Chapter Three
“Peter remained on friendly terms with Christ notwithstanding Christ’s having healed his mother-in-law.” – Samuel Butler
It had been almost seven hours since Anna and her family returned from church. After making lunch for the family, she went to bed to sleep.
The vibration of her phone jolted her awake. Her eyes were blurry as she murmured, “Hello.” She rubbed her hands over her face to shake off the sleep.
“Hello, Anna,” came a familiar voice.
“Pat!” she exclaimed, her voice still groggy. Patricia Adams, fondly known as Pat, had been Anna’s best friend for several years. They attended the same university back in Nigeria before relocating to the United Kingdom. Pat is a social worker and lives in Chafford Hundred, Essex, with her husband, Joel, and their two children.
“Oh dear, did I wake you up?” Pat asked.
“It’s okay,” Anna replied, yawning. “What time is it?”
“It’s 7:30,” Pat answered. “Are you going to work this evening?”
“No, I just got back this morning from a night shift.” Anna heard Pat blow her nose. “Are you alright?” she asked.
“Sorry to disturb you; maybe I should call you back.”
“No, it’s okay. I should be getting up now anyway to serve dinner,” Anna said as she sat up on the bed. “Are you alright?” she asked again. “You weren’t in church this morning.”
Anna heard Pat sniffle again; she sounded as if she had been crying. “What’s wrong, Pat? What happened?”
Pat let out a sob. “Anna, I am really at my breaking point. I can’t stand this any longer,” she cried into the phone.
“Oh dear, is it about Mama again?” Anna asked.
“Yes, I am fed up. I’ve had it, Anna. She complains about everything. I am at my wit’s end.” Pat’s voice rose in anger. “This morning, she criticized me about Rachael; she called me a bad mother for failing to raise my daughter properly. Can you believe that?” Tears streamed down her face. Pat was exhausted by the way her mother-in-law treated her daughter from her first marriage. She had never accepted her as her granddaughter.
“Why all this?” Anna asked, her annoyance palpable. This wasn’t the first time her friend had expressed frustration over her mother-in-law. Mama had come to help take care of her newborn baby several months ago, but since then, she had refused to go back home.
“I’m not sure what happened between her and Rachael, but from what she told me, she claimed Rachael was rude to her,” Pat explained.
“Hmm,” Anna murmured.
“Then, this morning, while I was getting dressed for church, she stormed into my room and started calling me all sorts of names. She said my daughter and I lack good manners and that she regretted the day her son married me.” Pat burst into tears again.
“What!” Anna gasped in disbelief. “She said that?”
“Yes, she did. She said if she could go back in time, she would never have allowed her son to marry me. Can you believe that?”
“That is an awful thing to say; she really went too far,” Anna said, biting her lips.
“She hates me so much and never misses an opportunity to show it,” Pat said bitterly.
“What was your husband’s response?” Anna asked, feeling repulsed by what Pat was telling her.
“What else could he say?” she roared in anger. “Nothing! He started begging his mother not to be angry. Can you believe that? He couldn’t even stand up for me; he couldn’t defend me,” she wailed.
“I’ve had it, Anna. I am done trying to be a good daughter-in-law; there’s no pleasing her! My husband keeps telling me to be patient. There’s always something she says against me, and all my husband can tell me is to be patient. Patience for how long?” she continued. “There are times I’m actually scared to go into my own home! This has to stop! She has to go, Anna.”
Anna could hear the desperation in her voice.
“Joel will have to choose between his mother and me. After all, the child she claimed to have come to help care for is almost a year old. What is she waiting for? She has to go back to Nigeria,” she raged.
Anna inhaled deeply, searching for the right words. “Pat, I understand how you feel, but you have to be careful. I know things are getting out of hand, but you really need more patience,” Anna said carefully, knowing how upset she was.
“Patience! How much patience do I need, Anna? She has a daughter in Nigeria and owns a house there. Why must she live in my home and cause me all this trouble?” she shouted. “This situation is affecting my relationship with my husband. I’m angry at him all the time because he fails to defend me. All he tells me is to be patient, and sometimes he even tries to justify her behavior. I have lost my confidence and trust in him. I’m so tired, Anna… so tired,” she said, sounding exhausted.
