SCOURGE
CHAPTER 27
Rolling the suitcase out of the Queen Alia interntional airport malik put on the shade with a sigh.
"Can you walk any faster?"he say as falak fasten her pace to catch up with him.
It's an unplanned trip, he certainly wasn't planning on coming to jordan for the eid but his dad insisted,
he smell trouble but he can't place his finger on why his dad is persistent for him to do eid in jordan, his brother is staying back he's curious and if by any chance this has to do with fu,ad saying shit about his marriage with falak then he know better than to dig his own grave before he comes back to Nigeria.
"ahila sayidi(welcome sir)."the driver greet collecting the suitcase from malik and he ignored him, he just want to meet with his dad to know what the emergency is all about, Eid is in 2days he would have spend it in his basement.
Within the last few days of ramadan, they moved to a new house, a much bigger one mostly because he wanted his own space and not have to deal with falak.
"Where are we going to sir?"the driver ask once they all settle in the car.
"khudhni 'iilaa walid(take me to my parent)."he say removing his phone from his pocket.
The drive is a quiet on, falak is so excited, she's been in touched with her dad malik bought her a phone, she was suprise but the man is unpredictable, the car comes to a halt making her to look up a smile dancing on her lips as she open the car.
"Leave the suitcases in the car,
We are heading home ASAP."malik say as he comes out of the car.
There's a blue jaguar parked in the house which makes his already bad mood turns into anger, he Head for the door and open it, there's noises coming from upstairs and he Take a deep breathe to calm himself as the door open.
Falak quietly halt behind malik which infuriate him and he turn slapping her on the cheek making her to fall on the floor.
He crouched and grab her aggresively by the jaw.
"Why do you always find a way to irritate me?
You are so dull and incompetent of doing anything right............
"Malik."the familiar voice call making him to look up.
"Mum."he say tossing her head away and stand up, his mum glance at falak who grizzly stand up and smile awkwardly at the middle age lady.
"masa' alkhayr 'umiy(good afternoon mum)."falak say adjusting her veil to cover her now bruise face with malik imprinted fingers, they always appear whenever he slapped her his hand are made of steel.
"kayf kanat rihlatuk eazizati(How was your flight my dear)."his mum say walking down the stairs as malik stare at falak daringly.
"Alhamdulilah."falak say with a weak smile at same time wiping her tears as malik mum grab her by the hand.
"Where's dad?"malik ask as the familiar figure come inside the parlor with the one person he now hate the most Ahmad.
"Masa'al khayr abbey."falak greet making the elderly man to smile.
"How are you my dear?"he ask and khayr nod adjusting her veil but the elderly man caught a glance of it.
Falak and her mother inlaw leave the parlor, the two head upstairs leaving the three men.
"So it ia true?"his dad say turning his gaze back to his son who's throwing dagger at Ahmad.
"True about what dad?"Malik ask turning his gaze back to his father.
"That you are abusive toward your wife."his dad expatiate and malik shake his head.
"An irrelevant information from a wrong source, how about you ask her yourself, this accusation is blatantly false."Malik say and his dad nod.
"As you say."his dad say and turn his gaze back to Ahmad.
the place fall dead for a while as the elderly man clear his throat.
"I'm heading somehwer, we will talk when i get back."he say and malim just stand, his dad and Ahmad exit the parlor making him to release a deep breathe.
Whenever his dad say "we will talk" he get nervous mostly because it's usually him ruling out a verdict or giving an uneasy task to deal with.
He head upstairs making a mental note to deal with fu,ad when he gets back to Nigeria, falak is doing everything she can to separate him from his family and that's something he's not going to accept, she's crossing boundaries, she seems to be everyone first priority and he's not liking it ome bit.
"Mu......he pause when he saw the familiar figure.
"Lily?"he call and the young girl smile at him.
"Ya malik."she say as his eyes wander to the pregnancy bump.
"You re pregnant now?
When did you even got married?"he ask smiling at her as falak just stare at him from where she's cutting the veggie in the kitchen island.
How can he be nice to everyone except her, the smile just makes him look different, she'd trade a kidney and probably her voice again just for him to be this nice to her.
"Lily."the familiar voice call entering the kitchen.
"Mine are we leaving?"she ask Ahmad as malik look between the two trying to process what's going on but push his curiosity a bay as he wonder what he's been missing out.
"Yeah but.......
Malik can we talk?"Ahmad ask staring at his best friend and he shoot him a dreadful look.
"No."he say flatly without a care gaining his mum attention.
"Why?"She ask and malik turn to face Ahmad.
"Because i don't want to,
I don't want to talk or have anything to do with you, that friendship is dead and you know why."malik say in annoyance and leave the Kitchen not wanting to continue the conversation and ahmad follow him.
"Malik!"Ahmad call trailing behind him as he walk down the stairs.
"What do you want?"malik snapped, he hasnt forget the betrayal and he's not very good with forgiveness.
