Let Me Be Yours

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Ali turned around the moment the last shot was taken and headed for his room upstairs. He got rid of the last attire he wore for the shoot which was Arabian inspired. A black bisht over a white thawb, with an aghal and ghutrah. He threw them haphazardly and changed to a button up shirt paired with jeans, slipped into a palm shoe thinking if he'd stay a second more to fasten a sneaker, his poor heart would burst open.

He jogged down the stairs not sparing the group in the sitting room a glance and went out to get some air.

Fresh relaxing air before he goes berserk.

Amira on the other hand stayed behind with Yusuf, Jalaal and Farida to check out the pics.

Over sixty pics?! Wow!

Beautiful, they were all perfect. The photographers took them just in time to get the smiles. Anyone seeing them will assume pure love and affection. So untrue!

They picked out about fifteen and the rest were deleted.

After Jalaal left, she and Rida left Yusuf and the royal driver to clear up the house. Ali lets only Ado to his unit. No maids, servants, noone else goes there. Just family and the lucky driver.

Back in her room, she made wudu' and prayed as it's already Maghrib. She then sat by her vanity, took a wipe and as she stared at her reflection on the mirror, she smiled.

She must commend how much Ali values his grandmother, he hated every bit of the photo shoot, from the cameras, to having to pose with her, just everything. Yusuf and Jalaal didn't help matters at all. They kept forcing him to assume romantic stands, he's angry and helpless at the same time and it's really funny, and cute, don't get it wrong. It's a sight wallah and she revelled in it.

She can't even imagine her life with that man. Can they cope?

The wedding is in exactly three weeks and the preparations have been going to a T. Rida will be staying in Yola but she'll be in Kaduna.

Rather sit and stew in her own juices, she'd turned the tides and participated efficiently in all she has to. Hajiya Salmah, Nabeelah and Na'eemah are taking care of the furniture, cloth stuff and all. The Lamido had asked them to let it be but they refused. Even she would. He's already taken full responsibility of the wedding from A to Z. That'd be too much.

She learnt her father agreed for the wedding to hold in Yola, he won't care less even. She tried not to hope he'll make it to the wedding but deep down there, she knew she wanted him to come. To at least give a daughter's hand in marriage.

All this was erratic and avant-garde. She'd never dreamt of marriage. Not because she didn't have suitors or the likes but because she put marriage last in her life goals, well, before having kids.

That's why she'd never been in a serious relationship.

Her goal was to finish her studies, earn a life then get married.

On an honest note, she wanted to get married by twenty-three. You plan and Allah does too. She prayed this would be the best for everyone.

And about a maid of honour, she's still working on that. She had little friends but she did have a bestie whom she hasn't called in ages. She didn't even tell her she was getting married and the girl resides in Makurdi. Will her parents even let her come? That wasn't the major problem, the problem was talking to her. Amira was so ashamed of herself. Mostly, Bahira did the calling.