The was table was decorated in white tablecloth, red napkins by each seat with cutlery on each napkin. And a flower vase in the middle with fresh red roses.
-The guest list includes
-Abdulmaleek +date
-Hadi + date
-Kamal
-Farouk + wife
-Amal + date
-Auwal (Kamal's brother)
-Benazir (Abdulzahir's sister)
-Fateema + date
-Lala
-Two other memebers of his office
-Abdulzahir and Zainab
Abdulzahir mentioned the gathering to Fateema and she wanted to come "don't worry I'll bring a date so your wife won't think I'm after you"
"i can't promise i wont stab your date" he told her
"i can't promise i wont stab your wife" she replied.
Benazir is Abdulzahir's sister, also in law school, their father influenced most of his children's career choice.
Amal, Abdulmaleek, Abdulzahir have been friends since they where teenagers, Abdulzahir and Abdulmaleek have known each other for longer. Amal was Abdulmaleek's first girlfriend ever, same class, same age, they outgrew eachother. Amal is smallish most people don't believe her age.
Farouk has been Abdulzahir's friend since law school .
Salahuddeen refused to accompany Fateema to the gathering, he insisted he had other engagements. So she decided to go alone. Fateema didn't know but it was a blessing in disguise.
"Zainab" he called her twice before she heard and rushed to meet him in his room. "this occasion requires a special attire" he gestured to the bed where she saw a box.
"wear this and look nothing less than my wife, i made sure it'll fit your present size" without waiting to hear her response he went into the bathroom to shower leaving her in the room.
She opened the box and there was a black dress, she picked it up and took it to the kitchen where the girls where rounding up the dishes.
Rhabs saw her first "whats in the box?"
"I'm supposed to wear this, its actually beautiful"
Still holding the box Rhabs came and took out the dress and she gasped huhhhhhhh "my God, its Calvin Klein"
Tahira and Rhabs still hardly get along "msttttwww kaman dan Allah baki taba ganin Calvin Klein ba, habaaaaa!!!"
"No you don't understand its a sequin crepe evening gown worth nothing less than 200💵"
Everyone was just watching her wondering how she knows the price of the dress
"that's about 70-80 thousand Nigerian Naira"
"all hail Rhabs knows her calculations" Tahira was purposely being mean. Rhabs ignored her
Ummi and Hadiza shared a looked "toh bari mu kwashe tsumman da ke jikin mu mu koma gida uban mu." Ummi jested.
Zainab collected the dress "kaii!!!! Sai ka ce an ce wani dubu dari biyar, it doesn't even look that expensive, Rhabs makeup please"
Ummi and Hadiza where leaving "Hajiya zata yi fada bari dai mu tafi"
"Thanks guys, kun dai diba chops ko?"
"Ba dole mu diba chops ba wannan wahalan da muka sha..bye guys" Ummi said and they left.
Tahira and Rhabs went inside to get Zainab ready
Pregnancy made her a bit chubby but like he said the dress fits her current size, Abdulzahir was a man who paid attention to details when it came to women's attires, and dressing. He wanted his woman always dressed to impress, something he loved about Fateema.
Tahira gave her matching heels "pregnancy suits you"
Zainab began to protest "I'm not supposed to be wearing heels"
"OH sorry i forgot, well you don't look pregnant at all love"
She went to check on Abdulzahir and he wore chinos and a sky blue shirt, with two of his buttons undone from the top. He looked at her from head to toe "almost there" he said and went behind her and removed the veil she wore to close her aurah leaving just the black turban on her head then he gave her a golden necklace and earrings "wear these"
She stood weirdly holding jewelry in her hands "Abdulzahir i can't meet your friends like this, i need to cover myself"
"No you don't, i don't need you covered, i need you beautiful and right now its exactly how you look, lets go outside, kamal just told me he was near here"
She followed him and they went to the compound where their table and tent was set and he looked at the decorations, it was perfect.
