The Child Bride – Copyright of AryEmber
CHAPTER NINE
PRESENT
She scooped the boy up and watched as the baby laughed, that brought a smile to her.
“You both are getting along well,” Faishat said, coming back from the kitchen.
“You both are getting along well,” Faishat said, coming back from the kitchen.
Ayisat laughed. “He grew up fast! He is so chubby and cute!”
Her friend laughed too. “This one, he feeds like a horse! He does not care if the whole is coming to an end or if you are starving, he wants his food when he wants it!”
“Leave him oh! Don’t mind mommy Toheeb, you’re a baby and you don’t have to care about anything.” She told the boy and he smiled like he understood.
“Enh ehn? Wait till you have one, then you would know what I’m talking about.”
“Enh ehn? Wait till you have one, then you would know what I’m talking about.”
Ayisat’s smile disappeared immediately and she put the boy down.
“I could have been expecting one right now,” she said sadly and touched her stomach.
“I could have been expecting one right now,” she said sadly and touched her stomach.
Faishat mentally slapped herself; she should not have said that not after she had told her everything, it didn’t matter that she meant no harm. Her phone beeped and she read the message, she should convince her now.
“Husband?”
“Husband?”
“No……let’s stroll out now Ayisat.”
“Not again, I don’t want to go out, I told you already.”
“Not again, I don’t want to go out, I told you already.”
“But we are not doing anything. All your cousins are out, even young Rekia has gone out to play with her friends …..When was the last time you went out, did you even go out at all when you were in that prison called a house?”
“I do go out! I go to the market to buy food items everything week, I did not write my exams in the comfort of my room you know?”
She hissed, “That is what you call going out? You are not serious at all.” She carried her baby and backed him, “I am not staying in this quiet place anymore, I am going to walk and look around before I go back home. If you like, follow me.”
Ayisat watched her took her back and walk out, “okay, I’m coming! Just let me lock the door!” she shouted, shaking her head.
“Where are we going to now?” she asked the moment she caught up with her.
“Where are we going to now?” she asked the moment she caught up with her.
“We are looking round; we are going to go to the market, Motor Park, museum….and, we are meeting with a friend.”she said, smiling.
“You have money fa? Be daydreaming! As for me, I can’t stay out long oh! I have to get back home before my aunt comes back….. Did you mention a friend now?”
“Yes, we are meeting an old friend,” she repeated.
“You have started oh Faishat! Which friend is that now?”
“You have started oh Faishat! Which friend is that now?”
“You just follow me and you will see.”
Ayisat wanted to go back but realised they had walked far from her aunt’s house, she complained and warned her friend not to take her far but she ignored her. She began to regret that she followed her, Faishat could be naughty a lot of times and she didn’t want trouble.
Ayisat wanted to go back but realised they had walked far from her aunt’s house, she complained and warned her friend not to take her far but she ignored her. She began to regret that she followed her, Faishat could be naughty a lot of times and she didn’t want trouble.
They took a taxi and Faishat gave the man the direction of where they were going. They dropped in front of a popular restaurant and her friend started walking towards the entrance of the restaurant, baby Toheeb giggled like he knew they were going to eat.
Ayisat pulled her friend back.
“Exactly where do you think you’re going? Does this place look like a market to you? Or can you afford anything they sell in there?”
“Exactly where do you think you’re going? Does this place look like a market to you? Or can you afford anything they sell in there?”
“You behave funny sometimes Ayisat, why would you even think that I want to buy food here? Did we not just finish eating at your aunt’s place before coming out? I told you we are meeting a friend. Now let’s go in already, we have delayed him enough.”
“Him? Your friend is a he?”
Faishat ignored her again and head into the restaurant, Ayisat followed and started to warn her again but when they got in and she saw who they were meeting, her mouth opened in shock.
Faishat ignored her again and head into the restaurant, Ayisat followed and started to warn her again but when they got in and she saw who they were meeting, her mouth opened in shock.
“Ibraheem?” she said in disbelief.
He stood up with a smile. “Hello again, Ayisat.”
He stood up with a smile. “Hello again, Ayisat.”
* * * * * *
Khalid took a glance at the lady again before painstakingly taking his eyes off her.
“That one likes you; she’s been staring at you since you entered.”
“That one likes you; she’s been staring at you since you entered.”
He shrugged. “Too bad for her, I can’t do anything about that.”
“What do you mean you can’t do anything about it? You can do plenty about it…..plenty to her. Come on my friend, this babe wants you.”
“What do you mean you can’t do anything about it? You can do plenty about it…..plenty to her. Come on my friend, this babe wants you.”
