Sisterhood episode 48

TITLE: SISTERHOOD

AUTHOR: OGECHI ALABI

CHAPTER 48

ZAINAB….

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Zainab cooked the food items she bought. She was very hungry at this stage and just wanted to make a palatable meal, eat and then sleep. When the food was ready, she served herself and brought it to the sitting room so she could watch television. She balanced to eat.

“So, there is no food for me?” Bashir asked behind her which startled her.

“You scared me. I thought you had gone out.”

“I am here. Serve the food on the dining table.”

She served him the food and then resumed hers. When they were through, she cleared the place and washed out the dirty dishes. She finished watching the programme and then retired to bed. She changed into her nightie and laid down to sleep.

She felt someone’s hand on her body and woke up springing off the bed. The room was pitch dark. She heard his voice, “Where are you going?”

“Who are you?”

Bashir turned on the bedlamp so she could see him.

“What do you want?”

“What kind of question is that? Am I no longer your husband? I want to be with you?”

“Bashir, go and meet those girls you have frequent sex with and give your money. I am not interested.”

“Because another man is cultivating in my vineyard. It cannot happen.”

“Did you see me with any other man? Bashir, I do not want any trouble. Leave me alone. Those girls make you happy, go and meet them.”

“You can’t win this, I am your husband. It is my right to have sex with you whenever and however I please. Come back to the bed before it becomes a case of chasing you around.”

She tried to leave the room but he caught up with her. He dragged her to the bed. He tried to be gentle but she struggled with him. He slammed her onto the bed and tore off her nightie from her body. He forcefully had her. She wanted to cry but she held herself. She wouldn’t give him the pleasure of seeing her pain. When it was over, she stood up and went into the bathroom. She took her bath and then returned to the room. He was still there. She picked the torn nightie, tied it in a nylon and kept it in her wardrobe. She was dressed in jeans and a top.

“Are you angry?” Bashir asked. Zainab ignored him and walked out of the room. He went to meet her in the sitting room. “I am your husband and I can have you whenever I want. It has been a while and I decided to have my way today. Why didn’t you give it up willingly? You should be happy I still desire you. I don’t like the clothes you wear, go back to wearing the clothes you wore before. Why would you even wear jeans? Your morals are going down the toilet…”

“It is your morals that are down the toilet. Why have sex with me when I know you are having sex with several other women and giving them money for it? I don’t want to be infected with any disease.”

“Is that your response? You don’t know your responsibility towards your husband? You dare to mention my affairs? I need to put you in your place. I will marry another wife so you will know your place.”

“Bashir, please do. Maybe the wife will keep you focused and dedicated to building a home. Maybe you will be able to get her pregnant. I have no problem with that.”

“Are you calling me sterile? Are you claiming I can’t get you pregnant?”

“You married me a virgin. I have never missed my period. I am fine, we might have to check on you.”

“There is no need. We will have sex every day this month and see if I get you pregnant. If I do, I will marry a second wife.”

Read – Dream chapter 12 – 13

“Marry your second wife, I permit you. Just leave me alone.”

“You have a lover. Zainab, you have defiled your body. You are shameless. You have allowed another man to see your nakedness. There is no difference between you and Aisha. Two loose cousins.”

Zainab didn’t answer him, she turned away from him and closed her eyes. She shouldn’t have had this argument with him. He felt threatened by the fact she takes better care of herself and looked amazing that was why he was trying to fight her. She understood he was trying to dominate her. She decided not to fall for his antics anymore.

