THE SERIAL MASK BY MORUFAT AJANI CHAPTER THIRTY

 THE SERIAL MASK BY MORUFAT AJANI

CHAPTER THIRTY

After about eight minutes, Leila finally stops. Her hand drops to her side, breathing ragged and wild. Sweat clings to her forehead. The belt slips from her fingers, landing on the floor with a soft thud.

Badru, still tied, slumped in the chair, trembling like a soaked leaf in harmattan wind. His body is striped red, angry belt marks stretching across his back, arms, even his neck.

Leila moves close to him, her chest still heaving. She crouches just enough so that he sees her face. She looks calm, cold, and calculating now.

She then raises a finger and points upward.

“There’s a camera in that POP. I recorded the beating. In case you get any stupid ideas of retaliation.”

Badru’s swollen eyes blink at her. His lips tremble, looking so frustrated and in disbelief.

“You were videoing us?” He asks, sounding so in pain and breathing heavily.

“Yes.” Leila nods then continues,

“Because I know you, Badru. I know how much you value your ego. I know what your pride means to you among people. So listen carefully, if you dare touch me again… I mean ever again, even breathing wrongly near me… this video will go viral on the internet.”

She stands up straight, still watching him.

“And don’t even think of hijacking it from me and deleting it later. I already sent a copy to my friends. Try anything stupid, and I swear, this whole city will watch Badru the big business man in Idumota getting beaten up like a goat.”

Badru nods desperately, eyes wide like a child’s. His mouth is open but no words come out. Then he starts gasping, like he's struggling to breathe. Leila, who hasn't noticed that, moves to the ropes and begins untying him.

As soon as the last knot falls off, Badru drops to his knees and crawls under the table, like a dog running from thunder. His palms are joined together, trembling. He’s not even making full sentences or making sense.

“Please… please, why… why are you beating me… it’s okay… don’t beat me again… please…it’s enough. Please stop.”

He rocks back and forth under the table, hands shielding his face. His entire body is drenched in sweat. His breathing is erratic. He’s twitching and flinching at shadows that aren’t there.

Leila’s anger fades at that moment and is replaced by pure confusion.

She crouches and gently reaches for him. “Badru… I’m done. I’m not beating you anymore. But…but.. why are you talking like this?”

But he doesn’t budge. He stays there, curled up, and continues whispering with her hand joins together, “Don’t beat me… I’ll be good… I will do everything you want me to do… I promise…”

Leila is watching him, stunned and confused.

The mighty Badru, terror of women, manipulator of lives is shivering like a toddler. He looks so scared and worked up like someone who is having an episode of intense trauma.

Leila stays crouched under the table for a long moment, watching Badru shake and mumble like a broken child. Her chest tightens and she's now pitying him.

What's wrong with this guy? Why is he acting like this all of a sudden? I am no longer beating him and he's still begging. What's going on?

Then suddenly, it enters Leila's mind that maybe Badru might be dealing with a childhood trauma. Maybe someone used to beat him when he was young and her beating him now triggers the trauma.

With this thought, the pity she's feeling for him increases and she walks up to him. She swallows hard and slowly reaches for him again, this time softer.

“Badru…Come on...get out of there. Are you okay?”

Badru doesn’t answer. He only lets out a low whimper and hugs his knees tighter.

I knew it. I knew Badru is a soft person who can't even hurt a fly, much less a human. He was acting like a monster because of Hanan Jazz. I am sure the way he’s been beating me was a result of the jazz. Ha, this wicked Hanan. How come you chose this softhearted human being to punish me. Why couldn't you just come at me directly. Why? Why? Leila almost wants to cry.

She sighs, her anger long melted into a strange cocktail of pity and discomfort. This wasn’t the reaction she planned after she finishes beating him. This wasn’t the ending she imagined. She never thought beating him would strip him so bare, so pathetic like this. Leila now wants to be gentle and nice to Badru.

She carefully wraps her arms around him and gently pulls him out.

“It’s okay… come out. You will be fine.” Her voice is calm now and motherly.

He lets her help him, limp and submissive. His body feels hot, burning up. The belt marks sting her fingers as she lifts him. She guides him slowly to the bed in the corner of the room and helps him lie down.

He looks up at her like a child looking at his mother.

“You won’t beat me again?” he whispers, eyes watery.

“No,” she says, brushing his sweaty forehead. “Just sleep.”