“I am married Bayo….”
His friend burst into laughter, making fun of him.
His friend burst into laughter, making fun of him.
“I am married, maybe it’s not a normal kind of marriage but I made a vow to stay faithful to my….to her and until I am no longer married to her, I am not having any kind of affair with any lady,” he said firmly.
Bayo scoffed. “Let me hear word jo! A babe is giving you green light and you are here quoting the holy book, did she say she wants you to marry her? My friend, you own is to have fun! Why did you come to club when you know you only want to form innocent? Drink beer, you no drink. Have fun with woman, you no gree…..”
Khalid sighed. “I needed to be out of that house, I already told you that. Seriously, I just wish I can annul this marriage right now. I want to….”
“Don’t wish my friend, just have fun. Even if it is one time, this babe is willing nao and you don’t have to worry, what happens in club diva stays in club diva!” Bayo said, grinning. “Now wait here, I’m coming.”
“Don’t wish my friend, just have fun. Even if it is one time, this babe is willing nao and you don’t have to worry, what happens in club diva stays in club diva!” Bayo said, grinning. “Now wait here, I’m coming.”
He left Khalid before he could say anything, he sighed again.
“I should not be here,” he muttered to himself, looking at the lady again. Their eyes met this time and she smiled at him, the kind of smile that spelt I am available.
“I should not be here,” he muttered to himself, looking at the lady again. Their eyes met this time and she smiled at him, the kind of smile that spelt I am available.
He was changed now, he made a promise to his creator and he planned to keep it especially as it seemed he was healed now. The old him would not be sitting, looking dull in a club like he was now. He would be on the bed with the lady gazing at him for a far, doing things far from holy with her. He would be drunk….definitely and probably thinking of inviting the lady’s friend to bed too….if she had one.
Khalid shook his head; he should not be having such thoughts. All those were his past and they should remain buried. So what was he doing here? Running away from her like a kid, coming to a club that he’d swear never to step into again. Bayo was right; he should not have come here only to form innocent.
He had been so angry, so pissed and….jealous! He had been jealous of the boy. He made her laugh; he was her age mate and good looking too! That boy had it all! Not that he was bad looking himself, no, he was handsome alright and where he lacked, his money made up for it but it could not helped him with Ayisat.
Sure she had married him for money but she definitely saw him as a father figure or a fond uncle…this was his fault though, he knew but what could he have done? She was way too younger than him, this still had not changed! How he wished she was older, in her early twenties at least. She would have been his idea woman, with her intelligence and good culinary skills. And if she was good in bed, that would be icing sugar on his cake….not that he would ever know now, he would never take her to bed. It was a promise he planned to keep, no matter how tempting she was.
A thought popped into his mind, he was not totally sure he was a complete man again. Yes, he had wanted Ayisat badly and felt himself moved but he did perform the act to see if he could. What if he could not last more than a minute? He had not lost everything instantly, first his performance in bed reduced drastically so much that he could not go two minutes without enhance drugs, then he found it hard to get aroused. It didn’t matter if a woman had nothing on, that part of his brain just could not function. He knew then that he was damaged; there was no kind of help he didn’t seek. He travelled everywhere and anywhere, he spent a whole lot of money, nearly getting broke.
Nothing worked, if anything, it grew worse till he could no longer feel at all. He stopped searching for cure when his friends were getting to get suspicious of him and luckily….or rather unluckily for him actually, he ran into Kodijah again.
He sighed, if he could go a minute now, he should be thankful. Half a loaf is far better no bread, been a one minute man was far better than not been able to….
“Hey man, look who I brought with me,” Bayo shouted, the club was getting noisy now.
Khalidn looked at him and saw beside him the lady that has been giving him signs; his friend also had two bottles of beers in his hands.
Khalidn looked at him and saw beside him the lady that has been giving him signs; his friend also had two bottles of beers in his hands.
“Good evening,” the lady greeting with a sexy voice.
“Evening,” Khalid said with her forced smile, cursing his friend inwardly.
“Meet my cool friend Khalid, Ayisat. Ore, this is Ayisat.” Bayo introduced, handling both of them the opened drinks.
“Evening,” Khalid said with her forced smile, cursing his friend inwardly.
“Meet my cool friend Khalid, Ayisat. Ore, this is Ayisat.” Bayo introduced, handling both of them the opened drinks.
“Your name is Ayisat?” Khalid asked, surprised. He collected the beer since the lady did and he did not want to embarrassed himself and Bayo.
