Chapter 44

Finally, the anticipated day has arrive; the wedding day, the day fatima and Fareedah will permanently be called Mrs khalid and Mrs Mubarak, the day they will be conveyed to their new home respectively.

Around 4:30 am, Reedah and her friends were wake by some of her aunt to come down for the ritual bath which is usually done to every nupe lady who is get marry for the first time.

They took her to the backyard of the mansion. They brought a seat for her and immediately sat her down on it afterward. An old woman said a prayer on her head and pour some water on her hair before directing any of her bestfriend to come forward and break the mud pot into pieces in front of the bride. Noor was the volunteer and immediately she break the pot every body cheer and kept repeating Allahu Akbar. Reedah couldn't control her tears again, as she cried loudly, every one was touch by her outburst some even cry together with her. She was given a kettle to made her ablution and when she finish she still couldn't stop crying. Aunty salamatu couldn't even stop her own tears too, she went forward and hugged her, consoling a bride at this moment is the most difficult thing to do ( every Nupe bride surely understand this feeling. Who agree to it?).

She was taken to the upstairs and was asked to take a hot shower and change.

Few minute later after she was done, Aunty salima came in and took her to every room in the mansion to greet. Advise were given to her differently and all she could do was cry through out the ups and down. Her eyes was puffy and red from all the tears.

As early as 8am, Fareedah's mansion was booming with a lot of people, from different Angle. Even the people they least expected were around. Their mum close friend aunty sarah and her daughter favour were not left out as they all come to witness the day. Due to a lot of people that came to show their happiness with them today the empty space of their missing once were occupy for the main time. They never expected half of the people present in fareedah wedding to day because their parent were no more but they all prove them wrong as the big mansion today was full with their relative,neighbours and family friends. Though nobody ever no what they went through because they believe their father left a lot for them and their uncle also as a lot to take care of them not knowing it was the opposite of their thought.

Backyard was turn to kitchen, as caters dish out different variety of food and people kept going up and down to serve them self with their choice. Bakers were in the main kitchen doing there job together with the drink servers.

At the upstairs was the bride, glowing from all the indication of her body which was repair. She was looking so beautiful in her attire. Her hand and leg were all glowing with the beautify henna design. And it make her look so breathtaking.

"There already coming for the wedding fatiha" Noor said.

"Oh my God! You need to see your husband right now Reedah, his looking so masha Allah."Noor comment, still peeping out through the window.

"Noor please just cover that curtain" Reedah beseech.

"Why, you jealous I'm starring at your husband?" She teased.

'You're not serious, you're free to stare just cover that curtain" she repeat.

"Yes ma'am." She response sarcastically and do as she said.

"Favour was done with her make up too and came and join the girls on bed." I thought wedding fatiha used to take place in mosques?" She asked.

"Yeah but my tribe, Nupe don't do that. They mostly do the wedding fatiha in the bride house," Reedah explain.

"Wow that cool, you get to see different type of guys, you might even be lucky and get a click from there. I love it that way" favour said.

"I don't like it. You won't even feel comfortable moving around during the wedding fatiha until there done" Noor complain.

"Well I like it that way please they should hurry up and come in, I want to see the groom that making our dear friend blush all this while." Maryam, her course mate chip in.

Few minute later, the wedding fatiha was done and the groom were coming in.

Khalid came out of the mosques that was at gate side with his friends. He wore a blue babanriga that was design with a navy blue, he adjusted the cloth and fetch his phone out of his pocket, and type a message to his Mrs.

"Finally our prayer has been accepted, it been seal, and we shall start a new journey of our life. I love you....Mrs khalid!"

And he press the send icon. Immediately Reedah received the message, she felt that goosebumps and single tears slip out of her eyes.

Few minute later, she was dragged out of her room to come and snap picture with the groom, which she did forcefully because she was shy and was not comfortable with how people kept starring at them.

Khalid use the opportunity and hug his wife tightly, he wasn't ready to let her go but he just have too. Not knowing the camera man did a good job by snapping the exact moment.

* * *

"Fatima" her father called before he started his advise.

"Naam Abba. "

"Marriage is not a joke, it is not a bed of rose, it has it own flaws. I love you, I love you has come to an end today, all that remain now is patient, Fatima patients, understanding and tolerance. If you can't tolerate your husband then who will? Be careful with your word, your tongue, don't ever made that mistake of insulting your husband, respect him very well for your door key to al-jannah is under his feet, Obey him so that Almighty Allah will be pleased with you. Fatima marriage is an endless journey that only death can terminate, your husband position is now greater than ours your parent, be careful and don't bring shame to us for we train you with a good upbringing. May Allah bless your new home, guild you both, and may he enriched you with beautiful kids that will be the coolness of your eyes." Her father sermon came to an end and fatima couldn't lift her leg again.