Bashir’s countenance changed when she ignored him and turned away. He wanted to deal with her. He felt weak today and did what he shouldn’t have done. She had a hold on him. He craved her body even after being with other girls but he had controlled the urge until he saw her looking so beautiful. He was scared her assertiveness was from being with other men. Was she comparing him as Aisha? Did he fall short? His thoughts were in a riot. He went to his room. She had called him sterile and a non-performer. He had to prove he was neither. He planned how he will win her over and have marathon sex with her until she got pregnant. Then he will abandon her and face looking for a new wife. He will give her a troublesome rival so she would learn how to treat him right. He wanted her to stop her Master’s program and even stop work. Her father was a stumbling block in that regard. She had to be completely dependent on him, that was what he wanted. Having a child could make it happen. He will refuse a maid or nanny. She will be forced to be at home. As he made the plans in his head while bathing, he was aroused again. “What did she do to me?” he asked himself. He could go out to get this satisfied but he desired her and only her. Would he beg her to allow him this time? Forcing himself on her wasn’t fun, it just gave him a release. He decided not to indulge her. He would go out and get his pleasure. He would imagine she was the one he was with as he had always done.

He strolled out, picked up his car keys and said to Zainab, “I will not be coming home tonight. Since I cannot have my rights without forcing you, then I would rather have it with people that willing to give it to me. I might have to get one of them pregnant to prove I am not sterile as you claimed. Don’t stay up.”

“Good night, Bashir. Now I can sleep in peace knowing I will not be assaulted again.”

Bashir walked out feeling defeated. Who or what was giving her confidence? He needed to hit her where it would hurt her and deflate her ego. He went back into the house as she stood up to lock the door. “Your cousin, Aisha, was my whore while I was waiting to deflower you. She is the reason I got rid of the bed and mattress in my home in Ilorin before you moved in. I hope you know she is a prostitute, if I call her to come to Lagos to satisfy me, she will be here in a jiffy. Maybe I will make her your co-wife. A skilled whore and a saint who can’t satisfy her husband. It will make a good combination,” he watched her countenance change and he gladly walked away.

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Zainab couldn’t believe what she heard. She felt betrayed by the two of them. How could Bashir go for her cousin and why would Aisha agree to sleep with her husband-to-be? Aisha slept with Bashir even before she did. She felt sad and heartbroken. She locked the door and went into her room to cry her eyes out. She was tempted to call Aisha and ask her but she had never been the confrontational type. She just cried even more while thinking about it. She decided to talk to someone. She called Nkem as she was the only single one among her friends. She picked up at the fifth ring.

“Did I wake you up?” Zainab asked her.

“What is the matter Zainab? Have you been crying?”

“Nkem, it is a long story. Bashir forced himself on me this night and then left to meet his whores. He then told me he had sex with my cousin Aisha before we got married.”

“Slow down. I didn’t know you were having issues with Bashir. Since when? What happened?”

Zainab narrated all that happened to Nkem while begging her to keep all she was telling her a secret between them. She told her everything.

“Zainab, when you caught him with his uncle’s wife, you should have left him. That is a curse on him already. Why would you want to be with someone who can do something so despicable? If I were in your shoes, I would have revealed to the uncle what was happening.”

“Nkem, he is my husband. I have to protect him. All I need now is how to manage the situation and the information he has just given me.”

“You want to remain with him after he has betrayed you like this? This is a good basis for a divorce. Is it until he infects you that you will have sense?”

“I don’t want to be a divorcee and this is my house. How do I get him to leave? He has hurt me badly by being with Aisha. I don’t think I can ever forgive him.”

“Then make him pay. Lock him out of your house. Don’t allow him in. You work with the Lagos state government, you will have people who can advise you there on the best action to take especially the legal department. You have to get wise. I knew all along Bashir was pretending. A leopard cannot change its spots. If you continue with him, know today he will not change. He will not be faithful to you and he will want to drag you through the mud and make you very unhappy. This is what he has done today. Nothing warranted him telling you about your cousin except to hurt you. Are you sure this is even true? You know how vindictive Bashir can be. You need to ask your cousin first. No matter the outcome, I think you should leave or send him out of your house. He should know you cannot be toyed with. Think about what you want to do. Don’t forget, your health and state of mind are more important than the marriage.”

Tbc