Impulse

SIXTEEN: WEDDING BELLS (POV CHAPTER)

I sat in complete mind absence, and today we start with the henna, 3days to 'Daurin Aure' the day I would actually be wedded to Ajeay. I never knew his full name until the day he submitted the cards for the wedding 'AbdulJabbar' what a very lovely name I thought.
I was doing my final 'halawa' which is the traditional Hausa body waxing done to Hausa brides weeks before their wedding. I was forced to do it 3 times every week for a month, my mother wanted me to be the softest bride and that was achieved. My skin looked 2 shades lighter but the glow that came with it was magnificent, it wasn't my mother's wish to be seen by any outside home from 10days to the wedding but because I was completing my final exams that was impossible. "Sai wani haske da kyau kike karawa" people would complement at school, everyone was happy for me getting married.

The day I had too see my nemesis (Abdulmaleek) he kept stealing glances of me and at times he would stare a bit. "There he is, the love my life, come here you big baby" I picked up baby Abdallah who was fast growing "kiss Anty" I said pushing my cheeks to him, "muaaaa" he made a baby- Ish sound as he dropped his small, cute, soft lips to my cheeks.

"Good baby" I said while dropping him back to play, his mommy was still yet to do her henna "my Goodness I have never seen Halawa bring out this much glow, Ajeay is a lucky man" Zainab teased, she was about the only person in the room who knew I hated the wedding, but not even she knew about the drama with me and Abdulmaleek. He promised me it was unlikely I was going to get married to Ajeay, he but not as days move closer and wedding activities start I wonder if I was getting out of the wedding at all.

I sat in complete desolation, as my friends made chatter across the room, my own henna lady was different, she was only there to design the bride and soon she was working me.

I had really loud friends, some of them made comments as to why I wasn't participating in there crazy conversations, I lied and said I had a bad headache. Zainab sat close to me "babe are you sure you OK?" She asked in a very low tune so only the two of us could hear her and maybe perhaps the Henna artist.

"I can't believe I got myself into this mess"
"Its going to be alright Tee"
"No! It's not, the last loveless marriage I witnessed ended up in a divorce and a single parent"
Zainab was fully aware I was referring to her failed marriage to Abdulzahir. "Look don't think too much about it ok? Ajeay is not Abdul"

"Really? Cause last I heard they were really close friends" the damage of what I had done, mostly to myself with this wedding was just too obvious. Why didn't I consider all the variables before saying yes, how could I forget the simply close story of Zainab and Abdulzahir. Ajeay seemed kind and said he loved me but he never even got close enough to love me and it was pretty obvious he had a hidden motive for pushing too hard. Maybe it was just in my head and he just genuinely loved me but how likely is that?

One of my hands was finished and I quickly picked to my heels and took Zainab's phone with me "ha'a!!! Ina zaki je?" The henna artist asked. I had no airtime on my phone and I need to make a quick phone call, Zainab's phone was basically my second phone, her password was even put there by me.

"Toilet, ina zuwa" I ran out of the room, I needed a quiet place to make a quick phone call but the house was full, people kept asking why I wasn't doing my henna and I kept lying about being pressed. Finally I found a space I could talk, and I called Abdulmaleek.

"I thought you said you handled it" I whispered to the phone, it was still possible for someone to hear me.

"Tahira?" He sounded surprised and then he also whispered "why are you whispering?"

"The house is full, you said you handled it? Why I'm I still getting married?" The anxiety was obvious, I did not want to get married and now he must have understood that too.

"Patience love, I promise you this wedding will not happen, even if it's the last thing I do."
I let out a ling sigh. "But wait I thought you wanted to marry Ajeay, why the sudden desire to get out of it?"

I then realized how desperate i was coming off and I didn't want Abdulmaleek to think It was because I wanted to be with him because in truth I didn't. "You threatened me how else do you expect me to act?"

"Calm down, I won't hurt you I promise"
"You already did" I said and finally hung up.

***
ABDULMALEEK

Her voice was beautiful, I loved every but of the girl, and now I felt hope that she might still love me seeing how eager she was to get out of this wedding. I looked at the phone for a moment thinking about her after she hung up, my attention quickly returned to the presence of Kafayat who help me cook this surprise for Ajeay.

Kafayat and I had carefully planned this out, there was nothing out there that would exonerate Ajeay so easily, I knew I said to myself I would make sure no permanent damage would come to him but there was no other way to do this.

Kafayat stared at me, I blinked and she still didn't take her eyes off me "what?" I finally protested.
"All this for a girl? I don't believe you"
"Not just any girl, if you had met her, you would agree"
She shook her head, her disagreement was apparent and her obvious disappointment "he is your friend and he is quite a nice fellow if I may add, I can't believe I let you talk me into this."
"I know Kat, I'm sorry it had to be done" Kat was what I started calling her when I stopped being her boss, I decided to be more informal with her since she no longer worked for me and I had always wanted to call her that.
"If only you would channel the same craftiness in dealing with your in-law and getting back B.D."

"I thought that was under control?"
"We need to move faster, before they realize I have been working against them"
"Soon as I put this issue to order I promise you my full attention"
She shook her head still "poor guy" it was obvious she meant Ajeay.
"Yeah" was all I could say.