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It was from her that I heard everything about our new neighbour, who incidentally is her cousin,’ I concluded.
‘And yet Jamila has no qualms about ruining her reputation? What kind of a relative is your friend?’ Tahir asked in disgust.
‘A friend who believes that to be forewarned is to be forearmed. She is not being disloyal to her cousin, she just feels I should know the truth before I reach out to her. Indeed I brought the issue up when I asked Jamila why she didn’t bring the lady over to meet me,’ I said in her defence.
‘But look at it this way Bint. If our neighbour is so bad that Jamila felt the need to warn you about her, why is she still maintaining relations with her? ‘ Tahir asked, with suspicion.
‘She did explain that to me. She said she’s one of the few relatives who are still interacting with Hajiya Fitnah; because all others have washed their hands off her. The elders of the family, in particular, don’t have anything to do with with her. They said she had soiled the family name by choosing to live the life she leads. So after countless efforts to get her to change, repent and marry, they have decided to disown her. But since the decision to cut her off was not imposed on the young generation, some of them decided to maintain their link with her, hoping that they can influence her to give up her immoral ways. And Jamila happens to be one of them.’ I concluded.
‘I’m sure that her being the “mistress of a dollar millionaire’” has something to do with their decision to hang on to her,’ Tahir opined
‘No, please don’t be too hard on them. Jamila and the cousins who still relate with Fitnah aren’t exactly paupers you know. And like I said earlier, they are doing so with the hope that they can make her change her ways. If everyone turns their backs to her, who can make her feel there is anything wrong with what she’s doing? I mean she lives in luxury, drives classy cars, travels first class to all the big cities of the world, can afford any kind of clothes she desires, so what could possibly convince her that she’s in Heaven’s bad books?’ I asked rhetorically.
‘if that’s true why won’t Jamila allow you to get acquainted with her cousin, with the hope that you too can influence her positively?’ He demanded.
‘Possibly because she knows I’ll reach out to her expecting to meet an honest wife raising a family rather than a kept woman who has chosen to live her life as the other woman,’ I answered.
‘So the man really has another wife and has no wish to marry Fitnah?’ Tahir asked.
‘Yes he does, but it’s the other way round actually. According to Jamila, Fitnah is the one who keeps refusing to marry him because she believes she’ll lose all the perks that come her way as a mistress. So far she has been with that man through five marriages,’ I disclosed.
‘Five marriages? What kind of a woman will live with a man who keeps marrying others while she remains a dishonourable mistress?’ He queried.
‘The type who believes that she has the upper hand because despite his serial marriages and divorcees, her position is never threatened. In the last thirty years, she has accumulated houses and set up businesses, all as a result of her immoral links to a wealthy man,’ I declared.
‘Thirty years, did you really say thirty years Bint?’ Tahir wailed.
‘Yes I did, Jamila said her cousin was with this man soon after his first marriage. His eldest daughter, who is a married thirty-year old now, wasn’t even born when their affair started,’ I replied.
‘How unfortunate, what a wasted life! How can any woman be happy living a life of sin? No matter what material gain she gets from this relationship, surely life is passing her by and her spiritual life is getting drained,’ He observed.
‘I honestly feel the same way too. Ever since my talk with Jamila, I think of Hajiya Fitnah and wonder how she feels, trapped in a life with no children or grandchildren; and all of it by choice,’ I lamented.
‘Well, before you begin to feel sorry for her, remember that she’s the architect of her woes. Her greed and selfishness led her to choose this lifestyle, it is her preferred damnation. I just hope that she’ll see sense and realise that one day her dollar millionaire will lose interest and move on and she might be too old to attract a replacement. Meanwhile she has accumulated a lifetime of sins and has no defense before The Almighty beyond her need to lead a pampared life,’ Tahir warned.
‘You are right Hubby dearest. I won’t allow myself to feel sorry for her but I sincerely pray that she’ll realise the folly of her lifestyle and repent, as well as mend her ways. Otherwise she has lost here, with no child or grandchild or the honour and dignity of marriage. And in the Hereafter she’ll meet with nothing but the wrath of Almighty God. What a double jeopardy!’ I pontificated.
