Soiled #ProjectNigeria ✔️

Chapter thirteen: Forming New Relationships

Thirty days to the wedding.

Madam makeup artist,
This one you have refused to come and see a sick woman 💆is it fair? Issokay oo. My husband had refused to let me out of my room(literally) and I'm bored to death. After Jumah prayers today please 😩😥😭😭pity this poor woman and come see me.

Yours in boredom
Ajìkè Dikko

After jumaah prayers, instead of driving back to the studio, I drive to Ajìkè's house in Maitama. It's a really sunny afternoon and my hood gown does little to shield me from the harsh sunlight.

I ring the doorbell and a young woman in blue lets me in.

She directs me up a flight of stairs and we walk into a small living room decorated in pastel colours. A large LCD television adorned the wall near the window and asides the three sofas, ottomans of various colours were scattered around the room. The colours overshadow the cool blue paint on the walls. She leaves after I get settled into a chair near the French window overlooking the lawn behind the house.

"So, if I didn't text you, you wouldn't come over to see poor old me. All of you deserted me." She claps her hand dramatically and carefully sits on one of the sofas, directly opposite me.

I stare at her, her beautiful skin is gleaming. "You look so beautiful, Masha Allah."

She looks herself over and hisses. "It's just due to hormones, my skin is naturally dry." I crack a smile at her comment. The young lady in blue draws out a table from the sofa I'm sitting on and places a glass of pineapple drink on it and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. I drool, I haven't had lunch.

"Who else is coming? Your best friend?." She smiles, nods her head and swallows the cookie she had crunched. "They are due here in one hour, so you and I have to gist before they get here." I smile at her exuberant nature.

"So, no events huh?" One perfectly well plucked eyebrow is raised in question and a small smile is playing on her lips.

"I've had events when I was marrying the first time, a week-long events that gulped a lot of money. I don't want to be a wastrel a second time around. I should be sensible this time." I smooth my hand over my flowered hood gown. My palms are sweaty just thinking about my first wedding and how I want this one to be a stark difference.

"I agree with you, you should be sensible, but won't your friends do a bridal shower for you. At least, something small to send you off and of course an opportunity to party?" I stare at her face again, this time I notice the double chin making its way. She's gained weight while pregnant.

"I don't have any friends. At least not those I used to have." She sighs visibly and raises her self_well tried to_ because I had to rush over to her side and hold her down.

"Afrah, I have no idea why Allah made me notice your sadness. It's fine to tell me everything. I won't judge." I sunk into the sofa and laid my head on the headrest.

"I started loosing my friends immediately after my wedding to my first husband, he stopped me from visiting them. From sending them emails or texts, once while I'd defiantly gone to a friend's wedding, he locked me out and made me sleep on the cold slab. That was my punishment for going, even after he had approved. He said and I quote 'When I told you to go, why didn't you say back. Don't you know go means, don't go'. He killed every single strength I ever had five months into our marriage. I just didn't have the strength to fight back."