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KANO STATE, NIGERIA.

Amirah is balls of nerves all over, pushing the meal inside her mouth without appetite but just to fill it up so it won't grumble in that embarrassing way anymore.

Nazir's easygoing nature is calming her down more ways than she'd initially thought it would. She never planned to cry but she did anyway and it makes her feel weak. Crying in front of a stranger always got her like that but with Nazir, it is totally different. It is as if they've known each other for long and telling him only makes her feel a lot more better.

When they finished eating, they were served ice cream as dessert and hers was Oreo, it reminds her so much of Imad but she pushed it back. She ordered that because she wants it to be the first step of her moving on. The pensiveness and melancholic feelings chocked her up with each spoon but she didn't stop, she won't stop. Imad must be erased from her life and this is the start of the process. If she wants to really move on.

Nazir noticed all those nerves but kept quiet, he wants her to gather herself before he talks about what she's just told him. It makes his chest ache that she is working for her ex husband and that man also rejected her. From everything he's heard about Imad, he's long stopped respecting the man anymore. Albeit younger than him, he's always liked Imad's personality even though he is sometimes too prideful. He cannot just push that behind after finding this out, it is so not what he's thought her past was.

How could he just abandon and divorce her like that because she did something? Yeah, it might be something horrendous and colossal but there is nothing explanation won't solve, absolutely nothing. That is why it is said that communication is the key, he should've used that advice like the businessman he is. Being young and adolescent sure is a disease, Nazir thought. He wouldn't have left her without explanation, he won't be able to move on too if that happens. He would haunt her down and find out everything.

More than anything, he pities Amirah. She's been through a lot and is still standing strong to work for her ex husband while getting bullied and harassed in guilt? She is one strong woman honestly, she stands strong like no other he's met. Her maverick is pinnacled due to the pressure she's endured growing up. She was forced to grow up older than her age.

No one could actually stand that tall after getting collapsed by her own husband. She is the one feeding her own family all alone and started working as a maid at the tender age of sixteen seventeen. On God, he would love to give her a round of applause and salute her for her mastery. If he thinks studying law in Nigeria is enough trial, he needed Amirah's story to denounce himself.

"Amirah." His voice was soft and almost dulcet, soothing even.

He wants to calm her down so she could stop those nervous moves. She was about to bolt out of the restaurant and the sound of his voice proved that. She rose her head in a galvanised way, as if waiting for him to send her way. To send her packing because he found out she is a divorcée and someone everyone know about with vile reputation. They don't have the jurisdiction to think so.

When she calmed down a bit and found out he was not about to chase her away, she answered. "Yeah?"

"I want you to know that your past won't get in between us, hmm?" She nodded slowly, almost child-like. Her eyes filled with an avalanche of vulnerability, the sense of possessiveness filled him. "I don't care what has happened between you and Imad, I know you are a good person and whatever it is that has happened in the past is not because of you neither was it your fault. I'm actually glad he promiscuously divorced you like that, I wouldn't have met you. You are a nice person and I want to marry you still. Whether rich or poor. I want you not your wealth and I assure you, my family will understand."

Amirah wanted to cry again so to stop that, she lowered her head again on the table to stop them from rushing down the damn sluice. She hiccupped then gather more sheaf of courage to raise her head to look up at him. She is sure Nazir is heaven sent and that her future with Imad has been blurry because it was not going to be possible. She's accepted that wholeheartedly, she will be together with Nazir now and close Imad's chapter.

"Can I ask you something?" She licked her lower lip, trying to stop it from quivering and shivering like she is living in snow.

He nodded. "Anything."

This is bad but she has to do it. It needs to be done for her own sanity and closure. "Can I talk to Imad about our past on Monday? I still need more closure to move on and make our relationship work. He might still not want to know but I can write him a message or something, just so he could read and understand and by then, we have moved on already."

Nazir mulled about the matter for a minute. Imad might want Amirah back after she's explained everything to him but Nazir won't have that, so why not get tied to her as fast as he could? Then Imad won't be able to get her under his wing and he will have nothing to worry about. Now that he's gotten Amirah, he won't permit Imad to take her away from him, it wasn't easy getting her. She's opened up to him because she wants to build something with him.

