CHAPTER 8

                   TUESDAY 11

" whenever I have free time I spend it here alone to relieve myself from all the distress and pain "

" sir, rich people like you have no pain only good days you get "

( christopher chuckles lightly )

" no we do have bad times, I will say the poor lives happier than the rich "

" that's no true sir, we poor have no money everyday starving and broke "

" yes, but you are contented with any little you have but rich people always push for more "

Omar was silent for long he do not know what to say to enlighten him  of the ignorance he has about the life of the poor and how fortunate it is for people to be born with a silver spoon but christopher broke the long silence.

" Omar I need you to advice me on a decision I want to take "

" please tells me sir in sha Allah (if God wills) i share good knowledge to you "

" I want a divorce with my wife "

Omar gaped at him as he said that

" what do you think ? Should I divorce her ? "

" why you want to divorce her sir ? She do you wrong?"

" she is more evil than you think "

Omar knows her to be haughty and knows how much she despises blacks . he cannot also deny how cruel she has been to him ever since he has been working with Christopher but still he doesn't wish her to seize being christopher's lady.

" no please sir don't divorce her "

" why ? She has always been mean to you, you should support my decision "

" because I believe she be good woman"

" that's bullshit, you and I know she is  cruel "

" yes maybe she no good to me well but I believe she good to you. In me religion we no encouragement people to cut the rope(bond) of family but we help tight it. So please sir me know lady morgana is good to you anything she do that is bad please forgive her for the sake of Allah(God) and be happy family together ".

           FRIDAY 14

Still searching for him, hoping he will come back and explain everything better but no sign of his return . left the family in despair and fright. Omar has never had any misunderstanding with anyone before, he keeps no friends or get easy temper to cause troubles but the message he left for his family still frightens them. Hassan has not been himself ever since kwairah told them of her occurrence with Omar when he came home. He knows his brother well enough, he knows how much Omar hates to show his fears in front of others. But that day according to kwairah, he whimpered in fear.

" what's wrong with you Hassan ?" Michael asked

" I'm fine "

" no you're not, you look miserable "

" let us read, our exams will start soon"

" i thought we are friends, why can't you tell me what's wrong with you or you don't trust me ? "

" of course I trust you Michael, okay, my brother came home few days ago and said some strange things to my sister and he never came back since then ."

" what did he say ?"

" my sister told me he was crying and scared. He said he was going to die "

He looked at him with tears in his eyes

" he is my only brother I don't want him to die "

" don't worry Hassan nothing will happen to him everything will be fine okay ? "

Hassan nodded and faked a smile.

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  " do you know anything about him?"

" No sir, all I know is that he works for my husband ."

" any idea of where he lives ?"

" yes, he lives in the ghetto just few distance away "

" okay thank you madam "

They left immediately after questioning her and went straight to the ghetto. Everyone they asked about Omar never gave a reply, seeing strange white men in their ghetto they know it's of no good especially when they start asking of a particular person. They turn around to leave the slum where everyone was behaving dumb when they saw Hassan coming back from school, seeing him with uniform they knew he will be able to communicate better with them.

" Hello kid "

" Hello sir "

" you are from this ghetto right ?"

" yes sir "

" do you Know any omar ?"

" there are many omar here sir "

" oh really, well this omar works with Dr Christopher, do you perchance know him?"

" what are you ? And why are you asking of him ? "

" we are friends of Dr Christopher, we just want to ask him some questions "

" Do you want to harm him ? "

" of course no, we are his friends "

Hassan stared at them still not satisfied with their reason for asking about Omar. They noticed his sudden reluctance and decided to say something else to beguile him in telling them.

" Dr Christopher is out of town so that is why he sent us to omar "

" okay, he is my brother please follow me "

      — — — — — — — — — — —

"  maza'ul khayr ummi ( Good after mother)

" afternoon me dear, how you school today ?" She asked staring at the whites that accompanied him home.

" very fine ummi(mother) "

" and you paper test ? "

" my exams was fine mother "

" and who be this people?"

" they say they are friends of Dr Christopher "

" what they want ?"

One of them cleared his throat and answered that

" madam my name is jack and this is peter, we are friends of Dr christopher. We have some questions for your son omar"

" me no see him for days now, me so worried walahi ( i swear by God ) "

" what can you tell us about him ? "

" me son so good boy him like no troubles "

" does he have any friends ?"

