BARAU RESIDENCE.

12:29pm.

Hajiya Laure walked into the mansion with her assistant trailing behind her. She passed people along the way but she didn't pay any heed to them though she knew some of them and she could feel their eyes on her but they weren't the reason she was there. She followed the source of noise and it leads her to the courtyard where all the women were dancing and having the time of their lives.

She looked up looking for a particular person knowing that there's no way with that pride she was will she be among the women dancing in the courtyard like that. Her assumptions were confirmed when her gaze fell on her and her lips stretch into a smirk.

She found the staircase and climbed up making her way towards Hajiya Aisha Hameedah. She didn't stop till she reached where she stood and at the same time Hajiya Aisha Hameedah looked up and her gaze fell on Laure.

Her breath hitched as they made eye contact. She turned her head and said something to her minions whom without a word left them. Hajiya Laure turned to her assistant and told her to give them space and the woman did just that leaving just the two of them there.

Laure walked closer to Hajiya Aisha Hameedah and only stopped when she stood next to her. She turned her head and looked at the crowd that Aisha had her eyes stuck to knowing of her presence.

"What are you doing here?" Hajiya Aisha Hameedah asked still not looking away from the people dancing.

"What everyone else is doing-celebrate of course. Though I wonder where my invite went because I sure didn't get it" she feigned hurt making Aisha Hameedah roll her eyes slightly.

"That's because there was never one sent" She replied curtly.

"So I noticed"

Silence followed afterwards as both of them didn't say anything though there were a lot to say.

"History is repeating itself" Hajiya Laure said after a while making Hajiya Aisha Hameedah look at her instantly.

"Don't you ever say that. You have no right to say that!"

Laure hummed, "Actually I do have all the rights to say that" she turned so now she and Aisha were facing each other, "I have to admit though I was really surprised when I heard you were letting your daughter marry a Bulama after everything that happened"

Hajiya Aisha Hameedah looked away not wanting to keep looking at Laure.

"See" Laure said as if Aisha's silence proved her point, "History is repeating itself. You can never stop her if she wants to marry a Bulama though I don't blame her; the family is quite eye catching"

Hajiya Aisha Hameedah gulped silently, "Is this what you came here to do? Rant unnecessarily?"

Laure shook her head, "No" she stood straight, "I wanted to hear directly from you why the hell you let your daughter marry Ammar"

"She was adamant! Ada and her father were both backing her up there was nothing I could do" Hajiya Aisha Hameedah half yelled but only low enough for she and Laure to hear.

Hajiya Laure scoffed, "Do you know what this stupid decision of yours caused me?" she asked in a low tone as if warning Aisha not to try her that instant.

"How is that any of my faults? If anything you caused this!" Hajiya Aisha Hameedah muttered harshly instead of trying to subdue the almost fuming Laure.

Hajiya Laure backed away and nodded her head slowly still maintaining eye contact with Hajiya Aisha Hameedah, "Well everything that will happen is none of my fault. Remember this, you caused this on yourself" Hajiya Laure flashed her one last look before she turned on her heels and walked away disappearing in the crowd.

Hajiya Aisha knew what Laure will do is of no good and she knew she should stop her. But the part of her that didn't want the wedding to commence from the very beginning thought of letting her do whatever it is she wanted to. At least she wouldn't be blamed for any mischief that will happen and she gets what she wants. It's a win-win.

Little did she know, that was the biggest mistake she could've ever made.

At the flat where the bride stayed, two people tip toed into the flat when they were sure that no one was going to sight them. The two made their way to her room and rummaged through her drawers by the vanity table.

The first one found a stack of jewelries stocked there and she didn't waste a second before she packed it all up and pushed it inside the small Ghana must go she and her friend brought. She saw a can of Mortein insecticide on the vanity table and picked it up, "Kinga wani abu" she showed her friend who took it out of her hand. (See something)

The girl examined it, "Keh turare ne fa" she exclaimed with a wide grin on her face. (Hey it's a perfume!)

"Haba dai!" the first girl exclaimed, "Ban in fesa" she snatched it out of the girl's hand and sprayed it on herself anyhow as if she'll bath in it. (Are you serious?...Give me let me spray it)

The second girl took it out of the first girl's hold and sprayed it on herself anyhow grinning that she had put on an expensive perfume.

The other found Aydah's makeup kit and she didn't think twice before she picked up the whole thing and put it inside the Ghana must go. Her gaze fell on a clutch that lay on Aydah's bed-Maryam's clutch to be precise and she smiled ear to ear before walking towards the bag. She opened it up and her eyes widened at the sight of one two hundred naira bundle note. She licked her lips as she laughed lightly, "Oh ni Uwani shegiya" she said praising herself.

