak.
She hissed.
"I wasn't scared idiot. I was just afraid you'd thought she was referring to herself and you would react in a not so nice way. You scared yourself, not me."
He shrugged,"I almost believed she was talking about herself at first but then when you said it was a story....I realized I was wrong so I decided to play a prank on you both to see how you'd react. And honestly one would think it was true 'cus you both looked like you wanted to pass out."
I wanted to pass out alright.
I stared at his face.
He had a carefree attitude.
When not angry.
And from what I could decipher, he only got really angry whenever he felt betrayed.
Who wouldn't love him for him?
I had kinda started to fall for him, given a different circumstance, we would have given this marriage a chance.
If only I could recollect any night or day I had been with a man.
My baby couldn't just slither into myself, could it?
Wait.
Did I just say my baby??
I placed a palm on my tummy.
No. I wouldn't harm this baby. I'd protect her.
I looked over at my husband and best friend. They were still bantering.
I knew what I had to do.
I left the kitchen and headed to my bedroom.
We still didn't share a room as I refused to let him touch me.
I simply wasn't ready yet. And he understood. I prayed he would understand this too.
I fished out the pregnancy test result.
Dragging my feet into the kitchen, I headed to my phone.
"Hey Aq, thanks for all that you do", I said with a resigned look.
She widened her eyes as she realized what I was about to do.
"No no! You're not saying a word Tish. Please don't do anything stupid now. We'll figure this...",I cut her short.
"When babe? When? Heaven knows I've tried. Besides aren't you the one who has been pestering my life for the past two weeks to tell him everything??"
She shook her head aggressively," I didn't mean you should just spill it out this way young woman!"
He cleared his throat.
"Um ladies? I'm still here you know? Tell who what? What's going on? You know what? I'll leave you both to whatever stuff you've got going on."
He placed a hand on my cheek,"You still haven't spoken a word to me Hayatee. I'm sorry I scared you if that's what's still bothering you. Came home to get some files. I'll leave now."
I traced my eyes to his hand sadly.
He seemed to get the wrong message as he was quick to drop it.
"I'll get going now. Have a great day. You too rat face", he said to Aqsa while she stuck her tongue out at him.
He was almost at the door when I spilled, "I'm actually pregnant Mus'ab",I said quietly.
"Shoot!!!", Aqsa exclaimed as she cut the call.
"Coward",I whispered with a sad smile.
He stopped dead on his tracks and turned back with a weary smile.
"I'm sorry what?"
I shoved the result into his hands and waited for him to open it before running out to throw up.
I felt like I was vomitting my intestines and instead of trying to hold it back, I kept pouring everything out.
I was shocked when I felt his hands pull back my hair gently as he soothed my back.
"Shhhhh it's fine now Tish. Don't force yourself."
He poured water over my face and helped me out of the toilet as I layed on the bed.
My morning sickness surely chose a really bad time to come.
He wrapped me up and sat beside me.
We said nothing for a while.
His phone kept ringing but he refused to pick up.
"You should pick your call", I whispered with eyes kept on my knees.
He felt him nod.
"I know. But I wouldn't."
Tears welled up in my eyes.
"I'm so sorry Mus'ab. I honestly didn't know how to tell you. Wallahi...",he cut me off.
"That's why you never allowed me to touch you isn't it?"
"No that's not..."
"I'm not a fool Tisha. I should have believed my mother when she told me trusting you was like trusting a fox",his voice shook.
"But I didn't listen to her. You know why? At first I didn't understand why she didn't like you when she was the one who made me marry you. But I casted that aside and believed you were not that kind of person. I did everything possible Tish. Every damn thing to try and make you fall in love with me. But no. It was a wasted effort. And you know what hurts? What hurts is that I hate myself for the way I needed to be loved by you."
He wiped his eyes with his handkerchief.
"All I ever did was wait around, hoping you would come around and we'd have a happily married life. But now I know it was all just in my head. The smiles, the bond, the happiness, everything."
He stood up.
"But thank you."
I tried standing up too but fell back as a searing pain hit my stomach.
"Mus'ab please listen to me",I clutched my tummy.
He ignored me and went over to my wardrobe.
He picked out two boxes and started packing my stuff into them.
My eyes widened in shock.
As if reading my thoughts he said,"I'm sorry but I can't stand living with a liar and a two faced person. You wanted a divorce right? You'll get it InShaAllah. For now, I'm taking you to your parents house."
I didn't understand why he was still so gentle.
Brutal, yet gentle.
......
Ahhhh!😭😭😭😭
O ti sele🥲🥲🥲