The lady smiled sweetly. “Yes, that’s my name. Nice to meet you,” she offered him her hand
The lady smiled sweetly. “Yes, that’s my name. Nice to meet you,” she offered him her hand
He took her soft hand and shook it. “Nice to meet you too, Ayisat.” He wondered if that was truly her name or Bayo put her up to this.
“Ayisat was sitting alone; I asked if she didn’t mind joining us. Lucky for us, she didn’t.” Bayo explained with a knowing smile.
“Ayisat was sitting alone; I asked if she didn’t mind joining us. Lucky for us, she didn’t.” Bayo explained with a knowing smile.
“Hope you don’t mind Khalid?”
“Of course not, it’s a free we live in.” he replied, forcing another smile.
“Of course not, it’s a free we live in.” he replied, forcing another smile.
Bayo definitely expected him to say more, kick that a conversation so he could excuse them but he did not, he had to start one himself.
“What’s a pretty lady like you doing a club alone anyways?”
“What’s a pretty lady like you doing a club alone anyways?”
“Who said I was alone?” she said back, drinking her beer.
“Who are you with then? Not a man I hope, someone definitely need to teach such man not to leave a pretty damsel all alone in a club like this.”
“Who are you with then? Not a man I hope, someone definitely need to teach such man not to leave a pretty damsel all alone in a club like this.”
She laughed. “I was with a friend; she just left with her man.”
“You are alone after all.” Khalid found himself saying.
“You are alone after all.” Khalid found himself saying.
“Luckily for us,” his friend quickly chipped in.
Ayisat asked, sipping her beer, she was the only one drinking.
“Are you guys alone too?”
Ayisat asked, sipping her beer, she was the only one drinking.
“Are you guys alone too?”
“Not me, my babe just left for the restroom but my friend here could use a good company,”
Khalid raised his eye brow slightly. Which babe was he talking about? He met no one with him when he came in so who was he referring to as his babe…..
Khalid raised his eye brow slightly. Which babe was he talking about? He met no one with him when he came in so who was he referring to as his babe…..
“Lucky for you, I know how to keep a good company,” Ayisat said seductively.
“I am actually leaving soon,” Khalid stated firmly.
“I am actually leaving soon,” Khalid stated firmly.
“But why? The night is still young!”
“Oh! I have to leave now, my babe is out. See you old man and you too Ayisat,” Bayo said and rushed off before Khalid could complain.
“Oh! I have to leave now, my babe is out. See you old man and you too Ayisat,” Bayo said and rushed off before Khalid could complain.
He took a gulp of the beer in frustration. This was great, now they were alone.
Ayisat sat on one of the club stool; she patted the one beside her, telling to sit too.
“It’s too early to leave, don’t you think?”
Ayisat sat on one of the club stool; she patted the one beside her, telling to sit too.
“It’s too early to leave, don’t you think?”
He stared at her, once he loved women like her. He loved women persistence, getting what they wanted by all means. She was beautiful too, he noticed. Light skinned and blessed in the right places, maybe he should stay just for a while.
“I think you’re right, what’s there to do at home anyways?” he said and sat on the stool, smiling while gulping down his beer. He needed to test himself, didn’t he? Since the Ayisat in his house was too young, this Ayisat would do. His creator would understand, he was sure he would not even want him near the small girl.
PRESENT
“Weldone Ayisat,” her aunt greeted her with her smile.
She looked up from the beans she was separating. “Aunty! You are awake, did you sleep well?”
She looked up from the beans she was separating. “Aunty! You are awake, did you sleep well?”
“Very well, my child.” She said and sat on a stool beside her, “why are you the only one in the kitchen?”
“Halima and Mariam are still sleeping; I didn’t want to wake them up, it’s still quite early.”
“Halima and Mariam are still sleeping; I didn’t want to wake them up, it’s still quite early.”
“But you are not sleeping,” the woman said, frowning.
Ayisat smiled. ”Khalid leaves for work early a lot of times, I am used to waking up before five to prepare his breakfast.”
Ayisat smiled. ”Khalid leaves for work early a lot of times, I am used to waking up before five to prepare his breakfast.”
Her aunt stood up and went back inside in anger, Ayisat called her and begged not to wake up her cousins but she did not answer her. She could later hear her waking up the girls and insulting them in their language.
She sighed; her aunt was like her mother in many ways, she never listened too.
“Here, look at your cousin! Especially you Halima, look at your age mate, she is already preparing breakfast while you sleep like an elephant!” her aunt shouting dragging them to the kitchen.
“Here, look at your cousin! Especially you Halima, look at your age mate, she is already preparing breakfast while you sleep like an elephant!” her aunt shouting dragging them to the kitchen.
