03/09/2026
ODODO ā THE TRUTH
A STORY BY: OYETUNMBI ZULAYKHOH GBEMISOLA
ZULAYKHOOFGREATTHINGS.
(UNEDITED. IGNORE ANY MISTAKES)
CHAPTER SEVEN.
Iraadah's visit to Khaleed's family home turned out to be much different from what she had expected. She had gone there with a nervous heart, constantly reminding herself to be careful with her words and respectful in her manner. After all, she wasn't there as Khaleed's fiancƩe, she was simply the girl who had shown up when he needed someone. At least, that was what she kept telling herself.
Khaleed's mother was very welcoming. The way she spoke calmly to her, and his father too, literally, she had already won their heart without putting more efforts, and by the time she was ready to take her leave, something has definitely changed.
Khaleed's mother had practically adopted her.
"My dear, you can't be leaving already.."
She complained as Iraadah stood up.
Iraadah smiled politely. "Ma, I've stayed for quite a while already. I don't want to disturb you."
"Disturb me? You?" She laughed, looking at her with all sweetness in the whole world.
"You're not disturbing me. In fact, I've enjoyed having you around."
Iraadah was surprised. Though, she didn't have any idea of why she showed her this much affection, but she was very glad. At least, things were working in her own way.
"Thank you, ma." She responded with a bright smile.
"And don't call me ma only when you're here."
She said to her.
Iraadah looked confused. "What should I call you?"
Khaleed's mother smiled. "I'm like your mother. You can call me Mum, okay?"
Iraadah laughed softly. "Okay, ma. I will."
They both looked at each other and laughed.
"You'll come by next week again, right?"
Iraadah nodded. "In shaa Allah."
As she turned to leave, Khaleed's mother called her back.
"And Iraadah? Make sure you call me when you get home, darling"
"Okay, ma. I won't forget. Thank you so much for your kindness."
"Don't thank me darling. Anything i do for you is same as doing it for Khaleed." She said almost in a whisper, and Iraadah smiled. Even if no one tells her, she knew she already won over Fateemoh. Khaleed's mother truly liked her.
Iraadah smiled before walking away.
Khaleed watched everything from where he sat.
"Won't you escorts her outside?" She said, facing Khaleed, who was carefully minding his business.
"I'm fine, ma. You don't....
"Don't worry, let's go. I'll take you home."
Iraadah wanted to decline further, but Khaleed's mom winked at her, and understanding what she meant, she simply smiled and followed Khaleed.
Throughout the drive, Khaleed didn't say anything to her. It was just silence. Iraadah wasn't bothered with this at all. She was really glad that Khaleed's mother liked her this much, and if anything, she could affirm that her plans worked well.
"Thank you so much, Iraadah. I really appreciate this. I don't think there will be need to come next week. Don't mind mom. Take care of yourself." Khaleed said to her. Iraadah was shocked by his reaction. She nodded and watched till Khaleed drove away.
"What is that? Did he think....Ohhhh. He's so annoying."
Iraadah muttered to herself angrily.
********
His mother was seated in the room when Khaleed returned.
"She is a very good girl. She....
Khaleed sighed, looking at her mother, angrily.
"Mumā¦!"
"What?"
"You've said that about five times today. Iraadah is not like that to me. We don't share that kind of relationship you are thinking about. Fateemoh......
He paused, realizing this isn't the right time to bring Fateemoh into the picture.
"Who's Fateemoh?"
"The woman i wants to marry. Iraadah is only a friend." He responded.
His mother readjusted, as she glanced at him surprisingly.
"Why haven't I met her yet?"
"She....something happened. You will soon....
"I already liked Iraadah."
"Is this about you, mom? It's about who I want."
"What tribe is she from? Yoruba, right?"
"Mom, listen, all these things doesn't matter. It....
"Don't tell me it's that Hausa girl again?"
She snapped at him.
"Mom!"
"I'm not accepting her. I already told you the first day I saw you both at the mall. She's not your wife. Iraadah is better, and I like her too."
"You barely know Iraadah, mom. Why are you taking sides with her?" He responded. He's really pi**ed with the way his mother keeps taking sides with Iraadah.
His mother looked at him as though the answer was obvious. "Sometimes, you don't need years to know a person's character. The way she behaved today tells me a lot. She's a good perfect and better daughter-in-law that I've always prayed for."
Khaleed said nothing, but His mother continued.
"She was respectful. She was calm. She didn't behave as though she was entitled to anything from you simply because she came here. Even when you were being difficult, she didn't complain."
"Mum, I wasn't being difficult. I don't see a reason to engage with all those conversations."
"You were, Khaleed! You almost sent her away with your cold eyes. And she's beautiful too. What else did you want in a woman that she doesn't have? Why are you so adamant about this Hausa girl? I don't like her, and I won't accept her as your wife. Don't even dare bring her into my house. Do I make myself clear? Nonsense. Hausa girl, indeed." She hissed and left for her room
Khaleed shook his head and walked out of the room angrily.
--------------
Days Later.