Her aunt came forward and forcefully drag her out. Deejah and hafsat both hold her tightly as she keep crying.

They took her to the car and drove her, to her new house. A house she will turn to her new home.

"Deejah we should come and start going before her husband kill us" Hafsat joke.

"I wonder too, we need to give him that space" deejah wink at fatima.

"Please you guys should sleep here today everybody already left and you're the only people I have with me. Please don't leave" Fatima beseech.

"Babe relax and don't be too frightened okay, his now your husband. I know all those advice is the fact and it scared you but believe me, opposite of it is sweet. Marriage is beautiful when you're both in love, when there is peace and understanding you both let go of each other flaws.

"And mind you, no matter what you're doing please don't ever deny him of his right. Men's are weak and so fragile sometimes, don't use that to punish him or blackmail him." Hafsat advised.

"May Allah bless your new home Fatima. So I'm now the only lady not yet married huh?" Deejah asked.

"You better hurry up and do so, let move on to another level" hafsat utter.

"Yes ma'am" And they all laugh.

A knocked was heard from the door and they knew Mubarak was back so they quickly stood up and spray another set of perfume on there friend. " is to night, package yourself well and don't be a boring woman on that bed, be romantic" Hafsat wisper into her ear and follow deejah out.

Mubarak was about to go in leaving all his friend behind when hafsat drag him back by blocking the way. Ya Mubarak you haven't settle us yet to be granted to see your wife." She said.

Mubarak sighed heavily due to tiredness and this again now.

"How much should we settle you ladies with?" Yushraf asked.

"1.5 million should do."

You girls are wicked. See ladies pity us okay, we've spend more than our budget already so we will give 500,000.

"1million should be okay" Hafsat said again. Deejah was only observing, she didn't want to bargain for it will look like she was begging because she didn't have it so she choose to watch them only.

"Okay send me your account number I will transfer 800,000 for you. I hope we try" Yushraf asked.

"Yes you try. Ya mubarak hold on before you kill us" deejah said and went inside and tag fatima alone. making way, they let the couples hug each other and they all video coverage the moment.

The groom friends were the first to go out. Deejah and hafsat tailed behind unknown to fatima.

"Let go and see Reedah before calling it a day" deejah said.

"Yeah is true, we need to go there. Yushraf please drive us to Reedah's house" Hafsat said and enter the back seat even before Yushraf answer.

"Yes ma'am, at your service" he said sarcastically. And deejah laugh at the scene.

He open her side door and close it back as soon as she enter. He went to his side and drove toward khalid new house. Having some chit chat with them.

"walahi I'm tired, I need a serious massage" Yushraf said.

"You should get married and get massage without complaining " Hafsat said.

"You're right hafsat, I really need to get married I'm the only bachelor here and they will soon start downgrading me" he utters jokily.

"Yeah so deejah hurry up let our dear Yushraf get marry" hafsat said and couldn't hold her laughter.

Deejah cheeks turn red and she just stare at the window in other to hide her blush.

"Please tell her to accept me, I can't do without her" Yushraf said immediately they alighted from the car.

"At your service too. Please wait for us we will be out soon" she said and left with deejah.

"Amarya! Deejah exclaim.

Reedah raise her eye brow and smile immediately she saw them. "I'm glad you both came, it means I'm also your friend" she said.

"Of course we are, remember we came even in afternoon " Hafsat said.

"Yeah I know, thank you" She said genuinely.

"Cmon you're part of our click, only deejah will soon be kick out" hafsat said.

"Where is Noor?" Deejah asked.

"She's in the bathroom," Maryam said.

"Already using our bride bathroom?" Deejah asked.

She came out of the bathroom " Yes I couldn't help it, was seriously stain and have to change quickly.

"So fatima is left alone already" Noor asked

"Yes fa, and you guys should also hurry up let leave here too, before they kick us out" Hafsat tease.

"Wallahi kam, the husband need to have his propeprty now" Maryam said.

You guys should stop please" Reedah beseech.

You better get use to the fact that we are leaving now." Noor Said and pack her things together.

After a while of there chit chat, they heard the horn of cars and Maryam peep from the curtain." There here we should start going to the downstairs. " maryam said.