"Can you atleast pay attention to me?
That's your problem you always push away people who care for you,
I'm mot married to your girlfriend."Ahmad break the news as malik just stare at him blankly.
"And?
How is that my problem?
Wether or not you marry Ramlat,
I don't care for all that matters to me iz that whatever malik wants malik gets."he say and continue walking down the stairs with Ahmad behind him.
The parlor door open and a 6'7 tall man walk in, malik glance at him then to Ahmad before hissing.
"And what's the occasion?"malik say irritatedly and the tall man shake hus head.
"You are the occasion malik," by mow malik know this isnt an unplanned meeting and it's neither coincidence.
He was much more happy with his life without the two people standing in his front.
"How are you mubeen?"Ahmad ask exchanging a handshake shake as the two men watch malik exit the parlor.
"He's never gonna listen."mubeen say as the two men exit the building.
"Then who the fuck called dad?"malik yell to the phone as the 2 men just stare at him observantly as he yell to whoever he's on the call with.
"Silence!
Since when do you have an opinion on what should i or shouldn't do with my life, this should be the very last time, i Dare you to repeat such thing."he say and end the call as mubeen exchange a look with Ahmad.
He storm inside the house and head upstairs furiously.
"We're leaving."he say gaining his mum attention.
"Why?
You just got here and ... .
"We will get back later or tomorrow morning, falak and i have something to settle."he say glancing at falak who's sitting on the kitchen island.
"But......
"Falak?"malik call and she quickly stand up, she can see it all over his face, he's enrage and when he snapped she's certain it isn't going to end well.
His mum just look in bewilderment as he grab falak by the hand and the two leave the kitchen, she glance at lily who's eating and the pregnant lady shrug.
He nudge the 2 men standing by the door with his tight grip around her wrist.
"Give me the keys."he demand and the driver hand him the keys.
"Get in."he say opening the front passenger door for her.
"I......
"Will you?"he say and she enter, malik didn't even let her wear her shoes, he shut the door and climb the car.
The drive which nearly give her a heart attack falak couldn't be more happy when they've reach there destination alive, he comes down and hurriedly head for the porch, he open the door and head inside as falak stare at the familiar building, the last time she was here it wasn't the best experience, she slugishly walk to the front porch and push the door open, she peek inside before finaly enter with a rapidly beating heart and shut the door gently behind her makimh sure it doesn't make sound.
Coming down the stairs as he fold the sleeves of his shirt and time froze when there eyes locked.
She's already mastered the looks of his eyes and know just by a mere look that she's in trouble.
Her legs automatically took a step back as he majestically yet regally walk towards her.
*this guy and attitude*
Her back hit the wall and she just stand waiting for the verdict of the crime she commited unknowingly.
A loud crack echo as her neck jerks to the side and another 2 set of slaps follow that makes her fall to the ground.
He squat down in her front and use the tip of his fingers and lift her head, from her hazy vision she see him an impish smile dancing on his lips.
"Before you report me next time make sure that person gets you out of here first."he say and he went to his feet.
She's too weak to react to any of this, she had a long flight and the airsickness doesn help her mood and this now, she feel so weak, she grizzle and tried standing up but couldn't so she just rest her back to the wall.
"I just can't just placed my finger to reason why my whole family is all over you and they Can't even see your true color........there's a long pause before he sigh.
"First was mum...and now my dad then suprise, suprise fu,ad.
Her eyes swept to his and she could trace the pain and anger in his word tho his face seems emotionless.
He crouched before her and grab her by the jaw.
"What do you even want?
To ruin the relationship i have with my family?
What will you benefit from that?"
By Allah the pain was out on displayed and she looks away as he tossed her head with he snort and stand up.
"i frankly don't know what you want?
Are you a witch?"he ask exasperate and his phone start ringing, he stare at the screen with his dad name on it and swipe it before placing it to his ear.
"Why are you not here?"the elderly man grouchy voice say through the phone making malik to stare at the figure on the ground.
"Falak wasn't too well,
I will be on my way now."he say and the line went off making him to facepalm as tho that will make his mood any better.
He head back upstairs,
he changed and come down to find falak still sitting where he left her.
"Do you meed a special invite to get ready, go wipe off those stupid tears and come meet me in the car in five minutes."he say and exit the house.
Falak used the last bit of strength in her body and head upstairs, half way through undressing process malik comes in, her hands autonomously cover her chest as he throw the suitcase and handbag on the floor, he look up and give her an irritated look before leaving the bedroom.
"3minutes."he say and falak rush to the door and shut it turning the lock in.
********************
"I demand an explanation."his mum say as malik glance at her.
"For what?"he ask cluelessly eating the roasted nut.
He's currently sitting with her in the bedroom, it's few minutes to isha and by Alla he isn't doing isha prayer here not after his dad rattled him about falak.
