Hello my lovliesss. How are you all doing? I hope this chapter meets you well, it's one of the longest I've written in a long while.

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It began to rain just as Nadia stepped out of the bathroom of her father's house. She slumped on the bed of her room in her towel and growled from her teeth in frustrated anger. The day was supposed to be a good one, she had happily anticipated it, but it was turning out to be horrible.

A knock sounded at the door, she hissed lowly before walking to turn the knob. She knew from the soft knock who it was, she opened the door to their house staff that had been with them all Nadia's adult life.

She mustered a fake smile and bent over on her return to her bed. She laid down on the bed, on a corner of it, thanking Allah she tied a black towel, it would have been hard to expand blood stains on a white towel.

"Go and dress, so you can eat." Nadia didn't respond to Aunty Shukky. It was short for Shukroh, she was an igala woman that was about ten years older than Nadia. It was Nadia who coined that nickname and it had stuck ever since.

"I'm not hungry. I just want to die." Tears pricked Nadia's eyes and the face she raised to respond to Aunty Shukky was contorted in pain.

"Subhanallah. You'll not die, get up and eat, say positive things to yourself please. I've brought you a hot water bottle to place on your stomach." Nadia let her the tears that pricked her eyes fall, they edged their way to Nadia's arms.

Nadia slowly raised herself up and wiped her eyes. Aunty Shukky placed the tray she was holding on a part of the bed and helped Nadia up. Nadia groaned in pain as she stood upright, the pain nearly blinded her.

"Sorry dear. Should I find you a dress?" Nadia nodded. Then she walked to the bathroom wore the thickest layered pad she could find before sinking into the covers of her bed.

She just wanted that hot water bottle, soon after she was in bed, Aunty Shukky placed the hot water bottle on her lower belly wrapped it close to Nadia before moving the tray of steaming suya spaghetti Nadia had begged her to make the previous night.

Once she took a few forkfuls, she got tired, tears of disappointment at herself sprang to her eyes again. It had to be today of all days when her engagement would be held that she had to begin her period. She had always, always known pain with her period, perhaps it was what spurred her into studying nursing. But with all of her professional knowledge, nothing prepared her for the pain that came with her period.

She picked up.the pain killer satchet she'd used the previous night and popped two pills, pushing them down with a gulp of warm water, the acrid taste of the painkiller forced her to feed herself another forkful of spaghetti.

She pushed the plate aside just as Sarah and UmmulKhair walked into the room like they owned it. They'd all taken the same flights from Abuja to Kano two days before, they had both shared Nadia's room with her.

"How do you feel now?" UmmulKhair asked softly, coming to seat on the bed with Nadia. Nadia looked at her with tired eyes and rolled her eyes tiredly.

"May Allah grant you Shifa. You have attacked it from all sides, you'll soon feel relief." Sarah said with certainty. She motioned at the half eaten plate of pasta with her mouth, asking of she could eat it.

"You're always eating eating. You can't even wait for her to say she's no longer eating. For food only." Sarah stuck out her tongue as though UmmulKhair had not just insulted her.

"I'm a growing child. I need the food." Nadia looked around sleepily, Aunty Shukky had left in the wind of Sarah and UmmulKhair's arrival.

About an hour later, Nadia was shaken awake by her mom. Nadia cleared her throat, the hot water bottle Aunty Shukky had strapped to her had gone cold so she would have woken by herself a few minutes after.

"They'll soon be here. Sarah just told me they just left their house in GRA, you know it's only twenty minutes to this place." Nadia nodded and got up to open her wardrobe. An unusual color combination of lemon green and brown atampa, sewn into a skirt and blouse was waiting, ironed in Nadia's nearly empty wardrobe.

She pulled out the outfit and laid it on her bed. The atampa had the lemon green background and brown unending circles on it. She paired it with a muted green veil and brown mules.

"Nadia. Do you really want to do this?" Nadia turned sharply to her mother with the most energy she felt. She pulled her anger back, then she asked her mother, "Mummy? Where's all that coming from? Would I ask him to come here so I can embarrass him?"

