The Perfect Accident: Chapter Seven

After I ended the call, I put my phone down and continued with my day. I tried to act normal, but I couldn't stop thinking about the conversation. Amir was in Lagos, and in a few days, he would be coming back to Abuja.That evening, he called me.“Hello.”“I just got to Lagos,” he said.“Alhamdulillah. How was the journey?”“Fine. I'm tired though.”“You should rest.”“I will. Have you eaten?”“Yes.”“Good. I'll call you tomorrow.”“Okay.”“Goodnight, Nimmat.”“Goodnight.”I ended the call and put my phone down.The next few days passed quietly. Amir called once or twice, mostly to tell me what he was doing and when he planned to return. I spoke to him normally every time. I didn't want him to notice anything strange.On the third day, he called in the afternoon.“I'm leaving tomorrow morning.”“Okay.”“I should be back in Abuja by evening.”“Drive carefully.”“I will.”There was a short silence before he said, “I'll see you tomorrow.”“Insha Allah.”That was the last normal conversation we had.The following morning, Amir called before leaving Lagos.“I'm about to leave now.”“Okay.”“Are you at home?”“Yes.”“Alright. I'll see you later.”“Safe journey.”“Insha Allah.”After the call ended, I put my phone down and continued with what I was doing.It was already evening when my phone rang again. This time, it was an unfamiliar number.“Hello?”“Is this Mrs Nimmat?”“Yes.”“I'm calling from the hospital. Your husband has been involved in an accident.”I stood still.“What?”“Your husband, Amir. He was brought in a short while ago.”“Is he alive?”“Yes, but his condition is serious.”“Which hospital?”The man gave me the name, and I left the house immediately.When I arrived, Amir was still in the emergency unit. I sat outside and waited until a doctor finally came out.He explained that Amir had survived but had suffered very serious injuries. He couldn't move, speak or see.“But he can hear?” I asked.“Yes,” the doctor said. “We believe he can.”I didn't know what to say.Mama arrived shortly afterwards. The moment she saw me, she rushed towards me.“Ke nan? Ina Amir?”“Mama, he's still inside.”She looked towards the emergency unit.“Allah ya taimake shi. Allah ya sa ya tashi lafiya.”“Amin.”She sat beside me and held my hand. Neither of us said much after that.The police came later that night and asked me a few questions about the accident. I answered them and told them what I knew. After that, there wasn't much else to say.The following days became weeks, and the weeks became months.Amir remained in the hospital.His condition didn't improve the way everyone had hoped. He couldn't move, speak or see, but he could hear. His mother spent most of her time beside him, praying and hoping that one day things would change.Mariam came too.She was still pregnant, and sometimes I would see her sitting quietly beside his bed. Nobody knew what to say anymore.Eventually, I filed for divorce.There was no argument. The property agreement we had already signed remained valid, so half of Amir's property was transferred to me.People talked about the accident for a long time. Some blamed the road. Some blamed the driver. Others blamed Mariam because of everything that had happened before the accident.Months later, I went to see Amir one last time.He was lying on the same hospital bed. I pulled a chair beside him and sat down.For a while, I didn't say anything.Then I said, “Amir.”He couldn't answer.“I don't know if you understand everything I'm saying, but the doctors said you can hear.”I took a breath.“So I'm going to tell you the truth.”I looked at him.“It was me.”I waited for a reaction, but there was none.“I caused the accident.”I continued speaking quietly.“I knew you were coming back from Lagos. I knew when you were leaving. I made sure someone was there waiting for you.”I looked down at my hands.“I wanted you gone. I wanted to leave you, but I couldn't forget everything that happened. The lies, the pills, Mariam, the slap. I couldn't just walk away and pretend none of it mattered.”I paused.“I know what I did was wrong.”The room remained quiet.“Mariam got what she wanted. You got your child. And I got my freedom.”I stood up and picked up my bag.I walked towards the door, then stopped.“I'm sorry.”I left the room.I never told Mama. I never told the police. I never told anyone else.Everyone believed Amir's accident was just a terrible tragedy that happened while he was returning from Lagos.They were wrong.Only Amir knew what really happened.He could hear everything I had told him, but he couldn't speak, couldn't move and couldn't tell anyone.And I knew he never would.

The Perfect Accident

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