8. BIG FAMILY
1950 Words
Chapter 8 : Big Family
Ammar's POV
"Ammar, you love this attic so much that you are now going to live in it with your wife. It must be a dream come true." I heard Amrah tease me as she climbed up the stairs to the attic.
"It's like my hiding place Amrah. Its suppose to be a place I can run to but now it might become a place I want to run from." I sighed.
Amrah is like my twin sister. A half twin sister. She's two months older than me. Amrah got married five years ago to Abdullah who is a very nice guy. They have two kids together Zayyad 4 years and Ummul Khaltum (Maama), she's 1 plus years.
"Ammar! " she exclaimed, startling me.
" Don't say that. Insha Allah your wife will become the relieve to your problems. Instead of an empty soulless room that you always run to, she will bring light to your life and become the person you run to in good and bad times. Your home" by now she was sitting on the sofa next to me.
I wanted to believe what she said but I couldn't remove the image of what I saw the other day in the mall. She was hugging another man and it wasn't her brother or father.
*Flashback*
"Amrah you need to hurry up and please don't come with you daughter. Zainab should take care of her."
"please Ammar her name is Maama. She's named after mummy and also your niece too." Amrah scowled.
"Alright. Just hurry"
I went to the car and Amrah came out after a minute. We were just going to catch up on somethings. She hasn't been home in a year. Amrah lives in Kaduna which is two hours away from here. But she didn't get the time to visit in her busy schedules neither did I even though our other siblings visited her.
We arrived at the mall as Amrah talked all the way to the mall. I'm glad she came days before the wedding.
"So I think we should eat before we begin our endless window shopping" she suggested.
"And we can have ice cream later too" I added. I didn't like shopping and especially not window shopping with girls but I can put up with Amrah because she's fun.
We wanted somewhere less crowded so instead of the food court we found a restaurant on the first floor and ate. We wined and dined while reminiscing the stories of our life. We embarked on our famous window shopping which always ends up with Amrah buying anything her hand touches until she's out of cash.
After taking some ice cream Amrah started whining about how much I've grown up and thought it was the perfect time to start talking about all the embarrassing things I did as a kid. I walked hand in hand with her as she spoke endlessly
" Oh Lord. And remember that time when I wanted to sneak into my friend's house but their dog saw me and chased me out. I fell down and came home crying with multiple injuries" We both laughed remembering our childhood.
"That time you were so furious and Ahmad hated that dog anyways. So you guys grabbed your tiny belts and went to teach the dog a lesson but ended up being chased too. You got injured while Ahmad was bitten by the mad dog. " I burst out in laughter as the memory was still clear in my head. Amrah caressed my cheek with her free hand, grinning widely.
" Those brave boys have grown into braver men" the grin that formed on my face as she said that, I could swear I've never had a bigger one in my 27 years of life. But that grin soon faded when I saw something unbelievable.
I really couldn't believe what I saw so I strain my eyes harder to confirm that my eyes weren't deceiving me. But I knew I could trust my eyes in any situation. My eyes met a familiar pair of eyes.
She looked shocked. She was hugging a man whom I couldn't see but was dead sure it wasn't her father or brother. She suddenly withdrew from the embrace. I just looked away and dragged my sister with me preventing her from seeing what I saw.
I couldn't believe what I saw. I didn't want to believe it. I knew my wife to be grew up outside Nigeria but she's known for being a pious lady........ Or maybe not.
*End of flashback*
I would have called the wedding off but that would cause too much damage
"We would be heading to the venue where the Kamu (traditional wedding function) is being held" Amrah cut my thought short. "Do you mind driving us there or should I get someone else"
I almost forgot that today was the bride's Kamu. It the first wedding event and I the groom is still here thinking whether to get married or not.
"Just find someone else or drive yourself stop being lazy" I snorted
" I'm going to drive already but we need more drivers. Your friends are running late, they are suppose to do all the driving job for the wedding. "
More like Ahmad's and Naseer's friends. I really don't have friends.... Just acquaintance.
" Okay. I will just give them a call." I took out my s7 and scrolled through my almost empty contact list.
Abba
Ahmad
Ammi ❤
Amrah
Adnan
A few Aunties
Naseer
Engr.
Engr Kabir
Dr. Najib
Dr. Ade
Dr. Chidi
Dr. Blessing
Dr. Rahma
Dr. Funke
Dr. Shams
Dr. Fadila
Nur. Maryam
Nurse Faiz
Matron
Mum❤
Muhammad
Prof Ummi
Prof. Kabir
HOD
Receptionist
Safiya
Sakina
Zainab
Most of my contacts are people from the hospital. And I didn't bother saving my wife-to-be's number. I just know the last digits are 1234 so if I check my call log it won't be hard to find. That is if I ever need to call her. I called her twice, when I was going to see her. Abba's request or should I say order. I was practically forced to go and see her.
