CHAPTER FIVE

Third person POV

Looking up at the sky on a full moon night, admiring the light of the beautiful stars and the well carved moon in it's bloom gives Khairee serenity. Life hasn't been easy to her since after her last encounter with her father meanwhile they haven't been in good terms with each other. Nevertheless preparations for the wedding is still going on.

Everything is moving so fast, it's only two days remaining before the wedding and all necessary things are bought, talking about furnitures which include a medium sized wooden bed, two pairs of one sitter couch, and a dressing mirror. Other necessary things like pots, stainless plates and bowls and also Samira(s) and kwanon sha(s) (I don't know the name of Samira and kwanon sha in English) are also bought.

She was buried deep into her thought when she heard her grandma talking to her, she wiped the lone tear on her face and looked up to her grandma.

"Khairee why are you sitting outside staring at the sky, I thought I told you to go to your room and get ready? I'm coming in now to apply your henna(lalle)" Inna stated

"Inna do I really have to put that thing? " khairee whined

"of course you have to, have you ever seen a bride without henna on their feets and hands? " Inna asked with a teasing voice

"Did I ever say I want to be a bride" she mumbled to her self

"Me kikace, what did you say?" Inna asked

"uhmm no nothing I didn't say anything, I will just wait for you inside the room" she answered walking towards her room.

'She thought I didn't hear what she said, yarinya this marriage will surely take place, it's for Your Own good afterall' Inna thought.

Khairee changed into a plane faded wrapper and an old white t-shirt, and waited for Inna to come. Some minute later Inna came in with a bowl of mixed henna and four black nylon bag, she sat down on the floor near the mattress khairee was sitting on.

"Give me your right leg" she said gesturing khairee with her hand, khairee stretched her right leg towards inna whilst she starts placing a black selutape with carved flowers on it on the feet, she did the same to the other left feet and started applying the henna. Amidst applying the henna she looked up to khairee whose face held no emotion whatsoever and stated

"Khairee I know you are not happy about this whole marriage, but I want you to know that getting married is not a bad thing infact it's the best thing that will ever happen to you, every girls dignity is in her husband house.

Every good thing you do in your husband house will earn you a reward from Allah and beside you are not going to live far away from your family, it is just few streets away, you can visit us whenever you want so long you have the permission of your husband.

So please do whatever it takes to please your husband as long as it isn't against Allah and his prophet Muhammad(saw), do not go against his will and be good to him. I know you don't like him but with time you will learn to love him and care for him". Inna finished flashing her_ her best smile. Khairee dropped a heavy sigh and looked at inna

"Inna you know I don't like him so why did you and Abba insist on getting me married to him?".

"Because he is so far the best for you" Inna stated sternly.

" but I don't want to...... " she started but was cut off by inna

"Enough with your tantrums Khairee, you are getting Married next tomorrow and that's final" Inna stated raising her hands up, and that's how they kept quiet until Inna finished applying the henna on both legs and hands.

"Sleep well Tomorrow is going to be a long day" Inna said before exiting out of the room.

Khairee laid down on her mattress thinking of how her life is about to take a U-turn in just a matter of 1 and a half day.

'should I execute my plan' she thought as she wipe a lone tear that was cascading from eyes down to her cheek.

How can I get married now ya rabb! am just 12 and a half year old. How can Abba do this to me, without consulting me he just fixed my marriage and that too with that Man, they don't even care if I like him or not.

All this things are what Khairee kept thinking about, while tears kept flowing from her eyes like an opened tap. She cleared her tear and sat up I must do something about this she thought to herself and suddenly a voice from her head spoke

'why don't you just execute your plan, that is your only solution for now'

'Should I do that? What do you think will be the consequences' Khairee asked the logical Voice

"Consequences for what... and what are you going to do" came Umma's curious voice. She quickly looked up, Inna was suspiciously looking at her, like she's trying to figure out something from her face.

"what.. what conse..quences are y.. you tal..king a..about?" khairee stammered

"I overheard you talking to yourself and you were saying something about consequences "

"No Inna I was just...ermm... reciting a hadith...yes I was checking to make sure it's still in my head" she smiled sheepishly hope Umma will believe her.

"Oh OK then go to sleep it's late already" Umma stated. Khairee dropped a sigh of relief before closing her eyes and drifting into a deep slumber.

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Khairee's POV

"Eyyeh su Khairee an girma" One relative whom Umma claim to be her maternal cousin said patting my shoulder, I looked at her 'okay more like a glare' and forced a smile on my face while I greeted her. I walked deep into the house only to find a whole lot of women and children scattered all over the house, some are sitting in groups eating porridge, some are eating separate, two ladies are drawing water from our water well, and lady was sitting close to the kitchen picking beans.

'what are all these people doing here, I thought the so called wedding is tomorrow or has it been reschedule to today?' I thought or more like asked my self. I kept walking to where all those guests are

"Sannunku da zuwa "I greeted in unison since I don't know who to start with

"Ah ah Amarya kenan an dawo? " A lady with a baby on her back spoke

"Eh" I answered "ina wuninku" I added flashing them the best fake smile I could. I don't see any reason why all this people will come today why not leave till tomorrow, actually I'm not a fan of crowd I don't like crowded environment. I always feel uneasy and uncomfortable whenever I'm in crowd and that explain why I don't attend dandali.

"Lafiya lau, how are you" they answered

"I'm fine"

"Ya surikin namu" A dark skinned woman which is of umma's age enquired. I wanted to scream 'I dont know and I don't care one bit' but I resisted I know not to disrespect an elder so I just looked down without answering her question.

