ABUJA, NIGERIA.
"She invited me to the wedding." Amani said to her in-laws and cousin, her brows scrunched.
She feels like this her new cowife has another motive behind inviting her. Why will she just invite her to her wedding knowing she is her fiancée's first wife. Does things like this even happen? She don't understand why she was invited and badly want some answers which she won't get since she is not her friend.
"We are going." Fayha's voice came with determination which caught Amani's attention and she gave her a questioning eyes.
"You should go since she invited you herself. Whatever it is that will happen, we will be there." Kauthar reassured, shaking her head in this is the best idea.
"Don't you think she has any motive?" Afrah chirped though those things aren't her thing.
"That is exactly what I am thinking too." Amani agreed with Afrah then meandered her gaze to the other occupants of the room.
"I will be your escort, Bush. You don't have to worry about a thing, I know my ways of manipulation." Amir wiggled his brows erupting a guffaw from Amani's lips. He likes acting like a possessive older brother when she is a year older than he is.
"I know you will. I just don't like humiliation and all those rich pampered girls. You guys know how much I don't get along with rich kids that don't know anything except flashing their latest apple or some stupid brand of shoes and bags. I've had enough of rich people's stupidness so if any of that happens, I will definitely lose my cool. If you are sure none of that will happen, then I will go." She ranted, the occupants of the room looking at her with mouths wide open.
She is never one to talk like that to them, well, she does to her husband but not them. So seeing her with eyes closed as though she is reading what she crammed for a long time is surprising yet refreshing. They want to see how far the tigress will reach so they are definitely going to push her buttons further. Even they are rich but understand what she means by pampered ones from experience.
"It won't happen." Fayha assured and they moved to the kitchen to eat more food.
"Now let's started thinking about the clothes you should wear." It was nearing maghrib and the girls are not even ready to leave.
Well, she don't care since her husband won't be back till next morning so she better have them stay a little longer so she won't be too bored when her baby sleeps. Now that she is used to having her husband, she feels like she should just follow him or something. How the hell did she live months without his arms around her? Guess she was too wrapped up around her daughter to feel the void her husband fills. Her daughter was too important that she forgot about the knot tied and the sole person that brought her baby to the world.
"Yes, go and bring you sketchpads so we can choose. Amir can be the judge." Fayha gushed in excitement.
To her, this wedding is another chance for her to see whether she will hit the jackpot and get the man she has crushed on for a long time. She's crushed on him since she can't remember and she knew she's fallen deep in love though she doesn't want to acknowledge that thought. She rather leave it and describe it as crush so it won't hurt her when she gets rejected by him.
Her mother has already started hinting about marriage to her with the words African mothers like hinting with 'Now that you have your dream job, remain a dream man huh?' but she brushed it off and laughed at something on the television. Lately, her mother is acting all weird about the marriage, like she can't wait for her to get married. She even mocked her about Amani 'Your cousin is happily married with a daughter but you don't even have a mashinshini, boyfriend' and she gave her mother a boring look when she said that but didn't reply.
This maybe the last chance of her with him, she will tell him. Whatever his answer might be, it will be the key to her future. She will just tell her mother to arrange her with any suitable person. She won't be able to find a husband for herself, not when she is deeply in love with another person, she can't do that. Arranged marriage sounds cool to her if she gets rejected, that is 'if' she gets rejected.
"You guys are going overboard with all these rubbish. I am getting a co-wife but all you care about is me looking good? What is wrong with you guys?! This is not something that should be celebrated!" She hid her face in her palms that lies on her knees.
The girls stared at her wide eyed and tongue tied. They thought she was over the phase of mourning about her husband bringing a co-wife but it was clearly not that. Her shoulders and moving which means she is crying. None of them moved knowing how Amani is. If you are the one that hurt her, you should not apologize or she will kill you on the spot so they look hopelessly at Amir who knew what to do.
Amir stood up and went around the centre table since she was sitting opposite where she is sitting with a table between them. He embraced her in a side hug. They share a bond which no one understand but themselves. Ever since she was presented as his brother's wife, he knew she was something he needs to protect and not to talk about the crush he had on her when he was in school.
