Replacement Bride

Chapter 5 - Amani

After serving Ya Hamid and his friends, I went back to the kitchen island to eat my own food. His friends were really funny, let me tell you what happened.

When I first saw them in the sitting room I thought I was going to meet glares but they greeted me with 'our wife' which I responded amicably.

And before I knew it, they stood and walked over to where I was in the dining island. "Hamid is really lucky to have a beautiful girl like you" One of them said making me to smile.

If only they knew how scared I was about our union, and how bad things might end up being the fact that Ya Hamid clearly didn't love me.

While serving them, Ya Hamid came down from the top floor and met us. He had changed into a milk-coloured Jalabiya and was looking at us with his jaw dropped.

"Good eve..." I said halfway as he interrupted me.

"Guys, I never knew you were hungry!" He said laying emphasis in his last words. It was obvious he wasn't happy seeing them relaxed with me.

"Yo, we are hungry fa!" One of them said.

"Yes, we sure are!" Another one chimed in and continued. "Besides, we really want to test your bride's foo..."

"Cut that crap!" Ya Hamid snapped at him as he settled down in one of the chairs. "You guys are really stupid!" He said and continued talking with them as I served him his food in a special plate. I also poured some juice for him in a glass cup and then asked if he needed anything more. "No!" He gave me a weird look and then turned back to his friends.

Well, I didn't say anything more to him. I only turned about leaving when his friends called me. "Where are you going to, our wife?" They asked.

"To the kitchen" I replied.

"Kitchen?" They puzzled. "Aren't you done cooking yet?"

"No, I am done but..." I said as they cut in.

"Come on, come and sit close to your husband. In fact, you are supposed to be the one feeding him not him feeding himself" They said making me to sigh. They had rendered me speechless.

"Go, Amani" Ya Hamid chimed in while eating his food.

"Go where?" His friends queried. "Come on dear," they gestured to me. "Come and feed your..."

"Stop it now, just stop it!" Ya Hamid yelled at them, and without waiting for him to turnover to me I left to the kitchen as swift as I could. I didn't want any trouble, you know? Plus I was scared of provoking him. I really was scared!

...

After eating my own food in the kitchen, I tiptoed to the sitting room to check if Ya Hamid and his friends were still in the dining island. Hopefully, they weren't. So I went there and packed the dishware to the kitchen while wondering where they might have went to.

Did they left? I asked myself as I began washing the dishes. After washing the dishes, I took off my apron and then headed to my room upstairs. There was no sign of Ya Hamid and his friends which means they left but probably not with car. Thus, I took shower before changing into another clothes and eventually praying my Magrib prayer.

I was on my prayer mat waiting for Isha prayer to be called when I heard a knock by my door. I didn't know who it was but I assumed it was Ya Hamid, so I stood and walked over to the door but guess what? He wasn't there. In fact, nobody was there.

Was I having ear problem already? But I heard someone knocked, actually! I mulled over as I shut the door off and returned back to my prayer mat. Few minutes after Isha prayer, I took my hijab off and began changing into a nightgown. I was half dressed when someone walked into the room with a Salaam.

It was Ya Hamid!

Just as I covered my chest, he quickly turned his face away. "Sorry" He said and then told me his friends made contribution for me. "It's 12k, you should have it" He added stretching the money to me while looking away. Alas, I didn't know what to do though I wanted telling him to keep the money but I also didn't want to sound rude so I collected it and thanked him.

As soon as he left, I put on my nightgown and then kept the money he gave me in the drawer. His friends were really nice, so they contributed twelve thousand naira for me? I heaved a sigh as I climbed my bed. I wasn't actually expecting anything from them, by the way why didn't Ya Hamid kept the money with him? 

I kept on thinking until eventually I was carried away by sleep. And in my dream, I was standing in the compound of our house so drenched by rain. Ya Hamid, however, was upstairs with Rahmat Ali, they were looking down at me through the window and laughing scornfully while I cried. One terrifying thing was that, I was heavily pregnant.

When I woke up from the dream, I didn't need anybody to tell me it was a nightmare. Hence, I quickly called my mother and told her about it while in tears. After narrating everything to her, she told me not to worry and that it was the work of Shaitan (the outcast).

She also told me to be dutiful to my husband and to make sure he falls in love with me. "Please Amani, make him fall in love with you" She said making me to deadpan.

"But how, mom? Please, how?" I had queried.

"Have you forgotten what I told you on your wedding day? There are many ways to win a man's heart, Amani" She said making me to sigh. "Please try as much as you can to win his heart, okay?" She added.

"Okay, mom" I muttered.

***************

AsSalama Alaykum everyone,

Ramadan Kareem.

Sorry for the late update please, I had a lot on my table that's why I couldn't update in time.