Chapter 69

Na'ima got home in tears and a very bad mood. She was so ashamed that her friend witnessed such an embarrassing situation about her. Even though her friend behaves like she has good intentions towards her, she feels that deep within, her friend was laughing. After getting home, her friend decided to leave because she knows that Na'ima will need some space to process what she has just seen today.

"Na'ima, I know that you have just seen something unpleasant and embarrassing but I'm promising you that you can count on my silence as I won't divulge this information to anyone. I am not mocking you within me neither am I happy about what happened. We are women and we should always support each other. It is your turn today and I don't know if it will be mine tomorrow because as they say, it is a man's world."

After speaking, Na'ima's friend picked up her car keys and left. After she left, Na'ima went into her psycho mode as usual. She began to trash the whole living room as she cursed at her husband while crying. She trashed and trashed until the whole place looked like a civil war was fought in there and she was exhausted because she fell on the floor and began to breathe hard as more tears pulled out of her eyes. She became more frustrated when she thought about Nadira again. Nadira is more beautiful than she is and her family's status is higher than hers. There is no way that she could compete with Nadira unlike Najiba who she could still compete with.

The feeling of anger coursing through her body was already making her feel sick. Her temperature has risen and she's already feeling feverish. "I curse you Zahid! I pray that Nadira gives you ten times the pain that I'm feeling."

She sat on the floor, opened her mouth and began to cry out like a child. Her maids who were in the house could hear her voice but they knew that whoever walks into that sitting room will be very unfortunate as she will take out all her anger on the person. They all decided that the best thing that they could do for themselves is to be scarce at this moment.

Chris and Doja finally named their twins and Doja really love the names. His father felt that they should have allowed him to name one of the twins as their grandfather but Doja refused and told him that the only person who has the right to name the twins is their mother.

She named one Onajite (this is sufficient) and named the other Orezimena (this is what I desire). Doja was shocked when he heard the names of the twins because he never expected that Chris will name their kids in his mother tongue. "Why did you give them names from my language and not yours or even English names?" 

"When I found out that I was having twins, as much as it took me time to accept it, I knew that after they come into this world, they will have to be named so I started making research. I fell in love with these names from the first day I heard them and also saw their meanings. I want my children's name to reflect their roots as I do not want to cause confusion like some people do. I've always promised myself that I will name my children in their father's language and not mine." 

Doja knew that Chris named their kids in his mother tongue because she loves him but she will never admit that as that's the kind of person she is.

Ima's mother and Rainbow's dinner went well for Rainbow but not for her. At the last minute, Rainbow called her to ask if he could bring someone along to their dinner and she agreed but immediately she heard that question, her mind told her that the someone he wants to bring might be a woman. Despite her fears that he might not be interested in her, she still decided to go on because she will never know his true feelings if she doesn't try.

Just as she had predicted, Rainbow arrived with a young lady by his side. Even though Ima's mother was sad within, she still welcomed them cheerfully like all was well. The beautiful dress which she picked out for tonight's dinner was laying somewhere on her bed because she couldn't have the courage to wear the dress anymore after Rainbow told her that someone else will be joining them.

He introduced the young lady whose name is Stella. "Stella, this is my very good friend and we've known each other since we were teenagers because we were once in a relationship before we went our separate ways but fate still brought us together after many years and this time, it brought us together as friends instead of lovers." 

The way Rainbow introduced Ima's mother to Stella, she felt like a bitter pill that she must swallow is being forced down her throat. Even though she had no reason to smile because of the news, she still forced a smile as she tried welcoming Stella as any good friend would.

"I was surprised when I got your invitation for this dinner because I feel that instead of stressing yourself like this, you should be resting. You said you had something very important to discuss with me so can we talk now?" 

"Well, I lied about the part of having something very important to discuss with you because I know that if I tell you the truth, you won't come and you will dissuade me from hosting the dinner. I hosted tonight's dinner to thank you for everything that you have done for me since the day that my troubles began. If not for you, I don't know where I would have been or what would have happened to me. Tonight's dinner is just my way of saying thank you." 