I walked down with Amrah to find the zillion relatives chatting away as they waited for the cars to arrive.
"Our groom is here!" Ahmad squealed announcing my presence.
Great! Now all attention is on me.
I began to walk from one aunt to the other, many grandmothers, cousins, neighbors, and people I swear I have never seen in my life. I greeted them, smiled like a fool and thanked them for sparing their precious time to attend my wedding. While I made a mental note to kill Ahmad later. He's really getting on my nerves these days.
My phone buzzed in my pocket saving me from the 122,283,283,000 more people that I have to greet. I checked the caller and picked without hesitation
"Hello, Naseer"
"Yes, we have arrived. We are in front of your house"
"I will let them know and I would be right out. " I ended the call
" uhm the cars are here. They will take you to the venue and bring you back" Before I finished announcing some ladies had already sprinted out.
Oh women.....
"Ango(Groom) I didn't see you all day my baby" Ammi squeaked as she walked to me holding a food tray. She's my father's third wife.
Abba married Ammi after Mama passed away. She lives in Lagos with Abba because he works there. Abba comes to Abuja during weekends or holidays or when he has other business here. Mummy too visits Lagos from time to time. And Ammi with her five kids [Abubakar Sadiq 20, Safiya 14, Aisha 10, and Auwal 6] come here for holidays. She has her own flat on this compound. She came here two weeks ago to help my mum with the wedding preparation and all.
She is too sweet like seriously she acts like an Arab with her kindness and sweetness and like an American with her 'I don't care' attitude and 'it's a free world' policy. I love her though. Sooo much.
"Ammi, I told you to stop calling me baby. I am so big now to the point that am even getting married" I huffed
She handed me the tray. "Now dear, you will still be my baby even if you turn 70. Remember you only started talking to me when I started calling you baby. Besides you still act like a baby. Getting mad over petty things and not taking care of yourself. I am sure you didn't eat anything since morning " She smiled. I sighed feeling defeated.
" Are you going to drive us to the kamu? I don't think we have a ride"
"Nope. I will just stay at home and munch on this mouth watering food you just gave me. But what happened to your car or Abba's"
"They've been occupied by the guest"
"Alright. I will give Sadiq my car key so that he can drive you there" Abubakar is Ammi's first child and he is studying Architecture in Lagos University. He arrived here a few days ago.
"Abubakar Sadiq is driving your father's car. Just give the keys to me" she suggested
"Hmm" I suddenly became nervous "Ammi, you know I don't trust women with my car" She frowned and eyed me so I quickly added "But since my Ammi is pretty of course I can let you handle my precious car." I said carefully but I was scared. Ammi can be a really rough driver. She learnt how to be one in Lagos.
Just thinking about a woman behind my wheels makes me freaking nervous. First they will adjust the sit then the rear view mirror then probably eat alot of things and litter the car with it and draw on the dash board. But it seems like I have no choice today.
I gave Zainab the food tray Ammi gave me, to keep in my room while I go and see my friends. All the cars where full and ready to depart. So my chat with my friends was short and soon after I waved them bye and they left for the bride's Kamu.
My family could be a little bit confusing. My father married three women. Ahmad and Amrah's mother (Mama - Zainab) being the first. She passed away after suffering from a valvular heart disease.
My mum is his second wife. Her name is Ummul Khaltum. I am her first born followed by Adnan who is 23, older than Sadiq. Adnan is doing his Nigerian Youth Service (NYSC) in Jos. He graduated months ago with a second class upper in Engineering. He would be arriving today to attend the wedding. Zainab who is younger than Sadiq, followed after Adnan as our mum's 3rd child, she's 19 and in her 2nd year studying Pharmacy. The apple of my mum's eye, the fourteen year old Sakina. She's like a twin to Safiya and they go to the same school and in same class.
Abba married Ammi(Nabila) after Mama passed away. And she has been his lovely elegant third wife since then.
Safiya and Sakina would be the last to arrive for the wedding. They would be having their mid term break on Friday. They called a week ago crying and whining on how they are going to miss their brother's wedding. Seriously they have four other older brothers that are yet to marry. They should chill.
The house was very quiet after they all left for the kamu. So I enjoyed it while it lasts.
- Writer