Ayisat greeted both of them but they didn’t reply, their eyes were still heavy with sleep.
“Get up Ayisat.”
“Aunty, don’t worry. I can…”
“Get up Ayisat.”
“Aunty, don’t worry. I can…”
“Get up child! They are not handicapped.” She said, hissing at her children.
Ayi got up reluctantly and moved near her aunt. “Now, sit the both of you and start separating the beans. You are the one cooking today!” she turned to Ayisat, ignoring her children’s complains, “come with me, my dear.”
Ayi got up reluctantly and moved near her aunt. “Now, sit the both of you and start separating the beans. You are the one cooking today!” she turned to Ayisat, ignoring her children’s complains, “come with me, my dear.”
She threw an apologetic look at her cousins but they could careless, she followed her aunt to the living room.
“Sit down Ayisat,” her aunt said, taking her seat on the three sitter bed.
“Sit down Ayisat,” her aunt said, taking her seat on the three sitter bed.
The woman wanted to have the discussion in her room but her drunk husband was still sleeping, her shouts at her children did nothing to wake him.
Ayisat sat beside her with a confused expression. “Is everything okay aunty?”
Ayisat sat beside her with a confused expression. “Is everything okay aunty?”
The woman took her hands and smiled at her. “I am so proud of you my dear.”
She smiled too, “thank you Aunty.”
She smiled too, “thank you Aunty.”
Her aunt released her hands and heaved a sigh. “ I was not going to interfere, especially as you seemed so happy but your brothers are gone now.”
Ayisat’s smile disappeared; she knew where this was going.
“It’s been two weeks my child, when are you going back to your husband?”
“It’s been two weeks my child, when are you going back to your husband?”
*********************
She looked down; she did not want to see her face.
“Are you tired of me and want me out aunty?”
“Are you tired of me and want me out aunty?”
The woman frowned. “How could you think of such Ayisat? You are my child; I would never chase you out!”
“Then it is Khalid, he’s been on your neck to send back to me to him, right?” She asked, looking back at him.
“Then it is Khalid, he’s been on your neck to send back to me to him, right?” She asked, looking back at him.
She shook her head. “Ever since you walked into this house, he’s done nothing but call every day to ask about how you are faring. He even begged me to take good care of you, sending money all the. I tried to stop him on the third day because the money he has with me for yours and your brothers’ up keeping is more than enough but he refused to stop, he said I should use the rest to take care of your cousins then. I am surprised you think he is pressure and not his mother…. Not that l have heard from that witch.”
Ayisat could not help it, she burst into tears.
“I am so confused aunty,” she cried out.
“I am so confused aunty,” she cried out.
Her aunt moved neared and placed her head on her laps. She felt sad for her and blamed herself for not doing anything to help her, she let her cried though. Ayisat had not shed tear since she heard of the pregnancy loss, she’d been trying to look strong, telling herself whenever she thought of the baby that she didn’t want it at the first place but she was just lying to herself.
“I want to hate him aunty, why can’t I hate him? He made me lose my baby; I should not want to see him!”
Her aunt replied sadly, “maybe it’s because you know deep down that is not totally true, you are just hurting.”
She sat up after a while and cleaned her face with the hem of her gown.
Her aunt replied sadly, “maybe it’s because you know deep down that is not totally true, you are just hurting.”
She sat up after a while and cleaned her face with the hem of her gown.
“I have to go eventually, don’t i?”
“Let me ask you this, has he ever behaved bad to you? Is there any time he hurt you, verbally or physically.”
“Let me ask you this, has he ever behaved bad to you? Is there any time he hurt you, verbally or physically.”
Ayisat blinked, why was she asking the same questions too? Faishat did, she had been asking herself since her meeting with Ibraheem and now her aunt?
She shook her head slowly and answered with the truth. “No aunty, he has never.”
She shook her head slowly and answered with the truth. “No aunty, he has never.”
The woman sighed and looked round the house for a while before turning back to her.
“Your mother would curse me from her grave. Had she been alive, she would never agree to this. She hated early marriage for teenagers and never failed to let everyone know….”
“Your mother would curse me from her grave. Had she been alive, she would never agree to this. She hated early marriage for teenagers and never failed to let everyone know….”
“Mother would understand you did what you had to do to take care of me and my brothers, aunty,” Ayisat said, taking her hands.
The older woman shook her head. “And your father? Oh! He would bury me alive for even thinking of giving away his precious daughter at your age and to a man he was no more older than by a couple of years,” she shook her head again before adding, “I am a terrible person my child.”
