The mother-in-law is the center of a family. — Les Dawson
              

"Who are you?" 

Zainab swallowed a lump as she gazed at the man who opened the door after several minutes of her ringing the bell.  

"My name is Zainab Haruna." She raised her head.  

The man's brows furrowed and he didn't make any attempt to allow her entrance.   "And what do you want?" He eyed her suitcases.  

I don't really know, she felt tempted to say but held herself. Her grip on her bag tightened and she shuffled on her feet. 

Dismay filled her as she realized that they weren't aware of her arrival.  

"I am Danladi's wife," she whispered. 

The man's eyes bulged. "Oh, really?" He opened the door wider and stepped to the side. "You should have said that. Please come in." A smile grazed his lips. 

Zainab stared in amazement as he quickly rolled her suitcases into the house. With timid steps, she crossed over the threshold and entered inside. She was greeted by a spacious and opulent foyer, featuring a high ceiling and an exquisite chandelier. 

"Please this way, ma'am." He led her to the living room and her awe increased.

Although her parents' house was considered a mansion, the Yakubu house was a palace compared to theirs. 

The living room was a definition of comfort and sophistication. The white L-shaped couch and armchairs in the same color were arranged around a luxurious centre table with a solid wood frame, a smooth polished surface gleaming under the lights from the chandeliers. 

"Please, have your seat, ma'am, let me inform everyone about your arrival." 

"Thank you." Zainab sent him a smile and took a seat on the edge of the couch. 

Moments later, Zainab stiffened as she heard the sounds of approaching footsteps. She couldn't help but wonder if the Yakubu family were arrogant like Danladi. 

Her head turned as the footsteps drew closer. A middle-aged lady clad in a purple kaftan with intricate embellishments appeared. The resemblance between the lady and Danladi told Zainab who the lady was. Her mother-in-law.  

Zainab forced herself to stand up and smile. "Barka da rana, ma'am," she greeted her in Hausa. 

The older lady sniffed and gave her a curt nod. Her eyes darted around and a frown appeared on her face. "Where is my son?" She looked at Zainab. "He was supposed to bring you, wasn't he?" 

Zainab nodded. "He had something to attend to so he dropped me off."

"Hmm, my son is a very busy person." 

"I understand."

"Good. Now let's sit down  and get acquainted." She sashayed to the armchair parallel to Zainab and sat down. "Musa, please tell one of the maids to bring some snacks." 

"Okay, ma'am!" Musa bowed and scurried off. 

Zainab returned to her seat with a stiff back. She squirmed as Danlad's mother scrutinized her.

"So what did you say your name is?" Danladi's mother asked after a long stretch of silence. 

Zainab withheld a scowl. Which mother forgets the name of her son's wife? She dismissed the thought and smiled slightly. "My name is Zainab."

"Nice. My name is Mrs. Binta Yakuba." She raised her head. "Your husband's mother and the matriarch of this family." A proud glint gleamed in her eyes.  

Zainab bowed a little. "It's nice to meet you."

Binta nodded. "I can't say the same about you until I get to know you better." 

Zainab forced out a smile as annoyance bubbled within her.  Like mother like son. 

Her eyes darted to the side as a maid appeared with a tray. 

"Here are the snacks you asked for,  ma'am." The maid dropped a plate of Kuli Kuli on the centre table and moved back. "Would that be all, ma'am?"

Kuli kuli is a Western African snack made from peanuts.  In Nigeria, it is commonly eaten by the Hausa people. (The picture is courtesy of Google) 

"Yes. You are dismissed." Binta waved her away and turned to Zainab. "You are free to have as many as you want." She gestured to the plate. 

Zainab smiled and shook her head. "Thank you for offering but I don't have much of an appetite."

"Suit yourself," she said and shrugged. "Anyway, back to what we were discussing. On paper, you have been a Yakubu for several years but you were too young to understand the significance. Now you are old enough to understand so  don't you  ever forget." Her eyes hardened.  

Zainab swallowed to moisten her parched throat.  "I assure you that I won't do anything that would tarnish the image of the family."

"Good and I would never allow you to." Binta's eyes darkened.  

Zainab's stomach squeezed but she managed a smile. 

Binta shifted in her seat and crossed her legs. "As your mother-in-law, I have to educate you about the ways of our family but you see," she puffed out a breath, "we have so many rules that I just had to compile them for you." 

She turned to the side table, pulled out a drawer, and to Zainab's horror she pulled out a book. 

Zainab's mouth went dry and her eyes widened. 

"Here you go." Binta thrust the book in her direction and Zainab collected it with shaking hands. 

"Thank you, ma'am," Zainab whispered. 

