52: A New Bride

It was so early when Fareeda woke them up and had them bathing because she was so nervous about meeting Kulthum today that she couldn’t sleep. And no matter how Mujaheed complained that she wasn’t even arriving any time soon, she didn’t hear a word out of it. All she wanted was for them to wake up, get ready and begin to wait. They had their breakfast together with Muhaseen on the bed as she gurgled, reminding them they had a child that needed some attention.

As Mujaheed ordered, by noon after they had left Daada’s chamber, there were a lot of servants and some of their relatives in front of their chamber that she got clammy hands when Nafisa asked her to come out to meet everyone. She looked at her with a polite smile and shook her head, “Do you think I could do this, Nafisa?”

Nafisa smiled and collected Muhaseen from her hands. They might’ve just arrived yesterday, but she loved her already. She was the type of person that you could see her kindness without necessarily having to have a deep conversation with her or something that will make you realize she was kind. It spoke for itself, her kindness, her compassion, her innocence, all could be seen from her eyes. “You can do this, your highness. They’re all just here to greet you, nothing more.”

She stood up from the bed, and the royal attire Nafisa brought to her made her doubted if she was the one. It sparkled, glowed, and looked so beautiful on her. She wondered how she would communicate with them because not all of them understood French, just like in Nigeria not everyone understood English. Maybe they would understand or some of them would insult her? She was already nervous, and she stammered when she was talking to Nafisa, how would she feel to address the masses?

They walked down the corridor with the few servants there greeting her and she would nod her head toward them. They walked out and her heart lost a bit at the amount of people she had seen and from nowhere, she felt his presence beside her, and he leaned toward her face and spoke. “Why are you having this look on your face, Fareeda?” He softly asked. Even though she didn’t want them to show any sign of affection in front of these people, she had to look up at him knowing so well it would calm down her nerves.

“I'm so nervous, Mujaheed. What would they think of me?” He chuckled softly and collected Muhaseen from Nafisa. There were palace guards everywhere and their choruses died down when he cleared his voice and took her clammy hand in his.

“I’m right beside you, Fareeda. Nothing will happen to you and no one dare harms you, okay?” She softly nodded her head, feeling as though his hand was like an ejector that filled her with so much peace and confidence.

He turned to them with his hands holding the two women he loved with all his soul. “The kind people of Yaoundé, I’m pleased to be back to my homeland. I appreciate your warm gestures and I'd love you to welcome my wife and daughter as well. Her name is Fareeda, and my daughter’s name is Muhaseen...” They didn’t even let him finish when they all chorused, giggling happily and clapping their hands, and that was when Fareeda noticed he was loved everywhere. They looked at ease with him, as though he wasn’t a royal prince.

“You’re welcome back, Your highness! We welcome you to our amazing palace, Your highness!” They chorused at the same time, going on their knees with beautiful smiles on their lips, Fareeda felt overwhelmed even though she couldn't understand what they were saying.

He smiled at them; he loved his people. “She’s Nigerian, so she doesn't understand Fulani. But for those that can speak French, she can communicate with you. And for those that can’t, she’d always understand and appreciate your love toward her.”

Fareeda stared as all eyes turned to her with her eyes beaming with happiness and humbleness. The session went well, with lots of love even though there were some that she didn’t understand what they meant because they spoke in Fulani and all she had to do was smiled at them and nodded her head as though she understood everything. They went back into the chamber after Muhaseen had started crying and Fareeda laughed before she took off the thobe, cleared the colored lipstick Nafisa begged her to wear before she took Muhaseen.

“You can’t even let me see that for more than five more minutes, Fareeda?” He whined and slumped on the bed beside her. Resting on his arm as she sat above him while feeding Muhaseen.

“What is that, the thobe? You should even appreciate me for wearing that because it’s so uncomfortable and I wasn't told that I would need to wear that someday before I got married to you.” She playfully rolled her eyes at him and he had a whiny expression plastered on his lips.

“Not the thobe, I sometimes find it so uncomfortable too at times. The lipstick, I wanted to comment on it but knowing that you’d rather I die than display my affection for you in the presence of those people, I held myself back, only for me to come in and have you already removing it.” There was a whiny expression on his lips and if she could add, he had a pout on them.

“What are you? A baby? And we both know that I hate anything that has to do with makeup. I'm not even wearing it ever again, if not because Nafisa begged me to, I wouldn't have done that.” She rolled her eyes exasperatedly and carefully placed Muhaseen that has already fallen asleep on the bed, making sure she made a barrier for her with the pillows.

She turned to have him staring at her face with a known expression by her, she immediately stood up. “Not now, go out, you have people to take care of and have them know that their crown prince is back.”

He stood up as well, wanting to smile at her but he knew she knew him to well to believe a faint smile by him. “They have a king, his assistant, who would need a crown prince? Please, Fareeda. You know how it is whenever you breast feed Muhaseen in my presence.”