Yeah let go while you remain here and wait for him" Hafsat said. She went back to were Reedah was sitting at the middle of the bed and whisper to her" be good on bed and hold your man tightly don't be a boring lady and explore " She said and wink at her." Be romantic okay" And Reedah nod her head.

Thanks for the tips I will surely use them"Reedah said and hafsat disappear from the room.

At the parking space they all bade each other goodnight and left afterward.

Deejah and hafsat were back to Yushraf car and he was driving them both to deejah house since hafsat decide to spent her night there before returning back to her husband in Abuja.

They alighted from the car and hafsat slide into the house. She choose to give them some privacy for they need to talk before calling it a day. Something seem to be off.

"Are you avoiding me" Yushraf asked, and hold her hand tightly__for she was about to open the car door.

"I'm not avoiding you, I'm just tired from all the stress" She response.

"Uhm that a good excuse, what about during the day and even at the dinner yesterday? Did you even acknowledged my present?" he question feeling hurt.

"I was busy" She said curtly.

"Why? Khadijah, why are you doing this to me? Did I in any way hurt you" He asked desperately.

"You didn't offend me please, I just feel you deserve someone special not me. You will surely hate me more " she said and let go of her hand.

"I will never hate you more, I promise" He said and let her be for he couldn't withstand her tears, it aches his heart and fall him apart.

"Love! What had you made me into?" He question himself when he was left alone in the busy area.

Who could have ever believe he will fall in love so easily and not to anyone else but khadijah? Life is indeed a small world we live in. He couldn't exactly pin point the reason why she don't want to accept him but with Almighty Allah every hardship comes with ease, and he surely know everything shall have it right time. He will surely fight for his right and what he wanted.

He love her but she keep rejecting him, and his feelings grow the more. What should he do? He thought and drove out of the area. Why is she leaving here? Was what keep bothering him. Could life be so hard for her? All this question keep popping into his head and only his Didi has answer to his questions.

~ ~ ~

Her parent already retire back to their room, so she only lock the house and went inside to meet hafsat. She couldn't control her tears again and cried onto her shoulder. "Hafsat what is this feelings? Why I'm I feeling that emptiness? Why can't he just leave me alone, I'm not the right person for him. Yushraf deserve someone better and I'm not, I still feel that guilty of the past every time I saw them. I still couldn't look at Reedah in her eyes I feel ashamed, ya Allah hafsat I still feel guilty.

"Deejah is okay! Cry no more please. The deed as already been done and can't be rewind back, it was your faith which was written to happen and can't be change, be yourself and be normal, the fact that you already apologized and they forgave you and you also have a lot of life tackle throwing itself at your feet why still feel guilty? When you already dealing with a lot?

"You said it yourself that you feel that emptiness in your heart and you don't know the exact feelings you're having then believe me when I said it's love! Deejah you're in love but you don't want to welcome that feelings. You love Yushraf back but you still want to deny it, you want to reject him because of some unknown reason or perhaps you're just insecure about yourself" Hafsat asked.

"Hafsat why are you so good with your word? Why are you making me emotion all over again? Why making me feel like have been selfish? I'm not even a virgin to begin with. I was brutally rape by an unknown human which I'm certain will rot in jail. And I bet no one will like to marry me like this. Heck will he even agree to the fact that I was rape? Won't he just believe something else? Remember I'm not some innocence lady out there, he might just believe I have sex and was not just rape" She said.

"You're getting it all twisted deejah. Firstly it was a rape and not sex, you didn't not just loose your virginity because you wanted to but rather it was forcefully taken out from you. Even the prostitute out there do get married talk more of a rape victim, been rape doesn't mean your life has coming to an end, it doesn't mean everyone will talk bad about you, it is a beginning of your new chapter in life, rape victim are to be protected and not look down on or even feel unwanted. Khadijah trust me even if you tell him today he will still love you the way you her and noting will change, you need to trust that guy and let him into your heart okay. Forget the past and move on Allah is with you on this journey."

"Hafsat thank you so much! I don't know what to do without you, I love you" She said and hug her tightly.

"Only umar is allow to say that" She teased.

"Whatever! You better let me hear word with this your husband" deejah warn and hafsat phone interrupt.

"Awwwn love is sweet, he could surely here his name from his wife lips even when apart" deejah said and stood up making her way to the bathroom.

"You better accept my bro and stop making him suffer abeg" she said, before picking the call.