FLAWED SOULS

CHAPTER 1: HOLLOW BRIDE

12th January 2015
Kano state, Nigeria.

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Amirah felt like she was going to faint, her head was throbbing and her eyesight blurry, all she wanted to do was lie down immediately, the thought of the huge mattress in her mother's bedroom was what kept her going.

"Ya Amirah, Hajiya said you should come outside immediately, the hairstylist has been waiting."
Her immediate younger sister, Zarah said blocking her way and as if on cue she heard her mother's voice from the mini parlor,

"Amirah how long do you want to keep the hairstylist waiting before deciding to grace her with your presence?"

Amirah closed her eyes taking in deep breaths to help her from snapping at her family and cancelling this whole wedding nonsense. In two days, she was to get married to Muhammad, they'd met during her final days of NYSC at the ministry of works where she'd served, and seven months later, they were ready to spend the rest of their lives with each other, or maybe Amirah was a little unsure and not fully ready.

She felt seven months was too short for them but she had gotten no say, she had been arguing with Muhammad on the phone about his incessant need to come see her father and talk marriage, unknown to her, Fareedah her younger sister had overheard the conversation and being the gossiper that she was, she'd gone and told their mother who in turn had told their father and seven months later she was stuck in a wedding where she wasn't even feeling like a bride. All she wanted to do was lie down and sleep for 12 straight hours because that was how much this whole unnecessary event exhausted her down to her bone marrow.

At twenty three, Amirah had a lot to live for and even more to look forward to, starting a family now isn't how she envisioned her new freedom from the walls of a higher institution to be like but Baba was strict. He ruled his household fiercely, at sixty-two with two wives and nine children, Alhaji Aliyu Balarabe exuded the aura of power wherever he went, being a former millitary general, such is to be expected.

He was still a powerful figure in the country and as such, hosted politicians that regularly come to him for advice, his first wife Hajiya Lolo had five kids; Adnan, Hamidah, Amirah, Zarah and Fareedah.

His second wife, Aunty amarya had three; Lawal, Samir and Khadijah.
The last born of the house was from the third wife who died while birthing Na'eemah.

Amirah's father could be considered rich having the biggest house in Tudun wada local goverment area of Kano, he was feared by all his children.

"Hajiya can't I rest for a little while? The hair stylist can just come back tomorrow." Amirah said as soon as she met with her mother in the mini parlour which was full with her mother's friends and associates, the women were talking and laughing amongst their selves over a tray of masa and bottles of chilled kunun aya. Her father was also hosting his friends in the main parlor as they talked politics.

Before her mother could reply, a friend of her mother, mama Umaimah did, "All these young girls, you behave exactly the same when it comes to your wedding. This was exactly how Aisha was acting when she was getting married, even worse for at one point she stuck her foot down and said she wasn't interested anymore but look at her now, flying abroad vacationing twice a month with her husband."

Amirah sighed, Aisha had gotten married to an ex governor's son two months ago and her mother never ceased to use any opportunity to boast about how lavish her daughter was living and it was making everyone's ear bleed.

"Oho! this one's own is not even about not getting married, she just wants to sleep for a very long time." Just as soon as she said that, Hajiya Lolo turned with an admonishing glare at one of her friends shrewdingly putting two bottles of kunun aya into her big bag, "Aah toh mama Rashida, may Allah heal you from this act of kwadayi- greediness, you should just go to my bedroom and pack the whole of the kayan lefe -things gifted to a bride by her groom that Muhammad brought for her, it's in my wardrobe."