“Aunty, that’s not true!”
“I never called when you were with him. It’s been up to a year and I never called to ask how he was treating you, I knew that if I did and you told me he was treating you bad, I would do nothing to help. What if he was abusing you?
“I never called when you were with him. It’s been up to a year and I never called to ask how he was treating you, I knew that if I did and you told me he was treating you bad, I would do nothing to help. What if he was abusing you?
What kind of mother is that? It’s no wonder I have failed in been a good mother to my own children.” She was crying.
It was her niece doing the consoling now.
It was her niece doing the consoling now.
“He didn’t, you don’t have to imagine because he never raised his hands at him. Khalid was kind to me always, always aunty!”
Her aunt smiled with her tears, she touched Ayisat’s face. “And you my dear, you are the best daughter any one could wish for. You never called to complain, you did not hate me for….”
Ayisat hated interrupting her aunt but didn’t want her to keep blaming herself.
“I could never! Never could I aunty.”
“I could never! Never could I aunty.”
Her aunt cleaned her tears. “Did you never wonder why I married you off? Why did I not give away my own child, your cousin?”
Ayisat shook her head, “you only know what was best of all of us.”
Ayisat shook her head, “you only know what was best of all of us.”
“I did not think of you at first. When I heard from my friends that Gimba was discretely searching for a girl to marry her son, I wanted to take Halima and my daughter even wanted this,” her aunt paused when she saw that Ayisat had a question.
“Did mother in law reject Halima?”
“We never got to her doorstep. I heard she would ask for a test so I took your cousin to the clinic first. Halima started her menstruation late; she was going to sixteen when she first did, I wanted to make sure nothing was wrong her but when I got the results, plenty was wrong with her!”
“We never got to her doorstep. I heard she would ask for a test so I took your cousin to the clinic first. Halima started her menstruation late; she was going to sixteen when she first did, I wanted to make sure nothing was wrong her but when I got the results, plenty was wrong with her!”
“She might not see her menses for a long time?”
“Was that even a problem? Your cousin, my own daughter, had gonorrhoea!”
Ayisat did want to accept what was on her mind; there were other ways to get such disease right?
“Was that even a problem? Your cousin, my own daughter, had gonorrhoea!”
Ayisat did want to accept what was on her mind; there were other ways to get such disease right?
“Perhaps she….”
“She had two abortions before!”
That shocked and left Ayisat speechless.
“She had two abortions before!”
That shocked and left Ayisat speechless.
“Under my own roof, my daughter got pregnant and got rid of it two times! She is not even through with her secondary school, what happens when she starts learning a trade? She had no idea herself that she had the infection. Had I taken her to Gimba without going to the clinic first, she would throw us out like rags.”
“D..did she say who got her pregnant?”
Her aunt looked sad. “Her boyfriend but a classmate of hers said one was for a teacher, I was devastated Ayisat.”
Her aunt looked sad. “Her boyfriend but a classmate of hers said one was for a teacher, I was devastated Ayisat.”
“You could not have known; you were working so hard to feed all of us. It’s not your fault.”
“It does not change the fact that I failed, your mother would have done a better job than I.”
“It does not change the fact that I failed, your mother would have done a better job than I.”
Ayisat refused to consider “only ifs”, she would not look back and cry for her dead parent because that was what they were. Dead and gone.
“Well she’s not alive; mother is gone so we would never know! Stop blaming yourself.”
The woman cleaned her face. “I have not been the best aunt or mother to you my dear and I know this but that is the past, I will be better this time around. Ayisat, I want to you to think deep and decide if you want to go back to your husband. I promise that no matter what your decision is, I will support you. It does not matter if I have to sell everything that I have to pay Gimba back if she demands it or beg to feed all of us, all I want for you now is to be happy.”
The woman cleaned her face. “I have not been the best aunt or mother to you my dear and I know this but that is the past, I will be better this time around. Ayisat, I want to you to think deep and decide if you want to go back to your husband. I promise that no matter what your decision is, I will support you. It does not matter if I have to sell everything that I have to pay Gimba back if she demands it or beg to feed all of us, all I want for you now is to be happy.”
She smiled and hugged her aunt. “Thank you so much aunty.”
“Now I know she is your good friend but please, be careful of Faishat. I am saying this because she got pregnant and dropped out….my own daughter is worse but she….”
“Now I know she is your good friend but please, be careful of Faishat. I am saying this because she got pregnant and dropped out….my own daughter is worse but she….”
“We already fought and I won’t be seeing her in a long time aunty,” she said with great determination.
She knew just what to do.
She knew just what to do.
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