Burned by the Devil

from the coffee shop. The both of them had been so engrossed with browsing eve

house on Sunday. You can come with your husband if you like, I'd l

days anyway. I'd love to meet your family this Sunday" Halal smiled.

night Halal, it was wonderful s

ck. "Take care of yourself Dar,

r number to the repair guy, so you both can be in to

ey'd both phoned a car hire network but Halal's ride was yet to arrive. About ten minutes after

bed but he was home and very much awake. In fact, he'd open

im into the house. She waited for him to r

ked quite calmly. Not quite

r" Halal responded

er. "Halal about our conversation earlier.

reat me, Valentino, I don't understand how one could treat their partner that way" Halal said. She didn't want to

y position, what would you do? It's been eight years Hala

ot pregnant, in case you have forgotten. I carried those babies for nine months, nine, like any other woman. At the end o

nk I'm feeling, how do you think I feel every time I see children, baby clothes or even toys! Do you realize I've not stepped in

still throw it in my face that I can't giv

ee my friends with children, I'm frustrated too" Valentino pr

l. It's been how many years, why do our children die the min

ng the answer to that same question. God knows I don't know what exactly he's punis

te you're here and the next you're on the other side of the country. I love you, and I want you to be happy but I don't know how else you

e Halal?" Valentino a

ttle confused now. He'd never qu

entino" Halal s

" Valentino asked again h

uestions, did I do something, is that why yo

logical. I don't know why our children die but I do know that a woman who d

blaming me for the death of our children.

Valentino asked. He turned to look at

my mother and making me so vulnerable. The car is at the repair shop but you haven't bothered to ask

ad an accident, what happened, why d

d into another car, thank God I was able to control

I brought up your mother Halal, I promise, I'll never do

cency to apologize this time. He'd said wor

s in the deep freezer, did you heat it up for your dinn

n do that later. Let's talk a little bit

help me. I'm not seeing him again. I'm sure there are other doctor

t's urgent. Please, maybe he can

no but I'm tired of people taking advantage of us. D

ing. Call Doctor Femi, I have faith that he can help us this time. Do it for me hm, I want to f

e so she nodded. "I'll call

l him after dinner

him after dinner"

a what he was doing in there, but she didn't want to know. She

painted the walls while Valentino had fixed the crib. Th

aby bump that was present a year ago. It was painful to look at t

re picking up her phone to call her doctor. Doct

nswered on th

the doctor, probably still in his office at this time. The

one you all day. Why have you been r

s me you called him, you have something imp

tal, I'm a little busy. Just know that it's important that

s this about?"

......you won't have to lose another child again. Halal please come in to see me tomorrow. And please, this is a woman to doctor discus

Doctor can you fix it?" Halal

re. I've just discovered what to do now, you won't

he still couldn't believ

..they won't die again?

said. "I will Doctor, I will. I'll see you tomorr

Doctor Femi said

yelled. She walked out of the

ckly," she said pausi

an orange coloured stuffed rabbit. Something he'd gotten fo

en she saw the rabbit. She plac

ong?" Valentino

ctor Femi. He has discovered the problem, he's going to tell me tomorrow"

, our children won't have to die anymore. The nursery won't have

discovered the problem?" Val

d me to come to see him early in t

l drive you to the hospital by

ink I should go al

oth of us" Valentino

self okay? I love you. I promise I

ve you too" Vale

lmed. Everything would fall

ould be righted. "Thank

ng day. Valentino on the other hand seemed like a boy excited about presen

d....please let this not be a mirage or a dream"

d he's going to tell us our problem. We're going to fix it and we're going to

eight years Val. This just

e Halal. Don't cry, our problems are going to

ng tears off her face. "I've waited..." she began but

ve to wait anymore," Valentino s

ting a baby. I want to see a baby in our nurse

. "I can already picture it in my head," Halal said. Sh

he hospital with you? I don't want you drivi

n a few yeah?" Halal stood up

ut of the house, to the car. He wasn't still sure about letting her dr

e road okay?" Valentino sa

ition. "I'll see you soon, don't

alentino said before hea

l listened to a Tiwa Savage song on the radio, she co

ross the road. "I certainly won't let my child walk to school alone, some parents" she muttered

ed to check for the caller ID before answerin

ood morning" Daria's

ght when I got home. I got wrapped up in s

g?" Daria asked. Halal heard a yawn

actually. On my way to

d. "Hope all is well Hallie" D

like that. Of course, when Nigerians heard the word hospi

Everything is fine Daria. I'm just going to a doctor

d and ended the call. She turned up the volume of the ra

art beat increased. She walked into the rece

led prettily. "Long t

entino condemned it. He said she was too friendly with

s. You no dey come here again, we offe

w I can't. I've just been very b

day was my birthday, nobody even bought me anything. No meat pie, no coke, no rice, no food date, no Spa date, no KFC, no chicken

oyfriend?" Halal

don't have a boyfriend, nobody bought me anything, everybody was just frowning and their faces looked

e you the wristwatch because my husband bought it for me but

one thousand naira

boyfriend. Take this and buy a lit

d will not lack. You will just be travelling from here to America back and forth. And as you're travelling back and forth, you'll be making enough m

the nurse knew that travelling to America wasn't even

like this?" Another nurse named

gossip, how is my business your concern?"

gnize you. See how fair and fresh your skin looks, I was just asking mysel

f them but this was Nigeria where you could call women who did favours for you and g

up and down the hospital with your mouth in everyone's business. You talk t

ok her head a little amused. "Is Doctor

et me take you to him" Ezin

aide said refe

remove my aunty's ear o. Ah! Talk

you know that one you gave Brenda. I liked that one too, but Brenda asked for it first. Please wh

tter, we're one in Nigeria. So you're my sister" Ezi

ffice. There was no response, and no Doctor Fem in sight

al who saw

as on the floor, eagle

zinne screamed as s

e man on the ground. "Doctor

. He was silent, he didn't move

dead oh" Ezi

felt the world closing in on her. She f

ed that she was having a panic attack. "

ce that lulled her