The large compound of Malam Kabir was fully filled with people. All moving in different directions in preparation for their first daughter/granddaughter's baiko (engagement).
It was the first wedding in the family after five years. The excitement and colloquy between the people was evident.
Deep inside the large household was a room filled with ladies from ages 20 to above, all cheering the said bride with a sneer on her face as she ducked her head. The feeling in the pit of her stomach, unexplainable.
The D-day was finally here.
"The day of her engagement"
The day she would finally be tagged as 'Abubakar's fiancee'. And in three months time; she would be 'Mrs Abubakar'. That feeling; was a sight to behold.
She couldn't describe her feelings that very moment. She was happy. No scratch that, her face was full of a vanilla smile.
It had always been a dream of hers. It had always been a fantasy, and to finally see that dream and fantasy coming true was just surreal.
Her phone which was beside her suddenly rang and all eyes turned to her.
"It's not who I'm thinking, is it?" Samira Bashir, Zeenah's favored companion asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Don't start it please babe" Zeenah pleaded as her phone kept ringing.
"Uh-huh!" Hauweey started as she rolled her eyes "pick up the call babe before he gets here when he's not ready to."
Zeenah smiled and ignored them completely before standing up and walking into the bathroom, looking back to make sure no one was following her. She shut the wooden door and then dialed his number because the call has ended.
"You know, sometimes I get scared when you don't pick my call. Feels like you're going to call off the wedding anytime soon" he said in a blurry tone.
Zeenah smiled and leaned against the sink behind her.
"That won't happen anytime soon. Remember, you and I are bonded for life till eternity Sugarplum."
Abubakar closed his eyes, letting Zeenah's small, soft, and slutty like voice get buried deep beneath his heart.
Finally, the struggle he had been striving for will come to an end either today or tomorrow.
"I love you" he whispered slowly, "I love you so much that it hurts sometimes."
"I love you more. You know I do, and I'll keep telling you that till the end of time Bi'iznillah."
He inhaled deeply and imagined Zeenah's large doe eyes staring at him and his heart lurched so hard in his chest. Zeenah is the best he had ever had. And today, he'll finally make her his - completely. In every way possible.
"I'll come over after Isha prayers In shaa Allah, there's something we need to talk about."
"Okay. Allah ya kaimu. I can't wait to see that handsome face of yours."
'You won't just see it, you're going to do much more than just stare at it babe. Trust me' Abubakar thought as a wide smile spread across his lips.
"I can't wait too. Take care okay? And please wear something red sweetie."
"Sure. Take care mmhmn? I love you."
"I love you more."
And the call ended, with a goofy smile on both faces.
Love is truly beautiful.
Three hours later . . .
"Kawas, kinyi goshi fa!" Samira exclaimed happily "just look at all those cartons and suitcases. My dear, they are just for engagement ooo. Tab! Wannan lefe kuma se ya?"
"I tell you!" Hauweey chirped in "you remember that song we planned to sing for one another when one of us would be into matrimony?" She asked, directing the question to Samira.
"Sure I do babe. Want to sing it?" Samira asked, smiling evilly.
"Sure babe!"
One day will be your wedding day,
Mr Habu will be your husband,
Khadija will be your flower girl,
And Hauweey will take you home!
They all burst into fits of laughter as they hugged each other tightly. These three friends have been friends right from secondary school days.
Zeenah is the oldest of four siblings - Khadija, Sadiq and Ahmad. She is a graduate of polytechnic kaduna where she studied business administration and had her first diploma.
Malam Kabir is a well known scholar and also the chief Imam of the mosque in their area. His wife; Inna Asiya, a complete housewife. They hail from katsina state but based in kaduna.
Zeenah and Abubakar have been dating for three years. They met at a wedding and it was love at first sight.
"I love you all. You are more than just friends to me girls, we are soul sisters." Zeenah said as she sniffed "I wish we are all getting married at the same time".
"We'll all get married when the time comes. We'll start with you and before you know it, ours will come."
"Amiin."
"We'll get going now. Its almost maghrib."
"Sure babes. Thank you so much for coming. Take care and regards to everyone."
She glanced at her golden chain watch and saw that it was almost eight thirty. Wondering why Abubakar was not here already.
She checked the mirror one last time and adjusted the small veil she was wearing, mashed some more red lipstick and sprayed more perfume.
She hissed and checked the time again, this time her phone suddenly buzzed with a message.
"I'm outside babe. Hope you're wearing something red"
She chuckled and stood up without replying before looking down at her A-shaped gown which was so tight upwards and fluffy downwards. Zeenah is the type ladies tag as 'figure 8 babes', which was why the gown hugged all the right curves.