Nadia's mother pursed her lips and wringed her hands. "I just want you to know that no one is forcing you to get married. And I'm not so desperate, that it should be to someone so old. You're my only child, you deserve the best."

Nadia narrowed her eyes. "And you think Alhaji is not a good decision? Mummy, you raised me. You raised me to be an independent, smart woman who can make her own decisions, you especially taught me that my decisions make or mar me, why is it this very particular one that annoys you? You said I could marry him and now you're asking me if I know I deserve the best?" Her mother sighed. She did not say a word for a good minute while Nadia wore the blouse of her outfit.

"You know we can't block the mouths of people. They'll say so many hurtful things and I don't want you to be hurt." Nadia scratched the itch on her nose before taking off the dress she'd pooled at her waist to wear the skirt of her outfit. She was dressing early because she wanted to wear some makeup, if she went to see Alhaji's family like this, they would think she was being chained and forced to marry him.

"Mummy. What people will or will not say has very little consequence with me. They were not there when Ammar called me, you and daddy names. Nor where they there when I called my wedding off even after hiring nearly every vendor I needed for my events. None of them were here while I sat in this house, in that living room downstairs and called all those vendors, telling them the wedding was cancelled. The money daddy paid wasted because some were non-refundable." She paused because it suddenly didn't hurt as much anymore.

"What I'm trying to say is, mummy, people will talk, let them talk. We will do what is best for us. Always, In Sha Allah." Her mother stopped wringing her hands and uncrossed her feet.

"Your aunts are here, I'll call them in." Nadia nodded and went to her room window that overlooked a small space her father had asked to be placed with an air-conditioned canopy where he would receive his guests. In spite of her mother's words, the kitchen was bubbling with several delicacies, awaiting the guests.

She looked outside again and saw Sarah running into the main house from the gate, Nadia shook her head and went to her vanity table. She pulled out her oil based full coverage foundation to cover the hormonal acne that suddenly overcame her face, adding little blots of skin like foundation, she spread it on her face using a beauty sponge she wet with makeup spray.

She was in the process of setting her brows when she frowned, hearing many excited voices mixed with Sarah's. Soon the owners of the voices entered Nadia's room.

"Nana. How are you my darling?" Nadia got up, setting powder under her eyes and all and hugged her closest aunt tight, she hugged the two others even tighter, when she pulled back, surprise filled her powdered face.

"How did you people get here? You said you were attending a seminar! Especially you Anty Maryam, you'd aid you would be in Tanzania!

"Well, my favorite niece is doing an event, I might as well be here before going to catch my flight tomorrow." Nadia dropped the beauty sponge that was in her hand on top of the table and shut the slightly ajar door before asking them,

"Is this how uncertain you all felt when you got to this step?" Her three aunt's laughed partly in schadenfreude, partly in happiness. They'd been privy to the pain of her publicly cancelled engagement.

Her aunt Maryam who had perched herself so comfortably in the middle of Nadia's bed asked her in return,"Did you pray IstiKhara?" Nadia nodded firmly, swallowing as she blended the setting powder to the rest of her makeup.

"That was like first thing I did. I prayed for around a week before I allowed him come see my parents. Why do you ask?" Her youngest aunt, Aisha, was the one who responded to her.

"Nadia, we are Muslims, you pray IstiKhara, and leave the rest to the All-knowing. Allah SWT will not forsake His own people." It felt like a trick, but all of the anxiety she had held within her, told no one about, the ones fed to her by her mother's fear, it suddenly all felt better.

"So, what is he like in real life? I used to be the customs officer in charge of import at his Kano Plant for about a year two years ago." Nadia dropped the hand that was holding the eyeliner and suddenly thought of him.

"Well, He is nice, considerate probably the most beautiful trait is his consideration for others. He will wait his turn anywhere, he is so pleasant with wait staff which I haven't really seen in many people. His Deen is good which makes it so easy to admire him, and I like how he loves and relates with his daughter." Her insightful aunt Hafsah who had asked the question was the one who nodded.