“Have you talked to him about how you feel?” Anna asked.
Pat snorted. “Yes, I have—several times—but he accuses me of being a nagging wife each time I complain about his mother. He says there’s nothing he can do because he can’t send his own mother away,” Pat retorted.
“Hmmm,” Anna inhaled deeply. “We need to be wise and prayerful about this. A wise woman builds her home.” She could feel her friend’s pain, but she didn’t want her to make decisions that she might later regret.
“Does a wise woman have to be foolish and taken for granted just because she is a Christian and wants to be a good daughter-in-law?” Pat asked angrily.
“You are not foolish, Pat; don’t say that,” Anna countered. “Although Joel isn’t handling this situation the right way, you have to realize that he’s probably not happy about everything going on. He’s torn between his mother and his wife, and his mother wants him to support her. Any attempt by him to do otherwise would upset her, which is exactly what he is trying to avoid…”
“So, he would prefer to satisfy his mother rather than keep his marriage?” Pat interjected.
“I don’t think he would want that,” Anna replied gently.
“Maybe it’s time for him to choose then,” Pat insisted.
“Patricia, my dear…” Anna called out, trying to calm her down. “I know this has been difficult for you, but—”
“You don’t know how difficult this has been.” Pat interrupted again. “I was so upset this morning that I couldn’t make it to church because of this; it’s not the first time. I wake up angry every morning and go to bed even angrier at night. How long is this going to continue?”
Anna was concerned about her friend. The issue had been ongoing for a long time, and she could see that Pat had reached her breaking point. She had always offered words of comfort, but now nothing seemed to help.
“Where are you now?” Anna asked.
“I’m parked in Tesco’s car park. I told them I was going to buy some groceries; I just had to get out of the house.”
“Alright. Maybe we should meet tomorrow for lunch,” Anna suggested.
“Oh, alright then; we’ll meet up.”
“But in the meantime, I need you to gather yourself. Make a decision to be happy, have some fun with the kids, do things that will take your mind off this, and most importantly, talk to God about it, okay?”
Pat inhaled deeply. “Alright!” she sighed.
“Thank you, dear, and I’m sorry I had to vent all my frustration on you.” She let out a slight laugh.
“I understand, and I’m sorry you’re going through all this, but it will be fine. God will guide us through. Please, do your best to find peace; that’s a doctor’s order,” Anna reassured her.
Pat chuckled softly. “Thanks for your help. I’ll see you tomorrow then,” she said.
“Okay, good night, dear.”
“Good night.”
Pat sat in the car for a little while longer to gather her thoughts. A year ago, she had been thrilled to learn that her mother-in-law would be visiting to help take care of her newborn baby. She needed the assistance, and it would also provide her with the chance to finally meet her mother-in-law. During her courtship with her husband, Pat had never met his mother, as she lived in Nigeria and had fallen ill shortly before their marriage, preventing her from attending the wedding.
Pat was aware that her mother-in-law had reservations about her when she found out that Pat had been married before. Each time Pat called to greet her, the conversations were always cold and uninviting. Joel, her husband, assured her that once his mother arrived and saw how kind and welcoming Pat was, she would grow to love her.
However, a few months after her mother-in-law’s arrival, Pat realized she had made a grave mistake. The way her mother-in-law behaved turned Pat’s life into a struggle, affecting both her and her daughter. Pat endured all the treatment knowing that her mother-in-law’s stay was only supposed to last a couple of months, but it became clear that she had no intention of returning to Nigeria. Her attitude toward Pat had become increasingly unbearable.
Despite Pat’s efforts to accommodate her mother-in-law’s annoying behaviours, it seemed that the latter was determined to make life more difficult. She frequently criticized Pat’s cooking and disrespected her in front of both her children and guests.
On her days off, Pat liked to sleep in, but this habit often provoked her. Mama would bang on her door, ranting and calling her a spoiled woman for spending all day in bed while leaving her husband to do the housework.
