*Episode 5*

Mustapha could not get the thoughts of his father getting another wife out of his head. As much as he tried to get information about her from his father, his father refused to tell him anything about the girl other than she was from Kaduna state.
“if only I knew the girl’s family house, I would have sent boys to scare her and her family away from my father” he thought.
His wife who was heavily pregnant observed the restlessness in her husband and decided to ask him about it that morning after the driver had driven their children to school.
Amina: “maigida, you have been restless for some days now. I hope there is no problem” she asked.
Mustapha: “is it not this second marriage thing that is driving me crazy?” he said absentmindedly.
Amina suddenly let down the nude coloured mug she was drinking tea with. The cup fell on the tiled floor and shattered into pieces, startling Mustapha whose attention was far away.
Amina: “I said it that when a man begins to behave in a strange way, he is planning on taking another wife. Mustapha, why are you this wicked? You see my condition” she pointed at her big baby bum, “you see how heavily pregnant I am and you say you want to marry another wife? Is that fair? And you didn’t even have the courtesy to tell me until I asked you about it, is that how it is supposed to be? Allah will judge you Mustapha, the unborn baby I am carrying will…”
Mustapha: “hey…hey…he said interrupting her. What is the meaning of all these? Who said I am marrying a second wife?” he asked with shock.
Amina: “you just said it. Oh, you let the cat out of the bag unconsciously right? So you didn’t even want me to know about it until you bring your bride home for me to welcome her with all smiles even though I am dying inside like your mother always does right? Well, I am not surprised, what does one expect when one marries into a polygamous home? Your father has more than one wife but then he has the courtesy to inform your mother and step mothers months before marriage unlike you” she spewed.
Mustapha: “what gibberish are you vomiting from your mouth? I can never understand women. Anyway, I am not getting married, I don’t plan to. Your trouble is enough for me, I cannot risk another” he said sipping his tea.
Amina: “then what do you mean by the marriage talk” she said, her adrenaline suddenly going down.
Mustapha: “it is my father, can you believe he wants to take another wife?”
Amina: “are you serious? I didn’t hear this one o? When is the marriage ceremony and has the family brought out any anko? I need to travel to Dubai to get my accessories for the event o, you know that I have to be expensively dressed as the wife of the first and only child of this family” she bragged.
Mustapha: “are you for real? So all you are concerned about is what you will wear at the event?”
Amina: “what else do you want me to say? Your father can afford to marry another wife, so why don’t we rejoice with him?” she asked.
“So why are you against me taking another wife? Why don’t you rejoice with me after all I can also afford it” he fired back.
Amina: “you and your father are not the same, Mustapha” she said getting up to turn off the air conditioning at the dining area.
Mustapha: “I am my father’s first son, we are the same”
“you are not the same. For years now, your father has not been able to have another child after you. I am sure that is the reason why he is taking another wife. That is not the case with you whose child number three is on the way. Besides, your mother who is the first wife doesn’t mind him marrying other wives behind her, I do” the pregnant woman said.
Mustapha: “As far as I am concerned, that marriage will not hold. My father has enough wives already” he said getting up.
Amina: “what is your own in this matter? What are you afraid of? That your father will marry off all the young girls in town before you pick one to marry? Well, if you think you will end up marrying more than one wife like your father then you will have me to contend with because I will not sit down here and watch you marry a second woman” she blabbed.
“I don’t even know why I am having this discussion with you in the first place”, he said and stormed out of the room.
Amina: “don’t try it o, don’t even think of getting another wife, I am telling you my own now” she said dragging her big stomach after him.
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Alhaji Abdul sent his driver to Zaria with foodstuff and provision for his in laws and also to bring Fatimah home for her to meet his son and wives for the first time.
When Alhaji Abdul called the driver and confirmed that they were few minutes drive away from the house, he called all his wives into the sitting room downstairs and intimated them about the reason why they were all called down. Mustapha was also invited, and his wife tagged along, like his Siamese twin.
The driver drove in and some maid ushered in Fatimah who was dressed in a mint themed Super wax that was designed in Dubai. she had gold jewelries on her ears, neck and wrist and she had a silver coloured veil with stones scattered on it. She was of average height, slim and the colour of her outfit complimented her caramel skin. She carried herself gracefully, typical of the confidence that came with her age. She greeted everyone in the room respectfully, flashing them her charming smile, accentuated by her sparkling white teeth and dimples. Mustapha could not help but accept that she was beautiful when he saw her going to take a seat in the chair close to his father after the old man had motioned to her to sit there. gold mother of the bride dresses
Alhaji Abdul: “I invited Fatimah here so that you all will get acquainted with her since it is no longer news that I am taking another wife soon. Well, this is the wife. I enjoin you all in the name of Allah SWT to give her all the necessary cooperation during and after the wedding ceremony”
His first wife who concealed her pity for the young girl who was walking into the den of lions with her eyes opened welcome Fatimah in the most soothing words that a co-wife could offer.
Hajiya: “you are welcome to our home. We hope that we enjoy peace and togetherness and live till old age with you. Welcome once again” she said smiling.
Alhaji’s third wife who had been itching to talk got up.
Jemila: “alhaji, how can you bring this young girl to the house and tell us that she is the person you want to marry? This small thing that is not even old enough to be my younger sister” she spewed.
“Yes, she is right alhaji” Shafa, his second wife said. “in fact, what do you need a wife for? Are you saying that we cannot satisfy you or what?” she asked rhetorically.
Alhaji Abdul kept calm without saying a word.
Jemila: “there is no way you are going to marry a little girl like this behind me, kole work” she said in her thick Yoruba accent.
Hajiya: “and why can’t it work? Maigida here says this is the person he loves, is that not how you all were married? How comes you don’t want another person to come and enjoy what you are enjoying? Who knows, Allah may bless her womb and she would give alhaji children” the first wife said thoughtfully.
Jemila: “Hajiya, I did not talk to you o, alhaji that I spoke to is here therefore I see no reason why you should interrupt you witch!”
Hajiya: “what! You call me that in the presence of a guest?”
Shafa: “and so what? Who is the guest by the way? This cheap prostitute that alhaji picked from the gutters and cleaned up? You are the witch who has closed our womb with your witchcraft because you do not want your son to have other siblings to share his father’s properties with”
“I don’t even know why alhaji has not divorced this witch. I am sure that we all will have children as soon as you leave this house. Witch, leave our husband alone, you have had him all to yourself for many years” she said and the entire household was turned into commotion with insults and accusations and counter accusations flying from one end to the other.
Fatimah looked on, terribly scared of the future that awaits her after marriage.

*Question: This one na fuji house of commotion…lmao. Do you think Fatimah will change her mind about marriage after this encounter? Will Alhaji let her go?*