She stared at her reflection in the mirror, dressed in full bridal regalia, she was just absolutely stunning, her beautiful hair was well combed and stylishly made and covered in a transparent red veil that covered her from head to toe, her makeup was perfect, her eyes looked shaper with the eye liner, although very mildly, the blusher made her cheeks pink emphasising her beautiful cheek bones, her red lips looked redder with the lipstick on. Despite her blunt refusal to have any makeup, Aunty Fatima wasn’t having any of it,
“This is a once in a life time experience, it is the day that is the best for us women, and you know the funny part? Good as it is, we pray for it to happen only once.”
Aunty Fatima was a wife to her father’s friend and a bosom friend of her late mother. As she sat there staring at herself in the mirror and listening to voices in the hall, she had to admit to herself, this was really happening. Daddy kept true to his words; it was exactly three days after the incident in the office. All her pleas, arguments and threats had fallen on deaf ears, she had never seen him so resolute and serious about anything before, he spoke to her only when she spoke to him and even then, he kept it brief and precise.
Reaching for the sachet on the table, she took two tablets and swallowed with a glass of water, her head pounded like the inside of a train, ever since dad had announced his decision, it had steadily increased with the pressure, hate, anger and frustration that was building up inside her, it felt like her head would fall off, despite the makeup, her eyes were still a little puffy due to her intense crying. Marriage, she Farisha was getting married, the thought made her want to throw up. Who to blame for this? “Who else?” Her evil mind answered, “if not for that sardonic handsome looking bastard Farhan, it was all his fault, he put us in this mess, you wanted revenge, you wanted to punish him, now look at you look who got punished… ‘leave me alone ’”she whispered to herself, trying to push the thought away as the tears began to flow once more.
“I will get him for this, I will kill him, I will…” she could think more, such hate that she felt for him, sometimes it made her black out due to the intensity of her anger.
The door opened and Aunty Fatima walked in she was a woman in her late forties, fair and still beautiful despite her age “what are you doing dear” she asked a bit surprised “you will ruin your make up, I know it’s hard to contain such happiness but you have to control yourself.” Using a dry handkerchief, she dried Risha’s tears looking affectionately at her.
At the mention of the word happiness, she quickly directed her gaze downward to hide the anger that emitted bullets from her eyes, Aunty Fatima was one of the few people she respected and she didn’t want to offend her in any way.
“Come now, it’s time, a new phase in your life awaits you, your mother would have been so proud” aunty Fatimah said beaming at her.
At the mention of her mother, Risha couldn’t stop the angry sound that escaped her lips, she trembled with the intensity of her anger, “proud? proud?” she whispered to herself, how on earth would her mother have been proud of condemning her to a night mare, an eternal prison such as marriage. She wanted so much to say this out, but she didn’t. Aunty Fatima would never understand, the silly woman had been blabbering about the bliss and joys of marriage since she arrived yesterday, Risha really couldn’t understand how any woman could talk about marriage with a smiling face.
“She must be pretending “. Risha thought.
Noticing her reaction, Aunty Fatimah immediately regretted her statement, Risha never talked about her mother, never aloud any discussion on the issue almost like she didn’t exist, or had never existed to her.
“Oh… sorry dear, I am so happy I can’t think straight, don’t let this old woman’s words spoil your day…come now, enough talk, I will escort you” she whispered taking Risha’s hands in hers.
Everyone stared open mouthed as Aunty Fatima stepped out with the bride, dressed in red bridal sari, she looked like a holy goddess of piety and beauty, her hands were beautifully adorned with the traditional wedding tattoos (lalli), the fair crisps complexion of her butter coloured skin, making the artistic designs even more prominent and beautiful. Her jewelleries clanged against each other in the pin drop silence that welcomed the bride.
Ladies young and old nodded in awe at an unequal beauty, some stared in envy others in admiration. Married women pulled at their husbands’ hands in the futile attempt to have them close their slightly opened mouths.
