Bound ✅

Being Mrs Abubakar (2)

"Ready?" Halima nodded

A whole month passed since Halima shelved the thought of any insemination and sperm banks and worked on opening her salon slated for the twentieth of March.

"Let's go then." The car was idling outside the door, Halima adjusted the leaf green ankara she was wearing nervously and waited for Jamal's mother. She had called Halima to the house three days before and asked a waiting tailor to take her measurements.

Halima stepped into the car and sat behind the driver who nodded at her the moment she was seated comfortably. She nodded back at him. Jamal's mother settled in beside her nearly immediately.

"You brought your cards like we agreed." Halima nodded timidly. They were going to the Kamu ceremony of the president's daughter. Halima was both nervous and excited.

"When you see the president's wife, be courteous kinji? No slouches, raise your head high up. You're as human as they are. Social bracket notwithstanding." Halima nodded again.

"Good." She said, not unkindly. She smiled at the end and adjusted the expensive white veil she had draped over Halima's shoulder.

The driver put the car in drive and they moved.

About forty five minutes later, they were waved into the banquet hall at the presidential Villa after their invitations were scanned. Jamal's mother told her the invitation was for Summayah and herself but she felt Halima needed it more.

"Summon your best smile." Halima widened her lips into what she considered her best smile and Jamal's mother nodded.

They were ushered to seats after the usher looked at their invitations. They were seated somewhere near the front. Halima had to stop herself from googling. There were no words for the elegance of the hall and it's decorations. It was made to look like an old Hausa movie, with raffia mats hanging all over the stage where the bride was going to seat.

Down in the crowd, they had calabashes, wooden cups and their plates set on raffia circular pads. The mix of old and new looked so elegant.

"Overwhelmed?" Halima slightly nodded at Jamal's mother. She gripped Halima's left hand and said softly.

"Don't. If it makes you feel better, the one seating on the table next to you is wearing all that gold on credit. She has not paid me." Halima's hand went to the small gold set she was wearing, borrowed her by Jamal's mother.

"I said that to make you feel better, not self conscious." Halima smile and nodded. Just as she moved her head, Halima spied a set of older women around Mummy's age ushered to their seats by the usher who had helped them to theirs.

When they saw Jamal's mother. It was a spectacle. They were falling over themselves to greet her. "Ah. You can early today." Halima couldn't make sense of the things they talked about while exchanging pleasantries. Halima noticed one popular actress who married a representative member squat in front of her.

"I wanted to see the decor. It's so pretty isn't it." Even though Halima thought it was a little over the top, they all fell over themselves to say it was extremely beautiful.

Finally, they noticed her. "Who is the damsel?" Halima couldn't help the smile that widened her lips. She got up and greeted them all.

"Ah who's Yarinya is this?" Halima's mother said her son's. Halima's then knew that Jamal didn't just act on his own. His mother knew and approved.

"Ma Sha Allah. She's so beautiful. So elegant." They all fawned over Halima making her wonder if it was still her that was being praised.

"Yes. And she's opening her salon at the end of March it's in Wuse 2, that Berger paints plaza. She's new in this business thing, I hope you all will patronize her." They all awwed and said prayers of blessings on the new business.