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The ear piercing sound of traditional trumpets and the clashing of two wide stainless steel together was what welcomed Nadia as soon as the door to the bus slid open.

Everyone in the front part of the bus stepped off before Nadia was helped off the bus slowly, because the veil was a little dense, she couldn't see beyond the veil itself and had to be guided.

Sounds of a crowd reached Nadia and she smiled, she had always seen this event from the eyes of a bridesmaid or a cousin, never as the bride herself.

She chuckled to herself as her line of thought had swerved off balance. She heard the sound of Sarah's noisy heels get off the bus and heard her argue with UmmulKhair about how many bars had been used off a particular power bank.

"All of you have stepped off, let's go then." Nadia was helped along the cobblestone path, she looked down and saw well groomed grass that was already trampled upon lined the sides of the path.

The cobblestone path switched to an outdoor marble tile set, Nadia felt her aunts hold her firmly as they helped her over the threshold, the tiles were smoother, slippery, and Nadia felt her feet slip from the friction of the smooth surface of her heels.

Nadia felt the plushness of a rug and internally screamed for whoever would be sweeping the place afterwards, they'd stepped on grass and who Knows what, the rug's plushness as it was, was ruined.

They passed a lit up hallway that Nadia felt was usually dark but because of the event, they turned on the lights. Soon, they reached a room where a buzz of human discussion reached them from the doorway where they were standing.

Nadia heard the laugh of Alhaji's mother from where she was sitting, possibly in the middle of the room and felt herself pulled in that direction. Her aunts greeted Alhaji's female family members, their friendship already cemented from the previous day's Kamu ceremony.

She was lowered herself slowly into a squat in front of an older woman in a light and dark blue atampa skirt and blouse. The scent of Abdullah's mother's perfume, Maison Francis's Oud Satin mood. The combination of that and the scents of other women made Nadia's head a little cloudy, but she steadied herself. She felt Abdullah's mother raise her hands and then lift the veil on her face.

"Ma Sha Allah," She beamed in happiness to everyone else in the room, "I have a beautiful daughter, welcome again to my family." The whole room chorused back in excitement, and Nadia let a smile bloom on her lips. She and her mother-in-law watched each other for a long moment before she was lifted to sit beside her.

"Allah ya sa ki gidan zaman ki ne har abada." One older woman prayed as she handed Nadia a little blue velvet bag. Surprise stole Nadia's voice as she expected nothing at all, she was piled with more and more little gift packs until Sarah had to come take everything into a larger bag that she was holding.

Conversation about marriage milled in the air-conditioned room, people went in and out of the room and soon Nadia's aunts asked to see where the bride would be staying, Nadia pulled her veil over her face in a rush but was stopped.

"We still have one more stop before that. We are going to see Abdullah's other mother. She's one door away, so, it's not so far." Nadia nodded and watched as her aunts who had been offered glasses of juice shook their heads and they all got up immediately. The party of fifteen that came from Kano suddenly became a party of over twenty five.

As they walked out of the house, Nadia felt Sarah pinch her slightly, before whispering; "Maymunatu is waiting for us at her step grandmother's house, she said her grandma is bringing all her friends so that you won't be embarrassed." Nadia frowned, but she was suddenly pulled to the front of the crowd by her aunts and all her thoughts became focused on walking carefully.

They soon reached a sprawling duplex that was demarcated with a small gate away from Alhaji's mother's house. They had passed the small gate one at a time until they came upon a beautiful garden, fully fitted with its own fountain and blooming trees. There were several patches in the ground that indicated there used to flowers that bloomed there. It wasn't just their time yet.

The largest door Nadia had ever physically seen was swung open by a uniformed staff and Nadia pulled down the veil to fully cover her face. She walked into the wide living room, flanked by her aunts and Alhaji's mother.

They all settled into the room while Nadia sat on the floor, along side Sarah, UmmulKhair, Hajarah, Folake and Maymunatu who just joined them, whispering with Sarah.

They all waited in awkward silence until Nadia heard the husky voice of a female staff tell them that Hajia was formerly resting but was now on her way downstairs. Nadia's lips turned down on their own Accord in surprise. All the rumours were true then.

True to it, the sound of slippers on tiles reached Nadia and soon a pair of feet clad in a white lace shit and silver inside half shoes appeared and passed, then sat at the head chair, beside Alhaji's mother.

"Assalamualaikum." Her voice came out hoarse and rough sounding, a little like she had been asleep previously. But spoke further and threw Nadia off that trajectory.

"I was resting when all that noise from the wedding party woke me. I almost didn't come down because this isn't Abdullah's first wedding, but you know as the defacto head of this house, I had to come downstairs." Nadia sighed, but a hush came over the room. Nadia could almost hear everyone's thoughts about how diminishing the words of Alhaji's stepmother were.

"Let's see the Amarya's face?" Nadia's face was uncovered by her aunt who rubbed on Nadia's shoulder in support and sympathy. Nadia cast her eyes down, afraid to see ridicule in the eyes of those who brought her.