She turned her head to show her partner what she got only to see her friend trying to remove the flat screen TV. She pace palmed herself, "Indo ke jaka ce?" (Indo are you stupid?)

The girl, Indo, turned and glared at Uwani, "Uwani talabijin ce fa" (Uwani It's a TV)

Uwani hissed, "Does this look like talabijin to you? Batada qeya fa. Wannan hay see(AC) ce" Uwani said stuffing the bundle of money in the Ghana must go. (this is an AC)

Indo gasped, "Au haba" (Oh really?)

"Wallahi" Uwani slapped her two hands together, "Na gan irinta a gidan malam Jatau" (I've seen something like it in Malam Jatau's house)

Uwani looked around the room looking for something else to steal when her gaze fell on a laptop on the chaise lounge connected to a power outlet. Her brows scrunched up as she made her way towards the laptop. She stared at it with curiously when her gaze fell on the charger connected to the laptop. She pulled out the charger and her face lit up with happiness, "Indo kikalli baqar alawa!" she exclaimed jumping up and down. (Indo see it's a black lollipop)

Indo whom is now trying to steal a lantern looked up. "Haba? Da dadi?" (Really? Is it sweet?)

"Bazan ji" (Let me taste) Uwani said licking her lips as brought the tip of the connected charger to her mouth to taste. The next thing that followed is her echoing scream as her body shook like an electrocuted cartoon character.

Indo quickly ran over to help her but she just kept on jumping shouting at Uwani to let go of the charger.

It might be the effect of the shock, or maybe stupidity or it might just be both but Uwani didn't let go of it until indo slapped it out of her hand.

"Uwani da dadi?" Indo asked her thinking that that's why Uwani was screaming. (Uwani is it sweet?)

"Baba..." was the only thing Uwani was able to say as tears stream down her pale face.

That was when Indo realized that Uwani was in pain, "Sannu Uwani"

"Baba..."

"Do you want to drink water?"

"Baba..."

"Zamu dauki wani abune?" (Will we carry another thing?) Indo asked looking around before settling her gaze on Uwani.

Despite her trembling body, Uwani managed to glare at Indo, "Uban...ki...Baba..." she sobbed, her tongue stuck out like that of a dog.

"Yi haquri, mu tahi" Indo said helping Uwani up (Sorry let's go). She helped Uwani with one hand and held their Ghana must go with the other hand as they sneaked out of the flat with Uwani still sobbing on the way.

~*~

BULAMA RESIDENCE.

12:57pm.

Ammar walked out of his walk in closet after thirty minutes of shower and many more minutes of dressing up again. He took more than ten minutes to bath in colognes, figuratively though but still-the amount of perfume he had put on will be sufficient for one for a week.

By the time he stepped out, he was not only oozing with a delightful scent but rather with stainless, creaseless, and voguish white outfit similar to the one he wore for the nikah but the embroidery was different.

The trio; Fahad, JD and Anwar sat on different couches in the living room waiting for him to come out. They have all agreed to not tease him about what happened for now when he told them that's the only way he'll forgive them for what they've done.

"Guy but how can someone steal his shoes on his wedding day?" He heard Anwar say whilst laughing just as he stepped foot inside the living room.

JD was about to reply when his gaze fell on Ammar so he cleared his throat and looked down. Fahad saw him too so he bit his lip to hide his smile. Anwar had his back facing Anwar so he didn't see him and so he continued talking. "And then the groom came to his own wedding on a bicycle! Mad! That was freaking hilarious" he added laughing so hard he clutched his stomach.

Ammar walked towards him and stood behind him with his hands folded over his torso and his lips set into a straight line.

Anwar who's still unaware of his brother's presence behind him continued, "Dude, I even snapped some pictures of him paddling towards us. I was thinking of sending it to Aydah" he laughed pulling out his phone from his pocket to show the duo.

JD cleared his throat a little louder than necessary as a heads up to Anwar whom still didn't get the sign.

"See fa!" Anwar turned his phone to show the two guys the pictures.

JD wanted to laugh so badly that he bit his lip hard to hold it in while Fahad just covered his mouth with his hand as he close his eyes shut to contain his laughter.

The next thing that resonated was the sound of Ammar's palm connecting with Anwar's neck nape loudly creating the 'pat!' sound.

Anwar stood up immediately so fast that he ended up tripling and falling on the carpet. He looked up whilst holding his neck nape that now stings thanks to Ammar's slap making the two other guys laugh.

Ammar glared at him and hissed leaning down to pick up Anwar's phone that fell on the couch. He glanced at the picture and didn't think twice before he deleted it and the two other pictures that Anwar snapped. He threw the phone at his brother when he was done.

"Come on man why do you have to be a buzz kill?" Anwar sulked sitting back on the couch whilst still rubbing his stinging neck.