Mama was equally harsh with her grandchildren, smacking them at the slightest provocation. Her scolding had become a daily occurrence in the house. What made it even more painful was that Pat’s husband did nothing to defend her and the kids from Mama’s relentless outbursts. He always offered excuse after excuse for his mother’s behavior.
Pat had finally reached her breaking point and started looking for a way out.
She sat in her car for a few more minutes, then started the engine and drove out of the parking lot.
Chapter Four
Rachael, Pat’s eldest daughter, was in her room with her best friend, Aamilah. Aamilah, had been close friends with Rachael since preschool. Now at sixteen, they were both preparing for their GCSE exams.
“I have to do this before your mom comes back home,” Aamilah said, her voice nervous and nearly frantic.
Rachael chuckled softly. “You’re worrying over nothing. I really don’t think you’re pregnant,” she reassured her and handed her the pregnancy test.
“I hope I’m not, but I really need to find out before it’s too late. My parents will kill me,” Aamilah replied fearfully.
“You’re being dramatic; they won’t kill you. Angry, yes, but just for a while,” Rachael laughed, trying to ease her friend’s anxiety.
“It’s not funny! You don’t understand, Rachael. I overheard them talking to my uncle in Pakistan about marrying me off. At first, I thought it was a joke, but one of my cousins called me a few days ago to confirm the news,” Aamilah explained, her face showing disappointment.
“Are you sure?” Rachael asked, astonished. This was the first time she had heard about this.
“Yes,” Aamilah said sadly. “So you see, I can’t be pregnant; they will kill me if I am. It would be a disgrace to my family.”
Rachael was bewildered. She couldn’t comprehend how Aamilah’s parents would arrange for their sixteen-year-old daughter to get married. They hadn’t even completed their GCSEs, let alone sixth form or college. “You’re kidding, right? You’re getting married? How? When?”
“I don’t know when it is,” Aamilah replied, throwing her hands in the air.
“So you won’t object to it?” Rachael snapped in anger.
“I can’t,” Aamilah retorted.
“Why?”
“Because that is how it’s done; I have no say in it!” Aamilah screamed in frustration.
“But this is the 21st century! People don’t just do that to their kids,” Rachael exclaimed, exasperated. “Don’t you have any rights?”
“I have no rights, Rachael! I have to honor my parents’ wishes.”
“Do you even hear what you’re saying? Do you want to be tied down in some godforsaken marriage at this age?” Rachael flared up, unable to comprehend why her best friend wouldn’t stand up for herself.
“Don’t you understand? I have no choice!” Aamilah shouted back.
“You do have a choice, Aamilah! No one can force you to do something you don’t want to,” Rachael argued. “What about Andrew? Does he know about this arrangement?”
“Andrew?” Aamilah barked a hard laugh. “What do you think? That I’m going to marry him?” She laughed again. Andrew was her on-and-off boyfriend.
Rachael was confused. She was sure she had heard Aamilah say she was in love with Andrew. “Then why are you sleeping with him?” she asked.
Aamilah gave her a mischievous smile. “Because that’s what boyfriends and girlfriends do. After all, it’s the same thing you and that Brian boy are doing.” She raised an eyebrow at Rachael.
“I have told you several times that I am not sleeping with him or anyone else for that matter. Brian is my friend; we’ve known each other since junior youth club in church,” Rachael emphasized.
“Hmm.” Aamilah flashed her a rueful grin. “And I have told you several times too, I don’t believe you.”
“Honestly, I don’t understand why you wouldn’t believe me. You are the one in love. I haven’t found my Mr. Right yet,” Rachael giggled.
Aamilah stood up. “Whatever,” she waved her hand in the air. “I need to know my fate now.” She walked into the bathroom. A few minutes later, she returned with a pregnancy test in her hands.
