Mrs Mahmud, Mrs Mas'ood

30

March, 2022

Hauwa had the day off and she was more than happy to finally end the three hour long call with Kaycee and the other bridesmaids who consisted of mainly Kaycee's sisters and cousins. The wedding was fixed for June 25th and because of how big it had turned out to be, not a day went by without all of them being stressed.

Kaycee and Afe were taking the brunt of it all as they also had to deal with relocation documents. Kaycee – with Afe's help – had been able to secure a job as a financial analyst in a major lifestyle company. She didn't want to be a sit at home wife even for as long as a month and Afe was too smitten to try and tell her otherwise.

Hauwa put her phone to charge and stretched before exiting the room. She went straight to the living room where Linda and Yusuf were watching an Indian soap opera, both sucking on oranges. Hauwa picked one of the oranges and easily cut it in the middle before she sat on one of the single sofas.

Linda glanced her way. "Have you people finally agreed on everything?"

Hauwa shook her head. "Most of it. It's progress sha. Everyone wants to be the chief bridesmaid so their opinion is the one that's taken seriously." She tiredly sighed. "I'm tired abeg. Let the wedding do and finish so that everybody will rest."

Yusuf grunted as he stood. "This my back has started paining me." He dropped the back of the orange in the bowl Linda held. "I'm going to visit Greggory. He came back from Benin yesterday and I've been promising to go and greet him. Do you people want to come with me?"

Both women said no. With a shake of his head, he grabbed his keys and walked out of the living room to put on his shoes. Hauwa sat with her mother in silence, watching the displayed programme until it finished. It was then replaced with Bollywood songs and Hauwa was more than happy to pick the remote.

Linda's phone rang. She glanced at the screen and smiled when she saw it was Hanan. She wiped her hands on her wrapper before she grabbed the phone and accepted the incoming call. Habitually, she put the call on speaker. "Hanan, my love!"

"Mummy."

Linda's smile dropped and Hauwa turned, wondering what was up. Linda voiced the question. "Why do you sound like that? Did something happen?"

"Yes, something happened. I feel like I'm going to run mad but we'll get there."

Linda and Hauwa exchanged looks before Linda spoke. "Hanan, you are scaring Hauwa and I. What –"

"I'm pregnant." Hanan said quickly. "I'm having twins. I thought they were joking but the sonogram is here and it's as clear as day." She paused to breathe while Zayd cleared his throat in the background. He yelped a moment later and they knew she had kicked him. "That's what happened."

Hauwa and Linda stayed frozen for a moment before they jumped in joy. Linda looked like someone who had won the lottery. "Thank God o! Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah!"

Hauwa's smile should have split her face in two. "Twins! Ah! After all the God forbids you did when we were children!" She cackled. "Eyya."

"Hauwa, I will beat you o!"

Linda adjusted her wrapper with her free hand. "Don't mind this your sister, Hanan. How are you feeling? How are the babies? How is everything?"

"Everything's fine. We're at the hospital now for the first ultrasound. We found out about the pregnancy last month. I didn't want an ultrasound then so we had to wait until now."

Hauwa frowned. "Why did you wait until now to get the ultrasound?"

"Have you seen that transviginal ultrasound stick, Hauwa?!" Hanan asked, clearly horrified. "If I was a virgin, that thing would have torn my vagina in two."