Abubakar is in for deep shit!
She peeped into her mother's room and saw her praying.
"I'll be outside with Abubakar, Inna" she said and quickly left before her Mom could reprimand her for putting on too much perfume and using a small veil.
Sadeeq and Ahmad were yet to be back from Masjid, so she left without going with any of them as she always did.
Though, after going out she gives one of her brothers either 20 or 50 naira and the boy will go off without joining both spouses in the car.
She cat walked slowly to the car, swaying her hips from side to side with a wide smile on her face. She's so happy and Abubakar ought to see it.
She opened the front door and hopped into the car. Turning slowly, she let her eyes scan the chocolate skinned guy, with a full grown beard and side burns which was dyed brown, he was dressed in a sky blue getzner and a Borno made cap, with a sneer on his face, he looked just the way any lady could love. "Handsome."
"You look amazing, and I love your perfume" came his husky voice.
"You don't look bad yourself Sugarplum. Good evening."
"Evening sweetie, how are you?"
"I'm fine, and I've never been happy like I am today. I'll now be tagged as your fiancée not just your girlfriend."
"Yes, and I intend to make use of that title wholeheartedly" he said slowly as he took one of her hands in his.
The spark they felt was real. This was the first time Abubakar has ever tried being intimate with her physically, and they both can't point out what the new feeling they were witnessing means. Its so new and the best they've felt so far.
"W...wh..what are you...do...doing?" Zeenah stuttered trying so hard to calm her beating chest. What is this new weird feeling? She wondered.
"Zeenah" he began and right then, Zeenah knew that whatever it was he was about to say was serious "yau anyi mana baiko koh?"
Zeenah only nodded not being able to find her voice because one of his fingers was drawing small circles in her palm. The sensation, heart warming.
"And this engagement of ours is just like us getting married."
"Wha...."
"Shhh.." He cut her off, let me finish what I'm saying okay?"
She nodded,
"I wouldn't have let this engagement happen if I'm really not going to marry you. I also wouldn't have wasted three years of my life courting you. All these are signs showing I'm so serious about marrying you right?" And he kissed her hand.
Zeenah nodded again, though this time appalled.
"Then I see no reason why we can't act like married couples and exercise our marital rights on each other. We're just starting early before people really witness it, but deep down, I feel like we are already married babe. What do you think?"
Zeenah was shocked and so lost in thoughts. Is this her Abubakar or is it someone new? Those words sounded like bedtime stories.
"You and I both know this is wrong on so many levels. What has really gotten into you?" She asked politely withdrawing her hands from his.
"Wrong? How can it be wrong when it's just three months to our marriage? Am I some kind of joke to you?" he asked angrily.
"No," Zeenah began "that's not what I mean. Its just that...."
"Just what? You don't trust me? You think I won't marry you after it? Is that how low you think of me? Look Zeenatu, let me make something clear to you. An riga an mana baiko; you're just like my wife already. Why then should we wait for three more months before consummating our love? We've been together for three years and you still can't trust me? Really?"
"Suga...."
"Get out of my car before I lose my senses. Only call me when you realize how serious this is and when you've changed your mind."
"Abu...."
"Out please!" He yelled and Zeenah has no option than to do what she was told.
"Zeenah; was nonplussed.
What should she really do? At this point, "love and affection built for three years was about to be over in three minutes. . ."