Rachael noticed her hands trembling, and in that moment, she realized the dilemma her friend was truly facing. She had heard about the challenges a young Muslim girl encounters when she finds herself pregnant and unmarried. Rachael knew that Aamilah’s parents would be devastated if they learned the news. Beyond their religious beliefs and cultural background, getting pregnant at such a young age would completely change the course of their lives. The news would spread through their school like an airborne disease. Just as they had mocked other girls in similar situations, Aamilah would become the headline of gossip for the summer. The shame would be so overwhelming that she would likely have to stop attending school.
Rachael had heard about how some young Muslim girls have faced violence, and in extreme cases, even murder, for being pregnant before marriage. Recently, she saw a news story go viral about a young girl from a Muslim background who married a Christian boy. Her father reported her to the local Muslim authority for prosecution.
For a young Muslim woman, being pregnant and unmarried is one of the worst situations possible. Such girls are often shunned by society; they are talked about disparagingly and seen as having brought ‘shame’ upon their family. Rachael had even heard a rumor at school about another Muslim girl who went to great lengths to conceal her pregnancy and ultimately sought a secret abortion.
Her heart ached for her friend.
“I can’t look at it,” Aamilah trembled. She closed her eyes and held out the pregnancy test stick. “I am going to kill myself if I am pregnant.” she cried out hysterically.
Rachael walked to her side. “Maybe I should take that,” she said, taking the test stick from her. “One minute left.” She inhaled deeply and placed it on the dresser table.
“I am so dead…” Aamilah busted into tears. “I must not be pregnant, Rachael.” She looked fearfully into her friend’s eyes. “I thought I was having fun but I’m going to be dead if I am found pregnant.” she sat against the bathroom door, pulling her knees to her chest.
Rachael felt a hard lump growing in her chest. “C’mon, Aamilah; stop crying, please. We don’t know that for sure yet.” She allowed her to rest her head on her shoulder.
“I missed my period, Rachael!” She made eye contact.
“Still, it might just be a delay” Rachael tried to reassure her.
Aamilah busted into tears, as if it had just dawned on her the repercussions of her act and what it would cost her.
“You have to look now.” She said to Rachael in tears, looking up to her.
Rachael stood up quietly from her side. She felt Aamilah’s intense gaze following her. Her own heart was pounding so fast that she could only imagine what was running through her mind. She took it and stared at it for a moment, and instantly, she knew what to do.
She let out a breath. “It’s negative,” she announced.
“What!” Aamilah gasped, shocked.
“It’s negative, Aamilah. You are not pregnant.” Rachael straightened and walked towards her.
A wave of relief washed over Aamilah’s face. “Really!” She burst into laughter, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Thank God!” She continued to laugh and cry at the same time. “I swear, I will never have sex again. Never again!”
Rachael laughed with her and pulled her into an embrace.
“It’s almost my curfew; I better be on my way.” Aamilah wiped her tears. She grabbed her bag and walked towards the door, but then turned back to hug Rachael.
“Promise not to tell anyone about this. Promise,” she said, holding Rachael at arm’s length.
“I promise.”
“Thank you, thank you! You are the best best friend ever.” Aamilah hugged her again.
“You are my best best friend too,” Rachael smiled. “I’ll see you off to the bus stop.”
They both walked out of the room together.
****
Pat returned to the house, her first intention being to talk to her daughter about the incident with her grandmother that morning. She knocked on Rachael’s door, but when there was no response, she opened it.
“Rachael!” she called out, but her daughter was not there. She opened the bathroom door. “Where is she?” she wondered. Just then, something caught her eye: the pregnancy test kit lying on her dresser.
Adrenaline surged through her body as she picked it up. “Oh my God!” she exclaimed, holding the stick up for a better look. The word ‘Positive’ stared back at her, and she covered her mouth in shock. “Oh God! What has Rachael done?” Panic set in, and her hands trembled. She could no longer stand, so she gently sat on the bed. For almost ten minutes, she remained there, feeling an uncomfortable pain in her chest.
Suddenly, the door opened, and Rachael walked in. She was taken aback to see her mother holding the pregnancy test kit, horror etched across Pat’s face. Rachael instantly knew what her mother was thinking, and she realized she would have to betray her friend’s trust.
“Why?” Pat asked, tears streaming down her face. “Why, Rachael?”