The memoirs of a Chief Brides' maid Part 4

It has been a minute! My sincere apologies if I have kept you in suspense for so long.

Now let’s get back to our amazing journey in Nigeria!

The journey from Mbaise to Nnobi was a smooth bumpy suya-rish ride. I thought I would sleep off but the pot holes thought otherwise. I could not just stop thinking about what went down in the traditional wedding, and the couple by side were speaking in silence. I could get the words ‘Yea baby we did it!’ off Kachi’s lips and the words ‘I am proud of you!’ off Chris’s heart. Words cannot explain how great the day has been. Greatness.

We get to Nnobi and I could smell the home feeling that I haven’t had in a long while. There is something about the village that makes you feel you are home and as I walked yawning to the nearest source of light to charge my phone. We are welcomed in and offered hot water to take a bath and a cozy room to sleep in. The bride (Kachi) still had some wifey duties to perform; apparently some of her husband’s people were still coming over that night for some celebration. And at this junction, I was fast asleep.

I woke up to the giggling in the parlour and I felt a rebranding in my whole body. I was becoming a full-fledged village girl. I went to say my greetings and sat down acting like I wasn’t peeping at the love in actions. In fact, I told them to leave the parlour for me and I heard that the new bride was supposed to be sweeping the front yard with a big broom. Why I ask? So that everyone would ask who is that fine tall palm tree and the family would reply, she is our new wife. Oh well, am glad we didn’t bring any wrapper and also our new mother-in-law was basically chasing Kachi out of the kitchen saying, she is the one would entertain her, and she has got plenty of time to take care of her new mother.

We did our morning devotion, had breakfast and hit the road yet again. This time it was to Aba. We were going to see the new house Chris built in that area. The journey was a very very long one. We passed a lot of places, that even the guy driving us, pointed to his village, and he is Yoruba.  We got to this gorgeous house and it was definitely standing out from the rest. We were going to stay here for one day and then drive down to Lagos the very next day. One look at the place, and I was proud my friend married an intensely hard working man and I knew she was going to transform it to a homely empire.

Enroute Lagos the next day and the estimated journey time was more than what my flight time was from London to Lagos. We woke up at the crack of dawn and journey yet again. This was one of the most intense journeys I have been through. We saw the police who tried to stop us but to no avail, to the road that lifted me up and brought me down and the peak was we were driving into a bend that had a  blind spot , lo and behold there was an overturn trailer on the road, and that was the day I confirmed in mind, that it is not about how effective your gear is, but how much God loves you to keep you from unknown overturn trailers on the road.

We got to Lagos safely, and finally spent some time with my family and fast forward the day; it was Friday, the day before the wedding.

I got to the hotel on time so I can prep the rooms for the girls as they come from far and wide; however the receptionists refused to give me the key because I did not book it. After some rigorous conversation between the husband and the ladies, we were allowed into our en suite rooms and for a minute, I just absorbed the moment of quiet and I heard the girls approaching and that changed quickly.

Everyone was excited, settling in, catching up, and talking about how the shoes were tight. One of the ladies was unfortunately in the hospital and we prayed for her healing, the bride was prepping her hair for the next day, some of the bridesmaids were yet to do their hair, some were eating and some were going over to ShopRite to relax. It sure was an eventful night for everyone.

After few hours of organised chaos and sudden realization that tomorrow is the day I am going to be holding her gown and my friend would be getting married, I slept off.

Someone was calling my name and I believed it just can’t be morning yet. I ignored the call and while being dragged off the bed, it was the bride, Kachi. Go and have your bath madam, ‘she said’ and wake up the ladies. I knew I was in for a long day.

I woke up.