The girl staring back at me was so me, but a stranger too how did he pull it off my head shot up my eyes asking all the questions my mouth was too heavy to ask, the grumpy Dan did my makeup, the very same one who has frowned a major part of the years I've known him WHERE DID HE LEARN IT?, I wanted to shout at him and demand an answer but he wasn't the kind of man you could do that to, my fingers traced my perfectly drawn arched brow which looked natural, how did he manage to draw a proper eyebrow while I can't even draw a single line well, my eyeliner was on point, perfectly winged. I pouted my lips mourning my talentless self within me, this is so embarrassing, the most embarrassing thing I've ever experienced and heard of.

"Why the long face, are you not happy with the look?" he asked his brows creasing "No uh" I blinked ordering my mind to come up with an answer,what could I say was the problem, that I was a little angry and jealous that he knew more about makeup than I did?.

I envy this talent I just discovered he has , I blinked again shaking my head to clear the thought forming in my mind, who taught him ?was it a girl?, who was she to him? Did he practice it on her?

My heartbeat picked up, does he paint the face of other women touching them in the name of "makeup" I looked into the mirror again the thought of wiping it more appealing by the second. "You can wipe it if you don't want it" my eyes shot up meeting his intense gaze in the mirror, the look I had on my face wasn't that much different from his, a deep scowl donned his face "Thanks" I whispered rising from the stool, the joy that had been budding within me crashed, why was I even worried about a man who always has our marriage on the edge. I closed my eyes counting in descending order from 5 then opened them stretching my lips in the most forced smile I've ever pulled, "Thanks I really loved it, I'm ashamed I couldn't do it, I mean being a young girl" I rolled my eyes back shaking my head " I mean a young lady in my early 20s and not knowing how to do the minimal makeup" I quickly corrected, why did I even call myself a girl a tsked a little watching his retreating figure "You have 20 minutes to dress up, hurry we're running late" it wasn't as if we were traveling to another region I wanted to rebuke but kept quiet and pushed the door to my large semi walk-in closet, it wasn't the big walk-in closets that were shown on TV, it was just the right size for my clothes. My dresses fit in and there was quite a respectable space I could move about. I huffed watching the rows of arranged and hanged clothes contemplating on which to wear, a long dress felt appealing but this is the time I'm going out since we got married, I'm suppose to wear something native, an African print sounded more appealing to wearing shadda, my shoulders shuddered when I pictured myself in the flaky garment, and the required tailoring style of the "married woman" African prints irks me they are my least favorite of all dresses *kaba and slit* (side slit skirt and blouse) I shrugged as I pulled a green skirt and blouse my head already swollen from the compliment cum tease I'll receive from mom, she knows just how much I hate this form of dressing and promised not to ever wear it, she had called on my bluff and told me it was all talk, I sighed as I pulled the skirt up tying the strings waistband, it clung like a second skin perfectly outlining my lower figure, I swallowed hard wondering if I could go out in that, I shook my head pulling the blouse down my head, though I'm not that blessed in the bosom department it still fitted maybe that's why I've been hesitant on wearing kaba and slit deep down I was afraid it wouldn't look nice on me, I turned around watching my unzipped blouse I pulled it up but my hand couldn't go all the way up, I huffed thinking of a way to do it without having to call Dan, as if on cue the door was knocked "Uh I'm coming I just uh....ouch" I groaned when the teeth of the zipper bit into my skin, " I think I need a little help" I blurted still pushing it with no success , I just keep giving him more reasons to give me the you're a dummy look, what woman doesn't know her way around not just make up but her dresses too.

I swallowed hard when I heard the door creak, released the zip handle and started fidgeting with the edges of my dress, I heard the sound of the zipper go down then the smooth sound of it going up again, it was such an easy task and I couldn't even do it, way to go Salma he probably thinks you are the most stupid person ever, you can't wear a simple dress on top of knowing nothing about makeup."Are you done?" he questioned his eyes slowly tracing down my body, I could have sworn I had turned all shades of pink but I'm dark, dark skinned people didn't blush, but, why did my cheeks feel hot ?and why couldn't I meet his gaze, I shook my head and headed to the closet to snug an abaya, my abaya collection were on the first row, I pulled a black baggy one with huge hands and pressing buttons in the front, I pushed in one hand mumbling my supplication as I pushed in the other, I tsked when I saw the gazillion buttons I had to clasp, they were not a gazillion but they were downright annoying. I stood in front of the mirror for a better look as I clasped it one after the other, then placed its long black veil on my head, "where is the scarf of the print", I turned sharply startled, creasing my brows, what print was he talking about? I looked down at the dress beneath the black over cloth and realized I hadn't tie the scarf of my garment, my teeth gritted , I'm just going to mom's place was there a need to do that, besides who would tied that huge 2 yard cloth around her head when there is a veil she can flip around her head. I watched the hand clasped around my wrist as he pulled me and followed,a sigh escaped my lips after I dropped on the stool, looking off at the bed like it was the most amusing thing on earth, I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't notice what he was doing I blinked a few times before realising he was actually tying the cloth around my head, I felt like bursting into full blown tears, wailing and blowing my nose as I mourn my incompetence as a woman why me? Of all the girls in the world why me?.