Nadia watched as the woman started a prayer for Nadia's union with Abdullah, for Allah's blessings. Nadia hesitantly pulled her hands together but in the end, she said the prayers earnestly.

"I have a few words for you, Amarya." Nadia raised her head and looked straight at the once beautiful woman who Alhaji had said was the love of his father's life.

"Our family is a dignified one, we don't fight, we settle quarrels indoors, your people are still here while I say this so it's best. I have seen a video of you fighting with your husband's first wife." Nadia frowned at her words and realized while Sarah was quick to defend and soothe her. This woman liked Maymunatu's mother.

"We don't want that here-"Nadia raised her head and saw Abdullah's mother roll her eyes and hiss quietly. No one else saw it, but Nadia felt comforted by it.

"Also, I hope you won't be one of those wives that turn away their husbands from their relatives. His relatives depend on him, but Alhamdulilah his brothers do well too." Someone in the room chuckled and Nadia looked up to see a close friend of Alhaji's mother covering her mouth.

"Why are you laughing? Am I joking here?" The woman stopped laughing but the sneering expression on her face did not leave. Then she said, "You've been the only one talking and talking since, making a new bride uncomfortable. Now you're saying it as if it has not been Abdullahi that has funneled money to your household since he could afford it. Let's call a spade a spade."

The whole room burst into litters of discussion, Alhaji's stepmother looked round the room before asking them all to leave, suddenly citing tiredness. Nadia said not a word while she was escorted out of the house back to Alhaji's mother's house, to a guest wing upstairs.

Nadia made sure to look and feel as obscure as possible as her aunts escorted her to the apartment. It had to be called one because it had it's own living, dining, praying and bedrooms, All in one part of the house.

She sat on a chair close to the door and watched as her aunts and bridal party bustled around, checking everything before they announced their departure a few minutes later, leaving only Hajarah, Folake and the Shinkafi sisters.

Once the doors shut behind them, Nadia pulled off the huge scarf from around her neck and stopped being calm, she rushed to the room where Hajarah and Folake were testing out the beds and asked, "What in the world was that?"

They all knew what the 'that' was, so they quickly slumped down on the floor and looked at themselves before sighing.

"'Keeping up with the Bindawas' is what they should call the series. Because why didn't your mother-in-law say anything, but her friend, an outsider did the talking and effectively shut down your husband's stepmother! Like boom!" Folake made a blow up noise with her mouth as she finished speaking.

"I really have nothing to say, but I'm happy someone poured sand in that woman's garri. She just rambled and rambled on, like we get it, you like his ex-wife, why didn't you marry her then? Or if she loved her so much, marry her to her own son." Nadia collapsed on the plush rug from too much laughter that it pulled Sarah and UmmulKhair who were exploring the other rooms to the room where they were discussing.

They prayed Maghrib in the prayer room and just as they finished, the main door was knocked. Sarah ran past the group, ran past Folake who was going to open the door and pulled the door open to Maymunatu and two house staff behind her.

Maymunatu walked in, her left hand balancing a tray of what looked like slices of chocolate cake and cream, while pulling unto Sarah. The house staff pushed the trolley to the dining table and set the food on it, the other staff placed plates and utensils at their places.

Nadia went to the table and was tempted by a plate of spring rolls with spicy sauce on the side, she pulled the silver tray closer to herself, spooned some sauce to unto the appetizer plate before bringing it to her mouth. Surprise flashed in her eyes as it tasted exactly like the appetizer she and Abdullah had at their first date. It tasted just as phenomenal as it had the first time.

"Daddy is in a meeting with Gwaggo, Hajia and some of the family elders." Nadia stopped chewing and turned in surprise to Maymunatu who had come to stand next to her. The younger girl was a few inches taller than Nadia so she took the vantage point to ask if she could have a roll. Nadia nodded and motioned for her to continue talking.

"If you noticed, Gwaggo didn't refute Hajia, it was Gwaggo's friend that did it, we don't know why,but Gwaggo doesn't like fighting Hajia. So somehow, Hajia felt like Gwaggo's friend had embarrassed her, so she called a meeting." Nadia didn't say it out loud, but she felt Abdullah's stepmother had never had anyone put her in her place, she needed to be placed outside to touch grass from time to time.

**********

Sunday morning came with a flurry. The entire Shinkafi family was at UmmulKhair's father's house getting ready to leave for Nadia and Abdullah's brunch reception.

The bride herself, was a happy giddy mess waiting for her silk head tie to be done. She patted her soft pink dress, it was a mass of lace and tulle that made her dress look almost white. She watched in the mirror that Sarah had brought up to Sarah's about to be room as the makeup artist tied the last knot of the head tie before tucking it into the back of the scarf.

The dress, a straight lace gown in the softest pink, it had a removable tulle overlay that began just at her waist and extended way back and served as the train. The train was set aside to avoid crumpling, but when she stood up, the makeup artist, the stylist and Sarah who was dressed up in a lilac dress that skimmed her ankles sighed in happiness. The whole make-up session had begun early, so they had a lot of time for pictures and videos.

