•He needed a wife.
She needed to pay back a favor.
•His mother suggested her name.
She didn't see why not.
•He thought he knew her.
She had some secrets she wasn't ready to share.
But surely in every web of lies, secrets must come to light, a few...
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OMNISCIENT
Nasreen's eyes flung open.
Sleep had evaded her the entire night. Twisting and turning, she bore only one thought in mind, She was getting married today.
The digital alarm clock cast a pale green light in the room, providing barely enough illumination to see the room.
5:28 am.
In 4 hours 32 minutes, she was to tie the knot with Salim. And in the entirety of the past week, Salim had taken to avoiding her completely. He neither left her calls nor messages, neither had she seen him. Each time she tried to call him, she would meet with his voice mail. The one time she had managed to get through to him, he gave her very brief and curt answers. It was as if he was an entirely different person from the Salim she first met.
It was almost as if he suddenly hated her.
She refused to entertain any thoughts of jumping ship at the last minute. You are overthinking this. She thought.
But the incessant thoughts kept her up for most hours of the night.
Maybe he hates me. Maybe he doesn't want to get married anymore and he is looking for a way out of it. Maybe I'm really just overthinking this.
Many other 'maybe' theories buzzed through her mind.
Knowing she needed to clear her head, she trudged out of the Italian-style double bed, changing into a loose dress and headscarf she picked up from a coat hanger nestled in the corner of the room. All her clothes had been transferred to the new house.
In a spirit-like motion, she slid out of her room door and then past the main doors.
As she stepped outside, the icy wind blew past her, it's chills leaving a tingling sensation on her soft skin. The first rays of the morning sun had already started skimming the surface of the sky.
The white Audi rumbled to life soon after, slowly making it's way out of the compound.
Touring down the empty streets of Abuja, She gave the Audi more gas.
The wind rushing at her face electrified her. She let out a laugh as she sped down the empty lanes.
Yes!
This was exactly what she needed.
Her head was as clear as day.
° Mrs Burja looked at the gallery clock that was mounted on the living room wall for the fourth time in two minutes.
