"ZULEKHA."

"ZULEKHAAA," shouted Hisham, as he flung open the door of his mansion with a loud bang.

"What the hell Hisham? What is it?" she asked as she came out from the kitchen, a warm cup of coffee in her hands.

"Where is your pregnancy book?"

"My what?"

"Your pregnancy book. That book which is is usually given to expectant mothers. Where the hell is it?" he asked as he raked his hand through his hair multiple times.

"In my handbag."

"Go get it.

"Excuse me?"

"I said, GO GET IT!"

"Don't you dare shout at me. We live in a sophisticated neighbourhood okay. This is not the Hosseini Mansion."

"Just shut up!"

"And how much more inconsiderate could you get? You told me to get back home within an hour while you yourself went and got lost. Did you go to your Stupid Yusra and lost track of time?"

He sadly stared at his wife afterwich he let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Me? Inconsiderate?"

"Very!"

"Oh and what are you then? Queen of all consideration?"

"Well at least I am more considerate than you ,Hisham," she said while rolling her eyes.

"Really?"

"Yes."

He slowly took a few steps towards her and stopped when he was right infront of her face.

"Don't talk about consideration Zulekha when you are holding only but one cup of coffee in your hands. You knew very well that I, your HUSBAND, would be coming home but you still did not bother," he said his voice laced with sadness.

"And forget consideration, you did not even notice that your HUSBAND came back home with a bandaged hand," he said as he lifted his injured hand for her to see but she quickly looked away.

"You see? You don't even care. So now stop beating around the bush and go get me your pregnancy book."

"Why do you want it?" she asked, her voice slightly trembling.

"You are expecting my child right? I am the father right? So simple, I just want to see if my wife, the MOTHER, is taking good care of my baby or not," he said as he crossed his hands over his chest and studied her.

The more she delayed, the more the doubt kept settling in his heart but he still was not willing to accept it. He still had a little hope that all was well and that his little baby girl was safe.

"Zulekha?"

"Huh?"

"I said go get me your pregnancy book."

"No. Don't you trust me? Why do you want it all of a sudden? You never bothered all this months. So why now?" she asked, fear evident in her eyes.

Hisham quietly stared at her afterwich he took long and quick strides to a stool on which his wife always kept her handbag and luckily for him, it was right there.

"Don't you dare open my handbag Hisham. Didn't your mother teach you any manners?" she shouted.

"Oh trust me she did but it doesn't hurt to be mannerless once in a while, don't you think Habibty?"

"Hishaaaaaam."

But her pleas fell on deaf ears because the next thing he did was to empty her rather large handbag all across the carpeted floor.

His eyes slowly scanned the messy pile which mostly comprised of small makeup kits and brushes until his eyes landed on the small pregnancy book he had been looking for. The one book that had held all the answers.

Or so he thought.

With trembling hands, he opened it afterwich he took slow but painful strides towards his wife and then did the one thing he never thought he would ever do.

"Why are none of these signed?" he hissed as he held open a page for her to see.

"How dare you hit me?" she asked tears staining her eyes.

"I asked you a question Zulekha. I asked you why are none of these signed? Why haven't you received any of the vaccines mentioned here?" he asked, for once not caring that his wife was about to cry.

"I am not a school girl Hisham and neither is that a school report where the teacher or my parent has to sign."

"It is!" he said as he threw the book on the floor.

"Its been dated Zulekha. I am for one not illiterate okay. With every visit to the antenatal clinic, the doctor signs after every vaccine administered and he even comments on the baby's development."

"So why is yours blank Zulekha?" he asked, his eyes all murderous.

"Ichangedhospitals," she quickly replied her voice barely audible.

"Sorry?"

"I said, I changed hospitals," she shouted and Hisham immediately let out an emotionless laugh.

"Wow and you changed hospitals because?"

"Because you were shameless enough to take me to a male gynaecologist."

"Don't you dare give me that," he shouted as he pointed his finger at her.

Male gynaecologist? The hell! She had been the one who had insisted on being taken to the best gynaecologist in the city and he had done just that. Dr. Evans was actually the best gyn known and that too with a alot of experience.

"You guys pretend to be all religious but you are shameless enough to take your women to male doctors," she hissed but he just but blankly stared back at her.

"Oh really? Then why didn't you tell me that you were uncomfortable when I took you to him? Ya Allah, Zulekha you did not even complain when he did your first ultrasound. So please, don't give me your nonsense."

"And fine, I understand if you were uncomfortable or whatever. Trust me I do but didn't you even have the slightest bit of courtesy to let me know that you changed hospitals?"

"I freaking have a planner on my phone filled will all your appointments Zulekha. I kept reminding you to go to the doctor. I just...what did I not do Zulekha?" he asked sadly.

"I only but changed hospitals Hisham. So stop whining like a baby. Its irritating."

"Too bad for you because I just got started. Now I want you to be the good wife you really are and call your current doctor for me."

"I don't have her number!"

Hisham let out a chuckle, shaking his head in disbelief.