Imad or his entire royal family won't be able to come between them. Is that so?

"You can do that. But first, let me talk to my parents about us and see where it leads. I don't want him taking you after finding the truth." Nazir shrugged cheekily, he is serious about it though. Their marriage is decomposed and he wish not to build it up.

Amirah smiled for the first time since their arrival at the restaurant. "Why not? Send my regards to them all." She then thought for a minute. "Why don't you tell me about them?"

Nazir grinned widely then breakdown his family tree. "You know about my uncle right? Haruna Isah Jalo, he is my father's older brother and have three children and two wives. My father is married to only my mother and have five children, three of them are females and then me and my younger brother. You will meet them all at the same time since we are really tight if you name annoying one another that. My sisters have been pestering me about you." He laughed at the end knowing his sisters are going to be handful.

Her eyes were wide in amazement. He talks about them with such fondness. "Wow, you guys are much. I only have my sisters now. All my paternal and maternal uncles and aunties abandoned us after my failed marriage. They don't know whose fault it is but they did disparage us. They wanted to stay with us because I married a prince anyway and then it got ruined, they left." She shrugged, thinking how on earth she is going to get waliyi in this.

Nazir's smile didn't slip when he answered. "Don't worry about a thing, they are totally not worth it. My mother and aunties are going to be there for you, just wait and see."

"If you say so."

*~*

"How about in a month, Mom?" Nazir whined, sitting down on the lush carpeted floor in front of his mother acting all whiny being the first son he is.

"Mama, see the way he is whining again like a baby. I am the last born but look at me, far away from you." Heyam crossed her arms underneath her chest, eying her elder brother with contempt but he didn't even raise his head to look at her. The matters at hand should be discussed.

Nazir just dropped Amirah off at home and came straight home to meet his whole family sitting in the living room watching television. There is no better time than saying it in front of everyone because the sooner the better. He needs to make the matters blow as soon as possible so Imad will draw back any attempt of getting his Amirah. Amirah is now his and he will make sure Imad knows that very soon, she is worth more than him.

"He wants to get married in a month? Tashin hankali! Who is this woman that changed this man in a matter of weeks? Is she Italian? Because you've been on and on about a woman since you came back from Italy." The oldest female -Dahma- in the family asked, mouth hanging below.

"Her name's Amirah and she is Nigerian and she works at Kilishi Enterprises where he met her." Imaran grinned lopsidedly when his brother glared at him. He wanted to tell them all about her himself and not like that.

"You always poke your nose into people's business, bro." Dahma rolled her eyes but moved her expectant eyes back to her oldest brother's, she wants to hear everything from him. From the girls name, she sounds interesting.

"No, keep everything aside. Who gets married in a month? Is she ready to bag all your problems?" Alhaji Ilyas Jalo jeered, moving closer off the edge of the sofa he is sitting on listening to his children's banter.

"Dad." Nazir whined again, he gets too whiny in the presence of his family that people outside the world won't believe. "She is ready to bag everything I come with since she wants to be with me and not my problems. And hey, I don't have any problem, do I?"

"Tab; Ha, you are the real definition of problem. You that don't eat the food made at home, how is she supposed to cope with that?" Nuzha finally got her hands off her phone to throw her own comment. She hates that attitude of her brother's and always make sure to kvetch about it.

Nazir rolled his eyes, his sister won't let him live off not eating her tuwo. "I just don't like your own food but my wife's, it's another story." His mother hit his head at that but he shrugged. "That's the truth, Mom."

Hajiya Sahiba shook her head at her son's naughtiness and made up her mind to get him married in the said month. What is there to lose when they've already finished his lefe -gift boxes meant for the bride- long before he decided to get married? She can't wait to meet this girl that captured her son's heart but they have a tradition. They do that only after the marriage which sure is happen in just a month. She grinned widely, she can't wait to meet her daughter in-law and organise the first weeding in the family.