Risha felt like a hypocrite, she couldn’t remember the last time she had dressed in a sari or an abaya, her exquisite wardrobe owned not a single traditional wear, nor a durbab. Ever since her mother passed away, such things became history for her. She felt so impure and strange like a trickster, she had never been ashamed of her personality and life style. Left to her, she would have preferred to wear her jeans and fitted top to the damn occasion, why pretend to be something she was not? She felt Aunty Fatima step away, as her father came to stand beside her, taking her hand in his arm, and smiling proudly at her, he whispered in her ears,
“Risha darling, a more beautiful bride hasn’t worked this earth”
She flashed him an angry glare, pressing her lips together in an effort to stop herself from speaking.
He just smiled at her expression and whispered in stern voice. “Behave”.
She blinked quickly trying to stop the tears that threatened to roll down her cheek, her feet felt numb, her breathing despite the well-ventilated room was laboured, as if she lacked oxygen. Sweat and perspiration covered her beautiful face. For once in her life, she was terrified, this was no joke, it really was happening, she knew deep down, her life was about to change, she felt powerless and weak to do anything about it.
“Runaway” someone whispered in her ears. “What?” She whispered raising her head to look around her, “runaway” the voice repeated again and that was when she realised it was just in her head, the more she tried to ignore the voice, the more persistent it was. Just as she was about to give in and take to her heels, she sighted him, standing some distance away, a smile on his face, he looked majestic in the white embroidered kaftan and matching white cap he was wearing, his skin seemed to glow under the lights, his lean figure was slightly turned facing her as they approached. She felt every other thought vanish as anger gripped her with full force, the smile on his lips driving her over the edge, she felt like murdering him then and there. She closed her eyes trying to breathe hoping the air would extinguish the fire in her heart. When she opened her eyes again, they were right in front of him. His tall and majestic figure just a few inches from hers. At that moment, she contemplated about a hundred ways to murder the idiot without the crowed noticing, lucky for him, none came to her crazy mind.
“Here you go son,” Alhaji Shehu said handing Risha over to Farhan “she is above all the best thing in my life, the one treasure I would never have parted with had it not been necessary” he said emotionally stepping away.
Realising that her father had left her side, she peeked around her to see what was happening, Farhan’s outstretched hand awaited hers, slowly, her eyes moved to hold his and what she saw shocked her greatly, for although there was a smile set on is lips, she had never seen another face that held so much pain and regret, his fake smile never reached his eyes, she knew how to read people excellently and what she saw truly surprised her, puzzled her even.
“What was his problem?” She thought. what could bring such pain and regret to some one’s face? It made her think something and then for the first time that day, she smiled an evil devilish smile. She understood then, he didn’t want this marriage either, “my plan is not ruined after all, oh no its not,” her crazy mind whispered to her, “you have done it Risha, this marriage is not your prison, it’s his and you are the warden, think about it, he will live in your house, he is not marrying you, you are marrying him that means you can exert your revenge in full…”
Suddenly, she felt good and delighted, she almost laughed out loud due to the intensity so her joy, her crazy mind had already retired to the dark recesses of her mind to plan unimaginable ways of frustrating the idiot. “Damn you are good” she thought routing for herself and feeling every bit as good.
“Take his hand or I will” she heard a feminine voice call out loudly, startled she realised that Farhan’s hand was still outstretched waiting for hers. Everyone laughed at the humorous joke.
Staring deep into his eyes, she smiled again and put her hand in his, a slight tremor emitted from both of them as their fingers touched delicately, he hesitated a few seconds before wrapping his large masculine hand around her slender fingers, the fear resurfaced in her heart just a quick moment she felt doubt deep inside her soul, almost like she was signing a contract she could never revoke, quickly, she pushed the thought out of her mind, nothing was going to spoil her fun now. Ironically, she was enjoying her wedding but for a totally different reason, she smiled at the thought.
“You have won Risha,” her conceited mind praised her.
***
He closed his eyes as he inhaled deeply in the fresh air and scent of the flowers that grew down below the balcony, it still felt like a dream to him, a crazy night mare that he could not wake up from. After two days of the crowed, the excitement, it was a welcome change to have some peace and quiet. Opening his eyes, half hoping to find that it was all a dream and that he wasn’t standing here, in Alhaji shehu’s family house, with her as his…he couldn’t think further, such pain and anguish griped his entire being. He hadn’t seen her since yesterday at their reception and dinner party…right now, he couldn’t belief that they were in the same house, “alone…with him as her hus…” again, he closed his eyes to minimize the expression of pain that clouded his eyes.
“O Allah, what has happened to me?” he whispered almost to himself.
