Sisterhood episode 3

TITLE: SISTERHOOD

WRITTEN BY: OGECHI ALABI

PART 3

Zainab thought about what her friends had told her about Bashir. She didn’t love him, she lived in fear of him. He had been calling late at night, demanding for her to take pictures of her private part and send them to him. She couldn’t bring herself to do it and he had been threatening. She knew she had to confide in one of them because she was desperate to resolve this issue. If that was what he wanted then she would send them to him but she had her reservations.

Nkem was alone with her in the room that evening. Funke had gone home for the weekend while Esther had gone with Jake.

“Nkem, I want to confide in you about something.”

“What is troubling you? I have noticed you have been restless. I am surprised you didn’t travel.”

“Bashir asked me to do something I am uncomfortable doing.”

Nkem sat up straight to listen. This sounded more serious than she was taking it. “What did he ask you to do?”

“First he asked me to take a picture of my bra with my face. I refused to do it until he blackmailed me to do it. Now he is asking for pictures of down there,” she said pointing to her vagina.

“What? What is wrong with him? This guy is wrong for you. Please, I beg, don’t send them to him. I am sensing this guy has ulterior motives. Why would you ask your fiancé to send such to you? And he knows you are a good Muslim lady. Tell him you cannot do it. Insist on not doing it. No more begging. He wants you to look unappealing to guys while he might be having many girlfriends there. Better eat well and dress well too. If he complains, tell him your clothes are no more your size. You have to be wise. If your parents ask you, tell them what he requested, especially your father. You cannot send such until he marries you. Export your messages with him so he will not deny them. Export them and save on Yahoo.”

Zainab was gingered by Nkem’s advice. She knew it would be difficult but she was determined to win. She sent a message to Bashir telling him she is a well brought up devout Muslim and she would not be able to fulfil his wish of sending her intimate pictures to him anymore. She added that he should desist from demanding for them henceforth.

He called her in anger when he saw the message. “What kind of message did you send to me? You have no respect for me anymore because someone else is having sex with you. You think I don’t know what you have been up to?”

“I don’t appreciate being talked to in this manner. If you have evidence of me being unfaithful please tender it and let us end the relationship. I have evidence of you being unfaithful. Allah enjoins us to be faithful to our spouses. Are you faithful to me?”

Bashir couldn’t believe Zainab just talked back at him. He was speechless for a few minutes before he ended the call. This was why he didn’t want his wife educated but her family insisted. He believed her to be timid and submissive but she was proving stubborn now, disobeying his orders. He would teach her a lesson she wouldn’t forget in a hurry.

Zainab didn’t hear from Bashir for days but, instead of being worried, she was relieved. Nkem encouraged her not to look for him or ask after him. She told her to brace herself because he would level terrible allegations against her.

“Nkem, how do you know all these things?” Zainab asked her.

“It happens so often in my village. My mother advises women on how to manage the situation. She teaches women to be self-sufficient and not be dependent on a man. She learnt the hard way; my father didn’t allow her to work. His death left her at the mercy of his greedy brothers. They do not take care of us. My mother refused to live off anyone, what we make we manage. My uncle’s wife used me as a maid until I decided to leave. She was wicked to me.”

“But your uncle has been nice.”

“Yes, he is the father I lost. I don’t ever want to disappoint him. I want to make him so proud he will never regret the sacrifice he has made.”

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When for two weeks Zainab did not call or beg Bashir, he decided to hit her hard. He told his family he didn’t want to marry her again because she was a harlot in school. It was either she stopped schooling and stayed with his family or they go their separate ways.

Also read – Strange Room

Baba Zainab was upset when he heard what Bashir said. He wondered why Bashir always had complaints about Zainab. His daughter was very timid and responsible. She would never cheat on her husband for any reason. There must be something behind this accusation. He wanted all his children educated. That was why the wedding would only hold after she had served. There was no way he would leave Zainab at the mercy of a man who had shown he was very childish. He decided to invite Zainab for a discussion.

