𝓜𝔂 𝓫𝓪𝓫𝔂, 𝓶𝔂 𝔀𝓲𝓯𝓮

22# HERO; VILLIAN

THE ABUBAKR RESIDENCE,
ABOWA.
JANUARY, 2021.

Safiya had had a busy week preparing for Jamilah's wedding.

She'd been in and out of her tailor's, visited her hairdresser's and had booked the best make up artist she could find.

She'd made sure, through her ventures, that they'd be no doubt who the bride's mother was.

The most annoying part of the wedding had to be the fact that it was just a nikkah, and only a few people would be in attendance.

The best part of it would have to be the news she'd gotten the previous day.

It'd been quite surprising actually, but it was good news so she didn't really mind.

***
When Zaynab, the wife of that annoying governor had shown up on her doorstep, just a few minutes after the break of dawn, Safiya had been annoyed.

She'd been on her praying mat when the woman called, a truly rare occurrence for her; but maybe it was because of her prayers Zaynab had entered with the good news.

She'd never met the woman before. Nor had she met the first wife.

The closest she'd ever been to seeing either of them, was on one occasion when they'd been in the same gathering, at the same time.

However, their paths didn't cross on that day, or any other after that.

Safiya truly had a hard time considering Zaynab her in-law. In all honesty, she'd never given much thought into her daughter being married.

She thought it a waste of time when people her age obsessed over match-making or droned on and on about their wish to have grandchildren.

She, Safiya, who could still pass off as a woman in her very early twenties? A grandmother?!

She'd rather her daughter stayed single.

Frankly, the only joy she got from the knowledge of the family Jamilah was marrying into was their prestige.

She loved the fact that she'd inevitably get more respect when she said the name 'Khalil' in relation to hers.

She could imagine the benefits being related to the Jamil family would bring to her.

And that knowledge was the only reason she let Zaynab walk into her home, and even went as far as serving her some crackers and tea.

The woman had refused it however, and Safiya had to force back the eye roll that threatened to show.

"Assalamu alaykum, Mrs Abubakr", The woman had started, and from her voice, Safiya could tell the woman was one of those types that didn't walk in her circle.

The women in her circle talked more quietly, more hurriedly. It was almost an acquired skill from how much years they'd spent gossiping.

Of course, Safiya and the rest of her tonne didn't call it gossiping, that was much too .........unrefined .

They'd rather think of it as 'secrets distribution'.

They were only enlightening each other on the news that people selfishly hid from the rest of the populace in the name of privacy.

Of course, it was also a rule that in their gatherings, their own secrets would be spil..ehmm, distributed.

They were only helping people realise the happenings they weren't privy to within their own communities......it wasn't anything wrong.