They were in the same highschool and she was his senior with two classes between them and he knew she is older than him too so he stopped when she graduated knowing he has no chance with someone older than him in both school and age. He used to buy her food in the school cafeteria and keep it on her table everyday but she stopped him. They became friends then lost contact when she graduated and left the country till his brother got married to her. He wasn't crushing anymore but still, they have that friendship and bond.
After she calmed down, she smiled brightly and went to bring the sketchpads making them sigh in relief. Emotional Amani is never good one to talk to so she better be back like a bright day so they could continue planning how she is going to rock the wedding. She should not act like she is going to her co-wife's wedding but a client that invited her.
"Here they are." She dropped three sketchpads on the center table and plopped down next to Amir.
The girls started searching endlessly then took the elegant expensive card given to Amani by Fatima Zara before she left so they could match each event with matching outfit. Even after their crazy work, if her husband says she won't be going, she won't even step foot outside her home on that day. She just watch some movie on Amir's phone together since he is going to be the judge, he will wait till they are done. He don't get why they always mix him up with their girly stuff but since it concerned Amani, he is always there.
The girls look like they are writing some exams while Afrah try her best to keep Anaan away from tiring the sketchpads into shreds. In whole, they looks so funny to Amani. She has more things to worry about than them at that moment but forced herself to watch whatever it is Amir is watching.
"This is it!" She heard Kauthar's voice then she stood up and moved to where Amani and Amir are sitting.
"You should wear this on the henna party." Kauthar placed her hand on the coloured dress Amani drew, she painted it black.
"And then you should wear this on the Kamu day seeing that they are wearing that mint green." Afrah showed her a pistachio coloured gown she drew a week before.
"And then this is for dinner!" Came Fayha's voice before she placed her sketchpad on Amani's laps. It is a fitted gown, ruby coloured which Amani drew for herself a day before yesterday.
"I don't need to judge, you guys choose the clothes correctly." Amir commented and rolled his eyes knowing they only gave him the title so he won't feel left out.
"There are six events, what about them?" Amani inclined her head to the side seeing they didn't mention the luncheon that is a day after the henna party, they didn't mention white party that is a day after the Kamu and they also skipped the Friend's eve that is a day before the wedding. The dinner is taking place at night, the night of the wedding.
"Because, my dear girl, you are going to jump one day after each event. You can't go to all the events as though you are desperate when you are not. You go to one and skip one, they will all be anticipating whether you will be going to the next one or not." Kauthar explained and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Yup, and I am your plus one." Fayha piped and Amani couldn't ask for better friends in her life. They are perfect.
.
.
.
Amani removed a mahogany ankara that has golden and silver patterned in huge roses. She removed the pattern and arranged it beautiful in front of the blouse when she sew it. It is a blouse and six pieces skirt that looks more like mermaid's. She wrestled into it and move to the mirror in the closet so she can tie her head tie. She made minimum amount of pleats and opened it a little at the back like a fan then applied some transparent lip gloss and she is done.
Quickly taking her golden mini duffel bag so she can pack her baby's clothes and much needed diapers, she left the room not before taking her golden slipper as she already have a golden veil draped around her shoulders. She changed Anaan's clothes to yellow golden mini skirt that has a golden belt and white shirt with peter pan collar. Enshrouding her little feet with white baby shoes, she left the room with her in her arms. They will be leaving to her in-laws since she got the permission from her husband who is still busy and didn't come back home since the day before.
When her friends left, she just put Anaan to sleep and start sewing some asoebi then slept when he called and told her he won't be back even though she knows that. He let the call keep going till he heard her silent snores then he hung up.
She meandered to her white 2019 Ford Edge and strapped her baby to her plush pink car chair before moving go the driver's side. She roared the car to life and started her journey in Asokoro. Their houses are not far from each other as they also live in Asokoro so she didn't spend much time in the car. A car given to her by her father as a wedding gift along with a brand new Samsung though she preferred iPhone which was given to her by her husband a week after their marriage.
"Assalamu Alaikum." She said loudly as soon as she settled her feet in the extravagant brown and macaroon coloured parlour.