She shrugged off her shoulders nonchalantly, “Then you should stop staying where we are, or for your own safety, I'll be wearing a hijab before doing that. There, a solution for you, choose the one you’re most comfortable with.” He tried holding her, but she swiftly slipped out of his hold and ran deep into the room, laughing even though all she wanted was to act stoic.

He followed her until he had her in his arms and spoke, “Fareeda, do you realize that you just looked sensible out there but here, you’re acting like the little girl your soul is?” Before she got the chance to answer him, Mujaheed had started tickling her that she had no choice but to brute into a peal of laughter while begging for his mercy.

*

“Nana, I’ll call you, I think someone is by the door.” She immediately said to Nana after she heard a soft, paint and reluctant knock on her door. She knew it might be Nafisa but if she was the one, she would have spoken and asked if she could come in. Maybe it was another servant.

She ended the call and stood up from the praying mat she just finished praying on. “I'll be there,” she spoke in French, moving to the door after she had placed the folded prayer mat in its appropriate position. She unlocked the door and her gaze fell on a lady that was her age, staring at her with a beautiful smile on her lips.

“You must be Fareeda, right?” She spoke reluctantly in French and Fareeda smiled at her nervously.

“Yes, I'm Fareeda...” She let her words trailed off when it clicked in her. “Oh my god! You must be Kulthum!” She said with a shrilling voice that was half excitement and the other revealing how nervous she was. This was the Kulthum she had woke up early to prepare to meet her and she found her when she wasn’t even ready.

“Yes, I'm the one. Ya Allah, you’re so beautiful, Fareeda.” Kulthum hugged her lightly and Fareeda smiled before she hugged her back.

“And you’re beautiful too.” They broke their hug while smiling at each other and Fareeda realized she had to make her enter the room that was once her mother’s room even though everything had been renovated in there. “Come on, come in. Where’s Hamid? And Mujaheed said you were pregnant last year, where’s the baby?” She pulled her into the room with a smile and Kulthum looked up at the room, sadly smiling.

Fareeda watched her from where she stood, “I’m sorry about your loss, Kulthum. Mujaheed told me everything about Yumma, she was such a good woman and I wish her Allah’s Noor and eternal bliss.”

With her smile turning back in full force, Kulthum nodded her head and turned to look at her. “She was, you’d imagine how much I've missed her. But now I can say I've finally found a sister I can talk with.” Her eyes fell on Muhaseen that was on the bed, she wasn’t sleeping, she was playing with her hands as she made those baby gurgles. “Oh my god! She was the surprise Daada said he had for me?!” Like a baby, she jumped on the bed and took Muhaseen in her hands, and in a swift, tears were on her cheeks.

She looked up at Fareeda that was staring at how lovingly she hugged Muhaseen, “She’s so beautiful. Thank you for giving birth to her.” Fareeda had to chuckle, she didn't understand why they had to thank her whenever they saw Muhaseen, isn’t she her daughter also?

Fareeda moved to the bed and sat down on the edge, staring at Kulthum’s face then back to Muhaseen’s. “Now that I've seen you, I can say she looks somehow like you.”

Immediately, Kulthum shook her head. “This girl is more beautiful than I can ever be!”

Fareeda chuckled, she thought after some minutes she would see Mujaheed coming in with her two children, but the door was still closed. “Did Mujaheed knew you’ve arrived already?” She asked, wondering how fluent her French had been, she thought when she saw Kulthum, she would stammer because of her nervousness. But if felt as though they were born to be her soul comforters, not just Mujaheed.

She giggled and shook her head, placing Muhaseen on her chest. “He doesn’t know. I told Daada the wrong time, so I'll make him go to the airport to wait for me while I'm already back home. Mairamou picked me up, but I didn’t even visit Daada, I came here immediately and have her taken Hamid and Kauthar to him before I'm done here.” Mairamou, she had nearly forgotten that Mujaheed said she was her best friend. Fareeda immediately masked up her expression and nodded her head with a wide smile.

“Should I call him for you? I know he’s there eager to meet you, Kulthum.” She mischievously shook her head.

“I want him to feel even an inch of what I've felt when he left. And now that I've seen...” Her words trailed off when she realized she didn't even know her niece’s name.

“Muhaseen, that’s her name.”

Kulthum lifted her up and playfully shook her, “And she has gotten one of the most amazing names I've ever heard!”

“Kulthum!!!” She heard Mujaheed’s voice from the main door and she immediately handed Muhaseen to Fareeda, before she got down from the bed, he walked into the room with his hand holding Hamid’s hand and the other carefully cradling a one years old Kauthar.

“Hamma Mujaheed!!!” She screamed at the pitch of her voice and Fareeda knew she had to collect Kauthar from him if not she would fall down.