Amal and her boyfriend came first, she wore a dark blue cocktail dress, high heels, ponytail dressed hair and no headgear. She was short, smallish "Su Abdul kenan da amaryan sa, Zainab kinyi kyau" she started with pleasantries as they approached us.
When they where in close range she added "Amarya, you look lovely" she complimented Zainab and hugged her.
Kamal, Hadi+date and Auwal came in next.
Benazir, and Abdulzahirs colleagues came a few minutes later. The bunch stood the under the shade conversing while they wait for the others.
Her car pulled over and she stepped out wear an above the kneel purple sheath dress, well polished and manicured nails, also purple. Professionally neat makeup, she let her perfectly plaited weave fall on her shoulders, complete jewelry (earrings, necklace, anklet, wrist watch, ring, braclet) , a 7 inch thick button leather boot high heels. Fateema stole the show, looking like a New York Fashion model ready for a shoot.
Zainab who saw and recognized her when Hadi began to hail her "Hajiya Fateema masu kasa" began to panic. From the boys to the girls everyone stared as she approached the gathering.
Zainab stood there looking pale as if her blood was drained, her eyes and her mouth were frozen wide open in an expression of stunned surprise.
Amal and Fateema hugged each other "Teemah wow you look stunning, ashe kina nan, long time fa"
"wallahi usually ina cewa Abdul ya gaishe ki fa, you look lovely kema wallahi"
"thanks dear, shaare shi I'll get your digits idan mun tashi tafiya" Amal said excited, she and Fateema had spend time together in the past because Amal hung a lot with Abdulzahir and Abdulmaleek and Teema was always with Abdulzahir. More like birds of different flocks flying together.
Kamal suggested they start launch "gaskiya baza mu jira su ya kama ta mu fara, or atleast mu zauna"
Abdulzahir could not take his eyes off Fateema, Zainab stood frozen like Anna in frozen when the ice touched her heart "Zainab mu shiga mu zo da drinks din toh since most of everyone is here" Benazir dragged her by her hands when she noticed her reaction to Fateema's presence.
When they where inside they met Tahira and Rhabs in the parlor "ki kwantar da hankalin ki Zainab, you look pale.. Everyone knows Fateema is a nut case, don't let her intimidate you please help her compose herself kafin ta fito" she said and left.
Her eyes was red "Zee meye haka kuka zakiyi? Compose yourself and get back out there. Do not give her the satisfaction" said Tahira
"Ga motan Abdulmaleek ya shigo" Rhabs said from the window where she was pipping.
Tahira stood up "oya tashi muje ki koma, mu zamu tafi and maybe i get to see Abdulmaleek before we leave, malan Talle yanzu zai zo"
"Tahira i can't wallahi, har cikin gida na dan rainin hankali?"
"Toh wai ke halan kin yi wa mata rakiya ne duniyan nan? Tun bikin ki fa take wani zuwa inda kike. Kin gane just pretend you don't even know she's his ex and do your thing" Rhabs said
Tahira just wanted to go out and get to see Abdulmaleek "Zainab tashi your absence would be notice"
She saw him walking towards the gathering and two tall girls who look exactly the same walking one beside him and the other behind them. Both girl wearing long crochet overlay dresses, with a small scarf tied over their heads with the center open leaving their long dark hair in a ponytail, and alligator flat shoes, no doubt because they where tall.
Tahira whispered to Zainab "en uwan shi ne wadan nan? na gan su farare"
"Tee ke baki sani ba taya zan yi ni in sani?" Zainab replied back with a question.
Adila was holding Abdulmaleek's arms. As they approached the table Amal saw them and stood up "ha'an the newest and hottest couples in town, Abdul senior, ku kuma ai farin yayi yawa, instead of you guys ku dan yi mixing, turawa zaku haifa mana kenan" everybody laughed.
Tahira and Rhabs stood in the compound away from the gathering and Zainab was going to join her guests "please tell him I'm here and want to say hi"
"Alright" Zainab was short of comments unlike her usual self who had a lot to say about Abdulmaleek.
