For those of you asking who Jannah is, she is Maryam and Muhammad's cousin.
~~**~~
The Kamu was taking place at their family house, their grandfather; Alhaji Muhammad Amin's house. Tons of family and friends were staying in the house along with the bride, for the final moments of the wedding.

The staff of the event planner very already setting up the place by 2 pm, as the event was by 7 pm. It was all starting to come together. Ya Amma was in her specially designated room getting her makeup done, alongside her close friends who were there to support her and help with every small thing she needed.

"Aisha, can you try the caterer's number again please, he needs to be here before all the guests arrive." Ya Amma said, looking at her friend who nodded.

She looked down at her phone and then she looked up again, "please Noor, can you try the MC's number again. I want to be sure that he's really coming." Noor looked at her and laughed, "don't worry, I'm sure everything will be fine. You've already made me call him 2 times already this morning, please let the man rest, he said he will be here." Ya Amma sighed, "I just don't want anything to go wrong."
"That is why you need to relax, and let us and your family handle it. We are all here for you, just enjoy your wedding it only happens once in a lifetime. Well, not always but Insha Allah, yours will only happen once in a lifetime." Reesla said as she helped Noor tie her headscarf.

"Ours all seff." Faiza; her other friend said. "Insha Allah."
"So now keep quiet and let the makeup artist do her job."
Ya Amma looked at the makeup artist apologetically and closed her eyes, letting her do what she does best. Not less than 5 minutes later, she said, "do you think Maryam and Ya Muhammad will make it on time because I want them in my bride and groom train."

"Amma!" All of them shouted and she laughed and raised her hand in submission.

~~**~~

The cousins were all in the living room upstairs getting ready as well, some were getting their makeup done, some were fixing their gele, and some were eating and chatting.

"Asmau do you realize that we only meet during occasions, ko wedding, naming ceremony, something of a sort dai," Yasmin said and they all agreed. Asmau laughed, "I know right, do you know that at first, and I am missing a lot."

"You always miss the fun part."
Asmau pouted, "I know I just hope that you all guys's kids will at least know you." They all laughed, "you're not serious."

She pushed her hair back and sat up, "To be completely honest with y'all, I wasn't even going to come to ya Amma's wedding because of my exams but thank God at the last minute they shifted it."

"You and school dai asmau, you are inseparable," Jannah commented, brushing powder on her face. "Wallahi kuwa, you're one of a kind."
"Well someone has to do it. Someone has to love school." She said eating a spoonful of dambun shinkafa. "Ai kam dai." Yasmin said laughing. "It's definitely not us." She added gesturing at all of them. "Never have been and will never be." Jannah laughed. 

"So now one of us is getting married again. It was like yesterday ya Munira got married, then Maryam, and now ya Amma." Ya Fatima said.
Jannah sighed. "Wallahi kuwa, I wonder who is next." She stared down at the cup she was drinking zobo from.

Ya salma looked at her with a kind of teasing smile, "With the speed your relationship is going, I bet you're next." Yasmin nodded. "I hear wedding bells." She said pulling jannah's cheeks. Jannah shoved her hand away blushing.

"Dan Allah, you guys need to tell me all the deets, I don't even know when it happened," Asmau asked curiously.

"Where were you when she announced it on our group chat?" Ya Fatima asked, raising her brows. They all laughed.
"Wallahi kam, she legit broadcasted it at that time. Kai Jannah, ba hankali."

"Honestly, when I saw her message, I was so shocked, that I had to call her to confirm." Yasmin said.

"Do you even know how he pronounces her name?" Ya Fatima laughed. They all shook their heads.
"You know all of us are like Jan-nah right? He goes Janna, like Jana. He only pronounces one 'n' and not the two. He makes it sound so fancy tbh." Jannah held her hand to her mouth, trying so hard to hold back her laughter. "Kai ya Fatima."
"Iyyeh, she got herself a golden boy," Asmau said wiggling her brows at Jannah who was busy blushing.

