CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Beauty is self-confidence including simplicity

_Salamatullah

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Taheera

Today being Friday and also Farida's wedding day, our house was so crowded, our relatives from both ammi and khalifa's side came also. Yesterday was so much fun, the henna party went well and stunned, everything went according to plan.

I was so stressed out yesterday even though I had managed little sleep today after my subh prayer but I am still sleepy, and I also have to be at work by 11 today because of some crucial documents. I quickly took my bath and dressed up and just then I recalled that my tailor isn't picking any of my calls anymore. Oh Lord help me!

Ina zuwa Haka taheera" aunty rabi called the moment I descended downstairs

I am heeding to work…but I will be back before 2 insha Allah" I hastily went out before she even reply to what I just blurted

I entered ammi's car, started it and drove away to work. I rounded up everything before 2:00 and make sure everything went according to plan and left to go get ready before the daurin aure and Kai amarya.

Ke taheera yaushe ne daukan amaryar ( hey taheera when is the conveyance of the bride)" khalifa's sister maman sabeeha said the second she called through the phone while I was in the car driving home

After the daurin aure probably" I replied fixing my gaze on the street

Okay…our flight just landed in Kano we will be there shortly"

Okay Aunt safe drive"

Thank you dear" she said and hanged up first

I arrived home before time and unexpectedly met my tailor at the gate sitting against his bike looking through his phone.

Malam lukman" I called

Taheera I am so sorry wallahi I was done with all of your ashoebi but unfortunately my phone got stolen…yanxu Haka na matana nake anfani dashi (even now am using my wife's phone" he lamented

Ayya…am sorry too, yesterday I was talking ill behind your back not knowing what exactly was wrong."

No it's okay…here are the clothes sorry I didn't ironed them properly I was in a hurry to come on time"

A a babu komai tunda sun iso aii shikenan( no it's okay since they arrive that's it)" I collected the leather bag from him

Toh taheera saina jiki kenan idan an kwana biyu (so taheera till I hear from you soon)"

Nagode sosai malam lukman( thank you so much malam lukman)"

He left while I wide opened the gate, enter with the car and parked it.

                        ~•~

ALHAMDULILLAH, An daura auren farida sadiq mai-kano da Azaan abdul-maleek, abisa sadakin dubu dari, Allah yabasu zaman lafiya dakuma zuri'a dayyaba" we all heard from the voice call Azaan and farida were making. Everyone started yodeling and sounds of congratulations coming from all of us in the room.

She stood up and strolled out shyly to the bathroom avoiding all our gaze. Okay now it's officially on, she's officially Mrs Azaan, but why do I feel like nothing is going well" I said all that in my head

"Think positive thoughts taheera!" my mind blurted

I shakes my head and wiped my face with the towel I was holding and sat on the mirror stool while the makeup artist lightly touched my face, after some minutes later I put on my blue-yellow Ankara gown A shape and tied my own turban in Zahrah buhari style.

Barka, barka, barka ammi and the rest of our family and friends saying to one another. Ammi took farida to her arm "Allah yayi Miki albarka faridatu nah, Allah yasa gidan kine, Allah yabaku zaman lafiya da kyawawar zuri'a ( may Allah bless you and your home my farida, may your house be your own, may he bless you with a beautiful and amazing family)" she said holding her. She didn't get to reply when maman sabeeha spined her towards herself and started spraying humra and some other scentful perfumes from a beautiful bottles.

I could scent all the fragrance because I was the one that collected them from Nurain's sister Faridah. My aunties all took turns in hugging and congratulating her with each one of them collecting and spraying the perfume above her.

Some moments later, Azaan and his friends entered the house and you could hear all the jubilating and congratulating sounds from khalifa's side. Maman sabeeha and aunty rabi lead the way to khalifa's room while I, kubra and the rest strolled side to side with the bride.

The moments we entered Khalifa's room all of the groomsmen started teasing and joking around, they sat down on the carpet while my auntie and Uncles gave them sermons on the important of marriage. Khalifa walked in majestically and sat beside maman sabeeha while farida is down beneath him, he started to gave sermons too, on how my marriage is an act of worship.

Through it all farida was quite and even though her face was covered with her lafayya that doesn't hesitate to show her tears stain. I have always thought that the way she love Azaan she won't cry on her wedding day but unluckily I was proved wrong….lol

The farewell and sermons with ammi was more emotional than that of khalifa's, I was trying my best not to shade even a single tear but I couldn't, I was so emotional and all of a sudden I recalled all of our friendship, love and fights that we had and I broke down too, we cry together and instantly the moment started getting dramatic as farida and ammi clung to each other and refused to let go.

Apparently the yan Daukan amarya came early because it's the Abdul-maleek's family tradition to pick the bride immediately after the daurin aure.

Everything happened in a rush. We took her directly from home to Azaan's family house where we are going to stay for the night and tomorrow evening we will take her to her new home. We bundled up in heeded to Azaan's house, after some couple of minutes later we were outside a very big upstairs house enough to call it a penthouse I guess, the gate became wide opened as we drove in along the bride where a welcome party awaits us.

I opened my door and went to the car farida was and instantly everyone started to come out yodeling loud and jubilating. We were escorted in by Azaan's auntie and relatives where they sat her down on a very big and Cozy couch and began to unveil her and spraying perfumes all over her.

Welcome to our family Faridah" a middle age lady whom I recognize to be Azaan's aunt said spinning bunch of hundred Naira's above her

  welcome to your new home my dear, may your home be blessed" another middle age lady said who I later learnt is Azaan's last aunt. Later on was filled with Azaan's relatives introducing themselves and welcoming farida to the family including presenting their gifts also.