"My pleasure." Binta beamed. "I think you should read it as soon as possible so I will leave you." She rose to her feet and Zainab did the same. 

"Musa!" Binta called and seconds later he hurried into the room. 

"Yes, ma'am."

"Please show Zainab the room she will be staying in."

"Yes, ma'am." He bowed slightly. "Please follow me," he said to Zainab.  

"What about my luggage?" she asked. 

His lips curled into a smile. "They had been taken to your room."

"Okay. Please lead the way." 

Zainab followed Musa up a grand spiral staircase made of gleaming wrought iron. As they walked down the hallway, her eyes stopped on the artwork and pictures adorning the walls. One picture stopped her in her tracks.  

It was a picture of the Yakubu family. Danladi stood behind his parents. Her eyes moved to the two unfamiliar people standing beside Danladi. 

Musa must have read her thoughts because he said, "That is Jubril and Rakiah, the second son and only daughter."

She smiled in acknowledgement and they continued their journey. Finally, they stopped in front of a door made from solid wood with intricate patterns drawn on it. Musa stepped forward and pushed the door open. 

An aromatic fragrance tickled Zainab's nose as they entered the room. The beige walls, wooden furniture, and navy blue blanket thrown over the king-sized bed spoke about the occupant of the room and her breath hitched. 

She was supposed to share a room with Danladi. How could she? 

 Her forehead wrinkled but she didn't voice her concerns. She moved further into the room and continued to look around. Her eyes stopped on her luggage placed near the black armchair near the window. 

Aware of Musa's presence,  she looked at him and smiled. "Thank you, Mr Musa, for all your help today."

The older man smiled and waved her off. "If you need anything, use the telephone on the bedside table to alert me or one of the maids."

"Okay, thank you."

"My pleasure." He bowed and left the room. 

Zainab locked the door and puffed out a breath. With slow steps, she headed to the armchair and stiffly sat down. Her eyes fell to the book of rules on her lap and her chest tightened. 

How could my life change so much in such a short time?

From an undergraduate in Journalism to a married university dropout. 

A sob left her lips, her chest tightened, and her breathing became shallow, signaling the beginning of a panic attack.

                       ★★★★

The sound of movements dragged Zainab from her sleep several hours later. Her eyes peeled open and landed on a picture of Lebron James clutching a basketball. She frowned and immediately sat up. A groan left her lips as a sharp pain shot through her neck. 

Where am I?

Her eyes traveled around the room. She took in the unfamiliar but familiar beige walls, the furniture made from dark wood and the gray curtains that caused dark shadows to form on the walls. Slowly, she remembered the events of the day and her tension eased. 

She was groping around for her phone when the lights suddenly came on and blinded her. Her eyes jerked up and collided with Danladi's frowning face. 

His eyes darkened and his jaw clenched. She watched as he removed his blazer and ambled into the bathroom.  Zainab stiffened as he returned dressed in shorts and a sleeveless black shirt. Her eyes touched his muscular and toned arms. 

"Are you going to stare at me the whole night?" His voice broke her trance. 

"No!" She blinked and looked away. Her eyes landed on the acoustic guitar leaning against the wall. 

"Fair enough. Are you going to sit in the armchair all night?" He moved to the bed and sat down. 

She eyed the bed and her brows wrinkled. "The armchair is fine with me."

"You look ridiculous in it. Especially with your head hanging to the side." He chuckled.  

Zainab's lips thinned. "I don't care." 

He glared at her. "But my family and I care. The Yakubu women should look the best in all situations. Sleeping in the chair will cause you to have a whiplash and that will not put us in a good light."

Zainab's eyes darkened and she made a fist. "So all you care about is the reputation of your family?"

"Yes," he said without blinking. "And now that you are my wife, you should care about our reputation so get into the bed."

"I can't believe this," Zainab muttered under her breath. She huffed and rose to her feet and moved to the bed. Her eyes surveyed the space left for her and she frowned. 

"Don't try anything funny. I have a black belt in Karate." She smirked. 

A smile tugged on his lips. "I can say the same thing. I have a black belt in taekwondo so better stay away from me."

He sent her a half-smile and turned away from her.  Zainab rolled her eyes and lay on the edge of the bed as rigid as she could.  

Danladi's light snores filled the silence. As Zainab stared into the darkness, she couldn't help but think of their marriage. 

How were they supposed tofulfill a relationship when they disliked each other? 

                   ★★★★★

Ooh, we go to meet the mother-in-law

How intimidating  😂

What are your thoughts?

Would you like a mother-in-law like Binta🤣

Let's talk in the comments section

Also don't forget the little star in the corner. XD

Until next time, have fun😘