Biba watched his retreating figure in a daze as she tried to make sense of the whole situation. Her naive mind could not come up with a plausible explanation for it all. Was it good that he changed his mind? or was it bad that he did? She definitely has no answer for that, but she felt a chill creeping from her toes as it made its slithering way up to her head. If there is one feeling she is sure about right now, it is dread.

Everything else went in a blur. She half listened as the elderly women in her family took turns to chip in their advice and suggestions. Even to her untrained mind, some of them were ridiculous, while some were out of sheer ignorance.

"its not all their food that you should trust Biba am. These people eat weird things, some of which are prohibited in islam, I tell you." a fair woman with a tattooed face adviced

"yes dear, I have seen those powdered milk they sell in the villages, heard they have and consume tons of them in the city." an elderly aunty said smacking her kola stained lips.

"come to think of it, how possible will it be that you can dry milk and have it in powder? I don't think all the milk in the world will amount to one sack of milk powder when dried...think of it, it is like drying water and getting it in powdered form." said another.

This is the only part that made sense to Biba, and she made a mental note not to ever taste their ridiculous powdered milk with its questionable source.

The rest shook their head in agreement.

"we may not have gone to school, but it will take more to deceive us." said the the tattoo faced woman

At last, it was time to leave, time to say good bye to all that she has ever known, ever loved, and hold dear to her heart. She knew it when her grandma walked into the hut and demanded some privacy with her. Finally it was time to have the talk and then she was off.

 Nini sat beside her and said nothing. some minutes passed by before she looked at her. The kohl on her left eye was smudged and she looked a bit tired despite the nice clothes she was wearing.

When she saw Biba's tears, she enveloped her in an embrace and began in a soothing, yet solemn voice.

"I haven't got much to say to you because I think I have said them over the years, and there is no need to repeat them."

she gently stroke the side of Bibas face with her scawny palm.

"The only most important thing is not to let yourself get carried away by the glitters in the city. You see, city people might look happier than us, but I have lived long enough to know that they aren't different from us after all.  They crave the same things as we do; health, love, food, family and peace of mind, which is not something we buy with money. Therefore, do not be deceived by the mask they wear, because what hurts us, hurts them equally."

Biba reached for the helm of Nini's veil and wiped her tears with it.

"don't let them lead you into thinking you are less than they are. Remember the prophet (S.A.W) said, no one has superiority over another except by piety and good actions."

she tightened her grip on biba's  hand and continued.

"you stay strong a nani?"

Biba nodded. All she was waiting to hear was when Nini would visit her, she was sure she had something planned out, its not like she will abandon her when she gets to city.

"is that all Nini? Don't you have something else you want to say to me?" she whispered.

She was hoping Nini would have made visiting arrangements and would share it with her. But knowing her well, she knows she wasn't planning it, if not she would have told her. She swallowed a lump that had accumulated in her throat.

"I think I have said all that I need to say. Come, its time to say goodbye to the rest of the family, we shouldn't keep your in-laws waiting, it will reflect badly on us."

People were gathered around the cars in a bid to see the bride off, they chatted excitedly when they spotted her coming out of the hut holding Nini's hand. she shrunk to half her size that instant.

"dont! hold your head up. Most of them wish they were you or wished what you have for their daughters at least." said her Nini.

She was led to one of the cars. As her grip loosened on hers, she felt as if the world was crashing around her and her floodgates opened in full force.

She tightened her grip on Nini's hand, not wanting to let go as she sat in the car. It was the hand that had steadied her when she stumbled. The hand that patted her back when she needed courage. The hand that fed her when she was acting out, and also rebuked her when she erred; it was a hand that had moulded her into what she has become.

************************************

She slept for the most part of the journey. Whenever she wakes up in between sleeps, she was spell bound by the beauty of the towns that they passed along the road. It seemed like all the people in the world converged to live in these towns. The buildings was something else. She remembered seeing something like them in her English textbook.

They passed a town that resembled that of Edet's... yes, Calabar. She recalled vividly the sound of their voices as they read "Edet lives in Calabar" out loud back in primary school.

She had never travelled for more than thirty kilometres outside her homestead, but today she journeyed for hundreds of kilometres and she drifted off again.

They arrived abuja late in the night. Their car was the first to arrive and she felt relieved that atleast she doesn't have to face Anwar again. The last time she saw him was in Bademmo's room during her farewell prayers. He was squatted on the far end of the mat and refused to make eye contact.

