IN TWENTY ONE DAYS

57; #JEEDTHAR21

ABUJA, NIGERIA.

Down inside a luxurious bathtub is another bride of the day meant to be taking a bath as people are waiting for her outside. She has her head tucked in between her knees, they were brought up to her naked chest, lost in thought. Inside the milk scented water, her thought spiraled down the lane of how she came to this. Forgetting to tie her hair so as to not get it wet, it was too late for that as the hairs were soaked wet when she realised what she has done.

Kauthar could only think about how life came to that. Just months ago, she was mourning her mother's death afterwards, it was her brothers and again some months interval, her fiancée is reported dead after going MIA. In all those things, she didn't lose her head or emotional focus only when the news about her marriage to a total stranger reached her ears. Not entirely a stranger but she never personally know anything about him which to her, is nothing short of a stranger. She never had a nice conversation with him and the one she did, she rejected him.

Then the sneaky soldier went behind her back to seek for her hand in marriage through her father who can't reject him as he is simply like a family to them. She also can't say no to her father because there is no way she could get herself a husband in the short amount of time given to her. The ones following her around and not capable of taking care of her and they don't have the chemistry, neither does she have it with her husband to be. There is nothing between them, not the act of kindness.

She is taking this marriage as a challenge, a challenge to show him just how much she despise backbiters. If he thinks she is going to succumb to his needs because of what he did to her, then he doesn't know who he married. She is a business woman too if he thinks he is a renowned and well ranked soldier, she has the reputation too in her occupation. They are both successful, striving to take over their own seniors which is like clashing capacity and capability. Both having the strength to take down the other, the question is, who will give up?

In all those two months, she never gave him the slightest chance to talk to her. When he calls, she blocks his number and he tried using Bushra's number to talk to her, she simply hung up the call. The guy have the audacity to come in her house and demand to see her, when that didn't succeed again, he came through her father, she didn't see him. He doesn't know just how headstrong she is, she is more than a bull. She made up an excuse and her father sent him away, it was as simple as that.

The man didn't give up though.

The calls from different numbers became frequent, she keeps on blocking without ever answering to see who it was. He came to her work place, she didn't stop to look at him and got in her car like he wasn't standing there looking utterly humiliated in front of her coworkers, she didn't ask him to come. He tries to monitor her whenever she goes to his house, she always took him by surprise. The guy was frustrated after countless attempts, she could see it in his eyes whenever she will shun him away but it doesn't matter.

His sister tried buttering her up too, it didn't work out and she stopped. She said 'you guys' love story is one of a kind so I'll let fate lead the way' earning a loud scoff from Kauthar. Love story or battle stroke world war? If only she knew what she planned to do in their marital home, she'd be surprised of it. She vowed to not make peace with him, not even when the humanity lies in working their relationship out.

He brought this upon himself, he shall reap what he sow. This should be a lesson he never should forget, she is not a forgiving person.

"Kauthar, you need to come out of that bathroom before we start thinking you are doing something awful in there. Ana jiranki fa, we are waiting for you." That startled her out of her reverie and she was quick to leave the bathtub, making her way straight to the cubicle to take a bath.