by Emma Easter
Unlike the path that she had taken when she’d arrived at that time, which had led her to the front of Malik’s house, this path would lead her to the back. Following the path that led to the front meant that she would have to walk past his father’s house. There were almost no buildings on the path that led to the back of his house. She would sneak inside through the window she had escaped through the last time. Hopefully, that window would be open now. But if it wasn’t, she would have to knock on it until Malik opened up for her. There were holes in her plan, she knew, but the plan would have to do.
She followed the narrow path, walking slowly until she got to the back of Malik’s house. A few people walked by, but none of them paid any attention to her. The window wasn’t open. Her heart plummeted in disappointment. She had pictured the window open when she’d begun to make her way here.
She put away her disappointment quickly and peered through the window into Malik’s room. She couldn’t see clearly, and she wasn’t sure that anyone was inside.
Her pulse quickened with excitement and dread as she tapped on the window twice. She waited for some seconds. When no one came to the window, she slowly knocked on it again. Once more, she waited, but still no one came.
What if Malik can’t hear me from inside the house? What if he’s not even at home?
For a minute, she pondered on what she could do, and then she decided to go to the hut she had stayed in to wait the last time she came here. Like then, she would wait in the hut until it was nighttime.
She turned around, and then her eyes widened in horror and her heart began to pound as two brawny men began coming towards her. She recognized them. They were two of the men who had captured her and Zainah that night they were about to escape from Nira, after Malik had let them out of the shack Mr. Keita had locked them up in.
She looked back, trying to find a way to escape, but she knew she would never be able to outrun the men. Still, she made a run for it. They quickly caught her and began to drag her along with them, while she screamed at the top of her voice. She screamed and screamed, but nobody came to her aid. She fought the men with all her might, but she couldn’t escape their grasp. They kept dragging her along with them until they stopped in front of Malik’s father’s house.
She kept shouting and tried to escape again as one of them left her to open the gate of the house. But the other man’s hold was too strong for her to break.
The men dragged her into the house, and her muscles tensed when she saw Mr. Keita sitting alone in the living room, a wicked grin on his face. The brutes let go of her and went to stand at the door.
Fear consumed her as she looked into the cruel eyes of the man who was Malik, Khadija and Zainah’s father. How could such a wicked man be the father of three of the nicest people she knew? She could not understand it.
“So,” he jeered at her, “you are even more stupid then I thought. You actually came back here, just for Malik.” He laughed out loud and then abruptly stopped laughing. “You fool. You actually thought I wouldn’t find out that you were the one who was living in my son’s house for a full week. You actually thought that my daughter would choose you over me.”
Leila trembled at the evil look in his eyes, but she had to know where Malik was, no matter how afraid she was. She asked in a voice she hoped was free from fear, “Where is Malik?”
Karim Keita laughed again and shook his head. “Khadija told me all your plans after I threatened her. She told me you were coming back here again in a week, and so when Malik came back, I immediately sent him to work again. I actually did not believe that you would come back when Khadija told me of your plans. Not after I nearly caught you the last time. But here you are. Such a foolish, foolish girl. But I am so glad you came back. I have plans for you. Since you are so determined to come back here, you will stay here forever. Unless, of course, your husband chooses to go back to Saudi Arabia.”
Leila glared at him. What was he talking about? She shook her head and said, “I have no husband.”
“But you do! You are already married to my friend, Dauda. You will go to him and spend the rest of your life in purdah. And you will have to convert to Islam, of course.”
Leila stared at him in horror. Her body began to tremble and she said in a small voice, “I will not marry your friend or convert to Islam.”
“Yes, you will, and did you not just hear what I said? You are already married to Dauda. The marriage rites were said before you and Zainah managed to skip town.” He narrowed his eyes and looked at her with a thoughtful expression. “You will also help bring my daughter, Zainah, to Nira.”
Leila sank to her knees and began to weep, asking the Lord to deliver her.
Karim Keita glowered at her and yelled, “Stop that now!” He stood on his feet and stared at her in disdain. “Nobody is going to come to your aid. Understand that now!”
She continued to pray as the men hurled her up from her knees.
“Lock her up in the shack!” Mr. Keita ordered. The men began to take her away but Karim Keita held up his hand and told them to wait. He looked at her and said, “This evening, you will call Zainah and tell her she needs to come to your rescue or you will be killed. Do you hear me?”
In spite of her fear, Leila shook her head. “I will do no such thing!”
He pursed his lips, and for a minute, he said nothing. Finally, he said to her, “If you do as I say and call Zainah, I will let you go. I will even let you see Malik. Maybe you two can be together.”
Her eyes widened in surprise and confusion. With all her heart she wanted to see Malik, wanted to be with him. Her heart began to pound as she thought of the offer, and then she sighed. There was no way she would betray her best friend. Zainah would be forced into purdah, married to a stranger. She couldn’t live with herself if she let that happen. Besides, there was no assurance that Karim Keita was actually telling the truth and would let her see Malik if she did what he wanted her to.
He said to her, “I will even let you go now and tell you exactly where Malik is so both of you can be together. Just call Zainah and tell her what I told you earlier. Let her know she has to come to your rescue right now.”
