During the worst time in her life Waridi meets Nikolai and despite all the things that are going wrong, Nikolai becomes the only thing that's going right. But are they really meant to be? Is the difference between them too great?
Are Waridi and Nik...
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I am in the dressing room. This is my last set. Maria is standing guard so I don't get on a plane and fly away. As I usually do after shows. They're still trying to get me into the studio.
"I have news." She says.
"Really?" I smile back at her but Paul, my make up artist scowls at me. I'm getting in their way.
"So you know we sent an entry to the academy." The music academy.
"I know, we send one out almost every year." Three years now.
"And that they were announcing the nominations tonight?"
I raise my eye brows and Paul raises their eyes brows too before they decide to give up.
Maria holds my hands "You were nominated!"
Whenever I imagined this moment - I consider screaming or even crying because just being nominated is an honour. But I just stare back at her.
"Really?"
"Really!" She looks at me for a second "You could be happier."
I nod for a while "I am."
"This white woman did for you what she said she would." Maria is actually beaming. Maria likes to call herself white woman, I don't if it's because she's always around me and my team that is generally filled with Africans (most with dashes after it).
"Indeed."
"Although I think we should thank your man."
It's my turn to beam.
She gives me a serious once over again. "So what's the plan for you two?"
"What do you mean?" I get off the chair because it's time for me to get back on stage.
"Just...you know...he's royalty."
"Well..."
"Really?"
"Is it that shocking?"
"I mean, not really considering how long you've been together."
"Three months is not that long."
She scoffs "People who have only been dating for three months don't look like you two."
"What do you mean? Some people meet and it feels like they've known each other forever."
"Don't bullshit me." She says walking with me. Paul is still trying to salvage their work as we make our way to the stage.
"It's just that if you were marrying into my family for instance, it would be hard. Hard enough that I might not recommend it. But marrying into a royal family is an even bigger sacrifice."
