Shout-Out to my Ex [✓]

Ten

Photo credit: Tomiwa Adebisi

"Maria, hurry up. We're going to be late," Tilewa stared into her mirror and adjusted her gele putting in the last pin. She was good to go, dressed in an off-the-shoulder burnt orange lace gown with a knee-length slit. She put on her black pumps, carried her matching purse and stepped into the living room looking hotter than fire. Now it was her younger sister she had to wait for.

Maria had come over from her workplace the previous night to sleepover at her place mainly for emotional support and she could bet Uzo and Eno were behind it, but Maria insisted the reason was that Tilewa's place was closer to the venue of the event and she did not want to stress herself by going straight from her own house.

The bride, Atinuke was an acquaintance from their university and the girls had planned a reunion of sorts at her wedding. Tilewa could not wait to see all her friends she had finished university with and Maria was taking her time. She patiently stepped out of the bathroom and sat in the living room, watching as her sister scurried back and forth, getting one thing or the other. Tilewa watched her apply her last layer of mascara as she asked: "Sister mi, am I good to go?"

Tilewa gave her a once-over. Her sister was 6 months pregnant and her glow was at its peak. Dressed in burnt orange Iro and Buba, Maria had complained about not wanting to sew any new clothes with her bump because she was not going to stay pregnant forever and did not want to burden herself with adjusting her clothes when she was back to her normal size, so she had opted for the traditional one-size-fits-forever attire. Giving a nod of affirmation, Tilewa took off from the couch and helped her sister out of the house.

***

The church wedding had just ended. Guests immediately began to troop to a nearby event centre where the reception was going to take place: where the real party was going down. Tilewa and Maria were carpooling in Uzo's car with Eno and another friend from school, Hauwa. On their way there, everyone was upbeat and excited, the banter in the car was easy and friendly as everyone told the other what they had been up to in the past year.

"Tilewa, I still can't believe Maria ended up getting married before us," Uzo said from the driver's seat."I still remember when she used to come and visit us with your mum when she was still in secondary school and even all the running around we did during her matriculation."

Tilewa laughed at the memory while Maria smiled politely. All the girls had gone to the same university and Uzo had taken Maria under her wing like she was her little sister.

"How far gone are you?" Hauwa, the pharmacist in the group asked nodding at Maria's belly.

"25 weeks," Maria breathed, unconsciously touching her belly as Uzo pulled into the parking lot.

"Hope you've been doing the exercises I recommended?" Eno asked, receiving a nod from Maria.

"We're here," Uzo announced.