Where there is cheddar, time and the amount spent won't be a problem. They have a few matters to talk about with her son, he is hiding something from them, she is sure.

"Does your uncle know about this?" Alhaji Ilyas' voice yawed to that filled with seriousness as he faced his son, both his elbows placed on his getzner clad legs.

"I told him yesterday and he said he wants to dig into her background first. Yeah, that barrister is so protective." Nazir huffed, he don't want them to find out too much about Amirah which is why he needs to warn his uncle into not digging too deep.

"That is good. We never know." His brother Imaran shrugged his shoulders and lean his back on the couch, relaxing.

"Can we at least meet her? Mom won't but we can right?" Nuzha's eyes are hopeful, grinning widely like the cat on her pajamas shirt.

"Yeah, we are ready tomorrow to go see her at the office or anywhere." Heyam chirped, standing up to leave the living room but waited for his reply anyway.

"How about a lunch date on Monday after her shift at the office?" The girls cheered at that before they left for their rooms knowing it is time for everyone to disappear and the parents will have their usual night tea while talking about their kids.

"What are you hiding, Nazir?" His mother asked straightforward, no need of that beating around the bush with them.

Hajiya Sahiba Jalo is a woman in her mid fifties often mistaken about being younger because of her petite frame. She is also her husband's cousin and they got married together not really in love with one another but it sprout out just immediately. She almost thought she would arrange all her children's marriage but then the generation is changing and she found out that arranged marriage doesn't always work out the way theirs did.

Now that her son is here with his own matter, she wants to be nothing but supportive. Especially having more female children, it makes her resign in getting them married around the family. All the three of them were supposed to marry their cousins, Haruna Isah Jalo's children but it got ruined when all of them protested and said they want to find true love themselves. They shouldn't be beholden on that and turn fruitful things to parley.

"Mom, they are not rich and she won't be able to do anything expected of a bride. I still want to marry her, she is a nice person. And..." He trailed off, wondering whether he should tell her about Amirah being Imad's wife or just leave them in the dark. But they will find out and he does not want them to think she hid it from him.

"And?" His father pressed, his eyes narrowed because all he's said doesn't matter. They are not part of those people that wrongly believe a person from rich family should get married into same opulence, they don't care. As long as the other party is the right one for them.

"She was prince Imad's wife of one day. I know, don't look too surprised about it. I still want to marry her, she didn't hide anything about herself from me. Even what caused their fight was told to me by her and I believe her. I hope you won't judge her." He bowed his head down, totally expecting them to blow off and they did.

"No, this is not possible. How could you just bring a divorcée into your life, Nazir? This is your first marriage and not second!" His mother blew, her nostrils flaring and she started breathing heavily.

He won't bring that divorcée into their family and besides, the matter has reached every nook and cranny of the country. They will take leftovers? Never!

"Mom, I love her! It doesn't matter whether she is a divorcée or a widow, she is the one I want to marry. Why do you have any problem with that? Why does the word divorcée got stuck to you and nothing else? Not the truth I told you about and how much I believe in her? Do you even care about what I want or the society?" He stood up now, trying his best to keep his voice low and not sound disrespectful to his own parents.

A few minutes of silence issued in the room before Alhaji Ilyas Jalo decided to interfere. "He is right, Sahiba. She might be a divorcée and the divorce might've reached everyone in the country but that is beside the point. No one knows what caused the divorce and the only thing we should believe is the fact that they were in love! Nazir said he believes her which means whatever it is that has happened between the former couple was no one's fault. Just let go of what the society thinks of us for once and let the kids be happy."

Hajiya Sahiba is going to win this argument, she'd be damned not to. "But people are going to talk unnecessarily! I don't want this..." She trailed off and sighed, they are right. She shouldn't have anything against divorcées.

"Even your younger brother married a divorcée who happens to be your cousin and she was the cause of her failed marriage. You've got anything to say about that?" Alhaji Ilyas fixed more sense into her and she refrained from arguing again.

"Well then, do as you see fit and she should not worry about the furniture. Just ask the colour she wants for you both and it'll be done. In a month."