NADIYA'S STRUGGLE

Chapter 46

It was time for Zaliha to be taken to her home and right now, she's alone with her mom and some of her aunties, who were "lecturing" her on how to cope with her marital life. They all sat on a bed in a room, away from guests while she knelt on the ground, head bowed down as she listened. She was sniffing every now and then as they continued to talk.

One of the oldest amongst them just finished having the talk with her and in all honesty, it made her cringe and she was trying so hard not to scream or go crazy. It was just so weird and she knew it'd come, she needed to hear it and have knowledge of it. But it was just so uncomfortable. Thank goodness her head was down, they weren't able to see her. She was just glad it ended just as it started and they've now changed the topic.

"Zaliha my child, I knew how neat and tidy you were since you were a child. Even when you used to come to my house during holidays, I observed how neat you were, unlike my daughter Naana." She joked and Zaliha chuckled amidst tears.

"Even as you grew up, it's still the same. So I want to let you know that men love a neat woman. Even though some of them aren't exactly neat, but they absolutely love it when the house is clean and smells nice. Always dress beautifully for your husband and those incenses brought to you from Maiduguri, don't forget to always use it for your home and let your whole house scent nicely, it always turned them on. Also, serve him delicious meals and win him all over again..." Her favorite aunt Na'imah advised and she nodded her head every now and then.

"Zaliha you're a good and obedient girl and just like you hold onto that, I want your good characters to continue to live and follow you to your marital home. Your husband is now your companion, your partner and whom you'd share all your worries and joy with. You don't have to feel shy or scared of voicing out your thoughts or emotions to him because trust me, they are the best in changing one's mood." Zaliha listened as one of her paternal aunt gave her a lecture.

Although she was crying, but she resisted a smile when her aunt said the last part, as her Abubakr surely is one to change one's mood. She might not get exactly what her aunt meant by that, but she sure knows her husband changes her mood from being upset to making her laugh or smile. He always cracks joke that'd make her laugh even when she wasn't in the mood.

Find you a guy who makes you laugh and you're good to go. He's her funny man and that only made her love him even more.

"Hajiya I know you have more to tell her, there's still time." She heard the oldest aunt in the room said. Which time is she talking about when they've spent more than three hours about the same thing?! Seriously she was tired, she got it all. At this point, her knees hurt and the tears are now finished.

The "Hajiya" was her mother and she moved closer to her to begin what she's about to say. There was a look she was giving Zaliha and Zaliha bet she's trying hard not to cry. Of course she'd miss her, after all she was her only child!

"Dear, your aunties have said almost everything and I hope you abide by it. But there's something I want to say to you that I want you to always remember. Married women nowadays tend to make a fuss about the fact that their husbands are adding another wife or they've already added. I know it's in the blood of every woman to have that jealousy, but I want you to accept that fact and not create a scene no matter what, when he tells you he's adding another wife. You must be wondering why I'm thinking of this when you just got married?" She said and the women in the room chuckled.

"It's because most men always want more than one wife. So it's important I make you see reality. It's sunnah for them to have four wives and it's literate of everyone to accept it. I knew I never had a co-wife, but believe me when I got married, I told myself that I'd never worry about my husband adding another wife whom I'd share him with because deep down, I knew he loved me a lot and nothing could change that, not even a co-wife. But as fate could have it, he left the world for us too early. May his soul rest in peace." They replied with "Ameen" in sync and she continued. "So remember that okay? Be the queen in your home even if you have three more women to share your husband with. That's all, may your home be blessed." They all uttered an "Ameen" and her mother went forward to hug her.