"If you say one more word I'll remove your teeth" Ammar threatened glaring at his brother.

"Well at least you didn't see these pictures" he heard Anwar mutter.

"Which pictures?" he turned narrowing his eyes at his brother.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Anwar decided to play dumb.

"Anwar I'm not joking, which pictures?"

"None! You've deleted them all!"

"Anwar..." Ammar grumbled under his breath as he approached his brother and tried to snatch the phone out of his hands but Anwar was quick enough to toss it to Fahad.

Ammar turned to Fahad, "Fahd, give me the phone" he said lowly.

"Let me think about that" Fahad pretended to think, "No I won't" he shook his head hiding the phone away.

"Fahad..."

"Ammar..."

"Give me the phone" Ammar said reaching out his hand for Fahad to put it on it for him.

"No I won't"

Ammar tried to take it from Fahad but the guy just tossed it back to Anwar whom once he had it in his grip, he ran out of the living room like a thief. He glared at Fahad whom raised his hand in surrender.

JD stood up and patted Ammar's shoulder, "Come on angry bird, let's go and pray then you can continue your fight"

Ammar grumbled something under his breath but nevertheless agreed with JD as the three men headed outside to pray.

~*~

BARAU RESIDENCE.

1:31pm.

Siddiqah Aydah had just prayed and folded her prayer mat when a knock came on the door of her room. Her brow's creased thinking of whom it could be, for all she knew the only people that will come in is her friends and they don't have to knock before coming in.

"Come in" she said nevertheless.

She turned and walked towards the chaise lounge and placed the prayer mat on it as the person walked in. She turned to see who the person is and her lips curved into a wide smile when she saw who the person is.

"Anty Laure!" she exclaimed walking towards her aunt and quickly embraced her in hug once she was within arm's length.

Hajiya Laure grinned and hugged her niece back. Yes, niece. Hajiya Laure happens to Hajiya Aisha's elder sister; same mother, same father.

"I thought you weren't going to come" Aydah muttered once she pulled back from the hug.

"Well your mother didn't want me to attend considering my invite never got to me" Laure said not bothering to hide the anger and annoyance in her tone. Aydah had to look up to look at her aunt's face and when she did, Laure's eyes were on her but her anger wasn't directed to her.

"Aunt..."

"Don't worry about it!" Laure cut her off with a smile on her face, "Today is your day. So happy wedding day" she squeezed Aydah's shoulder slightly.

Aydah grinned, "Thank you Aunty"

Laure smiled in return but it slowly turned into a slight frown, "Though if you don't mind me asking, how did you end up marrying a Bulama after all the history between..." she trailed off her lips set into a straight line.

"Aunt!" Aydah exclaimed almost quickly, her tone displaying disbelief as if she couldn't believe Laure brought that up to her, "It's not going to be like that, Ammar and I will never end up like that"

"Yeah I know" Laure said trying to feign optimism but she failed as her voice became low when her next words escaped her lips, "I thought he's going out with that friend of yours"

"Huh?" Aydah looked genuinely taken aback, she wasn't expecting Laure to say something like that out of the blue. "What friend?"

"Oh" Laure's eyes widened, "I must be wrong. Don't worry about it. I must be mistaken..." she rambled shaking her head to dismiss the topic even though deep down she wanted to escalate the whole thing.

Siddiqah Aydah's curiosity didn't let her drop the topic. Instead, she wanted to explore it more, "Aunty what is it you know?" she asked.

Hajiya Laure glanced at her as if contemplating on telling her but decided against it, "Don't worry about it, it's nothing"

Aydah shook her head out of frustration, "Anty please! If I'm going to be married I need to start with no secret between us so please just tell me" she pleaded, her voice becoming lower at the end.

Laure hesitated as she looked at Aydah as if unsure of what she's about to do.

Aydah saw the hesitation in her; "Please..." her voice came out low.

Laure sighed and brought out her phone, she swiped once, then twice, then again for the third time before she looked up and looked at Aydah who's watching her with curious eyes. "Promise me you'll not overreact" she said making Aydah stare at her for a while before she nodded hesitantly.

She slowly handed out her phone to Aydah.

Aydah took the phone from her and blinked her eyes rested on the picture on display. Her brows scrunch down when she saw Ammar clearly in the picture-that she was certain of. She gasped as her eyes widened. But Ammar being in the picture wasn't what shocked her; it was the person that was hugging him. She couldn't make out his facial expression but she could make out the other person's face clearly.

She didn't know when her fingers felt numb and the phone slipped out of her hand.

No it can't be...

She can't do this to me. Aydah thought in her head.

The person is none other than.....

Maryam.

~*~

2/10/2020.

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Love, Jannah.