Chaos and painkillers

37. Let her go.

Friday, 21st June, 2019.

"My parents-everyone is insisting I become queen."

Sudais sighed, draped the face towel on his neck, and unplugged his phone from the charger. "And?" He knew there was always an 'And' or 'But' with Laila. To be honest, he wanted to give no attention to her but...the reasonable part of him kept reminding him that she wasn't the only cheater in the relationship, he was too. And they needed this to work. Their family's images just couldn't be tainted more.

"I don't want to."

"That is why i am remarrying."

Almost instantly, "They don't care! And you plan on depriving me of working after i graduate."

He twisted to glare at her figure by the vanity, dressing up, "What do you want me to do?"

"Convince them."

He ignored the vibration of a phone call and dropped his thick arms in frustration. "How will i even do that?"

Laila swiveled the vanity stool until she was facing his water-dripping anatomy. "You're their Lamido, they'll listen to whatever you say."

"Okay," his lips set into a tight straight line as he searched for less bitter words to start. "You come from a royal family, you know the king's wife is not allowed out. But for your sake, i am remarrying and trying to favor you. So, you just shut up and let me handle this the best way i know how. Do you trust me?"

Honestly, "I don't."

"Good," he nodded, "You're smart." Then disappeared into the closet.

Sudais was on short order as he stepped out of the closet less than 3 minutes later, decked in grey kaftan with a matching cap. Now being king came with uncomputable disservices, one of which was; Sudais must always dress formally regardless of where he was. His least formal attires are either Kaftan-yer shara, which was an oversized armless Kaftan, or a Jallabiyya.

As if waiting on him, he found Laila similarly decked up in stony Lace, slouching cross-legged into the rocking chair by the end of the lounge, rocking back and forth.

He couldn't help himself, "You sure know how to act like a pregnant woman."

Laila hummed, dropping her tablet unto her lap and peering at him. "I'm a doctor."

"Student," he corrected, the side of his lip lifting.

Laila shrugged, returning her attention to the tablet. "Mima and Hafsy are coming over, said they were going to take me out after school."

Sudais' brows drew in, his eyes squinting as he walked into the lounge but stayed a safe distance from Laila. "What'd you tell them?"

Laila cleared her throat, "What you told me. Intentionally-accidentally tell Mima that i am pregnant."

"Oh..." he shrugged and started to walk to the front door.

Just in time, the door was pushed open, almost forcefully before a loud and ringing voice salam-ed into the room.

"Hamma!!" The girls with a striking resemblance to the Fulani man sang happily, one-Mima searching for Laila while the other-Hafsy, raised her hand to her brother for a high-five.

Sudais chuckled, shaking his head before bringing his hand up for a high five. She then held his hand in a tight handshake, "Congrats."

"Thank you," his eyes traveled to Mima, and Laila's hands clasped, Mima crouched down as they whispered to themselves.

Whatever it was they were whispering, he didn't care, all that worried him was the fact that his sisters were genuinely happy about a non-existent theory. To be honest, his smile and laughter weren't fake. But his mind though was all jumbled up knowing this was a charade that'd be ended soon.