Chapter One

12th June 2015

Kano state, Nigeria.

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Amirah felt like she was going to faint, her head was throbbing and her eyesight blurry, all she wanted to do was lie down immediately, the thought of the huge mattress in her mother's bedroom was what kept her going.

"Ya Amirah, Hajiya said you should come outside immediately, the hairstylist has been waiting."

Her immediate younger sister, Zarah said blocking her way and as if on cue she heard her mother's voice from the mini parlor,

"Amirah how long do you want to keep the hairstylist waiting before deciding to grace her with your presence?"

Amirah closed her eyes taking in deep breaths to help her from snapping at her family and cancelling this whole wedding nonsense. In two days, she was to get married to Muhammad, they'd met during her final days of NYSC at the ministry of works where she'd served, and seven months later, they were ready to spend the rest of their lives with each other, or maybe Amirah was a little unsure and not fully ready.

She felt seven months was too short for them but she had gotten no say, she had been arguing with Muhammad on the phone about his incessant need to come see her father and talk marriage, unknown to her, Fareedah her younger sister had overheard the conversation and being the gossiper that she was, she'd gone and told their mother who in turn had told their father and seven months later she was stuck in a wedding where she wasn't even feeling like a bride. All she wanted to do was lie down and sleep for 12 straight hours because that was how much this whole unnecessary event exhausted her down to her bone marrow.

At twenty three, Amirah had a lot to live for and even more to look forward to, starting a family now isn't how she envisioned her new freedom from the walls of a higher institution to be like but Baba was strict. He ruled his household fiercely, at sixty-two with two wives and nine children, Alhaji Aliyu Balarabe exuded the aura of power wherever he went, being a former millitary general, such is to be expected.

He was still a powerful figure in the country and as such, hosted politicians that regularly come to him for advice, his first wife Hajiya Lolo had five kids; Adnan, Hamidah, Amirah, Zarah and Fareedah.

His second wife, Aunty amarya had three; Lawal, Samir and Khadijah.

The last born of the house was from the third wife who died while birthing Na'eemah.

Amirah's father could be considered rich having the biggest house in Tudun wada local goverment area of Kano, he was feared by all his children.

"Hajiya can't I rest for a little while? The hair stylist can just come back tomorrow." Amirah said as soon as she met with her mother in the mini parlour which was full with her mother's friends and associates, the women were talking and laughing amongst their selves over a tray of masa and bottles of chilled kunun aya. Her father was also hosting his friends in the main parlor as they talked politics.

Before her mother could reply, a friend of her mother, mama Umaimah did, "All these young girls, you behave exactly the same when it comes to your wedding. This was exactly how Aisha was acting when she was getting married, even worse for at one point she stuck her foot down and said she wasn't interested anymore but look at her now, flying abroad vacationing twice a month with her husband."

Amirah sighed, Aisha had gotten married to an ex governor's son two months ago and her mother never ceased to use any opportunity to boast about how lavish her daughter was living and it was making everyone's ear bleed.

"Oho! this one's own is not even about not getting married, she just wants to sleep for a very long time." Just as soon as she said that, Hajiya Lolo turned with an admonishing glare at one of her friends shrewdingly putting two bottles of kunun aya into her big bag, "Aah toh mama Rashida, may Allah heal you from this act of kwadayi- greediness, you should just go to my bedroom and pack the whole of the kayan lefe -things gifted to a bride by her groom that Muhammad brought for her, it's in my wardrobe."

Everyone laughed and Amirah pitied the embarrassed look she saw on Mama Rashida's face, that was low, even for her mother but she wasn't surprised, that was how Hajiya was.

"You can have the time to sleep all you want, that is if you want to come back home to meet your parents, women are everywhere now and divorce isn't hard for men these days you know." Aunty Samira, another of her mother's friends said but no one laughed for the hard look Hajiya sent her way.

"So I invited you here to join me in celebrating this joy in my heart and you are here wishing my daughter will get divorced, ba komai- no problem, now I know what's truly in your heart, please leave my house."

Amirah watched as aunty Samira left the house without a word, just as Alhaji Aliyu exuded power and command among his friends, his first wife did exactly the same with her peers.

"Toh you'll keep standing here staring at me or you'll go outside so she can start the long process of making this bird nest of yours look presentable."

~~~~

"I really can't believe my little Mira is getting married, I remember when..."

"Please don't start that one with me this night Khadijah, I no get energy."

Khadijah was her favorite sister and also her best friend, they were just two months apart and that alone made them very close for they've been together all their lives, they even had similar features, both tall with Khadijah being dark and Amirah fair, both slim with pointed nose, the girls turned more than a few heads whenever they entered a room.

"Alright ya Adnan's sister." She winked and continued, "tell me what's wrong? I thought strong, fierce women like you don't get wedding jitters."

"It's not wedding jitters anything, I just want to sleep but that Muhammad said he wants to talk to me this night so now I have to wait for his call." Amirah said with a roll of eyes.

"Ke! Is it my future brother in-law you are addressing as that Muhammad? Such disrespect!" Khadijah huffed.

"Wallahi Khadijah I am really tired, why must everything be grand in this family? I would've been perfectly okay with a small wedding in the masjid in front of the house, but no! everything must be big big, people must come from all over, if it was a small event now, I wouldn't be this stressed and I'd have enough rest."

"Laaa... you are just too lazy for this life, I wonder how ya Muhammad would cope with you, that one doesn't know what he's just signed up for."

"That one is blinded by his supposed love." Amirah sneered.

"But honestly, Muhammad really loves you. Are you sure you are ready to do this knowing you don't feel as strongly as he does for you?"

"What does it matter? Love is just an illusion Dee, it's a word people use to describe the feeling of lust they have towards another person." She shrugged nonchalantly.

Khadijah was about to object and dive into a long sermon about love when the door to Amirah's room opened and Na'eemah ran in and jumped on the bed hugging Amirah before giving Khadijah a peck. Na'eemah was ten years old, five years younger than her immediate elder sister- Fareedah.

"Baby of the house, how was your outing and where is that big head ya Samir? Hope he bought me the fried meat?" Amirah asked as she stood up and went out her door followed by Na'eemah and Khadijah, tuning out on the chatters of Na'eemah about how their outing had gone, she entered ya Samir's room.

"I knew you'd be the only one to enter my room without knocking, one day you'll see what isn't meant for your eyes." Samir warned.

"What haven't we seen before?" Khadeejah asked entering the room, "Remember when you used to run around this house naked as the day you were born."

Samir turned red in embarrassment, "for Allah's sake it's been thirteen years and I was down with chicken pox, you witches should just take the fried meat and leave my room. I have work to do." He said dismissively as he headed to his bathroom. Na'eema giggled and picked up the packaged fried meat from the top of his mini fridge and they all went out.