Her Boyfriend, My Husband

CHAPTER 45

*Trigger warning! If you're a sensitive reader, you might find some contents of this chapter disturbing.*

Zainab's POV

No words could explain how I felt when I saw Yusuf. I would have leapt into his arms and screamed my lungs out while kissing him silly but I knew he wouldn't appreciate that so I kept my cool. It was only a few more days to go before I earned the right to kiss him any and everywhere anyway so I only smiled widely and for now, made do with holding his arm tight as he walked me from the arrivals unit to the car and opened the passenger door for me.

"I can't even begin to explain how much I missed you habibi." I said, looking to my side where Yusuf was settling in the driver seat.

He was still the same it seems since he only smiled back at me in that reserved way of his before clearing his throat and speaking, "Me too Zainab, I have something planned to welcome you tonight."

I wasn't surprised that Yusuf had made special arrangements for me, it was what I expected of him when the love of his life was finally back to him and was about to be his forever. He had come to pick me up from the airport himself and though I knew that he no longer domiciles in Lagos, he suggested that we meet for the first time here in Lagos before we go back to Abuja and surprise Maryam with my arrival.

"I can't wait for tonight," I told him when we hit the road, I wonder if he was planning on proposing to me. I tamed the excitement in my heart and managed with imagining how the fairy tale events of tonight would unfold.

This time without a second thought, I would answer Yusuf with a yes. Yes, I would marry him and spend the rest of my life with him. There was nothing hindering my decision now. Neither was there my mother's ridiculous wishes nor was there this fact that I was in my late twenties yet all I had nothing to show for it. But now here I was, twenty eight years old with a second class honours in degree in Marketing my hands. No doubt I felt proud of myself. Not only because of the degree but because of how I had suppressed the tumultuous state of my emotions whenever I remembered my mom.

It didn't matter that she didn't care about me since I didn't care about her too. It was hard but here I was, safe and free of her toxic presence in my life. As long as I had Yusuf by my side, I had all the love in the world I needed. Maryam too being no less than my sister so what did I need my mother for? She could go an enjoy her life with her new husband while I'll enjoy mine too with.

"We need to talk Zainab," Yusuf said, his eyes on the road, "That's why I made those arrangements."

"Yes yes I know." I answered, knowing exactly where the conversation was headed. Yusuf was even more eager than me it seems. "I know we need to talk about all this habibi but I just think that it would be better if we talked about it in Maryam's presence. I mean, whatever decision we make without her won't be fair to her after all she's done for us. So I suggest that we don't talk about our situation until she's around too."

"OK, I understand Zainab but—"

"No. I don't want to hear any buts, we'll only talk about this when Maryam's around. Period."

He sighed. "Fine."

I smiled to myself, complimenting Yusuf's compliance. What a peaceful and happy marriage we were going to have. He wasn't like other men who believed in controlling women and who believed that their say was always the last say.

A few hours later and here I was, stunned and completely breathless by the meticulousness of the dinner Yusuf had arranged for us. We were in one of the nicest restaurants in all of Lagos and the best thing, Yusuf had booked the whole restaurant for us. He indeed had planned everything perfectly to make his proposal special. I couldn't wait to see just how beautiful the ring would look on my finger.