“Kulthum!” When their bodies collided, they both burst out laughing and tears immediately washed down their cheeks. Due to his excitement, Mujaheed lifted her up and swirled her in the room, she kept giggling with tears in her eyes. Fareeda watched them as they kept screaming as if they were fifteen years younger than their ages. They forgot everyone that was around them, their kids, their titles, everything. She kept crying and Mujaheed had to hold his ears to show her how remorseful he was. Amidst hugs and tears and numerous ‘I’ve missed you’ uttered between them, Fareeda smiled lovingly, she wished to have this type of siblingship, but she knew she would never get its kind.

✥

Life had turned out to be beautiful when she thought it could only worsen. She had never imagined that her life would be this good, carefree, and beautiful. She though when she started seeing those suspicious behavior from Mujaheed, her life was about to crumble, not knowing it was going to take the best turn she had never imagined it will. She had become friends with Kulthum for the past few days they had spent together, they shared mother problems, husband problems and a few things about their lives. Kulthum kept telling her how Oman was and Fareeda loved the conversation a lot.

Mujaheed, well he was still the same. He didn’t feel ashamed to show his affection to her even in the presence of Daada which Fareeda found deeply inconvenient. All she could say about her life right now was, it was beautiful and amazing than she had ever though life could be for her.

“Fareeda, are you in there?” She heard Kulthum’s voice from the for and immediately a smile planted itself on her face.

“Yes! Come in, I told you you should just come in whenever you’re here.” She watched as the doorknob turned and she walked in with an amazing smile on her lips. Fareeda immediately noticed the small plate she had in her hands.

“Oh, you’re arranging Muhaseen’s clothes? Where’s she?” Kulthum asked as she sat down on the bed, lifting one of her tiny gowns to help her arrange them.

“Mujaheed just took her, you know Hamid will change his mother in a very few days because of Muhaseen, right? They’re always together with him and Mujaheed, I don’t know among them whom has the greatest obsession about her.” They both threw their heads back and laughed, realizing what she said was nothing sort of being true.

“You’re right, I'll gladly leave him to you.” She placed the plate beside her, “I baked some cookies, they’re the tastiest cookies you can ever come across, take a bit.”

Fareeda smiled at her before she took one, “You baked it yourself?” Taking a crunch, even before it fully melted on her lips, Fareeda knew it got to be the tastiest she had ever tasted in her life.

“Yes, Yumma thought me how to bake it, it’s so amazing, huh?” Fareeda nodded as she ate the first one she had taken and took another one from the plate and that made Kulthum chuckled.

“What? You won’t even say something?”

“Wait, will you teach this to me? We can start today if you will.” Fareeda said and Kulthum threw her head back and laughed, but before she replied her, Nafisa knocked and Fareeda asked her to come in.

“I'm sorry for interrupting you, your highnesses. But his highness has summoned you all to his chamber, it’s said to be an emergency matter.” She ducked her head down as she spoke, and they all stood up, forgetting about the cookie.

“Which amongst them? Daada? Hamma Mujaheed or Baffah?” Kulthum asked, unsure of what the urgency will be.

“No, his highness Sadam.” She said, and that was when Kulthum’s thoughts wandered to him. There were times she even forgot about his existence because she simply knew who he was in their lives and hearing him calling them all, she knew it wouldn’t be anything good.

“What about Hamma Mujaheed, where’s he?” She asked, and Fareeda couldn’t wait for them to finish conversing so she could ask her what was wrong. Because the first message was delivered in French and then they got talking in Fulani.

“The messenger told me he’s already there, you’re the only ones they’re waiting for.”

Kulthum nodded her hand dismissively. “Okay, you can go. We’ll leave right away.”

“I’ll take care of the kids.” Nafisa said and walked out of the room.

“What happened? What’s wrong?” Fareeda asked because all her thoughts were on Daada.

“Kawu Sadam summons us immediately, I don’t know what happened and she said Hamma Mujaheed is there already. Get your veil, let’s go there and see.” While walking to his chamber, all Fareeda could pray for was for this summon to bear good news.

And when they got there and saw Mairamou, Yapendo Maimuna and Mujaheed together with Kawu Sadam, Fareeda felt her knees go weak at the look the three family members flashed at her. They found a spot together with Fareeda and sat down before he began.

“I called you all here because...” Kawu Sadam began but Mujaheed immediately cut him off.

“Fareeda doesn't understand Fulani, can you please speak in French?” He spoke in French and Fareeda was aware of the hard look he threw at her.

“She has stayed here for some time now, it’s high time she starts learning the language.” He spoke in French, and Fareeda knew he just wanted to hurt her. “Anyways,” he shrugged off his shoulders nonchalantly and looked at Mairamou, back to Fareeda and then rested his eyes on Mujaheed. “Before you left the country, I'm sure you haven’t forgotten about the conversation we had, about you getting married to Mairamou, right? I don’t know if you have any other reason to leave the country apart from it, but despite the fact that you weren’t here, as I promised and His Highness approved, we got you married to Mairamou a week after you left. She has been your wife for five years now, and it’s high time you stay together as a husband and wife.”