Ever since Zain had made his decision; everyone was happy except two people-Mubarak and Aisha. Mubarak left the house immediately and he never came back. That was two weeks ago.
My wedding was on Sunday; my parents were arriving today through the plane. I was very nervous and scared about meeting my father. He never acknowledged me as a daughter; he despised me or maybe hated me. He never had any reason to talk to me except a few words when necessary.
My bump was already showing and clear that I was pregnant. I was very happy with my baby. Zain never left my side for once and I'd not been seeing Aisha also lately.
"Where is my baby?" I heard my mom's squealing voice in the sitting room. I rushed out, running through the stairs, "Mom" I screamed, showing my pearls of teeth.
"Baaaaaaaaaaby" mum screamed and she put me in a bear hug. I'd missed her warmth and comfort. I cried "mom".
"Baby, Oh my baby is having a baby" mom giggled like a schoolgirl, I'd not noticed dad until he cleared his throat. I looked at him awkwardly because I didn't know how to approach him.
"Good afternoon sir" I smiled tightly and he nodded in return.
Typically my dad!.
His hand was in his pocket, He glanced around the house and nodded in approval.
He never smiled at me or looked at me. I did question myself sometimes, was I really his daughter? but it was nearly impossible because I was his carbon-copy.
Mom noticed the air between us and hushed me by holding me. "Baby let's go to your room" I stared at her dumbfounded, "why?" I asked her.
"For tea" she grinned widely.
"But tea is in the kitchen, let me get it for you" I moved but she pinched my rosy cheek. "Have you forgotten?. baby tea, tea-gist" she raised her eyebrow.
"Oh, I remembered" I looked at her and smiled shyly. Tea time meant gist time.
"I want the hot tea not cold," she said sternly.
We got to my room; sat on the bed and mom hummed. I smiled.
"Now spilt," she said urgently.
"Okay, from where?" I asked her.
"From the beginning" she arched her brow.
As I was to begin, Hajia knocked and smiled."I want the tea also" I looked at her to mom, from mom to her before all of us burst out laughing.
"But baby, why couldn't you wait till after marriage before.." she said softly.
"Mom, if I tell dad, I was marrying a Hausa guy, he wouldn't agree. I know he would be embarrassed that was why..." I trailed off. I couldn't even look at her because I hated lying to her.
"Okay, how did it happen? Who is the first person to make an approach?" she wiggling her eyebrows.
"Mom stop!" I whined while she stuck her tongue out while Hajia laughed.
"Did it pain you or.." I flinched, the incident flashed; the pains, hurts but I smiled slightly at mom.
"Oooh, my baby" she wiped her imagination ." I think it was hot and steamy" she giggled.
"Is he endowed?; I mean is he big?"
"Mom!".
"What baby?, I'm curious".
"Mom" I groaned and shooed her."I'm not saying anything again"I grumbled.
"Okay, I'll leave that for now but still coming back to it" she teased me.
"Mom" I groaned.
Mom was impossible!.
"Wait...Is the baby boy or girl?" she asked, munching her popcorn.
"We don't know yet! we want it to be surprised" I replied softly because I never thought of it.
"What is the name?".
"We have not decided yet".
"What?!" Mom screeched, and Hajia covered our ears animatedly.
"We gonna name him; Farhan, Royhan, Adewale, Abdullahi, Muhammad.." She listed and listed. Mom never stopped talking.
And I loved her.
~**~
We had been preparing for the Nikkah(marriage). My henna had been done. I prayed to Allah to make it easy and blessed the journey. Different types of food were prepared; Yoruba, Hausa ...
Mom and Hajia dolled me up, I couldn't even recognize while looking at the mirror.
I felt like a princess, I was smiling cheeks to cheeks when Muhammad came in on his Armani suit.
My boy was handsome.
I was very nervous and scared, my mind was bringing in any scenarios. I shook my head and prayed silently.
"Bring the bride out" the MC voice was loud. It was a small wedding, held in the sitting room.
The men sat in Indian styles while the ladies sat on the chairs. Zain sat on a throne-like chair, and there was a space beside him for me to sit.
The Sheikh and ustaz did the normal nikkah ritual and sermon, they asked my father for approval. I was scared he would say no but when he muttered out 'yes' with detest, I was extremely grateful and happy.
The Sheikh asked zain, he said yes and they asked me too, I happily said yes.
"With the power of Allah (SWT), I pronounced Zain Muhammad and Ruqoyyah Abdul-Hameed as husband and..." the man voice was cut off by Mubarak's loud voice.
"Stop" Mubarak stumbled in looking furious.
"What do you want?" Zain gritted out.
Hajia came to drag Mubarak but she pushed her, making her fall hard on her butt.
"You can't marry her" He yelled while gasps and 'ooh' sounds filled the air.
"Why?" the sheikh asked him calmly.
"He can't marry her because she's not yours"
"What do you mean?" the sheikh asked, then he pointed to the bump on my tummy. I wrapped a hand around it protectively.
"The child is not yours and you can't take another man's baby as yours" he growled.
I glanced around and my gaze stopped at mom; she looked hurt, pained and broken while dad looked at me with disgust and Aisha had that taunting smirk on her lips.
"It is none of your business, If the baby is mine or not, I've accepted has Mine" Zain gritted.
"You can't take another man's property as yours"Mubarak came to me and held my left hand while Zain held my right hand. They were pushing me towards each other. I was frustrated and tired of them, I screamed at both of them.
"Why are you doing this Mubarak?. Today is supposed to be the happiest day of my life but all you do is to crumble it. What have I done so wrong?was it because I rejected you?" I cried out.
"No Ruyah, I can't allow you to marry him," he said softly.
"Then why?".
"Because the baby" he pointed to my bump.
"is mine," he said firmly.
His revelation made me fall on my butt while tears brimmed from my socket.
"Shege" Zain roared and ran to him, making both of them fall on the floor. That was all I heard before everything blacked out. (bastard).