The Perfect Accident: Chapter Five

“You told me you didn’t want children.”Amir stopped near the dining table and looked at me. He had barely taken off his shoes when I said it. I was still holding the document I had found in his office, and from the way his expression changed, I knew he understood exactly what I was talking about.“Where did you get that?”“Your office.”He took the document from my hand and looked at it again before placing it on the table.“Mariam is pregnant?”“You’re asking me?”“Nimmat, please.”“No. You told me you didn’t want children. You gave me those pills because you said you didn’t want me to get pregnant, so why is Mariam going for antenatal?”He sighed and sat down. “I didn't plan for this.”“But you knew?”“Yes.”“How long?”“A few weeks.”I stared at him. “And you didn't think I should know?”“I didn't know how to tell you.”“But you knew how to keep seeing her.”He looked away.“Is she pregnant with your child?”He was quiet for a moment before answering. “Yes.”I felt my stomach drop. “And you're happy?”“I don't know.”“You do know.”“Nimmat, ki yi hakuri.”“Don't tell me to calm down.”“I didn't say calm down.”“Then what do you want me to do? Smile? You told me you didn't want children, and now another woman is pregnant and you're standing here acting like it's nothing.”He rubbed his face. “It's not like that.”“Then what is it like?”He didn't answer.I stepped closer to him. “You still love her.”“Nimmat.”“You still love Mariam, don't you?”He looked at me, but he didn't say anything.I started hitting his chest with my hands. “Tell me the truth. You married me knowing you still wanted her?”“Nimmat, stop.”“You lied to me. You made me think everything was fine while you were still seeing her.”“Ki daina.”“Then answer me!”He caught my wrists and tried to pull my hands away. “Wallahi, Nimmat, ki daina!”“Let me go.”“Ki yi hakuri. Just calm down.”I pulled my hands free and hit his chest again. “Tell me what is going on!”His face changed.“I said stop!”The slap came before I could say anything else.I froze.My hand went straight to my cheek as I stared at him. He was breathing heavily, and for a few seconds neither of us spoke.Then he looked away.“Ki yi hakuri,” he said quietly.I didn't answer. I picked up the document from the table and walked upstairs.I locked the bedroom door behind me and sat on the edge of the bed. My cheek was still burning, but I barely noticed it. I kept looking at Mariam's name on the document and thinking about the pills.She was pregnant. Amir knew about it. And while he was keeping that from me, he had been giving me birth control pills and telling me they were supplements.I didn't know what hurt more anymore. The lies or the fact that I was beginning to realise how little I actually knew about my husband.I stayed upstairs until the following afternoon. Amir had gone to work without saying much to me, and when he returned that evening, I was already waiting for him in the living room.He looked at me and dropped his keys on the table. “Nimmat.”“We need to talk.”He sighed. “About what?”“Mariam.”He went quiet.“You said she's pregnant.”“Yes.”“And you said the baby is yours.”“Yes.”I took a breath. “What are you going to do?”He looked at me for a moment before answering. “I want to marry her.”I stared at him. “You want to marry Mariam?”“Yes.”“So that's it?”“Nimmat, she's carrying my child.”“And I'm your wife.”“I know.”“Then why did you marry me?”He looked away. “My mother wanted it.”“Your mother?”“She wanted someone from the family. Someone she knew.”“And you agreed.”“Yes.”I nodded slowly. “So you married me because your mother wanted you to.”“It wasn't only because of that.”“Then what was it?”He didn't answer.I looked at him for a few seconds before saying, “I want a divorce.”His head came up immediately. “No.”I almost laughed. “You're serious?”“Yes.”“You want to marry another woman, but you won't divorce me?”“Nimmat, it's not that simple.”“It is very simple. You don't want me anymore. I don't want to stay with you. So divorce me.”He shook his head. “I won't.”“Why?”“I just won't.”I looked away, trying to keep myself calm. Then I turned back to him.“Fine. If you won't divorce me, then I want half of your property.”His expression changed. “What?”“You heard me.”“Nimmat, don't start this.”“I'm not starting anything. I'm asking for what I deserve.”He gave a short, bitter laugh. “You think I'll give you half of everything?”“I think you should.”“This is my property.”“And I'm your wife.”He stared at me.“If you want to marry Mariam and keep me here, then you have to give me half of your property.”“I need to think about it.” “Think.”I went upstairs and left him there.The next morning, his mother called me.“Nimmat, ki zo mu gan ni.”I went to see her that afternoon. She was sitting in the living room when I arrived, and she asked me to sit beside her.“Na ji abin da ya faru,” she said.I nodded.“Amir told you?”“Yes.”She sighed. “I'm not going to defend what my son has done.”I looked at her. “Then what do you want me to do?”“If Amir wants to marry Mariam because of the pregnancy, then he has responsibilities to you too.”I didn't say anything.“Did you really ask him for half of his property?”“Yes.”She nodded slowly. “I think that is fair.”I looked at her in surprise.“Really?”“Yes. You came into this marriage as his wife. If he wants to change your life completely, he cannot expect you to walk away with nothing.”I looked down at my hands.“Am I supposed to stay?”She sighed. “For now, don't make a decision while you're angry.”I nodded. “Na ji.”When I got home that evening, Amir was waiting for me.“My mother spoke to you?”“Yes.”He nodded. “She agrees.”“With what?”“The property.”I looked at him.“So you'll give me half?”“Yes.”I nodded.“Okay.”He seemed relieved. “I don't want us fighting anymore.”“Neither do I.”That night, things were unusually quiet in the house. Amir went about his evening as if we had finally reached some kind of understanding. He seemed to believe that once the property was settled, I would accept the marriage and everything that came with it.I didn't correct him.I stayed because I had nowhere else I wanted to go yet, and because I needed to make sure the agreement was properly done before I made any other decision.For the first time since I married Amir, I stopped thinking about how to make him love me again.I was thinking about how I was going to leave.

The Perfect Accident

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