So Much For Love

Chapter two

The girls had settled down after the storm had died down. They were silent for some time when Asma’u busted out in to laughter.

“You should have seen the look on Aunt’s face. It was hilarious.”

All of them laughed with her. That eased off the tension that had built since morning in the house. They needed the humour too.

“I would pay a fortune to see it again.” Asma’u candidly added in between laughter.

They laughed for some time and then Asma’u got serious again, “Honestly Zee, you need to consider all that is happening. Hasty decisions shouldn’t be made concerning marriage.”

Zainab’s face was expressionless but her body language suggested she wasn’t going to talk on that again.

She simply got up and walked out of the room straight for their mother’s.

Zainab sat by the bed side in her mother’s room, obviously proud of what she had accomplished so far.

She’d managed to stir up trouble for the entire family and able to sleep peacefully. No one was going to separate her from Ali. Not while she lived.

As a child, she was denied many things, mother’s love and basic necessities of life; not that their father hadn’t tried.

But their aunt and grandmother took it away from them. She endured their resentments and chastises.

There were talks that went round the village. Talks about how she and her sister had refused their father’s choice regarding life partners for them.

It was sign of disrespect, because the act of choosing a groom for a girl by her father especially was almost considered as a ritual in that society.

Today, she was determined to put an end to the tyranny that contained her life. She wanted sole charge and she was going to get it, at all costs.

Yes, she had taken it to the extreme. But it was the only language they understood. If she had been soft and mellow, she’d been Sagir’s bride long time ago.

She didn’t want Sagir, despised the sight of him. He was no match for her Ali.
Sure, the villagers all called Ali a vagabond but she didn’t care. After all, love doesn’t see all that. She was of the strong belief that love conquers all.

Ali was going to change, she reassured herself daily. She was going to change him or save him or do both.

She was never going to back down. Ever.

*          *        *

That Tuesday morning, their families were summoned at the village palace.

Hopefully a solution would be reached. Zainab walked past the market square alone.

She ignored all the questioning glares thrown her way and gave a hoot about those who made them.

She made for the house of the village head which was at the far end of the village, as one went towards the Gaji River.

It was a building that although built about two years ago, represented the beautiful culture of the people.

It was a fusion of modern art and traditional regalia. Her two sisters were already there, amidst many attendants.

She sat close to Asma’u, who had given her a supporting look. She was grateful for that.

She knew she had not been good to her elder sister lately. But she was so engrossed with her thoughts that she barely stopped to think of any consequence to her actions.