"Surprise!" That was the first thing Ruqayya heard walking into the living-room with her sister and brother-in-law.

"Happy baby shower! We can't wait to meet your baby!"

Ruqayya shake her head, blinking back her tears. What will her family gain from mocking her? She glared at Hamida who was smiling and walk away. She went to her room and lock the door. She doesn't understand why her life is a joke to her family. How can they think of organizing a baby shower for her? She threw her phone on the floor and sat down on the bed. She was very angry at her family. Maybe the baby shower is their way of mocking her. It would have been different if she got pregnant in her husband's house. Not when she was raped by her cousins. They were also there, smiling. She hasn't forgotten about what they did simply because she forgave them. She remembers every single day.

She can't believe her mother is also involved in this. She should have cautioned them.

"Ruqayya!" She heard Sameer called, taking her by surprise. She knows someone will come after her but she didn't expect it to be Sameer. That is the least person she wants to see now. She chose to keep quiet and ignore him.

"Ruqayya! Please open the door. I want to talk to you."  Ruqayya hissed under her breath. She doesn't care about whatever Sameer wants to say. What could he possibly say? They are sorry so she should come downstairs and celebrate? They must be a fool to send Sameer up here.

"Get out Sameer!"

"Please Ruqayya! Open the door." Ruqayya rolled her eyes and got up from the bed and opened the door.

"Why are you here?" She asked, hands akimbo.

"Uhm...I..."   Sameer gulped nervously, staring at the floor.

"You what!?"

Sameer scratch the back of his head, thinking of what to say. He just came upstairs without thinking of what to say.

"Stop wasting my time" she left the door open and sat on the bed.

"Ruqayya" Sameer called, softly. "Can I come in?"

"You are already inside." She rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"

"I want to talk to you and apologize for everything."

"You want to say sorry and what else? I am not interested in your apology. I have forgiven you but you know it will take time before I forget. It takes a lot of time to forget things like that." Ruqayya blink back her tears. She doesn't want to look weak in front of Sameer but she couldn't help it.

"It was never our intention to hurt you and we didn't kill Farida. Someone very close to you killed her."

Ruqayya look at Sameer for the first time since he came inside the room. She raised her eyebrows, confusion written all over her face. If Sameer and his brothers didn't kill Farida then who killed her? Or is he trying to mess with her?

"If you want I can tell you what happened that night, but that will be after the party."

"I am not interested in the party." Ruqayya glared at him.

"I know you must be feeling bad, but please come downstairs with me. We organized the baby shower to take your mind off things. Please Ruqayya" Sameer beseeched. They will mock him if Ruqayya doesn't come downstairs with him. He told everyone he will convince her to come downstairs.

"I am coming" Ruqayya said. Sameer nodded and went out of the room.
.........
"I bought this cute shoe for the baby. I hope you like it?" Habibah smiled at her sister and place the shoe on the table in front of her. Ruqayya mentally rolled her eyes. She can tell Habibah's smile was a fake one. She can fool everyone but not her.

"I don't like it" Ruqayya stated. "But the baby might like it. I am not the one wearing it so" she shrugged, enjoying the look on her sister's face.

"I got you this cute shoe and you are telling me you don't like it? I should have never bothered myself to get you something." Habibah glared at her. She spent her savings just to get the shoe for her sister. She wanted to impress her and everyone by getting something expensive for the baby.

"Should I tell you why I don't like the shoe?" Ruqayya asked Habibah but the girl didn't answer. "I don't like people that waste money just to impress and that is what you like doing, big sis"

Habibah glared at her so much that her eyes might hurt later. She hissed out loud gaining the attention of others. "I shouldn't have bothered myself to get you something. I can see it's useless." She mumbled and walk away. Ruqayya simply rolled her eyes ignoring the eyes on her. She honestly don't care what they all think of her. She is tired of keeping quiet. All she wants to do is say all the things on her mind.

"I made these bracelets for your baby. I hope you like them." Aliya said, startling her a bit. She nodded and smiled at her. She appreciates little things like the bracelets Aliya just gave her. Things like that touches her heart not the expensive shoe Habibah gave her.

