From Maid to Wife

CHAPTER 01

Abuja, 2018

Radiya sat on a wooden stool on the kitchen balcony gazing at the sunset that fell beautifully on the properly trimmed backyard grass wondering what her life would be like if she was back home in Bauchi state, where she lived in a small town called kafin madaki, with her mother and her siblings.
Suddenly she was knocked out of her trance by a voice bellowing her name
"Radiya ! Radiya ! Radiya " maryam called from inside the house
Radiya a 22 year old girl, was her new maid sent by her mother in-law to help her with the house chores which were so evidently too much for her the last time her mother in-law hajiya maria visited them.
Radiya quickly got up and wore her three quarter hijab over her atampa wrapper and blouse and went inside the house through the gigantic red and black decorated kitchen and headed to the beautifully decorated downstairs parlor with blue and ash furniture and matching curtains and rugs
"Er banza bata iya komai ba" maryam complained to habiba her friend who came to visit
"If not because hajiya brought her I would have sent her away"

Radiya stood by the door debating weather or not to let them finish before she went in
"Radiya ! Radiya !" Maryam called again this time at the top of her lungs and Radiya dashed into the parlor
"Sannu da zuwa(you're welcome)"she quickly squatted spotting the petite lady sitting with her madam who she assumed to be her friend.
"Yawwa"
Radiya didn't miss the shocked look on the lady's face as she walked in
"Ke sau nawa zan kira kafin ki zo" maryam asked
"Yi hakuri anty " radiya ducked her head
"Je ki kawo mata ruwa da Lemo " maryam Barked at her
She quickly got up and left just as she reached the door she heard habibas voice
"Tabdijan! Maryam!? How can you keep such a housemaid?"
"What do you mean"
"Don't you see how beautiful she is and the way her skin glows like madara (milk)? Or you haven't noticed her curvy figure?"
"Don't be silly habiba, Ashraf dosent even look at girls besides she's a village girl what will he do with her"
" hmmm wonders shall never end" habiba clapped her hands sha me I have told you don't come crying to me"
Radiya was endowed with full features that gave her a curvy look and fair soft skin , her eyes a shade of light brown and her nose slightly pointed.
"You're just overracting, let's continue our jist abeg"
Radiya moved from where she was listening behind the door and shook her head as she went back to the kitchen to do as she was told. Tears threatened her eyes as she realized she had only been at the house one week yet she already felt tired of working there, but she reminded herself why she was there in the first place. her mum has put so much pressure on her, being the eldest daughter to take care of their family and so she has been struggling to make ends meet for the sake of her young siblings and now that she got a good job that pays well she wasn't going to let anything get in her way of helping her dad as he wasn't so lucky to get a good job that paid well in the village.

Radiya returned with a tray and set it down on the coffee table before returning to kitchen to finish up a small pile of dishes. Just then she heard a noise behind her and she turned only to see Maryams husband Ashraf Abarshi opening the fridge. She quickly squatted and greeted him looking down at her hands.
His response was barely audible as he said "lafiya" grabbed his juice and left the kitchen.

Ashraf Abarshi the son of Alhaji Musa Abarshi was a 30 year old architect working as a director in his dads real estate company, The Abarshi Homes. He is a quiet, reserved and attractive man with a built physique from working out at the gym and blue-black shiny eyes that complimented his almost fair skin and the beard that lined his face, the connecting type, and thick black curly Fulani hair.

Before Ashraf went into the kitchen he came into the parlor and met maryam and gossiping with her obnoxious and dubious friend habiba whom he never liked. He heard them talking about his mother, they were so carried away that they didn't notice him at the door until he cleared his voice and they both got startled and greeted him awkwardly as he brushed past them into the house without uttering a word.
That pretty much explains his mood every time he gets home "atleast today she has someone to distract her for a while before she starts nagging me about one thing or the other" Ashraf thought to himself.
He headed into his section of the house to perform Wudu and head out for Maghreb prayer , as he walked in dropped his bag on the center table of the parlor he noticed something different about his beautiful parlor which had an adjoining room and a walk in closet. His favorite color was white so he made sure everything was white except for a touch of silver or black here and there. He shrugged as he went in and performed his ablution and went out to the masjid passing by maryam and habiba in the main parlor where he had left them.

