Kano State, Nigeria.
2018.

"Good morning." Humaid greeted his wife in a bored tone while his other wife kept quite because she doesn't want to act all too kind and make the other feel guilty, she will let him do the talks.

"What are you doing with her and where is her maid outfit?" Madeeha glared hotly at the other woman who stopped cutting what she was doing since she heard her voice but she didn't raise her eyes to look at her. She might just glare back and make her melt there.

"Let me introduce you to my wife, Fikriya." He moved his hands wrap his arms around her shoulder, raising a daring brow at her to do anything stupid but she was too into thinking about what he said to react.

After it settled in her head, she snapped. What the heck is the imbecile talking about? Letting out a strangled cry, she lurched herself forward and found her hand gripping Fikriya's neck and trying to wring it to snap her dead which made Humaid's eyes widen before he threw himself between them and pried Madeeha's hand from Fikriya.

"What are you doing? Are you this stupid?" The veins are popping from his neck and forehead due to anger, he is keeping his hands balled not to slap her hard and send her falling around the kitchen.

"You're calling me stupid when you impregnated the maid and bring her to our home calling her your wife? How dare you disrespect me like that?! Of all people on earth, you choose this filthy maid to impregnate and bring in my house? You will hear from the King about this! What the fuck is even going on in your head?" She kept blowing not knowing what to do or even say, this totally took her off guard.

When she started ignoring her husband and neglecting their marriage, she didn't think he would take that drastic step. She just got tired and started yearning for her freedom and so she started going out with her single friends and act all single with them. She even gets to mingle around the young men and never tell them she was married till they find out and dump her, it doesn't matter. She only wants freedom.

Now that reality has struck and laughed hard to her face, she is out of ideas. Yelling at him will only push him to the wall and he will divorce her then her mother will kill her for letting a Prince divorce her and her stepsisters will come forward and even try to lure him into marrying one of them.

One thing she knows now is, she will try her very best to bring back the love she managed to pour out on the way. Will she be able to love him again? Does she even love him or is she just jealous? She hates the fact that a maid will now replace her if she doesn't step up her game and play it well. It's time to go back to her holy friends and seek for advise, she needs to save her marriage.

With one last glare, she angrily stormed out of the kitchen and lock herself in her room. She is pacing her room while dialling her friend's number who likes preaching to her and she will tell her not to preach to her but now, she needs her more than ever. When she finally picked up the phone, she frantically started talking before the friend asked her to calm down and talk slowly.

"Farida, I need your help please. Can you come over a little later?" She asked, picturing how her mother will kick her out of the house when she will give her the news about the divorce she is imagining.

"Uh, I'm not sure but I'll let you know when my husband allows me." That was her answer but Madeeha thanked her nevertheless and hung up the phone.

She's forgotten when was the last time she asked Humaid before leaving their home. She just stays there as her own wife and husband so maybe, just a little maybe, he has every right to bring another wife into their lives. She hasn't been the best of best right from the beginning and now it is almost broken beyond repair, she is not one to give up though.

~~~~

Falak finished getting ready to visit her brother's new wife. She could not wait to meet her after she was told about the abrupt wedding that took place when she went to visit Jawahir and her family because they arrived in Kano and they wanted her to spend the days with them, especially Mahir who wouldn't stop asking for da-da. She enjoyed her stay there!

She's forgotten when was the last time she dressed in ankara because after knowing the tricks maxi skirts, palazzo and gowns will do, she swerved her way back to it and now she can't live without them so she is now dressed in it to see her new sister in-law and how they will get along with this one. They want to have a day together with the other three in-laws, including Inayah who is now friendly with her because she is engaged.

She's been waiting for Humaid to get married because she hates Madeeha. Madeeha started giving her more curt words with time and so she stopped talking to her all together. She was elated when Humaid told her he has someone in mind and they will be married very soon so she asked him to go along and marry her immediately, there is no use wasting time and he agreed.

Her two assigned guards followed behind as she matched her way to the Princes' Chambers. The place looks more beautiful now that she looked around the wing. They painted it medallion and alabaster, very unique and gorgeous.

She knocked on the door, greeting the guards standing beside the enormous large Chamber's door which got opened by Humaid himself. He looks angry and tired but he still smiled and drew her into a brotherly hug before pulling away and asking her to move forward.

"Where is this wife of yours that you can't wait for me to meet?" Falak plop down on the sofa and sighed, it's been long since she last got in the Chamber because of Madeeha.

"She is nervous, thinking you won't like her. She thought you were friends with Madeeha and you will gang up against her." He chuckled as he made his way down the hallway to bring his wife out.

"Are they friends?" She asked for the nth time when he came to fetch her in her room.

She just adjusted herself to look more presentable from getting strangled by her co-wife and ex mistress. She knew something like that would happen but didn't know her mistress is wicked like that. Thank God she didn't keep the fight longer and let the thing go before they cause more problems.

"They never were! Now chin up and go meet that lovely lady." He smiled cozily before drawing her out of the room and down the hallway to where Falak is sitting, scrolling through her phone.

Falak's head rose and she almost fainted after seeing the woman behind Humaid, she even thought she was hallucinating. How can Fikriya, her own best friend from village is here in the palace with her all this time and she is only knowing that now or is she still dreaming. Okay Falak, stand up and see for yourself.

"Fikriya?" Falak questioned when Fikriya's shocked face didn't change and she knew they have the same look etched on their faces.

"Falak?" Came Fikriya's wail as she leaped and almost threw Falak off her balance and wrap her arms around her.

She's thought of many ways to meet her two best friends from village and a hug like this was what they have running in their heads.

But Falak was told Fikriya is married back when she went to the village four years ago and this marriage only happened recently. Oh they have a lot of talk about and she can't wait to find out what happened with her friend's life. Humaid told her she was a maid in the palace for the past six years. Does that means she was in the palace even before her? She came here when her Aunt took her away to the city to work!

"You guys know each other?" Humaid uncomfortably asked from beside them when they started getting lost in their hug and forgot about him.

"She is one of my best friends from my village." They both say in unison before bursting into laughter and tears started gushing down their faces.

"Uh, you should sit down." He gestured to the Royal couch behind them and ask them to settle which they did.

"I can't believe you are here with me." Falak said in between sobs and hugged her best friend again closely. She missed her so much and now she can't wait for them to spend a day together with no disturbance.

"Can I steal her tomorrow?" Falak asked Humaid who kept silent and is looking between them, trying to bring out what is it that makes them look alike.

"You can steal her now too, you guys will need all the time." He smiled when their faces broke into a same grin that made him almost run for the hills, their smiles are alike!

"Thank you, you are the best!" Falak beamed before dragging Fikriya to the room she came out from and sat her on the bed, totally forgetting about having a girls day with the other in-laws.

Madeeha heard all that has happened and felt like the door to her married life is slowly closing. Why is it that everybody is moving around her but faraway for her to reach?

*****
Yoyoyoyo!
H

ow are you all? So I was thinking about Coffee with our characters after chapter forty, what do you all think about it? We get to know some things about them huh? So it is all cleared, Fikriya is Falak's best friend from the village and you guys won!🌚 I hope you can see the photo this time around.
RQ; Would rather have tea or coffee? I want both. I'm really running out of random questions😂

Aishatu.