"They look very beautiful." Ruqayya smiled at her cousin, a genuine one. "Thank you"

"You are welcome" Aliya returned the smile and walk away. Ruqayya stared at her back, thinking about the possibility that the child she is carrying might be Aliya's niece or nephew. If the child belongs to either Sameer or Junior that automatically makes her become the child's aunt. She sighed and look away. She shouldn't be thinking about things like this.

She saw her aunt walking towards her with a fake smile on her face. Something about Adama doesn't sit right with her. The woman has this cunning attitude that Ruqayya tries to ignore all the time.

"You look beautiful" Adama kissed Ruqayya's forehead, something she likes doing all the time. Ruqayya mentally rolled her eyes, wondering what the fake love is all about.

"Thanks" Ruqayya didn't bother to smile because she couldn't force herself to do it.

"Are you still angry with me? Didn't I ask for your forgiveness? I know what my sons did to you was very bad, but it's high time you forgive and forget everything."

Ruqayya raised her eyebrows at the women standing in front of her. She didn't expect her aunt to talk like that. She is still suffering for their mistake. Adama and her children came to Hamida's house to apologize to Ruqayya about everything. She doesn't know why the guys suddenly admitted to their crime. It was strange but no one paid attention to it.

"What if the baby you are carrying belongs to one of my son. Will you still be angry at the father and grandmother?" The woman continued talking seeing Ruqayyah doesn't have any intention to reply her.

She closed her eyes, trying so hard not to show the woman how angry she is. She can't believe Adama has the effrontery to say such things to her. She doesn't want to embarrass herself on her own baby shower so she kept quiet staring at her aunt.

"I actually came here to tell you something important. We want to have a DNA done after you give birth. If the baby belongs to any of my sons, you don't have to bother about any expenses. We will take full custody of the child."

"What nonsense are you spitting out? You think I will give my child to you? That will never happen aunt! Never!" Ruqayya couldn't keep her voice low after what her aunty said. The mere thought of giving her child to Adama hurts a lot. Everyone stared at the two glaring at each other.

"Keep your voice low when talking to me. Remember I am your mother's sister" with that said, Adama walked away from the living room.

What a nice way to ruin the baby shower!

"What happened between the both of you?" Hassana asked her daughter that was glaring at the door Adama passed through.

"You should ask your sister why she wants to destroy my life completely. What have I ever done wrong to her family? Firstly, her sons raped me and she is threatening to take my child away from me!"

Everyone stared at her, wondering what got into her. The old Ruqayya will never shout when she is talking. The pregnancy must have changed her.

"I am tired, Mum! I am tired of everything" she broke into tears and hugged her mother, careful not to hurt the baby. She sobbed on her shoulders, ignoring everyone staring at them.

Aliya shake her head, wondering why her mum likes disgracing herself. Why would any sane person want to separate a mother and her child? Aliya left the house with the intention of questioning her mother. Everyone left the living room quietly.

"Don't let her take away my baby mum. Please don't let her take away my baby" Ruqayya sobbed on her mum's shoulder. How can someone be that wicked to separate a mother and her child.

"She won't take the baby away from you. I won't let her do that. Stop crying"

Moments like this makes Ruqayya miss Afnan a lot. She always knows the right thing to say. She had to go back to kaduna few weeks ago. Her mother insisted she comes back since she isn't doing anything in Abuja. She has no choice than to go back when the woman involved her father.

"Where is Abba?" Ruqayya asked out of the blue. It been weeks or months she saw him last. The man doesn't bother to call her and he doesn't pick whenever she calls him, but she still calls him with hope of picking one day. She misses him a lot. He is still her father after all.

"Huh?" She wasn't expecting her to ask of him. At least not now. "He is in her house"

Ruqayya nodded and sat on the couch. She is already tired from standing. "Did you tell him about the baby shower?"

Hassana look away, avoiding eye contact with her daughter. How does she explain to her that her father blames her for what happened. He doesn't want to see her or hear anything about her.

"Why is he punishing me like this? Would he have treated Ya Habiba or Ya Hami like this if they were in my shoe? It wasn't my fault, mummy. Walahi it was not my fault. I didn't tell them to rape me" She closed her eyes, feeling so much pain in her heart. Why does it hurt so much?

Assallamu'alaikum

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