Thorns and Berries

Chapter Five

Husna
   
   
"It was really funny cos I found it hard to imagine a zealously religious girl like you, becoming a serial killer overnight." Salma said and we continued laughing and when we were finally done with our amusement, we spent the remaining minutes drafting plans again.
       
"So, the whole idea is to prevent all three of them from coming into the reception hall, should in case they show up,...which I am a hundred percent definite they would because they would not be showing up for the daurin aure but the wedding party." Salma laid down the instructions and I nodded in full understanding.
       
"Yeah. Each of them should then be distracted by Ummulkhairi, Sandra, and I. Right?"
       
Salma gave a thumbs up.
      
"Exactly. So, are we clear? Are you sure your friends would want to partner in this?"
      
"I'm sure they would love to help. They work in the media too, remember. They love stories and adventures." I gave a reassuring smile and Salma returned it with a small smile of gratitude as she took my hands into hers, squeezing them tightly. Her eyes twinged in warmth and love and somehow, I felt reassured that the old Salma was still inside the girl. Almost lost but not yet. I still had a little time to bring back my best friend to reality. Their reality.
       
"Thanks a lot, Husna. I know I've done lots of bad things, and you've always been there to help clean my mess and that is another reason I never want to lose you. Like never ever."
     
My heart sank at Salma's words and I hoped and prayed silently that I be able to be the big heroine Salma had always admired me to be and help pull my best friend from the sinking ship she had put herself in.
    
I squeezed Salma's hands tighter.
      
"It's no big deal, bestie. I know you'd do same for me." Then feeling tears already choking up my throat and my emotions getting a better of me, I made to change the topic. "Now, can you let me watch my TV series in peace?"
     
Salma laughed with new brightness on her face and she freed my hands.
      
"Maybe. But after you tell me who the lucky guy is." She said with mouth twitched in a mischievous grin which added to her undeniably seductive facial features. God! How unbeatable Salma's beauty was! No wonder she managed to get a grip of Hameed's heart.
     
I slightly laughed off Salma's tease and my mind drifted to Kareem's perfect image. Tall, lean, darkly handsome and a working class, responsible engineer. Just the perfect type of son-in-law my father had always dreamed and prayed for. The next minute, I was already blushing over the thought of him but was immediately snapped from my thought by Salma.
       
"Tell me na! Who's the lucky guy?"
       
"Who are you referring to?" I asked, faking ignorance.
      
"The guy you were blushing for just now."
       
"Owww. Actually,...I don't have a boyfriend, talk more of a fiancée. Yet." For some reasons I could not quite place, I chose to hide that most important piece of information from Salma- my best friend. And the next second, I could feel her heart burning in guilt.
       
"Well,...she'll surely find out someday." I consoled myself inwardly.
     
Salma's eyes lingered on me as if she would not believe a word I had said.
      
"I don't get you. What do you mean by 'you have no one yet'?"
      
I merely shrugged and faced the television screen again, hoping to cut our conversation short. But it was an unsuccessful attempt as Salma shifted me to face her again, the former's face now bearing great worry over my revelation and for a second time, my heart ached in strong guilt and I made to confess the truth but my mouth would not comply and instead, chose to stubbornly snap shut and I felt terribly sorry for putting Salma in such great worry. Salma was my best friend, for God's sake! Why then, was I beginning to hide things from her all of a sudden?
       
"Have you had a boyfriend before?" Salma asked with great concern and quickly added, "I mean—yeah, I know you've never had a boyfriend throughout your stay in Kaka's place till we went our separate ways to the university and every other thing after that. But still, I'm sure you must have had one at some point in your adult life."
      
I dropped my gaze to the bed in a bid to escape Salma's torturing gaze. I was sure my own eyes may betray my discreet and voice out my unspoken words.
       
"No. Never had one."
       
"But why, Husna?" Salma asked and waited for a reply from me who only kept mute.
      
"Come on, Husna." She continued, "What's going on? You are a beautiful and attractive lady. Any man would die to have you. You're smart, reliable and hardworking. What then is the issue?"
       
"Are you seriously going to continue asking me those questions?" I cut in, my gaze now fixed strongly to Salma's, a new shrill of self confidence and strength visible in my tone. I began to wonder where I got my new wave of energy from.
      
Salma sighed.
      
"I'm not trying to annoy you, Husna. I am just..."
       
"Then let's go downstairs and find something to eat. I'm hungry." I padded out of the room, leaving Salma seated on the bed alone, without glancing for a second time to her direction. I had enough guilt from lying to Salma which questioned my reason for hiding Kareem's identity from her in the first place. I had always dreamt of an opportunity like this, when I would tell her about him. What was holding me from doing so now that I had the chance?
      
And as I walked on, I could hear the sound of Salma's quickened footsteps following from behind.
•
•
•
•
•                                                           
       
"Maryam, is the food done cooking?" Salma asked Maryam who was curled up in a recumbent posture on the two seater sofa, sliding back and forth the images on the phone she was holding.
      
"Not yet, sis. Dinner's still cooking." Maryam answered, casting us a quick glance before returning her attention back to her phone. Cautiously peeping into the screen of Maryam's phone to see her 'attention grabber', I could see the animated squared camera icon at the top left side of the screen and knew instantly that Maryam was doing her usual thing—using the Instagram social app.
       
"Slay mama." I muttered to myself but Salma overheard and gave me a tug on the arm. We both exchanged knowing glances and succeeded in suppressing our mock laughters.
      
"By the way,...where are your colleagues?" Salma asked, throwing Maryam's issue behind us.
      
My eyes scanned the crowdy room, hoping to catch a glimpse of the ladies.
       
"I guess they would be somewhere around or possibly still with Kaka and aunt Amina." I said.
      
"We should go look for them. I want to welcome them." Salma said but I declined.
       
"Maybe later. Let me go help out in the kitchen. I haven't even exchanged greetings with a lot of people since I came here. Even your mother."
        
Salma shrugged and let me have my way.
       
"Alright. No problem. I'll be keeping your friends company for a while."
       
"Oyana. I'll see you around." I said and watched as Salma dragged her feet away a little awkwardly, perhaps in weariness from the long and busy day she has had— arranging and drafting out wedding plans as was the norm for brides-to-be. As I made to take my leave too, my attention was again grabbed by Maryam's voice who was now talking with some person on phone. It was not that I was absorbed in Maryam's phone call to poke nose into her private affairs. Not at all. My attention was however, grabbed by one of her many 'tales for the gods' as the conversation over the phone went on.
      
"Yeah, girl. The house is so full, I tell you. I even came along with Habiba, Mufeeda and Kemi. Chimamanda and Zahra promised to make it by tomorrow. Oh,...yeah. I've collected the asoebi from my tailor two days ago." She paused for a few seconds to hear the other person's thoughts from the other end of line, nodding her head as she did so. "Yes,...I'm telling you. You know I bought six yards of the asoebi for thirty two thousand naira right? It's original swiss lace. So, total amount I spent purchasing and sewing the dress is exactly sixty two thousand naira. It's a bit expensive but still worth it."