When she approached the table, they where all conversing a bit loud, Zainab then understood that it was his complete circle, his closest friends who knew one another. Abdulmaleek saw her coming "ina yini" she greeted him
"Zainab ya jiki?"
"Alhamdulillah, Tahira is way over there waiting for you" she told him
"Oh! ta zo ne?"
"Yanzu zata ta fi" and she found her seat next to Abdulzahir, Adilah shared a look with her sister when Abdulmaleek left to meet her.
She looked tired, he could tell she wasn't there for the gathering and he felt relieved, he was already thinking of ways to kill Abdulzahir for inviting her and not telling him, when he knew that he was bringing Adilah. "Tahira" when he was just a few inches away from her, he waved to Rhabs who was standings further away as a form of greeting and she waved back.
"Abdulmaleek B. Bashir" he smiled "why so formal???"
"Kawai fa, ya kake?"
"I'm fine, i was going to call you, i didn't know if you wanted to see me"
"Apparently i do, i just pulled you away from your friends.. So i was thinking maybe we could hang?"
Tahira would kill him if she knew he was engaged, of that he was 100% sure, not that he would blame her, he could understand where she would be coming from. She would probably find out sooner or later, but he wanted to be the one to tell her "tomorrow? there's something i want to talk to you about"
"Ok toh, you should get back, call me"
"I will" he said and went back.
ADILAH (POV)
WTF like i have to deal with his ex being in his life? Hell no i wasn't built to take that kind of nonsense "i need to talk to her" i whispered to Lala
"About what?"
"I don't know yet, but i just have to"
"Then you should pretend to need the restroom immediately he gets back, you heard what Zainab said, she's leaving."
We started to look like idiots whispering to each other's ears and Lala started speaking in the only other language we fluently speak, our mothers
"O vodi {meaning: she's beautiful}" Lala said in Fulani, we can't even really clearly see her, she was about 30 or more feet away.
"O taki {she's fat}" i replied, well really she wasn't, it just made me feel better, chubby maybe, but her curves was everything I've always wanted, endowed in all angles. What i felt was a combination of resentment, sadness and discontent, in a single word, envy. i was attractive yes, but i wished i was exactly as curvy as she was. No wonder Abdulmaleek keeps following her like a puppy.
His friends where too busy servings themselves to notice what we where doing, but for those who might over hear us, the language barrier is a solution.
"A'a na bannim ba" {No! She's not}" Lala chuckled, Abdulmaleek was approaching the table "yahu volun more, ta wadu masifa {go talk to her, banda masifa}
I stood up" ha eyam am wune { its in my blood}"
He sat across the table "ina zaki je?"
"Restroom" i answered briefly and left before he could ask me anything else, i don't even know where the restroom is, i turned around and saw him sitting down, a car drove in and it looked like she was about to leave in it, i started to walk faster, this might be my only opportunity to talk to her, but what was i going to say, i had no idea, but I'm sure I'll figure it out when i get there.
They both entered inside the car and it was about to leave when i knocked on the window, Abdulmaleek could probably see me from where he was sitting, but only if he turns around because his chair was facing mine and mine was facing the entrance where his ex stood. She whined down the glass .
"sorry can i talk to you for a minute please?" I begged nicely
"Ok" she said confused, another girl sat on the other side of the car and they where both just observing me.
"If you could step out please?"
"Oh! I'm sorry ,of course" she stepped out and i got to really see her, she had cute chubby cheeks, did this girl shape herself, she was f***ing endowed. I can understand his need to be intimate with her, not that i excuse it. Had i been gay or something stupid like that, i would totally be into her. She had an amazing, mesmerizing figure, she made me want to gain weight, but in the right places. "Tahira ko?" I asked
"Yes" she looked really tired and she looked like she really wanted to leave. I hated her from a distance, talking to her now i realized that she was just a girl, she probably knows nothing about me. Looking at her face i could tell she was young, younger than me. Her body didn't show it but her face nothing older than 20.
