Usman drove to his friend house Muktar after Leaving zainaba's Hausa, The gate man Malam Bala opened the gate for him after informing his boss Muktar he has a guest.

  Muktar was sitting watching movie in his parlour when usman come in.

  "Innalillahi! Usman what happened? You changes alot, look at you, you looses alot of weight and you are darker than always" Muktar Said with suprise.

Usman strolled nonchalantly toward muktar  "Uhum you won't understan,"  Usman lamented while sitting next to Muktar.

  "A'a how can you say I can't grok, just tell me, I will," muktar retorted showing some care.

   "I made a huge mistake, enunciating our divorce 3 times I don't know how, and why" he bewailed sobbing.

   "Be a man please, men never cry for love, after all you have sa'ada she got everything specially the look", Muktar Said tapping  Usman's shoulder in  his attempt to comfort him.

  Usman tilt his head and smirked, "when I said u can't understand my situation you said you will, look or beauty isn't everything and it doesn't matter, what matters is how I feel, and what I wanted, I love Zainab not Sa'ada". Usman said languidly

  "Then why do you marry her if you have no feeling for her?" Musktar Question

"I have my reason for that" Usman replied

  "What am regretting is not accepting my mistake, had it's been I admitted to my mistake for sleeping with Sa'ada at our matrimonial home, Zainaba won't asked for divorce" he said ruefully.

   "Well there is always a solution to any of problem, it only depends on how we view the problem". Muktar said

  "I told you it's already 3 time, the only way we can be back  together is when she marry another man, and he divorce her, but for me zainab marrying again will be killing me, as I know no man will marry her and divorce her" Usman mentioned tearfully.

  Muktar burst into laughing; "said who? he asked, let me tell you, their are alot of people like you, who can divorce her" just have some hope.

  Usman scowled; "what is this muktar? Am telling you my problem and you are laughing, I hate nonsense wallahi" he said beligerently.

  "Calm down my man, as I told you early there is always a solution to a problem, yours not excluded why not you pay for another man to marry her for some month, just for him to divorce her later, so you can be back together" Muktar replied looking at Usman in his attempt to find out what his reaction is.

 Usman smacked his palm against his forehead, tighten  his lips  "You will always be the worse person I know, how can you advise me to do such a thing, after knowing it's Haram, I can't do that just help me pray for Zainab not to find another man, things will be easier to me if she never marry again" Usman besought.

  "That's what I will never do, after calling me the worse person and you are begging for prayers," Muktar replied in anger

"haba my man don't mind my words, I said that out of anger, and I take back my words,"he said pleading with his eyes...

After some moment

Usman said  "Am thirsty I need some water"

muktar frowned his face;  "you know where to get it", Usman laughed, "common man let bygone be bygone I take back what I said and am sorry" Usman said rosing up.

   There are alot of drinks in the fridge, he took a bottle of water plus one soft drink.

  Muktar watched him drink it all, before saying; "I  thought you quiet drinking Muktar asked?,"

"yes what did you see?" he asked looking at the bottle in his hand this  soft drink he said.

  Muktar smile "it's nothing, I just  forget to tell you, I add some drug to it,"

Usman thrown away the bottle he is holding, "mtss you have a problem wallahi, how can you add drugs to a soft drink, and leave it in frigde, wallahi when I said you are the worse person I know I mean it," Usman said in a druk voice," the drug Muktar said he added to the drink seems to be heavy seeing how Usman was pissed in few minutes.

  Hmm "it's better to be drunk that to have heart attack because of love" Muktar replied to him smiling.

   Usman took another bottle and finished it, Muktar was watching him and never stop him.

   Usman do not leave his friend house till midnight, when he come back home Sa'ada was sleeping in the palour, he was drunk as he entered the parlour walking and mubling drukly.

   He slapped sa'ada on her thighs,

"Please Usman what is this, you startled me," she muble half a sleep

what are you doing here, how can you spend a night in your friend house  you better leave before I come out he said in his druk voice.

  His voice made her wake up, she rubbed her eyes and look at him, is not like she is dreaming he was druk, innlalillahi what am I seeing  she said to her self, a tear trickled down her face.

   She was still in the palour her palm on her chin, she was crying, when he come out grandishing a thick cane, "where are you,? are you still there,?" he said smashingly seeing the cane made her hide.

  He then suddenly begin to vomit and later blackout.

  Sa'ada clear the place and leave for her room while crying, she's gradually understand how she destroy her self  in the name of finding her happiness.

   She went to bed quietly and had a restless night.

    *********

   Zainab was doing the dishes, when her brother told her Malam Musa was outside waiting for her .

She was stunned as her heart beat faster she was a choked, so her Father mean it when he say Malam Musa, she has no choice but to go before her mum slander.

  The old man was standing by the entrance door, Seeing her coming make him grinned, she only glanced at him and lower her gaze, he was shriveled, feable and toothless she just don't know how to live with him as her husband but her parents won't understand her feeling.

  Good afternoon is what she said, afternoon my bride, he replied smiling.

  He continued, your Father told me to come so as to know what  you are preparing his voice trembled as he speak.

    No I have nothing to prepare and am busy now, you come back later please she said stridden inside.

   He watched her leave, while licking his lips and smiling he leave his heart full of happiness, he actually love Zainab since she was 14 but never have a chance till now.

   "why are you back so early" her mum asked looking at her.

  He said he's busy ok is what umma Said.

  Zainaba felt like crying but she has to finished the dishes,  so to keep back the tears she stretched her heart to the utmost.

She finished the dishes and strode to her room, for the first time since her divorce her courage seemed to desert her, she cry alot until her eyes reddened and swelled she decided to stay indoors the hole day...

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