Sounds of cars arriving ended the conversation and Nadia rushed to the window that overlooked the main gate of her house and some parts of their next door neighbor's compound where Alhaji and his family would be parking. Her father, as a result of the air conditioned canopy in their own front yard, pleaded with their neighbor to use his much larger compound as parking space.

About an hour, thirty minutes later everything was settled, Sarah rushed into the room and mentioned the amount that had been accepted by the Muhammad Shinkafi family as Sadaki. Everyone in the room, now Nadia's aunts on both sides, her mother raised their hands as shouts of Ma Sha Allah filled the air.

Nadia who was sitting in a corner on the room's floor, looking nothing like a bride to be in her slumped state. It really was unbelievable, it had finally happened and Nadia had nothing but Thanks to her Rabb.

Sarah went back out and came back in with a plate overflowing with iloka, charbin malam,Tsami Gaye and Gullisuwa. Their many shades made a colorful blast on the plate Sarah was holding, she shared it around the room, all of the women took sweets, praying for Nadia's impending marriage.

Nadia's mother got up along side her aunts to watch the staff serve the guests food. A few minutes later, Sarah came back, chewing on a savoury samosa, holding a spring roll in her other hand.

"Your mummy is calling you."Nadia got up, let her dense scarf go around her body to her midriff, covering the delicate netting used to make her atampa top.

She slowly descended the stairs to the bottom, walking slowly to the kitchen while it felt like a tap was gushing out of her. The sensation stopped when she reached the kitchen door, held unto it for a good minute while plates of food where shipped out to the canopy outside.

She reached her mother and whispered to her, her mother whispered back that Alhaji said he wanted to see her. "I asked why he didn't just call you and he said it sounded disrespectful. You chose a good one really, I'm at ease now. Especially since I've seen the fanfare and strength his family used to come ask for your hand in marriage." Nadia rested her entire body on her mother's own, and her mother knowing how ill she felt let her, even though on a good day, she would push Nadia off.

"His mother and some of his relatives are situated in my living area. Go and greet them before you go and see him, they asked if you twice already but because of how sick you were, I had to let it be for now. I like how understanding they were, I'm glad you're going into a good family." Nadia let her arms go around her mother, tears pricking her eyes.

She walked to her mother's living area, where she accepted visitors and saw that Alhaji's female relatives were eating, perched on several places. Alhaji's mother was seated on the biggest sofa in the room and Nadia went in her direction to greet her, she first sent a general greeting to everyone else in the room before crossing to greet her fiance's mother.

"My darling. I just wanted to see your face, I hope you feel better now?" Nadia who was squatting slightly was held up as the octogenarian spoke. Nadia thought of lying and saying yes, but last minute she shook her head. She was severely uncomfortable and there was nothing she could do about it.

"May Allah grant you Shifa. All this will soon end." Nadia nodded gratefully and received the covert little black paper bag that was given to her.

The older woman leaned closer to Nadia, scenting of Chanel no.5 and khumrah, she whispered, "This Tiffany one is from your fiance, the Cartier's is from me to you. A woman cannot have too many jewelry." Nadia smiled happily and hugged the package to herself.

A few minutes later after answering a few of Alhaji's relatives questions, she excused herself and went out through the back door to where Alhaji said he was waiting. He was no longer waiting there and Nadia leaned against a wall as a pain tore wrenchfully through her.

\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*

"Alhaji? What is this? I don't want your money, maybe we should cancel this whole thing, why does it feel like you see me as a gold digger?" The tears that pricked Nadia's eyes came down her eyes, hot and fast. She heard Alhaji sigh, then he quietly said in response,

"Nadia, this isn't me calling you a gold digger. I'm only doing this to put you in a safe place, if you don't believe me." Nadia couldn't stand how calm and quiet he was being about the matter and shouted,

"I don't want to believe you! How does a pre-nuptal agreement sound? Or do you want to share things fifty-fifty with me? It's not as though I couldn't take care of myself before you, I'll still take care of myself after you." She huffed and wiped her eyes, then she heard him cooing to her slowly. He whispered some more, slowly doing it until she felt a modicum of calm.