"Sorry can i have your digits? naga kaman kina sauri kar na rike ki" i had no idea where to start, i wasn't about to create a scene like an uncultured human being, i didn't even have it in me to attack someone this calm not even in blusters.
"No! Karki damu, its fine, is something wrong?" She patiently asked, Yes everything was wrong, i need you to keep all this well structured composition away from my future husband, really that's what i wanted to say, but that wasn't how i wanted to say it, how i wanted to say it would have been cruel and unfair even before it got out, so instead i said "no it'll take time we both don't have, my name is Adilah, please let me just call you later" i gave her my phone and she punched in the numbers.
"what's this really about?" She asked curiously
"Don't worry I'll call you In Shaa Allah"
"Toh sai anjima, thank you" she said, and i wonder what she was thanking me for, well courtesy, she's just apparently a nice girl.
"Ni ce da godiya" they drove off and i went back to our small party.
ZAINAB (POV)
Benazir saved my life today, more than once, she kept conversing with me so i don't feel left out, but i was, most of the girls here are uncovered, wearing armless cocktail dresses, without scarf, something i could never wear. Including Benazir and Farouks wife. Nothing like my friends, i didn't know how to fit in, now i understand why Abdulzahir took my veil. The girls in his circle where all about elegance, class, wearing expensive outfits, sassy and classy wins the game. He must find me boring.
Fateema didn't waste time to make her presence known, she looked like a carved out doll, in a barbie dress. She was basically half naked, you could see the shape of her entire body through her sheath dress, it was obvious she wasn't wearing any underwear. She had an athletic body, not slim but everything in its place, something even i kept admiring.
After we all ate and they suggested we play game called the Blindman's Swag
The group was divided into couples. One partner in each couple is blindfolded. I got to understand that Abdulmaleek was somehow dating one the Arabian looking twins, which was who he was paired with Adilah. Did Tahira know about this, i wondered. Hadi and his girlfriend, Kamal was paired with Lala the other twin. Farouk with his wife, Laila . Amal with her fiance, Faisal. Auwal with Abdulzahir's sister, Benazir. Abdulzahir being the one doing the pairing when he came to the last 3 people excluded himself "Fateema can pair up with Zainab since i have to play judge"
He must be joking "I'm not feeling too well, I'm not sure i can play" i quietly declined well my excuse is I'm pregnant.
"That's fine, you and i can play judge." Said Fateema, there's something about the way they kept looking at each other, God knows its taking all of me to be standing here in one piece. But the affliction in my heart was beyond my physical strength.
Abdulzahir began stating the rules "switch yourselves and blindfold someone that's not your partner, You will need to MAKE SURE that no one can peek or it would ruin the game. All the couples that are blindfolded stay on this end" he pointed to right side of the compound.
"Those that are not blindfolded move across the this side" he pointed to the opposite side.
"Now the players that are not blindfolded must remain where they stand and lead their partners back to their present position using only their words, no touching. the goal is to be the first to reach your partner without touching any of the obstacles on your path of course." And they put chairs in the middle of the space between the players.
Fateema shouted excitedly "who wants to get this party started, move people"
It was hilarious watching them try reach their partners, Laila fell down twice and Farouk could not take it anymore he reached for his wife, so they where disqualified. Adilah removed her blindfold in the middle of the game, she and Abdulmaleek where also disqualified. Kamal and Lala came first "stop, stop, Lala i said stop" he shouted before she heard him, the voices where confusing the players.
Amal and her fiance came second and Benazir and Auwal came third. It was so fun, it was the only part of the day i enjoyed.
Mangrib was called just a few minutes after the game,the boys teamed up and went to the mosque, Fateema left and the ladies came inside with me, i gave them a mat, hijab and directed them to the toilet for anyone who needed to pray.
Benazir helped me pack outside. I can't do this work alone, so i left it, in the morning i called my mom and asked her to send me her house help to do the cleaning, I'm eventually going to have to get my own.