Usman drove to his friend Muktar's house after leaving Zainab's Hausa. The gate man, Malam Bala, opened the gate for him after informing his boss Muktar that he had a guest.
Muktar was sitting in his cozy sitting room, engrossed in a captivating movie. As Usman entered, Muktar's eyes widened in surprise. "Usman, what happened? You've changed so much. Look at you, you've lost a lot of weight and your complexion is darker than usual," Muktar exclaimed with genuine concern.
Usman strolled nonchalantly toward Muktar, his heart heavy with sorrow. "You won't understand," Usman lamented, taking a seat next to Muktar.
Muktar looked at him intently. "How can you say that I can't understand? Just tell me, I'm here for you," Muktar replied, showing his care and willingness to listen.
Usman let out a deep sigh. "I made a huge mistake. I pronounced our divorce three times, and I don't even know why or how it happened," he confessed, his voice filled with silent sobs.
Muktar tapped Usman's shoulder, trying to provide comfort. "Be a man, please. Men don't cry over love. Besides, you have Sa'ada. She's got everything, especially the looks," Muktar said, attempting to console him.
Usman tilted his head and smiled ironically. "When I said you wouldn't understand, you claimed you would. But looks and beauty aren't everything. It doesn't matter how she looks. What matters is how I feel and who I love. And I love Zainab, not Sa'ada," Usman said, his voice filled with a mix of weariness and longing.
Muktar raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Then why did you marry her if you had no feelings for her?" he questioned.
"I have my reasons," Usman replied briefly, not wanting to delve into the complexities of his past decisions.
He rolled his eyes and licked his lips before continuing, "What I regret is not admitting my mistake earlier. If I had confessed to sleeping with Sa'ada in our matrimonial home, Zainab wouldn't have asked for a divorce," he said ruefully, acknowledging his own shortcomings.
Muktar shrugged, offering his perspective. "Well, there's always a solution to any problem. It all depends on how we view the problem," Muktar said, hoping to provide some optimism.
"I've already divorced her three times. The only way we can reconcile is if she marries another man and he divorces her. The problem is, the thought of her marrying again is unbearable to me because I know no man will marry her with the intention of divorcing her," Usman confessed tearfully, his heart heavy with sorrow.
Muktar burst into laughter, surprising Usman. "Said who?" he asked, still chuckling. "Let me tell you, there are plenty of people out there who would be willing to marry her just to give you a glimmer of hope."
Usman scowled, his frustration evident. "What is this, Muktar? I'm pouring my heart out to you, and you're laughing. I can't stand this nonsense," he said, his tone growing belligerent.
Muktar tapped his thigh gently, trying to calm his friend. "Calm down, my man. I understand you're going through a lot. As I said before, there's always a solution. Why don't you consider paying someone to marry her temporarily, just so they can divorce her later? It might be a way to reunite with Zainab,".
Usman gently pressed his palm against his forehead, his lips tightening as frustration washed over him. "You will always be the worst person I know," he murmured, his voice tinged with despair. "How can you advise me to do such a thing when we both know it's prohibited? I can't bring myself to do that. Just help me pray for Zainab not to find another man. It would make things easier for me if she never remarries," Usman beseeched.
Muktar smirked, his anger palpable. "That's something I will never do," Muktar replied curtly. "After calling me the worst person, now you're begging for prayers?"
"Haba, my friend, don't take my words to heart," Usman pleaded, his eyes filled with remorse. "I spoke out of anger, and I take back what I said."
After a moment of silence, Usman sighed and said, "I'm thirsty. I need some water."
Muktar frowned and retorted, "You know where to get it."
Usman chuckled and said, "Come on, my friend, let bygones be bygones. I take back my words." He stood up, determined to make amends.
As Usman walked to the kitchen, he opened the refrigerator to find an array of drinks. He reached for a bottle of water and grabbed a soft drink as well.
Muktar watched as Usman consumed both beverages, then questioned, "I thought you quit drinking, Usman?"
Usman looked at the bottle in his hand and replied, "Yes, what did you see? This is just a soft drink."
Muktar smiled mischievously. "It's nothing," he said. "I simply forgot to tell you that I added some drugs to it."
Startled, Usman flung the bottle away and hissed, "You have a lot of problems, wallahi! How could you add drugs to a soft drink and leave it in the fridge? When I called you the worst person, I meant it." His voice slurred as the effects of the drug took hold. The added substance seemed to be heavy, as Usman's demeanor quickly turned angry.
Muktar shrugged nonchalantly and replied, "Well, it's better to be drunk than to have a heart attack because of love."
Undeterred, Usman reached for another bottle and finished it, while Muktar watched without interference.
Usman didn't leave his friend's house until midnight. As he stumbled back home, he found Sa'ada sleeping peacefully in the parlor. He slapped her thigh, causing her to stir and mumble, half-awake.
"What is it, Usman? You startled me," she said, her voice filled with grogginess.
"What are you doing here? How could you spend the night at your friend Zainab's house?" he shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Sa'ada. "You better leave before I come out," he slurred in his drunken state.
Her sleepiness evaporating, Sa'ada rubbed her eyes and looked at him. It wasn't a dream; he was indeed drunk. "What am I seeing?" she whispered to herself, a tear escaping down her cheek.
Still in the parlor, Sa'ada sat with her palm against her chin, crying silently, as Usman emerged brandishing a thick cane. "Where are you? Are you still here?" he bellowed, causing her to cower in fear.
Suddenly, he started vomiting and eventually blacked out.
Sa'ada, burdened by the weight of her sorrows, retreated to her room, tears streaming down her face. It was in this moment that she truly comprehended how she had unwittingly shattered her own happiness in the pursuit of fleeting desires.
In the solace of her bed, she tossed and turned, the night's rest eluding her like a distant dream.