SONDER

CHAPTER ONE

HER

Another dull day.

The light of the sun was a radiant and warm blanket over the Alli compound, invited and uninvited guests interacting together in the wide space.

This wedding is suppose to be a quiet one.

That's the right thing to do especially when it involves a teenage bride and a fifty seven years old man.

Its a sour feeling even thinking this!

The Alli compound is more of a mansion than it is a family house,but it is the home Rhadha and her siblings were born and grew up in.

Her mum was married into this same house.

Heck, her dad married several other women into this damn house.

Big,wide glass windows on the four corners of the house. It is an Off white, regal,yet traditional looking three storey building with an empty resting garden by the right and flower gardens by the left side, where the wedding is taking place.

Rhadha is observing the wedding activities from the roof of the building. Her favorite place.

Which also happens to be the most reserved and quiet place in the whole house.

With a bottle of water and an unbothered demeanor,she watched as her father;Abu Alli,a minister of the federal Republic of Nigeria,father of twelve children,boys and girls alike, husband to three other women,the owner of Alli compound and the latest groom in town makes a fool of himself as he dips his head under the bride's veil to steal a kiss.

Seeing her father smiling from ear to ear, she knew then that her father never grew out of his adolescent stage.

So happy for getting a new toy

This thought,although disrespectful if said aloud, made Rhadha feel a bit better and she smiled .

A lot is going on in the wedding reception that most people aren't even seeing.

The first is the sight of her step moms pretentiously having a good time at a VIP table close to the new couple.

To everyone else they are happy for their husband but Rhadha knows best.

Another wonderful view is her pompous step brothers and sisters being irritated by almost everything they set their eyes to, some guest gossiping and probably mocking the family.

Pretenders

Rhadha accused with a bright smile.

This is not the first time such thing has happened.

It's actually fun watching.

And she was already used to the fake lifestyle although,tried not to be a part of it.

"What have you been standing there for? To get more irritated?"

Rhashi,Rhadha's twin sister asked as she tried but failed to relax next to Rhadha on the railing of the roof.

The safe haven to only sane people in the mansion.

In otherwords, only three people, Rhadha and her siblings.

With a tired sigh,she squeezed Rhashi's shoulder as a sign of 'no worries.'

" Is it bothering you" It was a retorical question.

"Of course it does! it has not been up to a year mum died and he is already replacing her!" Rhashi is the aggressive of the two and usually takes a lot of things too personal.

Rhashi gave a sad smile.

Taking her eyes away from the celebration at the garden,she looked at her sister.

Of course.

That was a sad time.

Their mum died few months ago. Eight to be exact and the so called husband probably doesn't remember his late wife.

Another feeling stirred in Rhadha.

Hurt.

She buried the thought as soon as it started stirring.

That is a past she wished to never again live in.

And to think her mum has always been loyal and faithful made it more sad.

Rhadha was so lost in thoughts and didn't notice when her brother Razak joined them.

"If you guys are ready, let's leave already.

His wives and children may be able to pretend through this,but I can't!" Rhadha and Rhashi might be biological twins with almost exactly the same physical appearance but in attitude,Razak and Rhashi are a hundred percent the same.

This time, Rhadha smiled genuinely.

Razak,in his 6.ft muscular figure looked few inches down at his twin sisters.

He has had it bad for their father after mums death.

Their mum who used to be the second wife of their father,only had three kids for him.

So, the three siblings stuck together especially after their mums death as the mansion has always been a strange place and they decided to leave a bit far from it.

No regrets.

" Am ready to leave " Rhashi informed, concurring with Razak.

With a shrug,Rhadha agreed with them.

On their way downstairs, Rhadha realized that her purse is still inside the house.

"My purse is inside the room. I will meet you in the car"

she stated while walking back into the house to fetch her purse.

Their dad called them yesterday evening about an emergency that came up and that they should come down to the mansion as fast as possible .

He didn't tell them that the life or death emergency had to do with him getting another wife.

whatever Dad wants ,dad gets

it is a stupid thought but it is almost true

With a sigh, she managed to find the purse under the duvet on the bed.

What brought back Rhadha's attention to the present is her reflection in the princess cut mirror on the wall of the cream coloured room.

It was a casual outfit.

Since they weren't really here for a wedding but for an emergency.

All thanks to Razak who wants everyone looking nice and fine.

An appraisal for his handwork too.

Being a popular and well known fashion designer and businessman in the country. He likes his sisters looking up to standards.

In his words.

Although she and her twin would pass for models anytime,right now in the simple matching white palazzo trousers and purple kimono jackets held together by silver waist chains as belts and black flat sandals.

They looked too cute.

A ghost of a smiled puffed her cheeks upwards as she admired herself and decided to smoothen the front of her hair, where the edge control should be holding down the hair but doing a really bad job or rather the hair was too thick to be tamed like Rhashi adviced.

Deciding she has had enough of her face in the mirror,she walked down through the kitchen to the back exit of the house, all the while avoiding contact with any and everybody.

A lot of eye contacts were made, but wouldn't like any conversation with these people.

No talking

No talking

She chanted in her head.

Thanking God for a good escape, she celebrated too early because once she was close to the car,she realized, her father and his friend, Alhaji Abba are both at the car talking to Rhashi and Razak.

From the facial expressions, it is not good at all.

Rhadha scowled even though their father hasn't seen her yet.

Razak and Rhashi have always had similar personalities;cheerful and calm just like the spring but Rhadha is a different personality.Thunder,heavy rain and mostly just snow.

Cold.

Quiet and silent is just the weapon she has been relying on since the accident.....

Alhaji Abba saw Rhadha coming and whispered in her father's ear with an old ugly smirk playing on his white bearded wrinkled face!

if birds of the same feather has a name, it would be her father and that friend of his.

pedophiles!

"Oh Rhadha! we were wondering where you went?" Razak tried to play dumb to avert their dad's attention.

Without being told, Rhadha would correctly guess what the dad had been saying to her siblings and exactly what her brother had answered him in return .

The dad smiled,not reaching his eyes. No man ever liked being put in his place especially by his own daughter.

Sighs...

I will surely get a headache after this conversation!

Just this thought made her impatient.