POISON & WINE (Preview)

2; Fika Clan

Katsina.

"BABE what do you think about this?" Surayyah showed her fiancée an exquisite white bridal dress that is sweeping the floor, pink roses embellishing the sweetheart neckline to her shoulders.

He turned around to look at the blinding screen in the darkness of his car. He loves white which is definitely why she is choosing that but he doesn't like the gown, it's unsettling. It's showing all her curves meant only for him to see, possessive. But he doesn't want to appear too protective of her already and besides, it's their wedding.

Instead of portraying what he really felt, the corners of his mouth turned up as he questioned. "Do you like it?"

Surayyah nodded enthusiastically, her eyes fixated on the screen. "Isn't it gorgeous? With those little pink roses."

"It is, as long as you love it." He smiled at her, his eyes clear and filled with onus adoration for his woman sitting there beside him looking all enraptured and fervent to get married to him.

Her wide eyes yawed around to look at him, a smile slowly enveloped her face at the way he was looking at her, her lips quirking. He cannot wait to have her in every sense legitimate, shower her with crippling love and nauseating tenderness that will disarm her. She cannot wait for that too, they've been dating for over eight years which is why everything feels hypnagogic and overwhelming.

They just want to get this done and over with it.

"AB, what would you have done if Abba had gotten me married to Luqman?" She curled her hands beneath her dainty cheeks and stared at him with her wide appealing eyes.

Abbas's expression yaw really taut and dangerous, unveiling the commander beneath. He was never that severe with her. Whenever she is around, it feels like everything is perfect, all rainbows and unicorns and he cannot help being contented. She is also doing her best to make sure their relationship is as healthy as possible throughout those eight years albeit the breaks they took once in a while.

"I don't know but I am extremely happy that he didn't do that. I don't think I can ever go through the process of loving someone apart from you. Arranged marriage would've happened for the first time in my family." He shrugged his shoulders looking dead serious about the matter.

And she knew he was serious about it too.

Surayyah threw her head back and laughed at his earnestness. She knew he was serious but the mere thought of him with another woman apart from her made her blood boil scorching hot beneath her skin. Her AB with another woman? That should be over her dead body, of course. It won't happen. They love each other to death. It's a sight she can never picture, not after being together for so long.

Her father wanted to come in between though, not long ago. He was so persistent that she must also get married in the family like her other older sisters and the younger one, they are getting married together next week. She made sure Luqman understood the fact that she didn't like him so he talked to her father about it. Luqman is a nice man but just not her type of man.

They are friends now, he is cool with her marriage and is now hunting for a bride.

"They don't know about it but we've been tied together since forever." She held his hand in her own soft small ones, massaging the backs with her thumb.

"They do now. And in a few days, nothing is going to stand in our way." He kissed the back of her hand, feeling her pulse racing beneath his hand. He smiled, the same effect she has on him.

Breathlessly, she acquiesced. "Absolutely nothing and no one."

Abbas traipsed inside his father's mansion around five in the evening after a very long day at work trying to take a few weeks off after the wedding to spend some time with his wife. Things are closing up on him and he thought he was ready to tackle everything when the time comes. You are never too ready for your own wedding it seems. It has been going on since the day got fixed four months ago, how time flies.