Leila stared at the man. Lord, please help me to stand strong. Everything in her screamed for her to agree to what Karim was saying. If she called Zainah, she could see the love of her life today and finally get to be with him.
But she ignored the voice in her head screaming at her, and said, “I will not call Zainah. Not even if my life is in danger. Not even if I don’t ever get to see Ma . . .” she choked on the words. She would never see Malik again; never ever get the chance to marry him. If Karim Keita let her live, she would be given away to someone else to marry and live out the rest of her life in bondage, with regret as her daily companion.
Mr. Keita stared at her and then snapped his fingers and beckoned to one of the men near the door. “Give me that cell phone.” He turned to Leila. “So, my girl, are you ready to call Zainah now?”
Leila shut her eyes briefly and then opened them again. She said to Karim, “I won’t call her.” And then every hope, dream, and desire she’d had for the future died as she said, “Do whatever you will with me.”
Karim Keita glared at her with blazing eyes and then nodded. “Have it your way, then. I’ll find another way to get Zainah here. You will be locked up and tomorrow or the day after, you will be brought out to prepare to meet your husband. This time, it will be a private affair so that no one will know or be able to interfere. You won’t be able to escape this time. No one will come to ‘rescue’ you.” He looked up at his men and ordered again, “Take her away!”
The men took her to the shack where she and Zainah had been locked up months earlier and locked her in. After they left, she sat on the cold floor and closed her eyes. Overwhelming bitterness engulfed her soul. Bitterness against God for not answering her prayers and for letting this happen to her, against Khadija for betraying her trust, and bitterness against that evil
man, Karim Keita.
She lifted up her eyes and cried out, “What have I done? Why did I come here?” She had come because she was urged on by love. Now, she would never get to have the love she had craved so much. She would never get to see the man she loved again.
Her heart grew heavy until the pain became unbearable. She threw up everything she had eaten that morning and then curled up on the ground and prayed to die.
*****
Leila slowly stood up from the ground as the door of the shack opened. Someone had come to bring her food yesterday evening, and another person in the morning. Apparently, Karim Keita’s plan to break her and get her to divulge Zainah’s number did not include starving her. It was probably because he planned to marry her off to his friend and didn’t want her to look gaunt when he did. She felt sick to her stomach just thinking about it. Well, this time, she would not eat the food they brought her.
Her muscles tensed as Karim Keita himself stepped into the shack, a smirk on his face.
“So, are you ready to do what I asked you? Or do you prefer to spend the rest of your life in purdah?”
Leila shifted away from him as he approached. Her back was to the wall as he stepped close to her. His eyes looked her over.
She shook her head and said slowly, “I’ve already told you. I am not giving you Zainah’s number or calling her for you. No matter how many times you ask me to, I will not change my mind.”
“Not even if I tell you that Malik is in Nira now, and that you can see him if you give me Zainah’s number?”
Leila’s mouth dropped open and her heart began to race. “Malik is here?”
“Yes,” Karim said.
Tears filled Leila’s eyes. Her heart felt jumbled with emotions ranging from total confusion to anticipation. She had to see Malik now. But that would mean giving this evil man Zainah’s number. But she was safe in America. She looked at him and asked, “How do I know you are telling the truth? Malik might not be around at all.”
“You have to trust me. I meant it before, and I mean it now. If you give me Zainah’s number, you will not only get to see Malik, but you will be free to have the relationship with him that you’ve been dreaming of. I’ll even give you my blessing.” He held up a finger, “As long as you talk to Zainah on the phone and tell her that you will be killed unless she agrees to come to Nira.”
Leila stared at the man. Malik’s face stayed firmly in her mind and the urge to see him was overwhelming. Lord, what am I going to do? She prayed silently. She said to Karim, “I know you still want to force Zainah and I to marry your friends. I’m not going to do that to Zainah. Besides, she will soon be marrying the man she loves in America.”
“I know she will soon be getting married,” Karim said. “Khadija told me you told her about Zainah’s upcoming wedding. That’s partly why I want her to come. I certainly do not want to force her to marry my friend. She is already married to him. Both of you are married to my friends. Like I told you before, the rites had already been said before both of you were taken away.”
Leila looked away from Karim Keita. She hadn’t wanted to believe him when he told her before that she was married to some old man she didn’t know. She felt sick.
Karim continued. “After everything that happened, my friends and everyone in this village will never want to have anything to do with you or Zainah. My friends were thoroughly disgraced. No one wants to marry you or Zainah anymore. But I care about her. She can’t get married to someone else until she dissolves this present marriage. It’s an abomination that will bring a curse to her, her present husband, and whoever she is joined to in the future. My friends are eager for her to return so the marriage can be dissolved. You will also have to dissolve yours before you can marry Malik.”
Leila’s heart raced at the thought of marrying Malik, but she said, “What about what you told me earlier? That I would be taken to my husband’s house in a day or two and stay in purdah forever?”