Zeenah; In a restless motion. With her hair unkempt like a bag of millet. Tossing around from edge to edge of her bed. She still couldn't bring herself to believe what Abubakar was asking of her.Jolly-good! They've been together for three years and he had never tried to even hold her hand. Why was he now asking for something worst than he had ever asked for? Is that the Abubakar she fell in love with?She wiped the lone tear that escaped her eyes and looked at her phone which was beside. He didn't even call, nor did he text her like he always did. Could he be this angry?It was written all over her frustrated figure, "She miss him."Mustering some courage, Zeenah decided to call him and pretend like everything is okay. That should work right? She thought.The phone rang and rang for a while before it ended without the call being picked up. She tried again and again but all her calls still
There is a theory that nothing in nature is ever lost__that every sound ever made, every word ever spoken, still exist somewhere in space and time and may one day be recalled.So, probably, someday what she did will surely be known, and she'll suffer the consequences of her action.She shouldn't have agreed to it. Khadija warned her against doing it. She knew it was wrong__yet, she agreed to it. Why? Because she can't loose him because of something that simple.He's going to marry her right? So why deny him what he'll eventually get?But yet, she couldn't bring herself to shake of the feeling of guilt.She looked out of her dark window and shiver at the thought of her father getting to know what she did. She'll probably be a dead meat by then.What she did was a mistake she won't repeat.She wiped the lone tear that escaped her eyes and looked away. She ha
Zeenah shut the door behind her, pushed her aching shoulders impossibly straighter and let the sound of voices guide her to her room. Her heart slammed against her sternum as she passed through the doorway. Conversation skidded to a halt. Expectant eyes turned toward her.Now what? The last thing she wanted was sympathy.Forcing an unconcerned expression to her face, Zeenah sat on her bed, dragged one of the suitcases in front of her and started looking through.Within minutes, the room emptied and she was left alone with Samirah, who registered her a seething look which she never noticed.She winced and shifted uncomfortably before forcing her gaze towards the window."Don't go through this without cleansing yourself Zeenah. Don't do it, its not possible." Samirah said in a cautionary tone.She let the tears she had been holding back rush down her cheeks. Her shoulders sh
The feeling is there, that awful feeling that she's doing the wrong thing all over again. It had been nagging her for three days now and it's already too late to stop what was happening.She was now officially Mrs Abubakar.Zeenat Kabir Abubakar Abukur.The refusal of Samira to attend the wedding had painted a grief in Zeenah’s psyche, According to her, the wedding is null and void until they cleanse their selves. Deep down, Zeenah knew she was right one way or the other, but she still couldn't bring herself to accept what they did was wrong and ought to cleanse themselves before marriage.Well, whatever the case maybe___the deed had already been done.The soft tap on the door brou
She opened her eyes slowly but quickly shot them back. She tried opening them for the second time and slowly adjusted to the white roof above her. Where was she? She wondered as she looked around and saw that the walls were also painted white.She tried turning to her right side but felt a sharp pain pierce through her throat. It hurts a lot she thought."You're awake, Ya Allah. Thank you for waking up, you scared me Zeenatu. I'm so sorry okay? I won't do it again__I promise."That was when she felt the warmness of another hand in hers. She felt the hand being squeezed and kissed slowly. What happened? She thought again."I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have done it, I know I shouldn't have let my anger cloud my sense of judgement. But please forgive me, I promise not to repeat it again."That was when everything crashed back to her memory. The slaps. The chocking. And the beating with the b
It wasn't as though,he had ever had the intention of beating his wife. It was not a dream and definitely not the best thing he had ever done. He's sure there's more to what he did than what was let out.The feeling of remorse flowed through his veins like some blood he survives on. He feels pathetic for ever raising his hands at her. But then, what will take away the thought of her having the baby that isn't really his?He inhaled deeply, his right hand over his face, as his right leg was sprawled on the floor in his bedroom, while his left foot was crossed over. He had been sitting in the same position for the past two hours ever since he had left the hospital with Khadija.He knew she was still preparing the food she was asked to, but he still couldn't bring himself to forget her expression when she saw the mess and dried blood trailing in the living room. What was she thinking? That couldn’t be brought to hi
A fraction of what was happening these days felt so unreal to her. She had always known that her Abubakar was romantic, but not as he had been these past few days.Guilty conscious, perhaps?Probably.He might have really changed like he had been saying for the past few weeks. Her Abubakar is finally back and more of an upgrade. Zeenah thought happily as she prepared his breakfast. But as soon as she cracked an egg, she felt nauseous and had to run to the nearest toilet and threw up.When will this morning sickness ever end, she wondered sadly as she leaned her back against the sink trying to catch up her breath."Thought I made it clear that I don't like you stressing yourself with your condition?" She heard his voice behind her."I was just preparing your breakfast.""You shouldn't have bothered" Abubakar replied as he helped her back to the living
The baby is gone' was the thought that crossed Zeenah's mind as soon as she opened her eyes, surveying her surrounding, she realized she was in a hospital, AGAIN.This was the second time she had been admitted to a hospital ever since she had gotten married months back. Was it a coincidence? Or was something certainly wrong with their marriage?''Kin tashi?'' (Are you awake?), she heard his voice whisper ''I thought I was going to lose you.'' Abubakar added as he moved close to her, taking her right hand which was free of drip in his and squeezing it so tight. His heart jerked at the feel of her cold hands in his.Zeenah looked up at him with her doe brown eyes and noted the dark circles around his eyes. Oh, how she loves this man as much as he loves her.''What happened?'' She managed to ask softly, her voice so soft that he had to strain his ears more to get what she was trying to say.A