7— Best friend.

Delta state, Nigeria (Cookie)

"Ouch."

"Sorry, my child."

"It hurts, ouch."

"I know, you just have to endure." Mrs. Oyin advices her, using the warm towel to gently wipe the welts on Cookie's arm. She dipped the towel into the lukewarm bowl of water, squeezed and then wiped. Cookie groaned as she felt the stinging sensation of the impart on her wounded skin.  

"I'm sorry," Her kept repeating the words. 

"Why do you keep saying sorry when you have done nothing wrong?" Cookie asked her mother. The one person who should be saying those words to her were her father but she knew he'd rather die than to ever do that. 

"I couldn't stop him on time. If I had, you won't have so many welts on your body," Mrs. Oyin explained. 

"Even so, you're not the cause of it." Cookie said. 

Silence lingered momentarily until Mrs. Oyin broke it, "I hear few days from now, Musa would come and pay your bride price and would take you home as his wife."

"I won't get married to him." Cookie sounded like she was so sure of it. 

"I hope you don't get me wrong. I also don't want you to get married now cause that isn't my wish for you. I want you to graduate, be independent, be a great woman of influence before you eventually get married. But with the look of things, that might not happen since your father is adamant about the whole thing. I've spoken with him countless times but he has turned deaf ears." 

"I know mother that you're trying your best to convince him so he doesn't sell me off to Musa. If he doesn't want to heed to your advice then let me be. I've known for a very long time that he doesn't like me anyway."

The towel fell from Mrs. Oyin's hand from her daughter's words. Her heart broke into a million pieces and tears welled up in her eyes. 

"I—I," Mrs. Oyin stammered, cleared her throat and spoke again, "I heard Louisa is back from school. Why don't you go to her? I'm sure it's been long you saw your friend."

"Yes ma. I'll go to her immediately you finish this." 

.......

What should I do now? Whom should I ask for help? Would he even listen to anyone who comes to plead on my behalf? What would happen to me? My future, my dreams and all? The answer is I am doomed!

Many thoughts and questions ran through Cookie's worried mind on her way to Louisa's house. She kicked up dust with her flip-flops and subconsciously stopped a couple of times to pluck sunflowers from the green grasses on the road. 

She knew she could confide in her best friend. 

It was about forty minutes walk to Louisa's house. She spotted Louisa with a broom sweeping the large Sandy compound that belonged to Louisa's father. Louisa had a wrapper tied over her chest just a little bit above her breast. 

She stopped sweeping when she saw Cookie and her face lit up into a bright smile.

"Welcome, my friend." she greeted and hugged Cookie. 

"I have so many gist for you. Wilson bought me a gold necklace." she told her friend excitedly.

Wilson was Louisa's boyfriend. They'd been in a relationship for about four months. Even if, Cookie didn't exactly like Wilson, she had to do so for Louisa's sake. 

Louisa's smile fell when she noticed Cookie's mood and unhappy state.

She studied her sad face, "Cookie, what's the matter with you?" She asked, concerned and worry written all over her pretty face. Instead of a reply, fresh tears began to drop from Cookie's tired eyes.

She became slightly alarmed, she held her friend's shoulders with both hands. "Cookie, you don't look well at all. You look like you have been crying for a long time, please tell me is everything alright?" She asked, shaking Cookie lightly to respond.

"Everything's not fine at all." Cookie managed to croak out a reply.

Louisa shook her head and led Cookie to a bench that was outside, they both sat down.

"Tell me what these tears are for." she demanded but instead of a reply, Cookie's tears increased. It was like the more she thought of it, the more the tears left her eyes.

Louisa's eyes began to water too. She hated it so much to see Cookie this way, "Has anyone died in your family?" She asked, her heart beat increased out of fear that her curiosity might be true. 

"No.."

"Is it about your inability to gain admission into the university?"

"No.." Cookie said in between sobs. She really wanted to tell her everything that's why she came to visit in the first place but now she just couldn't bring herself to explain and the tears weren't helping.

Louisa sighed and stood up since her effort to get Cookie to speak were becoming fruitless, "I'll get you some water." she informed. 

With that, she went inside her house leaving Cookie alone to wipe her tears with the back of her palm.

Not long, she came back with a cup of chilled water. Cookie was happy to have some since her throat had gone dry due to all the crying. After Cookie had gulped down some water and was satisfied, Louisa returned the cup and came back to placate her friend. 

Cookie leaned her head on Louisa's shoulder which caused her to wrap her hand around her in a comforting way. She anticipated Cookie to say something while she listened to her numerous sniffing.

Cookie finally found her words, "I'm getting married in few days time."

Shocked and confused at the news, Louisa removed her hands from Cookie's body almost immediately. Cookie looked down but she tilted her head up so she was going to look into her eyes. 

"What are you saying? Have you lost your mind?" She questioned.

Cookie sniffed as she wiped away the tears that still dropped from her eyes.

"It wasn't my choice Louisa. Dad would force me to marry Alahji Musa."

Shock was written all over her face as she exclaimed. It was so hard for her to comprehend, "What? Why?? He can't do that, you are only but eighteen for Christ sake! Some one has to speak with him," she concluded.

"He won't  listen to anyone. Don't you think my mother has tried her best? But he won't listen to her." Cookie informed her. 

"Hmm.. Why does he want to give your hand in marriage to an Alahji? An old one for that matter?" She asked Cookie like she could read her father's thought.

"I must be a burden to him. I think he's been searching for a way to send me out of his house and finally, he is going to do it," Cookie replied, remembering his hurtful words. She swallowed her spittle and closed her eyes so the tears could fall freely. It was painful that her Dad thinks of her as a failure and disappointment.

"So he wants to sell you out?" Louisa asked, shaking her head sideways.

"I think so," Cookie sniffed again.

"So what about your education? What would become of my model?" She askes as the tears left her eyes.

She hugged Cookie before she could say a word. It felt like she needed the hug more than Cookie does but that weren't the real case. 

"I'm a disappointment, I'm useless." Cookie lamented. Louisa patted her back lightly.

"No, don't say things that you are not..."

"My father thinks of me as such." Cookie cuts in. "My father hates me."

She shakes her head sideways. "Your dad loves you," she said but she was uncertain.

"He wants me to marry an Alahji, is that love?" Cookie asked.

"This matter is complicated," Louisa said more to her self than to her friend. 

"All my dreams would be chattered, Louisa I am doomed!"

"Enough of that. In fact, I think you need to eat and rest, you look tired. Have you been starving?" Louisa asked, standing up. Cookie looked at her and noticed that the side of her dress had become wet from her tears but her friend didn't care.

"I will just get you food to eat. it's fried rice and salad." she said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. 

"No, I don't want to eat.." Cookie was saying but she shushed her, with a finger on her lip, indicating that she kept quiet.

"You like it or not, you will eat." with that she left for the kitchen. 

Cookie cleaned her tears with the back of her palm. Some minutes later, Louisa came back with a tray in hand, she placed the plate of fried rice and salad on the bench and ordered her best friend to start eating. 

Cookie picked up the fork and began to eat slowly even if the meal was delicious she didn't really have an appetite. She couldn't even think of stop eating cause Louisa was going to force her to do so anyways. 

Louisa felt satisfied that her friend hadn't rejected her meal, she smiled widely and patted Cookie's shoulder lightly. "Don't worry Cookie baby. Everything will be fine. I'll make my parents talk to your Dad. I'm sure he would change his mind," Louisa assured, giving her friend a sense of hope.