" no him no keep friends, him only friends be kwairah and Hassan him brother and sister "

" where does he stay aside from home ?"

" at work, sir Christopher give them home at work "

" where is his room?"

" this room is all we have all of we sleep here "

She stared at them as they converse among themselves . her instinct tells her something was not right. She thought,  why so much questions about her son.

" you ask so much of me omar, any problem ?"

" we will come back to answer that, thank you for your time madam "

She watch as they leave. Something is going on, she felt it, there most be a reason for the mysterious questions. A mystery she knows might not be in favor of them. They were looking casual no sign in their look to show that they were officials but still everything happening was inappropriate. Omar has never behaved in such a way before and now some strange white men are asking questions about him. She raised her face towards the sky watching the clouds with tears in her eyes

" ya Allah(O God ) please help hauwa protect her son, protect me omar from evil that near him. Ya Allah(O God ) only you can protect you servant " kwairah moved closer to her mother patting her back to console her while Hassan cuddled himself on her thighs like a child.

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It has been two weeks since omar came visiting home, his absence concluded everything that something was definitely wrong. They send  different people to the ghetto after every 3 days to ask of his arrival. Neither hauwa nor kwairah knows where omar works so as to go check on him there but they believe even if they do their result will be futile. Because probably he is not there, if he were, they wouldn't continue asking of him this much.

" maybe they will come ask again today ?" Hauwa tells kwairah

" ummi(mother) you worry too much every problem will be fine "

She nodded without saying anything. Suddenly they saw jack and peter coming towards them but this time they came with a police van and some police on uniforms

" Good afternoon madam " peter greeted

" afternoon sir, him no back yet "

" Actually we are not here to ask of omar, we have a better way to get him now "

" okay, so why you here ? "

" you are under arrest madam "

" what's mean ? " kwairah asked

Jack and peter looked at themselves surprised and chuckled . " illiterates " jack cursed under his breath

" we are taking her to the police station  " peter explained to kwairah

" why ? What me mother do ? " kwairah yelled

"Wh--- what me do ?" She asked stuttering

" Dr Christopher is dead and your son is guilty of it, since we can't find him you will remain in our custody till we do "

They were left dumb founded. Christopher's death was a great misfortune but the accusation that Omar is responsible for it was a bigger tragedy.

" No, me brother is innocent, you cannot take me mother to station please " kwairah begged sobbingly

" don't put that thing in me mother hand! " she pushed peter back as he try to handcuff her

"Lady you better respect yourself or you will join your mother in cell " jack warned

" you will not take me mother from here, never ! "

" Please, me begging you " kwairah begged again

Peter instructed two officers to hold her tight as they handcuff hauwa  who was too faze to say anything and pushed her in the van. Kwairah screamed and ran behind them to stop them from taking her mother away but she couldn't catch up with a moving vehicle of course. She stood there gritting her teeth in tears as the van went out of sight. Not knowing what to do or what to think at that time.

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  Hassan was moody through out that day not knowing why, it was suppose to be a good day for him because he was not bullied or punished for no reason but still he was feeling not well. His heart was beating fast and he was having a high temperature. Michael has been with him trying to make him feel lively but his attempt wasn't working for him at all.

" you will rest better at home and take some drugs okay ? "

" okay " Hassan struggled to reply.

After their exams they waited outside as usual for mrs helen to come pick them up. when she did, she noticed Hassan looking sick and weary so she decided to drop him at his house and not at the road side . it was scorching hot she didn't want him to trek down his house in such a terrible state of his. When Hassan came out from the car he saw kwairah crying outside, he moved closer to her and touched her shoulders

" why are you crying kwairah ?"

She raised her head and hugged him tight crying behind without saying a word. He pulled himself out from her arms and asked again

" why are you crying ? Where is ummi(mother) "

" so--- some-- po-- police comes and takes her away "

" why ?"

" sir Christopher is died and they say omar kills him, so them comes take ummi(mother) "

Hassan shakes his head in disapproval, he didn't want to believe everything kwairah said to be true.

" No, no no no this can't happen"

He  covered his ears with his hands breathing faster and turned towards Michael who was crying already

" NO !!! " Hassan screamed and dropped down on the ground unconscious. Helen was there all the time, she rushed towards him and carried him into her car.

" please me follow me brother please " kwairah begged

" of course he needs medical attention immediately " she nodded and joined them in the car.