She tucks the blanket around him and stays by his side until his breathing is even. Minutes later, Badru falls asleep,

Leila sits beside him for a few minutes, thinking.

She definitely doesn't regret beating Badru but she feels the whole situation isn't right. A situation where a husband beat his wife and the wife retaliates by beating him back. What if one of them dies from one's hand one day? Not only that, she can't snap away the way Badru was behaving a while ago away from her head. He looks exactly like another person. Leila finds herself thinking what could have happened to him in the past that would traumatise him that much.

Only God knows how much of a beating he has received in his life. Leila thinks and shakes her head, almost crying.

To her, it doesn't make sense that she's pitying Badru despite everything he has done to her, even k!lling her child but she can't help giving him excuses for the bad behavior because of the scene she saw just now. It's at that moment she realizes she hasn't fallen out of love with him, she was just blinded by anger. And now that she has retaliated and beat him to stupor too, she's relieved of all her anger towards Badru and now feeling so bad for whatever he might have gone through or is still going through. She also falls asleep beside Badru.

The Next Morning

Leila wakes up and when the memory of what transpired between her and Badru yesterday floods into her memory, she rushes up and looks around him. Her heart begins to beat rapidly. And then when he sees Badru still sleeping, she feels a little bit relieved.

She's scared because she doesn't know if the threat she said to Badru yesterday will work on him or will he retaliate for bruising his ego. Left to Leila, all she wants now is to apologize and mend things with Badru. She's so relieved of all anger towards Badru now that she has done her own back.

She goes to the kitchen, thinking of cooking Badru's favorite food and then apologises to him and urges him to let them settle their differences and turn a new leaf.

While Leila is cooking, Badru enters the kitchen, freshly showered and dressed. The swelling on his face has gone down slightly, but the bruises are still visible. He frowns so deeply, looks at Leila with disgust.

Seeing him, Leila's heart raises so high to the point that she wants to faint. But she maintains a serious and confident facial expression. Her heart is making a “gbi” sound continuously in her chest. Leila shifts back, leaving a significant gap between them.

Then the frown on Badru's face goes down. “Good morning,” he says with a small smile and Leila furrows her face in surprise.

He greets me? He’s no longer frowning? He didn't pounce on me and beat me again? What's going on?

“Morning….Goo…Good…I mean good morning.” Leila stutters, looking unbelievable.

And then an awkward silence takes over. A few seconds later, Badru steps forward.

Leila is still so scared. What is stopping her from collapsing is the smile that Badru has on his face. Not that she trusts the smile that much.

“I am sorry.” The words fumble out of Leila's mouth before Badru can reach her and he stops on his track, stunned.

Badru can't believe Leila is actually apologizing. After a while, he talks,

“I am sorry too. I apologize for everything I have done to you. Please forgive me.” Badru says with his hands joined together.

Now is Leila's turn to be shocked. Since she moved into his house, Badru has never admitted he’s wrong or ever apologised. So this one is his first and it's shocked Leila to the bone. Her eyes and mouth wide open in shock.

Seeing how shocked he is, Badru smiles and continues talking,

“I thought about how our relationship in this house is going and I decided to make things right. Leila, please let's forgive, forget and turn a new leaf. And also, you will need to end things with that guy. I mean, the affairs. And I will also end mine with Halimah. I love you Leila and I can't live without you. I just realised that now.”

“What? You love me?” Leila asks in utmost surprise. She can't believe what she's hearing.

Omg, Hanan Jazz has lost its power. It's no longer working. Ha, thank you, God. Because how will I explain this apology from a man who had never even looked at my side since I moved in with her. Ha, God has shamed Hanan. But, this is the beginning of your own dilemma Hanan. Whether your jazz is still working or not, I will strike at you and make you regret ever striking at me. You must pay for all the pain you’ve caused me.

As Badru is talking, it's looking like Leila is dreaming she can't believe her ears and suddenly, she hugs Badru tightly.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I promise to end things with him. We never even have sex. Thank you for letting it go and forgiving me. Thank you.” She continues,

“Really? You never had sex?” Badru asks, and Leila nods.

“Though we would have done it. I won't lie. But we haven't. It hasn't been so long since we met. We are still doing sexting for now. I…I…am sorry.” Leila looks so remorseful and guilty. Badru nods, looking pitiful,

“I’m sorry, Badru. I am so sorry. I swear, I’ll never cheat again. It was stupid. I don’t even know why I did it. I just… I got lost in my anger towards you and got carried away.”

