Thirty days to the wedding.

Madam makeup artist,
This one you have refused to come and see a sick woman 💆is it fair? Issokay oo. My husband had refused to let me out of my room(literally) and I'm bored to death. After Jumah prayers today please 😩😥😭😭pity this poor woman and come see me.

Yours in boredom
Ajìkè Dikko

After jumaah prayers, instead of driving back to the studio, I drive to Ajìkè's house in Maitama. It's a really sunny afternoon and my hood gown does little to shield me from the harsh sunlight.

I ring the doorbell and a young woman in blue lets me in.

She directs me up a flight of stairs and we walk into a small living room decorated in pastel colours. A large LCD television adorned the wall near the window and asides the three sofas, ottomans of various colours were scattered around the room. The colours overshadow the cool blue paint on the walls. She leaves after I get settled into a chair near the French window overlooking the lawn behind the house.

"So, if I didn't text you, you wouldn't come over to see poor old me. All of you deserted me." She claps her hand dramatically and carefully sits on one of the sofas, directly opposite me.

I stare at her, her beautiful skin is gleaming. "You look so beautiful, Masha Allah."

She looks herself over and hisses. "It's just due to hormones, my skin is naturally dry." I crack a smile at her comment. The young lady in blue draws out a table from the sofa I'm sitting on and places a glass of pineapple drink on it and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. I drool, I haven't had lunch.

"Who else is coming? Your best friend?." She smiles, nods her head and swallows the cookie she had crunched. "They are due here in one hour, so you and I have to gist before they get here." I smile at her exuberant nature.

"So, no events huh?" One perfectly well plucked eyebrow is raised in question and a small smile is playing on her lips.

"I've had events when I was marrying the first time, a week-long events that gulped a lot of money. I don't want to be a wastrel a second time around. I should be sensible this time." I smooth my hand over my flowered hood gown. My palms are sweaty just thinking about my first wedding and how I want this one to be a stark difference.

"I agree with you, you should be sensible, but won't your friends do a bridal shower for you. At least, something small to send you off and of course an opportunity to party?" I stare at her face again, this time I notice the double chin making its way. She's gained weight while pregnant.

"I don't have any friends. At least not those I used to have." She sighs visibly and raises her self_well tried to_ because I had to rush over to her side and hold her down.

"Afrah, I have no idea why Allah made me notice your sadness. It's fine to tell me everything. I won't judge." I sunk into the sofa and laid my head on the headrest.

"I started loosing my friends immediately after my wedding to my first husband, he stopped me from visiting them. From sending them emails or texts, once while I'd defiantly gone to a friend's wedding, he locked me out and made me sleep on the cold slab. That was my punishment for going, even after he had approved. He said and I quote 'When I told you to go, why didn't you say back. Don't you know go means, don't go'. He killed every single strength I ever had five months into our marriage. I just didn't have the strength to fight back."

I look up to see a tear drop from her eye. I then noticed her lashes, long lashes that other women would kill for.

She holds both of my hands and pulls me into a hug. The hug is awkward because her belly is in the way. I still feel the warmth of her love.

"Afrah, I won't tell you that marriage was a test, because, I know you already know. I know how you feel, and although it's not fair to compare pain I'll tell you I've passed through this abyss of pain before.

I came out of an toxic marriage. My ex husband was having an affair with his cousin, same man that claimed he would love me all of my life. Gave me a long dragging sexually transmitted disease I treated for nearly two years, I lost two babies in succession. It wasn't easy but I got strength and finally left. Allah is your source of strength. Just ask him to replenish your depleted ones, He will. "

I looked at her open mouthed. That is one hell of an experience, I might have stayed if not for the beating. I might have stayed in such a toxic relationship. That could probably take my life later. Thank Allah I didn't.

A phone on the side shelf rings and she lifts herself up with my help to answer. She issues a let them in order and smiles brightly at me..

"My best friend Nusiaba is on the way, together with Maryam and Deeju. This place is about to get busy."

The crowd of three pour in after a few minutes and I look up to see a beautiful, fair skinned, slim lady with the loveliest facial bone structure, Khadeejah and Maryam, Ajìkè's sister in-laws.

The fair skinned lady is introduced as Nusiaba and a large bag of chips is pushed into my hands. My glass of juice is refilled and we all settle down.

"Iyawo, how's everything?" Ajìkè asks and Khadeejah blushes before throws a few chips into her mouth to keep her from talking and choose her words carefully. I know because I do it all the time.

"Everything is fine, alhamdulilahi." I smile at her and we nod at each other. Her fair skin showed off her rosy cheeks due to the words of her sister in law.

"Hello, I'm Nusiaba. What's your name and how do you know this sheep beside me." She's smiling mischievously and Ajìkè reaches out to pinch her back.

My smile grows a fraction brighter at their antics "I'm Nabeela Afrah Abdullah." She waves her hands at me to mime welcome and smiles brightly at me.

"So you are the one marrying my crush?"
She speaks up again showing me her pearly whites. We all laugh heartily. She chews and takes a sip of her iced tea before answering. "Adeel is so drool worthy, if I didn't have a husband I loved so much. I'd ask him out in a heartbeat. And such a great heart to accompany that great body ouch!! "Ajìkè slaps a hand on her best friend's back to show her displeasure and we all laugh out loud again.

"Say Astagafurullah." She holds one of Nusiaba's ears in her fingers. I cringe slightly at the pain she must be feeling.

"Truthfully, when I was much younger and Ya Adeel used to come to our house as my brother's best friend, I crushed heavily on him. But the moment I got married, the crush died like smoke. Then I fell in love with my Nabeel." Maryam speaks up for the first time and Nusiaba spreads her hands out as if to say 'you see'

"Ajìkè, swear that you didn't crush on Adeel, that you've never drooled on him." Nusiaba prods one of Ajike's left hand.

"I solemnly swear that I've never drooled, crushed or blinked at Adeel." She raises her right hand in mock swear the action bringing attention to her hennaed fingers.

"I love Muad'h, I've always loved him, when I saw Adeel, I wrote him off, I've never looked at that man inappropriately. Unlike some people who are shameless enough to say it in front of his future wife."
She glares at Nusiaba and Maryam

We all laugh, long and hard this time.

"Well, not all of us are saints like you. All hail saint Ajìkè, Muad'h's wife, mother of Fawad." Maryam and Khadeejah scream 'Hail'

I laugh so hard, so hard that I begin to cough and Maryam taps my back gently to get me back into it. We all laugh again at my choking.

"Well, I and Maryam mean no harm, we love you already when though you've barely said five sentences and now I can find someone to finally help with my ever lopsided eyeliner and on days I need free makeup, right girls?!! "

They all raise a fist and shout 'right'. My small indulging smile widens at the prospect of having new and genuine friends.

I think the process to peace has begun.

*******

Hello everyone,

It's Friday again and as usual we have our people. Today's chapter took me hours to write, i didn't just want to gloss over things you all know before so I hope you all liked it?

This heat is something else, it's not helping matters, so I might not update tomorrow afternoon 😥😩.

No too much talk, I'm tired already of the heat. Lemme goan hug the fan. 😥😑

TheOmoope