Mrs Mahmud, Mrs Mas'ood

49

August, 2023

Hassan and Summayya pulled a secret wedding on Saturday August 5th and when the others found out, it was chaos all over again. Those in Swansea – Hussayna, Hanan, Amal, Jameelah and Catherine – rushed back down to give both of them a piece of their minds.

"I knew you two were going to get married before the year ran out," Amal said while trying to go around Hassan so she could reach Summayya. "But you went behind our backs and married with only your families in attendance! The audacity! Hassan, move!"

Jonathan and Zayd easily pulled Hassan away and the women went after Summayya who screamed and ran out of the living room, leaving her new husband to fend for himself against their angry male friends.

On Monday August 7th, the marrying couples got started on unfiltered sex education. While Mahmud and Mas'ood had lessons with one of the best gynaecologists at Nizamiye – Azra Moussa, Asiyah and Hauwa were stuck with their friends, mothers and aunts.

It was nothing short of embarrassing and Kaycee was more than happy to join the classes when she arrived Abuja with baby Micah on Friday August 11th. Afe could not make it for both weddings as he was swamped in work but he sent gifts to both couples.

Asiyah took Hauwa and Kaycee with her for her spa sessions and they used those moments to bond better and get pampered, all on the accounts of their men as Asiyah said "You all shouldn't waste my man's money. It's for me and me only".

The wedding was as perfect as it could be and all they had to do was get ready for the main day in every way possible. All the needed items were packaged, feedback from invited guests had been received and all the vendors were good to go. The frustration paid off and Asiyah and Mas'ood were glad.

"You know," Asiyah began during one of their spa sessions, ten days to the wedding. "Underneath my nonchalance and laughter, I'm actually scared. The closer the date comes, the more butterflies I have in my belly. Sometimes I just remember that I'm going to spend the rest of my life with this one man and I freak out. Is that normal?"

Hauwa nodded. "I don't know if it is normal for other people but it is normal for me."

"Me too." Kaycee added. "You start to realize that things are going to change. People may think you're overreacting but it's a whole lot. You go from being with your parents to actually just living alone with this man and you have to stay through the good and the bad days. I had already spent nights with Afe before we got married but it was still scary so I can't even imagine how you two feel."

Asiyah clenched and released her toes in the pedicure bowl where her feet soaked. "Were you a virgin when you married, Kaycee?"

Hauwa eagerly nodded. "She was. Don't be deceived by her lack of filter during our meetings. This woman didn't look forward to sex one bit. The highest she could go was making out with him and sleeping over."

Kaycee eyed her best friend. "Oya go and say it on CNN and BBC that I was a virgin when I married even when most people thought I was not." She hissed and turned to Asiyah. "Yes, love, I was a virgin. Why do you ask?"

Asiyah shook her head. She looked down at her feet. "I have always wanted to ask because of how unafraid you are to be explicit when there's cause for it. I didn't want it to come off as offensive so I kept my mouth shut."

Hauwa snorted. "She'll never get offended, trust me."

Kaycee regarded Asiyah for a moment before she spoke. "You're scared."

Asiyah did not bother to deny it. She nodded. "I am. I do look forward to holding his hand, hugging him and kissing him but –" She let out a deep breath. "When I think about him seeing my body without any clothing and then the whole intercourse, I want to enter the ground. I've never had body dysmorphia but this is the closest I have to it. Like what if he doesn't like my body? What if –"