One Girl Carri Water 1 & 2 #Featured

Chapter 3

Amina liked the monotony of riding in a car all the way to the capital. She enjoyed looking out of the window and seeing the world outside her home village. There were only two other people in the vehicle, the driver and a female body guard named Lisa. At first glance Lisa was quite intimidating with her stern face and brawny body but she was actually very friendly. Amina liked her and asked her as many questions about their journey and about the Abuja as she could think of.

The capital was all that Amina had imagined and more. Buildings that looked high enough to touch the sky came into view as they neared the city. This new surrounding filled Amina with excitement and curiosity. She wondered if the people who lived in Abuja had modern views of the world like Dr. Hilda and Dr. Mwanza. The closer they got the more Amina started to wonder whether Abuja had been in the war at all because it stood so majestic and unharmed. Most of the towns she'd seen on the way had plenty of buildings that had been reduced to rubble in the war nearly 30 years ago and were still being rebuilt.

Amina saw women with long hair, tall shoes and short skirts and men with strange haircuts and things written into their skin walking the streets of Abuja. She also saw plenty of vehicles of all types and colours. It was as if the city itself had a heartbeat. Amina wanted nothing more than to walk those streets and not as the President's wife but as a well-respected and independent woman.

Lisa told her that the state house was called Aso Rock Villa. It was a presidential complex which housed the residence and office of the President. Aso Rock resided right in the centre of Abuja. It was a very large and beautiful estate with equally beautiful buildings. The vehicle Amina was in then separated from the convoy and drove away from the main building going further into the Villa. Lisa explained that they were going to the wives house. Amina looked out through the windows as the massive house emerged in front of them. Soon the car came to a stop and Lisa opened the door for Amina and helped her out of the vehicle. Lisa walked Amina to the entrance of the house where they were greeted by a tall and pretty woman in what Amina could only guess was a maid's uniform.

"Hello Amina" said the woman with an accent that Amina was not familiar with and a big friendly smile. "My name is Mary"

"Hello" replied Amina shyly

"We've been waiting for you; the other wives can't wait to meet you. Come now let me show you to your apartment" said Mary

Amina looked back and waved Lisa goodbye not sure if she would ever see her again.

"Don't look so worried my dear, we're like a family here" said Mary as they entered the wives house.

The foyer looked like something from one of the houses Amina had seen on the TV in the waiting area at the PHU. The marbled floor was lined with a plush brown rug beautifully laid and when Amina stood to take off her shoes, Mary told her to keep them on because there where people whose job it was to keep the rug clean. The walls were painted white and there was a beautiful gold chandelier hanging above them. Walking further into the house Amina was led up a very large stair case onto a hallway with multiple doors on each side. All doors had numbers on them starting from twenty and going lower as they walked further.

"These rooms all belong to the newest wives" explained Mary "The older wives are on the other floors. Yours is right at the end of the hall. There are some wives inside who have come to welcome you."

Amina read the 'No. 1' inscribed on the door to her room just before Mary opened it and ushered her inside. Upon entry Amina noticed the large bed with purple beddings on the right side of the room. As her eyes roamed to the left side that had a sitting area with sofas Amina concluded that the room was larger than her father's house back home. Seated on the sofas were three of the other new wives Mary had spoken of.