Nadia watched as they bustled around her, packing the train carefully into a zipper bag, handing Nadia her clutch before leaving the house before everyone else.

On their way to the event center, they picked up Sarah who had gone to a nearby bustop to pick up Nadia's bouquet that arrived very late. Nadia took it from her cousin and scrutinized the artful arrangement done last minute by a different vendor from the one that had been earlier paid.

Sarah had said something about all the events going too smoothly, it seemed like only the florist who was supposed to make Nadia's bouquet of soft pink roses and set off with lavender thistle and ivory colored baby's breath. It made a breathtaking mix that gave a whole new meaning to the pink of Nadia's dress.

Alhaji's vehicle drove into the venue, an event center with a long lawn that the event planners placed a clear marquee on. The high ceilings of the clear marquee shone in the late morning sun that descended over their wedding luncheon venue.

Nadia let Sarah help her off the car slowly, hanging out of the car with her feet forward, letting Sarah adjust the straps of her white bow tie Jimmy Choo sandals. They were not made for walking long distance but Nadia was thankful for Sarah that helped her break them in and now instead of being hard on the sides of her feet, they were soft.

Nadia raised her arms and let Sarah adjust the tulle train overlay around her, fixing it's buckle close to Nadia's navel, it flowed out to about three feet behind Nadia.

"This dress is marvelous." Nadia couldn't agree more, she nodded excitedly as Sarah picked up the bouquet along side the little bag of necessities that they brought with them. As she walked out unto the little road that separated the divided part of the carpark, Alhaji reached her.

There was a gutter covered with grates that Nadia was scared to pass over because her heel points were tiny, they could shift into the grates and make her fall. She tested it with her first heel and seeing it was heavy iron, she tried the second heel, only to look up to see Alhaji's large hand waiting to hold her across.

She hesitated for one second before placing her hand in his and watching he hoisted her across, gown and all to the road and put her on her feet. Nadia knew he did all that, but her mind was still stuck, spinning like a loop with excess grease.

She felt his hands leave her self, then he adjusted the ironed white Babban Riga he wore, returning to look for her hand afterwards. Nadia felt his steady sweat free hand holding her own shaking sweaty hand.

Then she felt him stop, she looked up to him and watched as he debated within himself before speaking. She giggled at his nervousness and felt some calm herself.

"I promised I was going to protect you, but I forgot my stepmother is a sly woman." Nadia wanted to pat him, tell him not to worry anymore about it. But he pressed on her hand that he was holding, she pursed her lips and waited for him to speak.

"You are a part of me now, my wife, and really if I can't protect you, there's nothing I'm doing right. I rectified the situation and don't worry, you won't ever have to be in the same place as her." Nadia nodded and she watched him visibly feel ease.

Maymunatu had told her the previous day after eavesdropping on the outcome of the meeting, that they had resolved to fill the small gate that separated both houses with cement, move Maymunatu's grandmother to live some parts of her year in Abuja, the rest in Chiroma.

Nadia had called Abdullah that night, wondering how to make things better. He clearly told her that the situation had been a long time coming and something about the fact that there was a mutual dislike amongst the children until they wanted money from him.

He had told her that he was tired of funneling his money to people who deep down, hated his guts and associated with people who wanted him to die. Nadia adjusted her hand and rubbed her left thumb on his hand. He chuckled as he helped her to where the event planner was waiting.

Nadia felt a genuine smile bloom on her face at the sight of the beautiful dark skinned woman in a pant suit. She had a walkie-talkie strapped to the lapel of her suit that she spoke into before returning her attention to Nadia and Abdullah.

"Congratulations on your wedding, Ma and Sir, may God bless your union with everything perfect. As planned, our decorations team is done, the photographer arrived about an hour ago and we're ready for you both." Nadia looked at her husband who's attention was on the elegant balloon arch that was placed near the door for their guests to take pictures with.

"If there's anything you need me to adjust, I'll be here until the event is over, so please holla at me. One of our trusted staff is going to be at your beck and call, I hope you have a wonderful time." Nadia held out her hand that had now been let go and touched the woman Infront of her.

"Thank you so much for doing this with us, you outdid yourself in Kano, in Katsina, and now here in Abuja, I'm very happy." The woman, who Nadia knew as Titi smiled so wide, her eyes crinkled at the corners.

"That's all we want. Your happiness, please enjoy your photo session, I'll see you soon." Nadia nodded and watched her walk away. She walked to where Alhaji was standing, watching the dark gold and purple lettering on an ivory background, with matte lilac, purple, white and gold balloons forming the arch.

Nadia noticed her husband, it felt great to be able to call him that, pull out his hand from his pockets, only to take her hand. He pulled her closer to him and muttered to her hearing, "I promise, you won't regret this decision." Nadia raised her head to look at him and seeing the intense sincerity etched all over his face, Nadia nodded slowly.

She patted his back with her hennaed hand and said, "I'll be looking forward to you making bank with your promise every single day." She thought he would laugh, to take the intensely serious moment off, but he nodded and lowered himself to kiss her forehead.

******

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