"You don't have her number? How come? What if there is some sort of emergency? What if the baby decides to come early? Didn't you think that having the doctor's number would be important? Or are you not even pregnant?" he asked the one question that he had been dreading to ask since he walked in.

"What the hell Hisham? What sort of accusation is that? You were there during the first ultrasound. You even saw the baby," she said tears now streaming down her face but for the first time since they had gotten married, Hisham did not run to her but rather he just stood still in his spot as he watched her cry.

"The ultrasound was done months ago Zulekha. Are you even pregnant right now?"

"Of course I am."

"

"What?" she asked surprise etched all over face.

"Show me your baby bump!"

"Are you asking me to strip? Don't you have any respect for me Hisham?"

"Its only you who will think so lowly of me Zulekha. I didn't ask you to strip. Im only asking you to show me your baby bump. There has to be a slight bump by now at least and im your husband, so what is your problem?"

"I...I...," she began stuttering as more and more tears rolled down her cheeks but Hisham was too numb to even care.

"Zulekhaa," he whispered after a while.

"Yes, Hisham?"

"Are you still carrying my child?" he whispered once again.

He closed his upon hearing her reply, a pained expression all over his face and it didn't take long before tears began streaming down his face.

"Why Zulekha? Why?"

But she didnt answer but rather she just stood there as she watched him cry his heart out.

"When did you do it?"

"Immediately after the first ultrasound," she replied her voice devoid of any emotion.

And it was almost as if...Zulekha Akram did not care!

"Why did you do it Zuls? Why did you kill my child? She was innocent," he said as he choked on his tears.

"I did not want your baby Hisham. That pregnancy was a mistake."

"You are my biggest mistake Zulekha Akram," he whispered but it was loud enough for her to hear.

He buried his face in his hands and slightly winced when the injured part came into contact with his face. But he didn't care because that pain was nothing compared to the pain he currently felt in his heart.

"And Hisham, can you stop crying like a woman already? Real men don't cry."

"That is not true okay. That is not true at all," he shouted but she just but rolled her eyes once again.

"If Allah did not want us to cry then he would not have created us men with emotions. He would not have given us hearts. He would just have made us soul less. So please," he said, his eyes now red from crying.

"And why should I not cry Zulekha? I lost my daughter. It pains right here," he said pointing to his chest.

"And have you thought of how much pain she must have experienced when you killed her?"

"Come on Hisham. Stop referring to her as if she was living."

"She was living okay. She had life in her Zulekha. You yourself, have cried your eyes out just because I slapped you so can you imagine how much pain she must have experienced while you killed her?"

"And I slapped you because you deserved it!" he added sadly.

"Hisham..."she began but he cut her off.

"I hate you Zulekha. I hate you with all of my heart," he said wiping away the tears that had refused to stop flowing down his face.

"Hisham please don't say like that. I am sorry."

"What did I do to you really? I freaking treated you like a Queen. I gave you whatever you wanted. I loved you Zulekha. I fucking loved you with all of my heart," he said as he began letting things off his chest.

"I never loved any other woman. You were the first woman I let into my life and into my heart. I swore to always keep you happy. To always love and cherish you. The day that you told me that you were expecting, it was the happiest day of my life Zulekha. My reasons to love you increased but you just but pushed me away. Right from day one. Why Zulekha? Why?"

"

He let out another laugh as pain once again filled his heart. Was he not lovable? Wasn't he a good man? What did his wife really want?"

"And neither did I force you to marry me," she added.

"I...I..."

"Don't bother."

"But can I at least know why? Why did you want me to marry you Zulekha?" he asked as he stared into space, remembering their very first meeting.

"Because you were the talk of the town back then. All the girls wanted you Hisham. All mothers wanted you for their daughters. You were rich, you were handsome, you had it all and I wanted it all too. I wanted to have you all to myself. And I still want you," she shouted.

"But you just lost me Zulekha."

"What do you mean?"

"There is nothing remaining to hold us together anymore. You treated me like a dog Zuls and I no longer want to be with you. I have had enough and therefore...

"Zulekha Akram, I divorce you.

"You cannot do that," she screamed as she rushed towards him.

"I just did."

"You are a coward Hisham Hosseini."

"I am not!

"Your stupid child would have been just like you!

"Zulekhaaaaa," he shouted but she didnt stop.

"Thats why I got rid of that little brat."

"Shut up!"

"In fact, I did her a favour because she would have had a sissy for a father. You would have been a terrible father Hiaham,"she hissed as she closely watched him break.

She had added enough venom in his mind and heart to last him a lifetime and she knew it.

"That mistake of a pregnancy..."

"Shut the fuck up," he said as he got hold of her by the neck and slammed her against the wall.

"Don't you dare utter even one more word against my child. A child that you killed. I really wish I could strangle you right now so that you would know how my she must have felt but fortunately for you Zulekha, you are not even worth that," he said as let go off her and she immediately fell to the floor pretending to gasp for air.

"What the hell Hisham?"

"Just shut up."

"I can't believe that you tried to kill me...I am calling the police.

******