"Khairee go and pick your food from the the kitchen" Umma who was in the middle of the crowd said saving me from all those stares.

I went to the kitchen and pick my food before heading to my room, luckily for me there was no one there so I sat down on the floor. I put my right hand under my chin and supported it with my right tigh, and all sort of thought begun flowing down my mind.

What is about happen to me now?

Why does Abba have to get me married now, doesnt he believe in me?

Don't he love me any more?

Don't he want me to be successful?

I was brought back to reality when Umma slowly tap my shoulder

"What is wrong with you dear, why aren't you eating and what are thinking of, Are you okay? " She asked sitting next to me.

"No Umma I'm not okay, Can't you see my life is becoming ruined right in front of me" I answered resisting the urge to release the tears threatening to fall.

"No my dear No, don't say that, your is life is not ruining, you are just taking a new phase in your life sperm".

"Yeah! a new miserable and unwanted phase indeed"

"Huh Khairee you shouldn't say that, no none want your life to be miserable, everyone want your life to be full of happiness and felicity, we want what is best for you". Umma stated holding both my hands in hers.

"No Umma no one want what is best for me, absolutely NO one".

"Of course there is Khairee, I want what is best for you, so is your Father and your grandma".

"Hmm you might want what is good for me but not Abba and Inna"

"Of course they too want the best for you, and that is why they thought getting you married is what is best for you". Umma defended

"Umma if they get me married tomorrow, Umma I'm.... Going to die" Umma gasped covering my mouth with her palm

"Don't say that again please Khairee have some 'Sabr' patience" Umma uttered drawing me into hugging her, I hugged her very tight and sobbed silently.

"Umma I don't want to get married" I uttered with a husky voice . Umma kept patting my back trying to give me comfort.

"Calm down Khairee, you have to have faith in Allah for he is the best of planner he will surely choose what is best for you okay? "

"Ok" I said nodding my head

" Wipe those tears and eat your food" she uttered drawing the food bowl close to us, she then took a spoon full of porridge and brought it towards my mouth while I opened mouth. She kept feeding me until we heard someone coming into the room.

"So it's a daughter and mother time koh Lallai, Aisha gaskiya Kina shagwaba yarinyan nan, she's getting married tomorrow and she can't even eat by herself you have to feed her?" Inna who just came into the room said. Umma just smiled and continued feeding me before uttering

"Since today is her last day as a single lady don't you think I should pamper her?"

"Gaskiya kam, but don't just pamper her, also teach her the etiquette of a good housewife and the do(s) and don't(s) of a wife".

"Ok Inna" she answered nodding her head with a smile plastered on her elderly beautiful face.

"Alright then have a good mummy-daughter time" Inna stated before evacuating the room.

***********************************

Seconds turns into minutes and minutes turn to hours and now it's been five hours since our little chat with Umma. I've been thinking of everything and anything and now I've finally made up my mind to execute my plan.

I stood up from the mattress I was lying down, the house is less crowdy now because most of the guest went to Inna's house to spend the night there.

I opened the iron box where my clothes are and brought out a piggy box which is made up from the mud(dried), I've been saving my money in it ever since I could remember and I decided to break it today because the money in it will be of great help for me when executing my mysterious plan.

I hit it directly to the floor and in no time it breaks into different pieces, I separated the money from the pieces of the the piggy box. I then started counting the money together with arranging it, it's 2100Naira I smiled in satisfaction

'This will be enough I guess' I thought before disposing the broken pieces of the piggy box in the waste bin outside.

I came back into the room and laid down on my mattress,

Tomorrow is going to be a very very long day I thought before sleep consumed me.

***********************************

I woke up to the call of the Aadhan, I quickly walked out and went to perform abulution and then came back into the room and offered my subhi prayer which I prolonged the last sujuud praying to my lord to guide me and protect me, I also pray that he forgive me on the path that I'm about to follow.

I immediately open my clothes box and took out two pieces of my previous Eid garment. I spread one of the scarf on the mattress and put down the clothes before tying it into a knot. I took my money from under the mattress and walk towards the exit of the room, I turn to the give the room a one last glance before cascading out of the room.

I was about to step out of the house when someone grabbed me by the wrist, I frooze to the spot I was standing unable to turn around

'Oh my Allah someone caught me' I thought.

"Where are you going UmmulKHAIREE? " I heard Umma's calm yet intimidating voice.

I slowly turn to look at her she was wearing a poker face. I gulped down a lump which was about burst out of my throat because of fair.

"Umma I-l was ermm....I..I....." I said with shaky voice, I am short of words, I know I am caught right handed. Umma have me a close look before stating

"Khairee is this what I'm thinking? "

"What are you thinking Umma"

"Are you by any Chance trying to runaway?" she uttered placing her hands on her chest. I looked down without answering I know she won't listen to me.

"Talk to me" she grasped my shoulder but I still couldn't talk.

"Oh ni Aisha Indo nashiga Ukuna, do you hate Garbati that much that you have to risk your life rather than to get married to him?" she asked again but I kept mum.

"Talk to me Khairee please say something" she uttered shaking my shoulders vigorously, her voice sounded like she was about to break down.

"Yes Umma, I don't like him and I don't want to get married, but you guys don't understand, it's like I'm a burden to you that you need to get rid of" I paused before I continued

"I'm tired of all that is happening, I'm tired of telling you guys I'm not ready to get married, am tired of complaining, I'm tired of trying to explain, am tired of the I'll treatment Abba is giving me, he doesn't talk to me, he doesn't answer my greetings talk less of hearing my pleas , Am tired of every single thing that is happening in this house, I'm...."

"SHUT UP" She glowled..............