“I said that because I was desperate,” he said to her. “I just want to see my daughter. I want to know she is safe now, but I don’t want her to come under a curse. Besides, after so many years of not seeing her and then finally getting to see her months ago, I don’t want to lose her again. I need to see her now.” He looked deep into Leila’s eyes and pleaded, “Please, do this for a father.”
She took a deep breath, and then said as firmly as she could, “Okay, I will call Zainah for you as long as you bring Malik here, first of all, and then promise me that you will not harm Zainah in any way.”
Karim Keita did not say anything for a full minute, and then he sighed loudly and said, “Okay, then. I will do as you ask. I will bring Malik to you, but he’ll remain just outside the door and speak to you there. However, you’ll be able to see his face clearly and make sure he’s the one. I also promise that I will not harm Zainah in any way.”
Leila searched his face to see if he was lying to her or telling her the truth. His expression revealed nothing and she knew she had no choice but to trust him. “Okay, I’ll call Zainah after I speak to Malik.”
Karim Keita grinned and then nodded his head. “Good. I’ll bring Malik to you in the morning. Remember, you will have to keep your word, or you will suffer greatly.”
“I will keep my word as long as we keep yours,” she said.
He turned around and walked out of the shack. Leila heard the door firmly lock from the other side and then sat on the ground once again. It felt as though two weeks had passed, but at the same time like she had only been here for a few hours. All she spent her time doing here was praying and weeping simultaneously.
Her heart drummed with excitement and nervousness. At last, she would get to see and talk to Malik again. He would probably be angry at his father for locking her up, but she would tell him to let it go. All that mattered was that they had been united and were finally together.
She couldn’t sleep a wink that night as her body trembled with excitement and anticipation. And a bit of dread. There was a slight chance that Mr. Keita was lying to her. But then, she trusted that he truly wanted to talk to Zainah. That he truly wanted to see his daughter again. She also had to trust that the Lord was in control and that she was not being played by Karim Keita.
Rays of sunlight began to stream into the shack through the small window, and she stood as her excitement reached its peak. She suddenly looked down at herself and groaned. She has been wearing the same outfit since she was locked in here.
She ran a hand across her hair and then tried to pat it down as best as she could. She was sure she looked a complete mess. If only she had remembered to ask Karim Keita to get Khadija to bring a change of clothes for her and some water to freshen up. She quickly braided her hair, rubbed her face with her hands, and straightened her midi dress as best as she could.
Any time now, Malik would come. She couldn’t hold in her excitement.
Leila blinked as the door opened. Karim Keita walked into the shack, two bodyguards behind him. She looked past him and the bodyguards to the door, but Malik was not there. She shot Karim an angry look and said, “Where is Malik? You said he would be here this morning.”
Karim laughed and waved over one of his bodyguards. The man brought out a phone from his pocket and walked up to her.
Leila glared at Karim. “The promise you made me was not to speak to Malik on the phone but in person. You told me he would come here this morning.” She suddenly couldn’t control her anger anymore and screamed, “Where is he?”
Karim glowered at her. “You have no right to be making any demands.” He looked at his bodyguard and said, “Show her.”
Leila’s eyes widened as the man clicked on the phone and then held it out to her. She took it hesitantly and then stared in horror at the picture on it. “What are you doing to him?” She cried. She gaped at the picture, totally horrified. Malik was tied to a chair, gagged, his hands and feet bound up.
“You have to call Zainah right now and tell her what
exactly I want you say or Malik will not live to see the end of today.”
“You monster!” she cried out. “How can you do this to your own son?”
He waved his hand as though he were waving away a fly and said to her, “You really thought I would give in to your demands?” He laughed and then said, “Are you ready to do what I asked you to?”
She cried out and sank to the floor, the phone still in her hand.
“Call her with that phone!” Karim ordered.
Leila bit her lip as spots danced in front of her eyes.
“Call her right now!”
Leila’s hands trembled as she slowly dialed Zainah’s number. Tears flowed down her cheeks and sorrow filled her heart. She was sure now that Karim Keita wanted her to call Zainah and get her back here not because he wanted to see his daughter, but in order to forcefully give her away to his friend. She was also sure that the same fate awaited her. But there was nothing she could do. Malik’s life was in danger. Never had she imagined that Karim Keita would hurt his own son just to get Zainah here.
Zainah’s phone began to ring and Karim said, “Put it on speaker.”
Leila did as he asked and then looked down at the floor, her chest tightening painfully. Her heart somersaulted as Zainah’s voice came on the line. “Hello, who is this?”
Karim Keita pointed at the phone and said to Leila, “Speak!”
“Hello, Zainah, it’s Leila.”
“Oh, my Lord, Leila! I’m so happy to hear your voice! How are you? Where are you? Are you finally going to come to my wedding?”
Leila trembled as she said haltingly, “I’m . . . in Nira. I’ve been captured by your father.” She looked up at Karim Keita and then said, “My life and Malik’s life are in danger. He said we are married to those men already, Zainah.” It became too much for her to bear and she broke down.
Karim grabbed the phone from her and said, “Zainah, you have only two days to come back here. If you don’t, whatever happens to your friend and your brother will be on you.”