Zainab was scared to go home but Nkem encouraged her. She told her to show her parents the evidence of their chats and his constant demands. Nkem felt Bashir was a pervert and it was best she didn’t marry him.

When Zainab got home, her father called her into his bedroom. He welcomed her and sang her praise name. Then he asked her to be honest with him. He wanted to know what was happening between her and Bashir. The calm way her father spoke to her made her break down immediately. She sobbed because it was the first time he had so lovingly talked to her concerning this issue that she felt relieved. She told him everything. He didn’t believe what he was hearing. She showed him the evidence. Her father was shocked. When he recovered, he said to her, “My child, you did the right thing by putting your feet down. What he has done is a disrespect to and apologisinghis sacrificee. He hasn’t married you and he is asking for the privileges of a husband? I will limit your interaction with him. If he decides he is no longer interested, I will return their dowry. Is that ok?”

“Why don’t you just return it? I don’t like him at all. He scares me and always threatens me. He derives pleasure from me begging him. I am tired, I want to concentrate on my academics. Now he wants me to leave school, can’t you see there is something wrong with him?”

“I agree with you but what he has asked for most grooms will do the same at one point. The problem is the way and manner he presented it. He is unkind to you and I will have that discussion with his parents, he has no right to harass you like that. He will be called to order.”

True to his words, Baba Zainab told his friend, Baba Bashir to ask his son to desist from requesting unMuslimly things from her. She is a devout Muslim and follows the instructions laid down by the prophet. He also insisted that until they get married, Bashir should not contact his daughter. If he wants to back out, they are willing to return the dowry paid. His daughter will graduate before she marries Bashir and that was final.

Bashir was shocked that Zainab could tell her family about his request. He was more aggrieved when they called off his bluff by offering to return the dowry paid. He believed her father was enabling her. What was the use of having an education when she wouldn’t work? He looked at her beautiful face on his phone and then his gaze fell on her full bosom. For someone so thin, she had big melons. She was his, his to do whatever he liked.

When he called her, she responded to him calmly. He was surprised when he found himself apologizing to her. He asked that they start over. He told her he liked her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He could sense it made her happy. He told her he loved her. This was the first time. Zainab was excited. He could hear it in her voice. Her sweet voice rang in his head when he thrust into his girlfriends. He imagined her when he made love to others. He couldn’t wait to have her. If he couldn’t have her, nobody could.

He didn’t mean most of what he said but he wanted to get back into her good books and have her doing his bidding again. He also needed to find out who was teaching her boldness, those loose infidels might be corrupting her mind. He would have to separate her from them. But first, he called his mother and asked her to send a gold bangle set to Zainab as a gift from him. He knew how to get her where he wanted her.

When the gift arrived, Zainab was so excited. She showed her friends and picked up her phone to call Bashir. Nkem stopped her. She told her to send a message thanking him and leave it at that. She did just that and Bashir called immediately. He called on video so he would see her face and excitement. Nkem ended the call and sent a message to Bashir, I will call back. I am in the bathroom. Then she told Zainab to play it cool. She shouldn’t make it look like a big deal. Esther and Funke agreed. She called him back. She thanked him for the gift and then he talked for a bit. She answered and then he cut off.

“I don’t trust that guy,” Nkem said after she ended the call. “I pray you don’t marry him. He has quickly given you a gift to buy your affection.”

“What happened?” Funke asked.

“Let Zainab tell you,” Nkem replied.

“Bashir threatened to end the marriage because I ignored his requests. He told my father, I had to explain to him. Alhaji told them he was willing to return the dowry if Bashir was no more interested. Bashir called me confessing his love for me and sent me this gift.”

Funke replied, “I don’t trust that your husband, I am with Nkem on this. You have to be wise. The time you were not talking to him see how relaxed and happy you were. He will come back with that nasty attitude.”

Esther was a romantic. She suggested Zainab keeps an open mind. Bashir must have realized what he would lose if she leaves him and has decided to behave himself.

They eventually left it to Zainab to decide.

Tbc