"A golden boy indeed. Wallahi I'm so tired of them, the calls, it's getting to me." Ya salma rolled her eyes. "They are always talking. I wonder how they don't get tired of each other because I don't see how I'll continuously talk to a single person the whole day and not get tired of them."

Jannah straightened up. "Ah, it hasn't happened to you yet ne, that's why." She shot her a big smile. "When it happens, you will understand."

They all burst out laughing. "Emotional damage."

Ya salma struggled to keep her face neutral. "Iyyeh lallai ma. Ah, Janna tayi dogon kafa."
"Gaskiya ta same ki." Asmau said giggling.

"They started dating like play like play now they've been at it for 5 months and counting."
Yasmin turned to her, "Not to burst your brain, but you guys make a beautiful couple, I've seen your pictures."
"Aw, thank you. We'll make cute babies."
"What?!" They shrieked.
"Bakida kunya Wallahi Jannah. Kai you embarrass me." Aisha said, laughing.

Ya Fatima moved to hit Jannah, but she was quick to move away. "Wait, are Maryam and Ya Muhammad coming? Because it's almost time for the event and they are still not here." Yasmin asked.
"We spoke earlier before they boarded the plane, I believe they are on their way now," Aisha said.
Jannah turned as if she was waiting for something to talk about Maryam and Muhammad, and said, "Can we talk about how Muhammad and Maryam are like the cutest couple ever. I still get giddy when I see their selfies, videos, and pictures. I literally get so excited when she sends me snaps."

"I thought I was the only one, Wallahi they are just Masha Allah. The match that I never saw coming." Ya Zara said applying her makeup.
"Is it you that never saw it coming or me? I was very much shocked when I received the wedding invitation." Zulaikha said moving around to take a seat beside ya Fatima.

"How they pulled off dating that even led to marriage without any of us knowing is still a mystery to me." Ya Salma muttered .

"I sort of knew they both had itsy bitsy feelings for the other, but I was also very much shocked," Yasmin said.
"Seriously." Jannah turned to zulaikha, "but wait, you received a wedding invitation?"
"Yes."
"Well, I didn't even know there was a wedding invitation. Invitation to where? They didn't have a single big event."

"Did I say invitation? Sorry, I meant a wedding card. It was just Muhammad weds Maryam. And the names of the families and date."
"Ohhhh."

"I heard something Maryam." They heard Maryam's voice say behind them. They all turned and found her walking into the parlor dragging her trolley and holding her handbag. "Ya Maryam!" Yasmin, Asma, and Jannah all squealed, got up, and engulfed her in a hug that she almost fell. "Oh Allah, you guys will break me." She chuckled and hugged them back. "It's been so long since I last saw you, almost 7 months fa." Asmau said helping her with her luggage. Maryam pouted and hugged her again, "Wallahi kuwa, I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." She said to Jannah and Yasmin. They all smiled saying they'd missed her too. "I've missed you all too, thank you for the hospitality." She said sarcastically to those that didn't get up to hug her.
"We've missed you too." They laughed and ya Fatima ushered her to come and sit beside her.
"Yauwa I heard my name, were y'all backbiting me?" She dropped to the couch with a groan and removed her veil. "God I'm so tired." She muttered under her breath.

"Wai backbiting," ya Salma laughed. "We were just talking about how yours and Muhammad's relationship came as a shock to us." Ya Fatima said.

Maryam groaned, "oh, that topic again. You guys have asked me about this like a million times now. And I'm so tired of answering you." She got up. "I'm going to check up on ya Amma. You can go and ask him directly, he's outside."

"Let me go and greet my mom and mother-in-law." She wiggled her eyebrows playfully.
"Su Maryam kenan, masu mother in law."

She walked to the room Mummy and Mama were said to be in and knocked. "Come in," she heard a voice say from the inside. "Assalam Alaikum." She salaamed and pushed the door open.
"Waalaikum Assalam," the people inside answered.

"A'Ah, su Maryam ne. Come in." Hajiya Hauwa; Asmau and Khalid's mother said smiling. "Ina wunin ku." Maryam greeted squatting in front of them. They were like 5 in the room. Mama, mummy, Hajiya Halima, Hajiya Hauwa, and Aunty Salima.  She greeted everyone in the room.