Badru hugs her back and says, “No dear. I should be the one to seek your forgiveness. I realized I am the one who pushed you to do so. You went crazy after losing our baby then and also when you found out I was cheating on you. It's my fault darling. Please forgive me. ”

Our baby? Leila thinks, still can't believe Badru is personalizing the child that she lost as his own too. Everything looks so surreal to her. Badru is still talking,

“Let's have another baby soon, my love. I promise to go back to how I was before we moved in together. And very soon, I will take my parents to your family to do the wedding properly.” As Badru is talking, Leila is literally drooling. And then suddenly, she starts jumping up and dancing. Then she hugs Badru tightly again. Badru also hugs her back.

The only thing that is saddening her mind right now is the fact that she can't conceive or have another baby. But the happiness that her kind Badru is back overpower any sadness.

“Infact, let's start taking proper steps from now. I know you and your mother haven't talked for a long time. Let's start by calling her now, apologize and tell her  about our wedding plan.”

Wedding plan? This is unbelievable.

“Of course, I was born ready. My mother will be so happy to hear that I am finally going to be married properly. I am sure she will forgive me now. I miss her so much.” Leila says and Badru nods, smiling.

He takes Leila to the couch and he tells her to call her right away.

She dials the number quickly.“

***

Salmah, Leila’s mother, is so happy when she sees Leila's call on her phone. She has been having different nightmares about Leila these days and they are scaring her. So she thought it’s because she misses her too much. She even planned to call Leila today and ask her to come visit. So, seeing her name flash on the screen, Salmah almost screams out in joy. The coincidence shocks her. Indeed blood is thicker than water.

She picks up the call immediately, her voice trembling. “Leila? Is that really you?”

“Mummy! Mummy, it’s me!” Leila says, already smiling wide like a child.

Salmah places her hand on her chest. “Subhanallah! Leila? Are you really the one? My daughter!”

“Yes, mummy, it’s me. I miss you, mummy. I miss you so, so much.”

Salmah’s eyes tear up. “Ah, Leila, you don’t know how much I’ve missed you.”

Leila swallows and smiles gently. “I know, mummy. I’m so sorry. I’ve been meaning to reach out. I just didn't know if you'd want me to.”

Salmah shakes her head over the phone. “Of course, I won't mind. And honestly, I also fear you won't pick my call, that maybe you are still angry.”

“Ha, Omg. Why will I do that? I am just glad I reached out today, mum.”

“I am glad too. Thank you so much.”

Leila chuckles softly. “The pleasure is mine too. Mummy, I want to come and see you today. Will you be home?”

Salmah gasps. “Really? Today?”

“Yes, ma. I’ll be coming with Badru.”

“Omg. Do you even need to ask? Of course I will be home. Even if I have an appointment, I will definitely cancel it. And Badru too?”

“Yes, ma.” Leila says, thinking her mother still doesn't like Badru.

“Wow. Hope he's no longer angry at the way I behaved towards him that time?” Salmah is sounding guilty now. Leila heaves a sigh of relief. She's so happy.

“In fact, mummy, he’s the one who advised me to call you. He wants to come greet you and… he said he wants to do the wedding properly. The full traditional rites. He said he wants to meet my people and settle everything.”

Salmah’s heart beats faster in her chest. She covers her mouth. “Leila… he said that?”

Leila nods to herself. “Yes, mummy. He brought it up himself.”

Salmah smiles slowly. “Alhamdulillah. This is good news. This is very good news. You don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear this. I’ll prepare something o. What do you think Badru likes?”

Leila laughs. “Anything you cook, mummy, he will love it.”

Salmah nods with joy. “Alright then. I’ll be expecting you both. Don’t waste time o!”

“We will soon be on our way, mummy. I can’t wait to hug you again.”

“Me too, my child. Thank you for calling. May Allah continue to guide both of you.”

“Ameen.”

They hang up, and Leila stares at the phone for a second before turning to Badru, smiling. “She’s so happy. I don’t think she was expecting this at all.”

Badru nods, with a  smile on his lips. “I am so glad too.”

At one side of Leila’s mind, she’s planning to visit the herbalist near her mother’s house and strike jazz at Hanan. She wants to use one stone to k!ll two birds.”