Tee takes Mina's hand and leads her to the dance floor as the violinist begins strumming a low string of 'Calum Scott's, You are the reason.'

'There goes my heart beating,
Cause you are the reason.
I'm losing my sleep
Please come back now.
There goes my mind racing
And you are the reason
That I'm still breathing,
I'm hopeless now.
I'll climb every mountain
Swim every ocean...'

Silver chandeliers dangle from the ceiling at varying heights, casting dim hues of rich gold, twinkling dreams and sparkling memories.

The reserved seats and tables covered with luxurious silver sequins are all filled with excited guests, some of whom cannot get their minds off the couple's hilarious march-in-dance.

For some others, it is the lip smacking aroma of continental and intercontinental dishes, from hot firewood cooked Jollof rice, to sizeable wraps of hand pounded yams, to various traditional soups, the kalabari native onunu and fresh fish stew, to delectable french and Italian desserts.

Inarguably, every person present, including the couple is swooned to awe by the towering wedding cake. Eight revolving tiers of rich white goodness. Expertly decorated with ribbons of regal style, and rhinestones of edible silver, all glistening under the dim light of the chandeliers.

Boma had the desired chore of picking flavours, and she had chosen a mixture of sweet vanilla bean, with chocolate butter cream, not forgetting to request a favour from the baker, asking her to make the last tier to be of soft red velvet with cream cheese frosting.

Boma looks on, stargazingly, as her mother dances with her husband. It feels like forever since she wished for this; still, it seems almost unbelieveable that they are finally here, together, newly married not to mention them having exchanged the most beautiful vows.

At this point, she's a bit frozen in time, but still of lucid thoughts. Wasn't it only like yesterday, her mother introduced her to the handsome man who lived in America?

Now, today, watching them dance, watching him hold her, watching how she lets go of everything, how she smiles like she's never ever cried, how she flows in his arms, it is only the slow stream of tears on Boma's smiley face that can tell how much of a treasure this moment is.

Nobody knows that a few minutes before they danced into the hall, Boma excused herself to the bathroom where she was allowed to feel everything. All the happiness, but mostly the fear of being away from her mother.

She reckoned that they hadn't discussed their honeymoon plans with her, because they didn't know how to. So in the silence of the bathroom stall, she cried slow quiet tears, then wiped her eyes and left, but not before whispering to herself, "I'll be fine. I'll always be fine."

"Hey." Melanie's beautiful face floats into her visual field, bringing her back to the violinist's low strings and the dancing couple.

She wipes her eyes and smile.

"I get the tears, them happy tears right?" Melanie asks. Her african-american accent always makes her seem more excited than she truly is.

"Of course, " Chinny says. Nudging Boma's shoulder and winking, making her smile more.

Frida sips her wine. "I think she's a bit jealous, I mean who wouldn't be? Her mom is getting married, and now she's going to have to share her with someone else. "

"That's not it." Chinny states, rolling her eyes already.

"I'm sure you have all the answers, Chinny." Frida says. A dash of mockery in her thin voice.

Boma's foot finds Chinny's under the round table.

They cautiously exchange glances.

"You're probably right." Chinny grins dishonestly.

"Of course I am." Frida snickers.

"Can someone please talk about the vows?" Danielle asks.

"Mmmmm!" Melanie raises her glass. "Yo! Them vows were literally fire." She stretches the last syllable of 'fire' into a whisper.

They all raise their glasses and laugh.

"Seriously though, hats off. " Frida says.

Boma laughs. "Like, I knew they were making their own vows, but my mom never let me read hers. Like I didn't even ever catch her writing it."

"It was legit dreamy." Chinny nods dramatically.

The usher rounds the table, "hey girls, I was hoping I could get your-"

"Menus? Sure. We've been waiting like forever. You definitely took your time." Frida interrupts.

Chinny rolls her eyes again, causing Boma to hide a smile. They both look away and laugh silently.

"Here. Thanks." Boma smiles at the usher as she walks away.

"Girl, you gat' put a peg on that attitude of yours. Like goddamit!" Melanie snaps.

"What!" Frida asks, wide eyed, like she had no idea that she was ever capable of wrongdoings.

"You were a bit rude?" Danielle says suggestively.

"Uh. Uh. Not a bit." Melanie turns to Danielle who shrinks almost immediately. "A whole damn lot. We haven't even been here thirty minutes ya'll, and she went all bitchy on the poor girl."

"Sorry you were pained." Frida apologises defensively.

"Talk about guys," Chinny changes the topic of discussion. "Who's dating here?"

She throws Boma a silly smirk.

"Oh, that." Danielle says, "I'm not allowed to date yet. My father has a gun."

Boma chokes on her wine. While she coughs, she finds her mother's eyes and just as she thought, they were on her.

Boma blows her a kiss, which translates to, 'get on with your dance, I'm still alive.'

Mina smiles, leaning upwards to give Tee a kiss.

"Your father has a gun?" Boma asks, resuming with her conversation.

"Yeah. He says I'm just fifteen like it's the same as five. So I tell the boys who dare ask me out that he has a gun, and like that, they're gone."

All the girls laugh again.

"Well my boyfriend is amazing," Melanie says. "We go to college together, and he's smart as ..."

"Is he black?" Frida asks.

"You are the kind of person who would ask that." Chinny says.

"Why are you picking on me? I only asked a simple question. "

"Well your question is unnecessary. What does it matter if he is white or black? She said he was amazing and smart. That's all you need to know." Boma says.

Frida rolls her eyes.

"Well, I am not dating either Danielle." Chinny says, "I've tried it though, we went to prom together, but he was a mess afterwards. "

"Aww." Melanie and Danielle pout.

From the way Frida keeps rolling her eyes, you would think she had met Chinny in some other life, where she swore to hate her if they should meet again.

"So Boma, are you dating?" Danielle asks.

All eyes fall on Boma.

She laughs out loud.

"Im'ma take that as a 'Yes' ." Melanie says.

The food is brought to their table, beautiful platters of Jollof rice, assorted meats, miniature pizzas and meringue pies

While the girls enjoy their food, the couple have finished with their dance and returned to their seats, where they join in on the dining going on.

If anyone stood up to take a quick survey, they would most certainly see Boma's aunties, where they have settled together around tables, munching on wraps after wraps of onunu, greedily grabbing anything that passes by their tables. But since everyone was too busy to stand up, they went unnoticed.

The master of the ceremony steps up to the platform. "Single ladies!" His voice bubbles the hall up.

The single ladies raise their hands in an excited frenzy.

"The bride is about to send her bouquet to the next Mrs. in the building, so you might want to step down from your six inches and come out here!" he says.

The DJ. begins playing, 'Power Rangers by Teni,' to usher the dancing single ladies and the bride to the floor.

Frida stands up, Danielle declines, mouthing, "my dad has a gun."

The girls laugh again.

Melanie pulls Boma, who pulls Chinny along.

They settle behind Mina, all of them following in her dance steps of whining their waists up and down, turning around, and repeat.

She throws the bouquet and the ladies scramble to catch it.