RUWAIDA ✔️

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

The crowd moved noisily around the room, and as awkward and emotional as it sound to be, mother and sister, with some few aged  relatives, sat and circled around Ruwaida, everyone sending her his own part of the Nasiha. And Ruwaida kept crying like she'll pass out. She'd never being that devastated in her life, it felt like they were about to send her off, off to a new world, where nothing seems to be like she'd known.

All the time, she'd her head ducked down, her tears gradually soaking the upper part of the large red veil that covered her head, to her upper lip. Her hands clenched tightly on the sides of the veil as her mother's voice broke while she spoke to her. It only made her worst, she wished she didn't agree to all this. After all, in normal cases, people only get married when they love each other, cherish each other and respect each other.

The last two, yes! She does respect and cherish Dr M, but love?...she isn't so sure. And when she finally asked her self that apprehensive question, she felt her whole intestine rumble like a jungle with a lion on chase. The tiny instant voice in her mind started again, mocking her for feeling some sort of euphoria at the thought of being in love; that with the tall, MashaAllah looking doctor. She effortlessly pulled her eyes open, hearing her cousin's voice.

"Aunty Barira, the men are already here," Sa'adatu walked in the room and hastily picked her own veil from the bed, at the same time, dragging Ruwaida out of her reverie. And it was only then she realized that all that they said, had totally blurred out of her aching head as she let her thoughts wander over some certain someone. "I told Mari to take them snacks and refreshments, Mama? Should we wait or...," Barira nodded as she wiped her face. She's being quite emotional all through the day.

"No! Haba why should we keep the Ango waiting as such," Hadiza released a joyous laugh as she sprang up. "Call the girls so they escort her," She slowly leaned and reached out for Ruwaida's cold hands and then, helped her up. "Oh Waidatuu! Stop crying, you'll ruin the make up again," Even if she wanted to cry more, she couldn't. Her headache intensified a fold more, and all she did was nod affably.

She stood as her cousins enveloped her in a hug, while Zarah, kept giving her hand an assuring squeeze. "You'll be fine, just smile," Ruwaida always feels awkward meeting people in clusters, but as it seems, she'll have to manage at the moment, because the rupture she could here coming from the living room, sounded like a whole bunch. "I said smile Waida, do you want Ya Turaad to think I didn't keep my promise," Zarah slowly tugged at Ruwaida, speaking in a hushed tone.

"What promise," She seemed too curious not to ask.

"That you'll look your best, and with a bright smile as a bonus, so please...help me get that money," Zarah clicked her tongue and laughed as they approached the living room. It's spacious with moderate looking couches, a 19s old TV set, and a new looking carpet.

Some of his friends sat down, already making themselves feeling welcomed as they ate from all the dainties, laughing at every joke Abdullah  had said. Mostly because Muhammad did him the same as when it was his wedding and he thought a pay back will get them at 50:50.

"Oh Alhamdulillah! Our bride is here," Abdullah wiped his hands with some tissue and then walked to stand beside Muhammad, patting him on the shoulder teasingly.

"What do you mean by our' if I may ask," Muhammad whispered, looking anything but funny. How red made her look, he wanted to be blatantly over possessive.

"Wo! Just joking here, why are you acting up man!," Abdullah let off a throaty laugh raising both his hands in surrender, but Muhammad knew, even that was another way of Abdullah teasing him.

"Oh you better be," He shrugged and turned over to his sister.

"Ya Turaad, don't forget our deal, uhm," Zarah winked and stretched out her hand that held Ruwaida's to Turaad and he without hesitation, took hers. He smiled at how she refused to look at him.

But Ruwaida, she felt like dying, tacitly and instantly. She could feel his eyes on her, and the sharp glances from her cousins, waiting for a tiny bit of reaction so they could gush and aw like the bridesmaid they're. But she sure isn't going to give them a reason to do any of that; no! She would be the one that would feel immensely embarrassed at the end. And as an escape, she refused to look up, instead left wondering if he got a new haircut or not. She could remember his hair looking like some bush.

"Ruwiada, I pray Allah bless this union of ours with mountainous bliss," Muhammad whispered, but clear enough for her to hear, and maybe the rat eared Abdullah he calls a friend had also given an ear. He wished at that point in time that she'll at least look at him. He had never seen her wearing makeup before, and now, getting an inch view of her face, he couldn't help being desiderate.

"Ameen," She whispered back, hoping he didn't notice her nervousness. But he sure did notice, not only her nervousness, but her temperature as well. She tried pulling out her hand from his but he refused to let go, making her redden slightly, mainly from the publicity of the act.

"You look so beautiful in red, I just can't help but say, Ruwaida,"

"Hmph," This time, she inched her head forward and looked at him, but suddenly she felt like a whole load's placed on her head, making her jolt forward unconsciously gripping on his Kaftani. And the people around them started cheering, absolutely clueless about what just happened. And Zarah, went *click click click* taking pictures of Muhammad, holding Ruwaida protectively in his arms.

"Ruwaida are you okay? what happened to you," he looked disturbed as she moved slightly and tried to stand up straight, but this time, both her hands reached for her pounding head and as she closed her eyes, she let the darkness swallow her whole, not minding if she'll be held before she reached the floor.

Her cousins including Zarah rushed down to her, suddenly, the air in the room became tensed. The whole room moved, everyone trying to get a glimpse of what's happening.

Muhammad scrunched down to her, held up her hands and tapped her cheeks slowly, as if it will make her open her eyes. One of the girls left to inform to the others what had happened, and soon, instead of them to be getting ready for a pleasant journey to Yamma, they got the cars ready and moved Ruwaida to the hospital.

They reached the hospital and Ruwaida got admitted into the EMERGENCY ROOM. While her mother, some of her cousins, Zarah, Abdullah and two other of his friends sat on the waiting chairs in the lobby, Muhammad paraded across the room, waiting for Dr Zainab's emergence.

His phone had rang countless of times in his pocket, but he didn't think it necessary to check the caller or put the phone on silent. He just let it ring, his hand grabbing his nape in distress. He hoped that it isn't her tumor that's becoming worst, she looked absolutely fine just minutes ago. And if not because of her temperature, he'll have said she's faking it.

What a wedding theirs was! they spent the whole day in the hospital while waiting impatiently for the bride to regain consciousness...

Love_
SilentWriter 🦋