^^^

I was eerily quiet during the drive, the euphoria of being freed from my a bit too fancy prison finally dissipating,I have done well living in a house with the one person that has the worse mood swings I've ever heard and seen, my head bolted up as realisation dawned on me for the first time in my life I was being driven by Dan, we've lived a major parts of our life in the same house, I my whole life since I have no memory of living with my parent why has he never driven me? I wanted to ask but my tongue felt too heavy to move, I rolled my eyes tsking as I darted my eyes to his arms though what I really wanted was to look him in the eyes, try to figure out who this mysterious cousin husband of mine was, the man who knew more about makeup and women clothing than I did.

I pursed my lips suppressing a grin when I remembered how he had completed pressing the button of my abaya and wrapped my black veil around my too big headscarf that had mysteriously fit my head. My brows creased when his hand clenched on the steering wheel I moved my eyes slowly to his face and the expression he had had my heart stilling, what was wrong now? was he upset because he did my makeup and tied my headgear?, why is he difficult to figure out?.

You think have him all figured out one second then he bounces with an alien personality you would never guess he has not even in your wildest dreams, whether good or bad I couldn't help normalise my raging heart fear of what I might be unraveling clamping it. The layers he had piled over the real "him" or should I say the layers of the not so good, surprising and the annoying traits that ensembles him will always leave me in bewilderment.

Excitement bubbled within me as the house I've always known to be home came to view, the only place I've always been treated like a queen, a squeal from me had them jumping in concern without even asking if it's from delight or pain, well with the exception of the one person I'm now bounded to whose bipolar tendencies still has me confused on where to tag him, a smile broke on my face the feeling of home enveloping me as the huge lethal metal gates opened, my soul hummed to the vibe resonating within me, I couldn't wait for the car to pull over I bolted the door open and rushed out screaming mom's name as I ran into the house because I had no other way to express how much I have missed her, how many times I had wished I could run out of my matrimonial house and lie on her bosom wailing the cause of my heartbreaks to her.

I looked behind me checking the flight of stairs I had skipped in my quest to see mom, “Mom” I whined looking to my right at the long hallway then my left, “Hey dummy I’m down here” I heard her voice downstairs “and I swear if you run down I’m whacking you on the head” she added I could hear the laugh in her voice but wanted to humor her a little, I took gentle steps down till I made it mid-stairs, I ran down the remaining stairs throwing myself at her when I reached the foot , we stumbled a bit then stabilized I rained kisses all over her face lying my head on her bosom, my heart was aglow with joy as I inhaled her sweet flowery scent, I held her shoulders gently pulling away from the tight embrace “Mom” I whined pouting my lips, “I warned you” she reminded giving me the side eye look, Dan was scowling deeply at me his eyes filled with anger, I refuse to let his mood swings dampen my mood today, today is all about me, me spending time with the people who loved me and I wasn’t going to be deterred by anything, “I missed you” I whispered my voice thick with emotion, she engulfed me in a tight hug before pulling away , “Look how thin you’ve become, your collar bone rivals the Everest” she complained prodding my clothes collar bone, then grabbed my hand pulling me to the dinning area, I followed behind thinking of all the excuses I could come up with but would fall on deaf ears because no one can stop mom when she’s being her.

I looked behind at Mr Scowl who was following behind his scowling deepening when our eyes met, what was up with him, I dragged my eyes from him and looked ahead ready to fully indulge mom in babying me.

“Where are Fadeela and Mufeedah?” I asked my eyes roving around the room, I needed them to help my mind grasp to some sanity anything to distract me from the heated look he was giving me.

“Did you come to see me or them?” she asked squinting her eyes at me, it’s evident where Mufeedah inherited her unending drama from having another child like them will make us a perfect match to Steve Martin’s family in Cheaper By The Dozen. “Mom” I finally uttered “I really miss them I mean they were the only ones who came to see me after I was taken to my personal prison” I added the latter in a teasing tone, “You’re pulling that card on me right? Just finish with your meal while I think of the kind of punishment to dish out to you” I raised my two clasped hands in front of me in a pleading gesture as she served me on the plate, “I… ” she quieted me by shoving a fork full of spaghetti bolognese with sauce in my mouth, I closed my eyes as I slowly chewed on the food closing my eyes to relish the taste of HOME.

“From all indication you’ve not been feeding her well” I heard mom say my mouth was full my senses awakened by the taste that had hit my taste buds because in a twisted way I couldn’t get over the feeling that, what I was feeling and the somewhat truce we have had was going to come to an end.

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Apologies are long overdue 😫 I know but Plsssssss, don't be angry will be consistent ISA,  SHARE, READ, COMMENT & VOTE XOXO 😘😘😘

Reine Reign 🇬
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SHE_REIGNS👑