"Don't act all dumb with me,
Why malik?"his mum say staring at her son who seems unbother as tho he doesn't know who she's refering to.
"tell me about you and falak?
How have you been treating her?"
"Good." He say tossing one of the nuts in his mouth.
"Good, how.
Anyone could see it,
She's not happy.
"And i look enthralled,
Let's talk about this some other time, can we?"he say disinterested as his mum shake her head.
"Malik it's been months,
This girl is your wife,She's an amanah to us, why are you treating her this way.
"Because i don't want her?
Mum i can't treat her any better, if she's tired she can leave because there's no point talking about anything."he say scrating his scruffy beard making a mental note to trim it to perfection later.
"Malik are you mad?
What's wrong with you."his mum say looking at him weirdly as though he grew a second head.
"Mum this duscussion is irrelevant, i have much better things to do."he say irritated.
"Malik what has come over you?
I dont want to believe what your brother said to me, what do you think will happen if your dad find out about it, he will be hysterical
he's already suspicious,
why are you doing this?
What exactly do you want?"she ask now looking worriedly at him .
"Her out of my life.
Mum i don't see how this conversation is important to any of us, If there's nothing more relevant to discuss i need to leave."he say sitting up from the relaxing position he was.
"I have had enough of this nonsense,
You are going to apologise to her, settle this and make this marriage work."his mum say and he shake his head disapprovingly.
"Apologise,
with all due respect I'm not apologising mum,
I can't apologise to a girl who's the one that wronged me, who my own family have put more value on than my own happiness and who they are forcing me to do good to her, let me be good to her when and if i want to, let me accept her if and when i want to, but you compelling me to do so, is why i wouldn't, i make decisions for myself, nobody else should, I'm not a small boy.
"Malik this is the first time you blatantly say no to me, i won't force you but, you won't get a better girl than falak, she's a good girl
S
he's a nice girl and whatever reason you are hating her for is unveridical."his mum say and he roll his eyes in utmost boredom.
"Exactly mum,
Y'all take this girl like some goddess who doesn't do anything wrong."
"If you don't want her then divorce her, divorce her and save her the torment."his mum say already exhausted and frustrated.
"As if that's easy,
If i can i would have done that a long time ago,but dad
I don't know what he sees in this girl, she's just like a tick feeding on it host, a very parasitic girl, stubbir like a mule and very gutsy."he say despicably.
"So you don't like her been gutsy,
You want to mistreat her all you want but don't want her to say a thing.
"I don't like her mum period and that won't change it is a fact."he stated and his mum shake her head.
"Then divorce her malik, divorce her and save both of you the stress.
"I won't mum, the last thing i want is getting on dad bad side at this crucial time, beside if i divorce her today dad will bring her back tomorrow, she's cast a spell on him."he say grabbing the bowl of nut again.
"Then what?
You want to keep her hostage and keep on maltreating her?"
"I want to make her go by herself.
So when she leave and if he'd ask her she will refuse to come back.
"So it's true what fu,ad said?
What have you been doing to this girl malik?"his mum say looking at him horrifiedly
"Alot of things mum,
Alot of things you can never imagine."he say a smile dancing on his lips as his mum snatch yhe bowl of nut and drop aside.
"Malik!
I thought you are amenable
I trained you to be better than this"she shoot her eyes strain on him.
"What else do you want?
her staying with me won't do her any good."he say without a care.
"I fear for you the day you will regret all this, she's am orphan for the love of God,
What kind of a boy are you?"his mim say trying to keep her tears and emotion intact but fail.
"You are going to apologize to falak malik."his mum add as her eyes water and he stand up.
"I'm really sorry mum but i did nothing wrong to this girl, I'm not apologizing to this girl."he say not wanting to look at her.
"_then what?
What do you want malik?
To die single?
"At least i will die happy."he grumble.
"What is wrong with you malik?
You'd be in love with your uncle wife but don't want to fulfil your parents wishe?
"We love you malik,
Or do you think we'd married someone who's isn't worthy to you,
You........
"Mum stop." He say crouching in her front,
Stop making me feel this way."he say swallowing the lump in his throat.
"Then do the needful.
"I can't.
"Yes you can,
You just don't want to,
Just get out,
Leave me."his mum say removing his hand that was place on her hand.
"You're sending me out mum?"he say staring at his mum.
"Just get out malik."she shout making hin to press his lips together.
He kiss her on the forehead and stand up.
"I will do anything because of you mum,but this is a no...I'm sorry.
I love you."he say and walk out of the bedroom.
This has never happened before his mum never, ever raised her voice for him but she did today, and it's all because of her, how ironic he'd make sure to make her life a living nightmare.
"Mu......falak call walking to the bedroom but collided into something hard yet soft, the woody oud scent has said it all she looks up and he flaunted her a glare.
"I'm sorr.......
"Get the fuck out of my face...."he jolted pushing her out of his way and exit the bedroom enrage.