“Allow me to explain.”
Startled, he turned abruptly to find her standing some distance away from him, her arms resting on the rail of the balcony
“when did she come here?” he wondered
“Let’s see” she smiled charmingly turning to face him “where do I start from, how about from the middle back to the beginning and then back to the middle again then the end? She chuckled at the unfathomable expression on his face.
When he said nothing, she continued.
“Standing in front of you is none other than yours truly, your wife, hahah…me,” she said bowing a little, the cynical smile never leaving her face. “And you sir is my husband, at least for a while, you follow?” She winked as she strolled casually to the door. “I am sure you noticed all that fake celebration yesterday and the day before right? Aha, well that my dear, was our wedding, which happened because…” she stopped momentarily a childlike grin playing on her face, “…because I framed you up, and that’s because you annoyed me, got it?” she asked laughing wickedly, “now dear, back to the middle of my story, which is actually now, you know, I mean like right now. You sir, is standing in a house that belong to my father, the billionaire you worked for, remember him? Good, so that means that I have total control over what happens in this house, which means you do as I say, when I say it, got it?” She asked, enjoying her herself to the fullest; the stupid look on his face was just to die for.
“Oh, and did I mention the part were my dad can destroy your pathetic life, whenever I decide? No? Okay keep that in mind also…hahah, now, I think that kind of sums it up for now, any questions?” She asked turning to face him fully.
Farhan just stared at the wonder in front of him in puzzlement “she is crazy” he thought; there was no other explanation for it “crazy”. He tried to speak but no words came to mind. When finally, he spoke, the only word that left his lips was “why?”
“Why?” she repeated, as if he had asked a totally ridiculous question. “Why do people frame people up and force them into marriage they don’t want and torture them? Let’s see” she said pretending to think. “How about because they hate them.” she answered, her sharp eyes suddenly becoming sharper with anger, it was amazing how she could transform from cool to hot in just an instant. “I hate you Mr Farhan, I hate every fibre of your stupid disgusting being, in fact, I hate you so much, that I don’t think anyone ever hated anybody as much as I hate you, I hate you more than I hate the devil,” she continued her anger rising with the tone of her voice. Coming very close to him, her eyes flashing, “I hate you more than hunger, more than disease, more than poverty and sickness, if all the love in this world were put together, it won’t measure up to the hate I feel for you.”
Had the circumstances been different, it would have been funny, he would have laughed even, but it wasn’t, so far, this crazy girl had proven she was more dangerous than she looked and her reputation for revenge was well established.
“I don’t understand” he stammered when he finally spoke again, “I mean, I get it that you hate me and all that, but why? Why do you hate me so much, what have I ever done to you?”
At his question, she stopped shocked and for once the thought passed through her mind, “why do I hate him so much” and then she realised she had no good reason, men had offended her in worst ways than he had, “but I didn’t hate them as I hate him, didn’t want to destroy them as I want to destroy him.” she thought to herself.
She stepped back a bit to observe him, closely, “don’t ask me stupid questions” she snapped frustrated with herself. “Does someone need a reason to love? So why should I need a reason to hate? Let’s see, how about I fell in hate with you?” she said smiling again, “good huh?” she laughed; if people fall in love surely they can fall in hate, right? You are my one true hate” she chuckled wickedly. “Fell in hate with you from the moment I set my eyes on you” she laughed on enjoying herself again. The question that bothered her earlier totally forgotten now.
He hadn’t moved an inch since they had been speaking, he looked pale; his eyes dull with tiredness and fatigue.
“I guess I am supposed to make a lame speech, just as stupid husbands who marry ladies against their will do, you know about how everything will be fine? Blah blah blah, well I got news for you Mr. everything will not be fine, at least not for you, I am going to torture you, in ways you can’t imagine, you are now my play thing, you see this house is a lab, and you the lab rat.” she said her eyes flashing again.
“By the time this is over, maybe I will write a book huh? Everyone is always talking about how husbands punish and frustrate wives, well mine will be the exact opposite, marriage would no longer be a prison for women but men, just wait and see, I will make you popular,” she said beginning to smile again. “And now, if you will excuse me dear husband, I have to go plan some evil things to do to you, expect evil things to come” she whispered as she turned and walked away leaving him speechless.