She tried to place her scarf which had fell off her head back in its place and had little success with that. She was dazed by the sheer monstrosity of the building before her.

This is the first time she had felt tired without actually engaging in any physical activity. 

With every thud of her heart beat, which accelerated to a thousand  beats per minute, she became more awake and aware of the surroundings around her. She bit her lower lip to keep her jaw in place.

Now she gets why city people look different, why they seem to emanate radiance from within. Of course it had to be this. Their surroundings and homes were immaculate like nothing she had ever imagined. Now she realised how narrow and limited her imaginations had been. It's like you have to know enough to be able to conjure meaningful imaginations.

She trudged behind the women and stopped just inches from the breathtaking corridor. She was hesitant to step on the smooth glistening floor that looked like oil has been spilled on it, so as not to fall and embarrass herself.

"what are you waiting for?" Hajja asked trying hard to hide her irritation.

Seeing the way Anty Laila (Hajja's sister) walked on it with ease, made her take the leap of faith. Funny enough, the floor didn't feel as slippery as it looked and she walked in trying not to stare too much, but the things to stare at were staring right at her, so she couldn't help but return the favour.  

Everything took her breath away, They glittered and shone, and the smell of the house was like nothing she had ever smelt before. The ceiling was so high it made her dizzy when she looked up.

Hajja and aunty Laila barely said a word to her during the entire journey.
Each had kept to her phone, occasionally chatting over her head while she was sandwiched between them.

She wished Nini was here to see all this. How they would stay all night and talk about them, scrutinise them, and even pull a dare devil stunt by touching them.

She didn't realise she was crying until she heard Hajja's voice.

"enough Biba, no one here has the energy to start with you again. we are all tired as you can see, so cut it and let everyone have peace, please." she said, letting her veil slid off her shoulder as she gathered it in her hands.

she looked around impatiently before calling out

"Hanny! Hanny!"

A young lady of not more than eighteen grumpily came dragging her feet from across the hall. She looked beautiful in a blush nightie except for the blood shot eyes indicating she has been asleep.

"welcome back...I didn't hear you come in." she mumbled while taking in Biba from head to toe and back, with an expressionless face.

"where are those useless girls? I clearly remembered I had instructed them to wait up." Hajja hissed as she and her sister slumped on the sofa leaving Biba standing.

"Yes you did, but Atika was having stomach cramps and it was bad, so I asked Uwani to take her to their quarters."

"can you please take the girl to her room?" she said whipping her phone from her bag.

"And please show her how to use the bathroom." Hajja added

"Okay, come with me." she said walking pass her toward the staircase.

Biba walked silently behind her as she led the way. They reached the foot of the magnificent staircase that spiralled as it made its way up. Biba watched in awe as Hanny climbed it without holding the rail. She gingerly placed her hand on the polished rosewood trimmings of the silver rails, she was not going to take chances.

She tried not to divert her attention from the task of climbing the manacing staircase in other to look at the beautiful paintings on the wall.

The room she was taken to was like something straight out of a dream. Problem was, it's definitely not from her own dream.

She stood by the door taking in the sight before her. The room was made in the most beautiful shade of blue she had ever seen. She was seeing teal for the first time.

Hanny walked straight in and sat on one of the chairs twirling it until she was facing her. She had a taunting look on her face that Biba failed to notice because she was tired and badly needed to use the bathroom.

Hanney spread both arms in a theatrical gesture.
"This is your room."

when she failed to get a response, she smiled and crossed her legs
"heard you are quite the schoolgirl in your village huh? Oh sorry, is it even a village? whatever, so anyway, you should know these things."

"where do I sleep?" Biba didn't know why she said that, but her mind was so messed up at the moment, it was the only thing she could come up with.

"oh, on my head." she replied

Biba knew what that meant, as Nini always uses it when she thinks she asked her a question she's supposed to have known.

"s...sorry."

Hanny walked pass her and pointed to a door by her left.

"have fun with the bathroom!"

Laughing as she said that, she walked out, shutting the door behind her, leaving a confused Biba staring wide eyed at her surroundings.

She walked to the bed and sat down. She abruptly stood up when she noticed the cascading chandelier (which took her breath away some few minutes ago) hovering over her, looking like it was going to fall and crush her on the bed.

She found a safe corner, ignoring the two comfy chairs in the room.

She never knew breathtaking could be terrifying too.

************************************
hope u enjoyed this chapter
still getting to meet some new xters Eh?
tell me how u feel about them.

vote
comment
and share