"Are you ready to listen to me now? Ehn?" Nadia sighed, feeling some of her anger dissipate and slowly vanish, if he was angry at her she could blame it on PMS or in her case, post menstrual syndrome.

"This is not calling you a gold digger in any way, it's literally just helping me keep you safe, away from trouble, away from the messy matters of BinD Pharmaceuticals. But, I've sent you a lawyer's number, she's Professor Aisha and she's waiting for you right at this moment, you can go to her office, it's in Maitama, talk to her, see what the plans entail and let me know if you still don't want to sign it." Nadia let out the last of her trumped up anger and asked him quietly and with a pout,

"Are you sure?" Alhaji chuckled at her, she could hear his wide smile that made him five times handsomer.

"I would never lie to you." They ended the call a few minutes later after Nadia asked him a few well being related questions, she warned him to be careful of the cold in Geneva before ending the call.

She wiped her eyes some more, bracing her hands on the steering wheel of her Creta sport for a feeling of support. She had shouted at him, she nearly could not believe it.

It had been a tough few days for Nadia and Alhaji, a video of Alhaji getting out of the car next door to her father's house, the gifts they'd brought, his face when he gave her a gift he said was his family's tradition when men got engaged, all of those sweet private moments were on social media.

Though Nadia's face didn't show, it didn't stop the fingers of people from commenting about hoe young she was, how much her family was taking and how sure they were Nadia was marrying Alhaji for his money.

Nadia put the car into drive and as she drove, she wondered, letting herself think logically. Moments like that were bound to happen, a picture would surface on the internet, no matter how they tried to hide it, not that they were hiding, they just wanted privacy; Moments like that would happen, What would change is how Nadia and Alhaji dealt with it.

With that put away, Nadia drove into the premises of Ayilara and Grema solicitors about twenty minutes later. The combination of names sounded strange and Nadia was eager to go in and find out.

She was ushered into a well lit office that overlooked a major expressway, Nadia shook her head slightly, the sound of all those horns at the traffic light could not be good for the concentration of whoever occupied the office.

"Assalamualaikum, I'm Aisha Ayilara. Lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria." Nadia blinked, the slim fit woman in her early forties in front of her was most definitely not what Nadia had imagined.

"Walaikum Salam ma'am." Nadia watched as she frowned but pointed Nadia in the direction of a chair. She sat in front of Nadia, her hands clasped in front of her, she asked with a sympathetic look and as though Alhaji had told her of Nadia's fears, she set out to soothe them first.

"I want you to see this as him protecting you. This man cares deeply about you." She put an emphasis on the word, deeply. "And that is why he is doing this. Many prenups have passed my table and none ever, has been so well thought out with only the bride to be in mind."

Nadia rubbed the right side of her nose in tiredness. She wanted to be assured that it was done in good grace but she couldn't shake the feelings that the words people said to her about marrying Alhaji for money.

"I know you're skeptical, if I had not read this," She pointed at a weighted document bound in leather under her elbows. "If I didn't personally draw up this contract? I would have been just like you. Cheer up my dear. Alhaji is on the board of several companies, he needs to separate his personal life from his business life, and this is the only way to do it." Nadia nodded, letting her hand fall unto her lap. She noticed the older woman move closer to Nadia and whisper,

"Between you and I? Woman to woman? Two years ago, Alhaji's ex wife and her family sued him for the company, BinD Pharmaceuticals and lost at a high court here in Abuja, we heard they're making moves to go to the supreme court." Nadia's eyes wide in fear, the fear did not leave her face for many seconds afterwards.

"You get why he wants you taken care off now?" Professor Aisha Ayilara asked in all seriousness. Nadia nodded and accepted to read the bound leather contract the woman offered her.

********

How was the chapter? The next chapter is going to take a little while, I'm trying to get my mojo back.

Anyways, I'll see y'all as soon as I can finish writing the next chapter.

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TheOmoope ❤️❤️🥰