"Wa'alaikum assalam." She heard her mother in-law answered with same enthusiasm so she ran with Anaan in her arms to her mother in-law's waiting ones. She is sitting cozily on their daisy couch.
"Belle-meré!" She grinned widely in her mother in-law's arms before moving back to smile widely at the older woman.
Hajiya Khadija Aliyu is a nice woman in and out. When Amani came to her as her daughter in-law, she rained her with advises and prayers which Amani was so grateful to. After a week into their marriage when she went to her, she was so fun to be with. They never stopped joking and since then, whenever Amani got bored or want to report Mika'il, she goes straight to her mother in-law. She supports her more than she does her own son most of the times but scolds her when she is the one wrong.
They are always together whenever she visits and hardly goes to Kauthar's or Afrah's room, their gist is always endless and Mika'il had to carry his wife right on his shoulder and leave or they will keep on talking till dawn. Mika'il even accused her mother of loving his wife more than she does him. Amani only stick out her tongue and hugged her mother in-law who hugged her back just as tightly and he knew he won't be in between them. Well, that is what he wants. His favorite women on earth.
"My favorite daughter." Hajiya Khadija moved back to assess her from head to toe and Amani knew what is coming next. "You are do thin, Ama. Is it the fact that your husband is getting married that made you so reedy and slender? I don't like this. I already told him not to get married but he said that is what he thinks is best. I don't even like-" She ranted and Amani placed a hand on her shoulder and sighed.
"Belle meré, I am not any reedy and slender. And my husband getting married has nothing to do with this." She pouted then heard Anaan's babbles from the side and move to pick her up. She even forgot that she was sitting in the same room as them.
"Bring her here." And her mother in-law took her from her then they babble on and on together like they understand each other.
They were talking lightly when they heard taslim from the door and they yawed their attention to the door then saw Mika'il trudging inside still in his white uniform which means he didn't go home. She drooled at the sight of his bulging muscular arms in those short sleeves, his long muscled legs enclosed in white working slacks. He grinned at the sight of his preferred girls in one place looking so beautiful and breathtaking.
"Fool." Amani mouth to him and he narrowed his eyes.
"Idiot." He mouthed back from the door, making a disgusting face.
Feeling offended that he called her an idiot though she was the first person to insult him, she said, "Loco." She said it loudly this time not caring about her mother in-law sitting beside her.
"Wacky."
"Clown."
"Smart ass."
"Asshole."
"Stupid."
"Dumbo."
"You guys should keep quite. You won't ever change, will you?" Hajiya Khadija narrowed her eyes at her son and daughter in-law. They act like siblings instead of a married couple.
"She started it, Mom. You should scold her first and not me." He glared hotly at Amani and if not that Hajiya Khadija new how they banter, she would've thought they were going to fight.
"No, I didn't do anything." Amani defended, moving closer to her mother in-law in a bratty way.
"Yes, I didn't hear anything. End of discussion!" Mika'il stomped his feet before taking his daughter in his arms and sat down on the opposite sit glaring at both his mother and wife while they continue to gist on and on.
"Mom, I've been calling you since asking which colour you want me to bring from your room but you didn't reply." Kauthar walked in and whined to her mother before falling on Amani who shrieked and kept hitting her.
"Stand up from my favorite daughter." Hajiya Khadija laughed but didn't make any move to interfere.
"Mommy, I thought I was your favorite." Came Afrah's voice from behind them.
Both Afrah and Kauthar are wearing navy blue leggings but different shirt. Kauthar is wearing a black crop top while Afrah has yellow huge sweat shirt.
"Mom, I ask her to go to the wedding since she invited her herself." Kauthar excused when they started talking about the matter of Fatima Zara and her invitation.
"What?" They heard Mika'il ask making Amani remember that she didn't ask him whether she should go or not.
Hmm, way to go!
Hiya!
How are you my beautiful readers? I haven't edited this so sorry for the mistakes.
What do you think Mika'il will do about the matter? Can't wait💃
RQ; Do you like kannywood? I hate it and bas! You?
Sayonara!❤️