PERFECT MATCH

6 - Preparations

Mabel's POV

The last two weeks have been hectic and really hard for me, I've never been this stressed my whole life. I still can't believe I'm in the process of taking classes to prepare me to be an ideal wife. I keep telling myself that this is not real but every breath I take each new day brought closer to reality. It is exactly fifteen days to my arranged marriage.

My mom tried to involve me in every planning activity, it made no difference to me because this isn't my dream wedding.

I was looking down at my nails which were coated in white cotex but my thoughts were fleeting elsewhere.

"Aunty wants you to know that the groom's family chose their colour for the day, its Cobalt blue and champagne gold."

I didn't have to look up to see who it was, I knew that voice even in my sleep.

"None of my business." I crossed my legs in the chair, folding my arms across my chest. I raised my head so she could see I meant my words.

Ada shrugged.   "Just doing what I can. Your classes start in ten, after that we need to meet the event planners and finalize some other details."

"I really don't care." I told her, placing my left leg on the floor and glaring at her.

Ada opened her mouth to say something and I gave her a puzzled look but she just nodde her head slowly and left.

I decide to head downstairs after my subconscious warned me against it and I should have listened. The whole house is in a state of unrest, I saw few people littered in the tea room. My mom was having a conversation with a woman at the dining. The kitchen was the only quiet place. I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and was about to head upstairs when my mother called me.

I turned, holding the stairwell, to see my mom standing right in front of me. She had a very composed demeanor and somehow a graceful aura in that Ankara dress, bow and curly wig.  She always played the role of perfect wife so damn well. The reason my dad hasn't left her.

"Your attention is needed here, come with me." She didn't wait to hear my reply as she made her way to the tea room this time. I couldn't ignore those orders, run up the stairs and lock myself in my room because I had to obey strict and specific orders from my dad.

Reluctantly, I trailed behind her.  I fought hard the urge to scream at everyone in this room when I saw that it was the woman from Etiquette class.  Feeling lifeless and drained of energy, I took a seat opposite her.

"You still have a lot to learn, Mabel." Her voice was lively and high spirited.

"We've gone through the..."

"Can you please go straight to the point." I cut her off harshly and she responded with a fake smile that barely hid the hurt on her countenance.

She nodded and started to read from her magazine and I wasn't paying one bit of attention, I was in my own world. I went through rigorous cooking classes from my mom who was assisted by Ada and I kept asking why my mom never did this when I was younger - more like why I always ignored her call to help in the kitchen. I learnt from scratch, from chopping onions and all kinds of vegetables, to boiling rice,using the blender, making those Igbo soups and delicacies. I found myself pounding akwu with all the strength I had. The only thing I could do in the kitchen before now was boil water, cook noodles, fry some eggs, make some toast and pancakes and make cereal.

My dad didn't stop there. He didn't want his precious daughter to bring shame to him in her husband's house so I had to take etiquette classes-very boring. The woman kept blabbing about how to be respectful, tried to teach me a few ways to dress like a Lady and ooze the ladylike aura of elegance with my demeanor, posture, carriage, speech, and even laughter.