He didn't expect that, within a few days, his mother and Iraadah would become much closer than he had ever imagined. His mother would call her every day.
Those normal and simple conversations of checking on someone you genuinely care about. He didn't like any of this at all, and he always try to avoid his mother whenever she is speaking to her over the phone.
He was coming out of his room, and literally saw how she was giggling all over the phone. His mother would only be like this with her sister, why Iraadah? He was really confused. He had to stop because his mother didn't even notice his presence.
"Who are you talking to?"
His mother covered the phone slightly. "Iraadah."
Khaleed sighed. "Again?"
His mother ignored him. "Yes, my dear. He's here."
She stretched the phone toward him. "Say hello."
Khaleed shook his head. "No, mom."
"Khaleed!"
He reluctantly took the phone.
"Hello."
"Hello, Khaleed."
He smiled faintly. There is literally nothing to talk about. "How have you been? And thank you for the other day. I would have called, but I've been so busy with work."
"Ohhh. That's fine. You don't need to thank me. I totally understand. Work can be very hectic always. How are you, too?"
"I'm fine."
There was an awkward silence. Khaleed looked at his mother, knowing this is exactly what she wanted.
She was staring at him with a ridiculous smile.
"I'll give Mum the phone."
"Okay. Take care of yourself."
"Yeah. Thanks. You too."
He handed it back. His mother immediately resumed their conversation, while Khaleed walked away.
Something about it bothered him. Not because Iraadah was doing anything wrong, and if anything, she had been incredibly kind to him. But there was something about how quickly she had become part of his family's lives. That made him uncomfortable.
"How could mom like her so much? I really don't understand this anymore." He muttered while entering his car.
Khaleed already made a decision to see Fateemoh again. At least, He needed to know why he deserve this much of a cruelty from her.
He got to Fateemoh's house and surprisingly, she wasn't at home. He only met her sister, who asked him to wait that she went out with her proposed husband. Khaleed was already annoyed as it is.
Her husband? Then, what does that makes me? A friend? He was really pi**ed. He waited for hours before Fateemoh got back with the man. He was quite young and immediately she saw Khaleed, she didn't take a second glance at him. She only took the man's arm, and they both walked inside together.
He was totally shocked. He wanted to call her name, but she couldn't, and her sister was trying to talk to Fateemoh, but she yelled at her instead.
"Why did you allow him into our house? Have you gone nuts? Listen, if i ever see him here again, you'll take responsibility for whatever happen, okay?"
The man tried to talk to Fateemoh with the way she scolded her sister, but she smiled to him, and spoke calmly. "Don't mind him. He's just a friend, and I don't know why he keep coming to my house." She lied.
The man smiled, looked at Khaleed, and went inside with Fateemoh.
"I'm so sorry sir. I....
"It's fine. I'm okay." Khaleed responded, standing, to take his leave. He has never being this humiliated in his entire life and if anyone has told him Fateemoh would ever say all of these to his face, he wouldn't have believed it. Never. He entered his car and drove out of their compound with a pain that he will never forget.
-------
This time, Khaleed did not head to his parents' house.
He went straight to his own.
He needed space.
He needed silence. More than anything, he needed to be alone with the thoughts that had been screaming inside his head since the moment Fateemoh walked away.
The moment he stepped into his room, he shut the door behind him and stood there, motionless.
Her words kept replaying in his head.
"She called me a friend?"
He let out a bitter, almost disbelieving laugh.
"A friendā¦"
The word felt strangely painful now.
He dropped onto the edge of his bed, staring blankly at the floor.
"She looked perfectly fine." He whispered, his voice breaking. "She didn't even look back at me."
He swallowed hard.
"How could she stand there and say all of that without even taking a glance at me?"
His chest tightened.
Maybe she has always seen me exactly as she called me today.
Just a friend.
Khaleed lowered his head, rubbing his face with trembling hands.
"Was I the only one who thought there was something more between us?"
His eyes slowly filled with tears.
And this time, he couldn't stop them.
They fell freely.
It wasn't Fateemoh's words that broke him.
It was the realization behind them.
What if he had been the only one carrying their love?
Khaleed covered his face as a sob escaped his lips.
He whispered through his tears. "I loved her all these yearsā¦..but I don't think she ever felt the same way."
His voice cracked.
And somehow, saying it out loud hurt more than anything Fateemoh had said.
For the first time, Khaleed wasn't crying because Fateemoh had rejected him. He was crying because he was beginning to understand that perhapsā¦
There had never been a love between them to lose in the first place.
He had simply been loving alone.
And that hurts, more than anything.
TO BE CONTINUED....
WHAT DID YOU ALL THINK?
DID YOU THINK FATEEMOH HAD DONE THE RIGHT THING BY DENYING HIM WITH THE WORD, "FRIEND?"
WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE SAID IF YOU ARE IN HER SHOES? SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR SAME?
LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS.
SEE YOU TOMORROW.
8AM SHARP!
OYETUNMBI ZULAYKHOH GBEMISOLA
ZULAYKHOOFGREATTHINGS >>>>