"I know that you won't listen to reason and stay calm but I am very grateful for this dinner and for our friendship also. I wish you had your daughter here with you because I know that will give you lots of joy." 

 As they were talking, Stella asked to be excused because she wanted to use the toilet. She was shown the visitors toilet and only Rainbow was left with his friend. As Stella left, Ima's mother used that opportunity to ask him some questions "who is she to you because I don't think I've seen her before." 

"Stella is someone who makes me very happy. She knows my shortcomings and how to manage them. She has truly been a blessing since the day we met and she does not mind being a step mother to my children. When you come to know her, I know that you will also like her because she's a very nice person. I've known her for a very long time and we have been friends even before the issue with your husband happened. It is until recently that we decided to take our relationship to the next level."

 As they were discussing, Stella returned and the conversation was changed. The three of them engaged in different discussions and after a while, the couple left. Ima's mother was filled with sadness and remorse as it occurred to her that she has lost Rainbow forever and the only thing that can ever be between the two of them now is friendship. She envied Stella and hoped that Stella will treasure what she has and not lose it like her because most times, we only come to know the worth of something after we lose it.

That night sleep ran very far away from Ima's mother as she kept thinking about Rainbow and wishing that she had confessed her feelings earlier. She ended up telling herself that if Rainbow has ever felt how she feels right now, he wouldn't have gotten into a relationship with Stella but the fact that he did meant that he doesn't feel the same way about her.

Since the night of their dinner, Rainbow has not called and she also didn't bother calling. She didn't bother doing that, so that she will not give a wrong impression. It is true that she still loves Rainbow but she told herself that it is time to let him go because he now belongs to someone else and the last thing that she will ever do is come in between him and Stella. "I am not a young lady that should be chasing after love anymore. Since Rainbow has found someone else, I will respect his decisions and try my best to stay away from him. I have hurt him before by leaving him so I think it will be better not to cause him more pain by trying to come into his life again."

Na'ima picked up her phone and called her mother because she couldn't sleep despite how much she tried. The scene from the birthday party kept flashing before her eyes. She has been imagining all sorts of things happening between Nadira and her husband and that has really made her unsettled. She picked up her phone and decided to call the only person that she could go to with her grievances.

"Don't you sleep? Why are you still awake by this time of the day and if you don't want to sleep must you disturb your mother? Can't whatever you want to say hold on till the next morning?" 

"My husband is about divorcing me and you are telling me that I should hold that news till the next morning? Mum there is fire on the mountain and I don't know what to do about it this time." 

"Hold on, did I hear you correctly or my ears were deceiving me? Did you just say that Zahid is about to divorce you? What did you do this time? I have always warned you to think before you act but I guess you've acted before thinking again and you are expecting me to come and clean up your mess. Even though I call you baby, it does not mean that you are one so you need to grow up and try putting your attitude in check sometimes." 

"Mum, are you done judging me without trying to know what happened? Well sorry to disappoint you but this time. I did not have any sort of arguments with my husband neither have I done anything that we will warrant me to be chased out of my marriage. Zahid is at it again. We are still trying to resolve the issue of Najiba because we are really not sure if the pregnancy is not for him and just when we thought we had it all figured out, he is after another young lady and promising her that he will divorce one of his wives to marry her. You know that he has promised Najiba that he will not make it easy for her by giving her a divorce and his other wives are peacemakers unlike me. Mum, you know that Zahid has never threatened to divorce his first and second wives before. The only person that he has threatened with that is me and when it's time for him to divorce a wife to marry that unfortunate Nadira, who do you think he'll divorce? I even attended Nadira's birthday innocently only to finally get the shock of my life by seeing my husband there and hearing that he was the one who hosted the surprise birthday party for her. For how long will I continue to live like this? I am tired of all this rubbish that Zahid keeps doing. He has wives at home but do not care how they feel about him being with other women. I only called to let you know what is happening but as I am talking to you, I'm beginning to feel like I'm tired of the marriage already."