Both Mama and Mummy watched her with a smile as she neared them. She sat on the carpet in front of both of them. Thank God, they were both seated in the same place. "Maama, when did you arrive?" Mama asked, chewing her goro. 
"About 10 mins ago."
They exchanged pleasantries. She asked mummy about her health. "Where is Muhammad?" Mama asked.
"He is in the boy's quarters."
She nodded. "How was the trip here? You seem tired." Mummy said slightly cradling her face.

"I am exhausted, but it was fine Alhamdulillah." She blushed. Maryam still feels shy around Mummy, she doesn't think that feeling will ever diminish. After all, she married her son.

~~**~~
Ya Amma walked out dressed in a gorgeous emerald green saki dress. She looked amazing, and her bride train too. They were all wearing beige paper lace dresses.

The groom and his men joined them as they made their way inside. They all looked so handsome. The groom looked at the bride and whispered, "Amma, you look absolutely beautiful right now." She blushed and lowered her head, "thank you, you look handsome."

"You guys need to get moving, save this for later," Asmau said sticking her head between them. They all laughed and started walking towards the entrance.

Maryam and Aisha rushed out of the house hand in hand. They were so occupied with Maryam trying her best to tie Aisha's small scarf that they missed the time. "They couldn't have gone in without us right?" Maryam asked walking, like a baby learning how to walk, on her heels. Aisha was providing her with support. "No, they couldn't have." Aisha said. "They wouldn't have, right?" She asked unsure which sent them both laughing hard. "They wouldn't."

"I wonder where my husband is, he also couldn't have gotten tired of waiting for me and went in right?"
"Ah haba, give my brother some credits."
"Ladies." They heard Muhammad's voice call out from behind them. "Ya Muhammad." Aisha squealed and hugged him. "It's been a while."
"How are you?" He asked holding her hand. "Fine. Thanks for asking. Well I've brought my wife to you, let me go and find my date."
"What date?" He asked brows furrowed. Maryam and Aisha both laughed. And she ran off.

"What date?" He asked again turning to Maryam. "Don't worry about it." Then she smiled and held his hand. He looked so handsome in his cream-colored kaftan.

Muhammad smiled and pulled her closer to him. He couldn't take his eyes off her ever since he saw her come out. She looks so beautiful, her makeup is on point, and her dauri, damn!
"Why are you looking at me like that?" She chuckled brushing her hand over her scarf.

"Like what?"
She smiled, "like I'm the most beautiful person you've ever seen."
"I don't know about that," he raised his eyes in thought. Maryam furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?" She pouted.

He laughed and pecked her forehead. "You look beautiful, I couldn't even take my eyes off you." And she was grinning from ear to ear. "Kai ma haka, I hope dai all this is for me?"
He shook his head and laughed when she did what she did best, overreacting. "Lallai ma, ya Muhammad."
"You know, there's no one else but you."
"I know." She grinned and hugged him.

"Is it that you guys don't realize am here or are you just ignoring me on purpose?" Yasmin asked standing arms akimbo. Muhammad let Maryam go and looked at her, "when did you get here? I'm so sorry I didn't see you there."
Maryam put a hand on Yasmin's shoulder, "he was blinded by my beauty." She said gesturing at her face with a huge smile.
"Gaskiya, naga alama." They all laughed.
Muhammad and Maryam held hands and joined the queue.

They danced together alongside the bride, the groom, and the entire Alhaji Muhammad Amin's family.

~~**~~
Hy guys
Y'all should clap for me, I managed to come through.👏🏽
We have reached the end of kindred ties Alhamdulillah, it has been a long journey.

To be honest, I never thought I'll be able to finish it, because at some point, I just lost interest in writing and everything else. That was actually what the long break was for.

Thank you so much for sticking with me, through thick and thin. I really appreciate all the love and support you show this book.

This was a truly interesting experience for both me and I hope you. I had fun reading all your exciting comments and jokes, thank you so much.
I love you all.
With love, Fatima🥀