“Leaving an abusive partner is a very difficult thing to do. It frequently feels like you are failing, or destroying your family, or not trying to work things out, or not giving your partner a second chance.”
-Blaine Nelson

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It hurts.
It hurts badly.
Every part of my body hurts.
Every part of me hurts.
I slowly but painfully will my eyelids to open.
I winced when the bright light greeted me. I quickly closed them back.

"She's awake. Allahuakbar(Allah is great)!"

What is Jamilah doing here? I wondered. Jamilah is my younger sister who schools at University of Benin, Edo state. What is she doing here in my house at Lagos?

"Jamilah, get the doctor," my mother says.

And what is my mother doing here? When did they arrive? This time around I opened my eyes having little care for them.

"My child, thank Allah you're safe," My mother rushes to my side.

Jamilah and another woman who I think is the doctor enter the room.

Now that am thinking of it, this is not my room. I immediately start to panic as what happened last night came to me. I immediately clutch my belly with my hands.

"My baby!" I panick, "Is my baby okay?"

"Easy! Calm down, my dear. You are fine," the doctor says.

"What about my baby?" I ask as I try to get up.

What about my baby? Where is Fawaaz?

"Is my baby okay?" I ask as I begin to worry.

"Shhhhh, calm down," my mother trys to calm me down.

"Where's my husband?"

"He went to buy some drugs for you. He'll be back soon," Jamilah informs me.

"My child, what really happened? How did you get yourself in such a mess?" my mother asks.

"What are you talking about?" I ask.

"You were brought in by your husband. You were in very bad state. You were badly beaten. He said you must have been beaten by some hoodlums or so as someone called him through your phone saying he found you barely alive on the street. Am surprised you didn't have a miscarriage," the doctor informs me.

"What!" I say in shock.

"She must be in shock," the doctor tells my mother.

"Aunty Ikram, please you have to be more careful. You've been here for two weeks. I was so scared when I saw you. You were barely alive," Jamilah sobs.

"Two weeks!" I shriek.

What has Fawaaz done? Oh no!
Why is nobody answering my question about my baby? I place my hand on my belly and try to feel my baby but for some reason I can't feel any connection. I can't feel anything. My heart begins to sink into the deepest part of my body.

"My baby," is all I can mutter before I black out.

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"She's awake!"

"Oh."

"Can she hear us?"

Voices. I can hear voices. I try to open my eyes which is muvh easier than when I last woke up. They don't hurt this time around.

The door opens and in comes the father of the year. Every one greets him except me. He walks up to my bed. For some reason, I feel something bad has already happened. Something bad has already happened to my baby.

"My love! You are awake now. Thanks be to Allah. I thought I was going to loose you," he says as he presses a soft kiss on my forehead.

Indeed!

"What happened to my baby?"I ask without looking at him.

"Am sorry, Ikram but you lost the baby. It couldn't take it. Am so sorry. Try to get some rest. The nurses will check on you later," the doctor tells me before leaving the room.

A lone tear escapes my eye and runs down my cheek.

"Let's give them some privacy," my mother states and she leaves the room with my sister.

"I'm sorry," Fawaaz immediately falls on his knees and holds my hands in his.

I try to remove my hands but he refuses. I give up and allow him to hold them.

"I am very sorry, Ikram. Please find it in your heart to forgive me. Please."

All I can do is cry knowing I lost my baby and almost lost my life all because of his selfishness.

"Say something, please," he begs.

"What do you want me to say?"

Hot tears drop from my eyes but I don't even try to wipe them off. I began to hiccup.

"M-my ba-ba-baby! My ba-baby is d-de-dead be-because of y-you."

"Ikram, am so sorry. It was an accident. I didn't mean for it to happen. You made me do it," Fawaaz pleads with tears in his eyes.

"How?"

"It's partly your fault. You made me angry. You wouldn't stop yelling at me.  I couldn't take it. I just lost it. Baby am so sorry. It will never happen again."

He holds my hands in his and starts to cry profusely.

"Baby, please don't leave me, I can't live without you, please."

I immediately yank my hands from his.

"Fawaaz, how can you say that?" I flare up, "How can you say that rubbish? That you can't live without me when your sole aim is to live without me. You not only  killed my baby but you tried to kill me too. How can you be that wicked. To kill another person? I can't believe I fell in love with you. You are evil!"

"Ikram, my love, please don't leave me. I was wrong before. Please forgive me. I will never hurt you again. I will never hit you again. Believe me when I say am a changed person now."

"Fawaaz-"

"Please. I made a mistake that will never repeat itself again."

"Fawaaz-"

"Sweetheart, please, please for the sake of Allah, don't leave me," he pleads.

"Fawaaz, you have to promise me not to ever hit me again. Never ever do that to me again. You not only hurt me physically but also emotionally," I say in tears, trying to believe him.

"I promise, my love, I promise. I will never hurt you again. We can always make another baby. I love you, sweetie," he convinces me and pecks my cheek.

"I love you too," I reply him.

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Assalam alaykum.
Hello.
I hope you enjoy reading this book so far and I hope you like this chapter. How do you feel about Ikram accepting Fawaaz's apology. Do you think Fawaaz is sorry enough not to hit Ikram again? Do tell me in the comment section.
I love you all.