Radiya excused herself from the kitchen and went back to her room to pray too leaving sallama the 25 year old chef in the kitchen cooking dinner and making silly jokes as usual.
Ashraf came back just as dinner was being served on the table by Radiya and sallama, he walked in and sat with maryam in the parlor waiting for them to finish because he was famished. He looked at his wife and wondered if she even went to pray, but he dared not ask or all hell will break loose so he decided against that and silently prayed that she had.
Ashraf cleared his throat hoping to get her attention away from the Indian channel she was watching, her favorite zee world.
"Maryam ba gaisuwa"
"Sannu" maryam eyed him from the corner of her eye
He knew she was defianately upset about something so he asked "what happened now"
"This maid" she started " she dosent know how to do anything properly and she's so lazy I don't like her"
"But you know that hajiya will never send you a lazy maid right? Besides I noticed my section has been cleaned like never before"
"Are you defending her?" Maryam spat
Ashraf sighed and moved to the dining area as he noticed they were done serving the food. Just as he was plating some food maryam followed him
"You didn't answer me , why are you defending her when you are not even at home to see what she does?  You are never on my side!" She stormed back to her room and shut the door.
"And here I was thinking I was going to have some peace today" Ashraf thought as he finished up his meal and took his plate to the kitchen.
Radiya noticed him coming in with his plate and quickly took it from him.
"Thank you" he said and went to his study to do some work.

Maryam was still fuming by bedtime as she got into Ashrafs room laid on her side of the bed and started using her phone chatting with her Bestfriend habiba and telling her all about their fight with Ashraf earlier.
Habiba: I told you that maid is trouble
Maryam: it's not like he likes her or anything it's just annoying you know the way he is always against everything I want and I am his wife
Habiba: kema you are too lenient with him you need to put your foot down and show him he can't control you, I would never let a man treat me this way lallai ma.
Maryam: I will ai ki bari kawai.
"Are you even going to say goodnight to me Maryam? The messenger of Allah(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said if a man calls his wife to bed and she refuses and he spends the night angry with her, the angels will curse her until morning. Do you realize the danger of what you are doing?'' Ashraf asked her, his heart heavy with disappointment.
"Goodnight "maryam mumbled annoyed and closed her eyes
Ashraf shook his head and turned off the bedside lamp.

Radiya retired to her room after washing the last of her pile of dishes and cleaned the kitchen and dining area spotless. She took a hot shower and changed into her soft cotton pj's which were her favorite thing to sleep in. She read some verses from the Quran and said her dua for sleep, then took out her phone and scrolled through her contacts and dialed her mother's number. Holding her breath dreading what was about to come.
"Hello"
"Assalamualaikum mama Ina wuni mama" Radiya greeted her mother
"Waalaikumussalam ustaziya how are you" hajiya retorted
Radiya winced "lafiya , how are  Arif and Adil?
"They are all fine, how is your madam, I hope you are behaving yourself" said Hajiya
"Yes I am" Radiya Said
"Please send me some money to buy some kitchen items, most of the ones here are broken and I need to pay up some credit, your father has refused to give me a anything" hajiya commanded
Radiya sighed "mama they have not paid me yet"
"Can't you ask them for advance, or is it because now you are in Abuja ? You want to show me that you have become a big city girl and forgotten about your mother in the village"
"Mama I will see what I can do" Maryam quickly said trying to stop the situation from escalating any further.
"Toh sai da safei"
"Goodnight mama"

Assalamualaikum! my lovely readers.

How was the chapter???

Are you eager to see more of maryams drama?? And more of Ashraf huh? *wiggling brows* stay tuned

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Sunday, 19th January, 2020

Love

ummzarah