There was noise and cheering from every corner of the Banjo's house as they prepared for Folakemi's engagement that Saturday morning. A few family and friends from far and near had arrived the previous day to assist the family with the preparation, and Mrs. Banjo was so happy to see her first and only child finally getting married.
"Honey, don't you think we should get more drinks, especially the wine, because I don't want our in-laws to lack anything?" Mrs. Banjo asked her husband while they were inspecting all they had planned for the engagement merriment.
"Ha ha! Woman, this is more than enough for our guests," Mr. Banjo replied and returned to counting the crates of drinks.
"Uncle, I have the drinks counted already. You should rest before the event starts," Wale, Mr. Banjo's nephew, interrupted the couple's little chat.
"Thank you, Wale, I hope my brother is on his way already. He mustn't use his obsessed African time today," Mr. Banjo replied, and everyone burst into laughter.
"We should get more water because that's the only thing we don't have in excess," Mr. Banjo said as he read through the paper Wale gave him.
"I will see to that now," Wale replied and left.
"Uncle Wale! Uncle Wale! Have you seen big daddy and mummy?" Demilade, Folakemi's friend, asked Wale who was heading out of the compound.
"Calm down! What's the problem?" Wale asked.
"Folakemi has been crying since she woke up. Initially thought she was too excited about the engagement, but it became something else," Demilade stuttered.
"Let me see her first so we don't put Uncle into unnecessary stress this morning," Wale replied.
He went with Demilade to Folakemi's room, and every effort to stop her from crying yielded no result.
"Folakemi, please don't do this. Your parents won't be happy seeing you like this on your big day." Aminat, another bride's friend, tried comforting her, but Folakemi refused to speak to anyone.
"Stop being dramatic, please, or do you want dad and mom involved too?" Demilade asked, but Folakemi still didn't reply.
"Please go call Uncle Banjo, he needs to intervene because I don't understand all this drama," Wale told Demilade, who left the room immediately.
"She might be missing home already, my sister also did the same thing. I think it's normal," Aminat said to ease the tension in the room.
Mr. and Mrs. Banjo were on their way to the Folakemi room already because Richard called and said that Folakemi wasn't picking up his call that morning. They met Demilade halfway and both returned together.
"My Princess, did Richard cancel the engagement?" Folakemi's mom stuttered immediately she got in the room.
"Cancel how? Didn't we just speak to Richard on the phone a few minutes ago?" Mr. Banjo replied, patting his daughter on the back.
"God, may my enemies not succeed over this wedding. All their plans have failed in the name of Jesus. I cast and bind."
"Woman, will you stop all this? What does prayer have to do with the situation? At least you should know what's wrong with her first." Mr. Banjo halts his wife's prayer.
"I thought that it's not physical," she stuttered.
"Please don't get on my nerves this morning," Mr. Banjo replied, sighing heavily.
"Baby, tell Daddy what the problem is. You know I want the best for you," Mr. Banjo said in a soft tone, caressing Folakemi's hair.
Folakemi turned to look at her dad's eyes and burst into tears again.
"Dad! I am scared," Folakemi replied.
"Ha! Thank God she finally said something," Aminat muttered.
"Can you give us the room, please?" Mr. Banjo requested and everyone except his wife left the room.
"My princess, tell us whatever is bothering you. I am not happy seeing you this way," Mrs. Banjo asked as she sat beside her daughter.
"Today is the problem because I told you that 13th is never a good day for a celebration like this. It's purely bad luck," Folakemi blurted her opinion.
"There is nothing wrong with 13, and it was just the date we could agree on with our in-laws," Mr. Banjo replied.
"You could have called them to make amendments when I told you the number brings bad luck," Folakemi stuttered.
"Don't worry, dear, there won't be any bad luck today. Everything will be fine," Mrs. Banjo assured Folakemi, who laid her head on her dad's chest, still sobbing.
Mr. Banjo wiped her tears and sang for Folakemi. It was her favorite song, and she couldn't resist smiling as her dad's baritone voice melts her heart.
"The weather forecast said it would rain heavily, isn't that the beginning of bad luck?" Folakemi stuttered.
"I can make arrangements for a hall right now and return the canopies," Mr. Banjo replied.
"You know that's not possible, how do we notify all our guests within 3 hours?" Folakemi stuttered as she wiped her tears.
"Let's be hopeful it won't rain. Common girl, our guests will start arriving soon," Mr. Banjo replied.
He reached for a small box in his pocket and handed it over to Folakemi. "I wanted to give it to you this after you are dressed up, but it has to be now," he said to Folakemi, who gently opened the box and saw a diamond pendant necklace.
"Dad! This is too much," Folakemi exclaimed and hugged her dad afterwards.
"It cost a fortune, and I have been saving for it since you clocked ten because you deserve only the best," he replied.
"Now, please cheer up. You should start preparing already," Mrs. Banjo said to her daughter and called her friends in.
Mr. and Mrs. Banjo left the room while Folakemi reached out to Richard and apologized for not picking up his calls earlier.
Everything was going on smoothly until Folakemi wanted to check her outfit in a mirror, and while Demilade was trying to adjust the mirror, it slipped.
Folakemi shut her eyes in fear as the glass crashed on the floor.
"This is not good," Folakemi stuttered, biting her lips. Her eyes were filled with tears already, and she couldn't stop her hands from shivering.
"I will clear it up," Demilade said to Folakemi, but she was lost in thought already.
"Are you okay?" Demilade asked, noticing Folakemi shivering hands.
"Everyone should leave," Folakemi screamed, and she continued until everyone left the room.
She bolted the door and sat behind it, crying bitterly.
"If the 13th is a superstition, how about the broken mirror?" Folakemi muttered, tears pouring from her eyes.
"My princess, please open the door. What's wrong with this girl today?" Mr. Banjo sighs heavily as he thinks about the dramas Folakemi had put up that morning.
They kept knocking and calling Folakemi, but she didn't respond or open the door. About 30 minutes passed, and Mrs. Banjo suggested that they break down the door.
"That will take about an hour, and our in-laws will be here by then," Mr. Banjo replied.
They were still contemplating when a Jeep drove into the compound, and everyone was surprised to see Richard alighting from the vehicle.
"Good morning, sir. I started coming immediately. I saw Demilade's message." Banjo prostrated immediately. He got to Mr. and Mrs. Banjo.
"Good morning, son. You shouldn't be here, it's taboo to see Folakemi before the ceremony," Mrs. Banjo replied.
"I can't be at ease knowing my wife locked herself up in her room. Please just let me talk to her," Richard pleaded.
"Don't mind all these superstitious beliefs, please go and talk to her," Mr. Banjo replied.
"Babe, are you there?" Richard said, knocking on the door.
"Honey, is that you?" Folakemi muttered.
"Yes, please open the door. Everyone is worried about you," he replied.
"We might be making a mistake, honey. I have seen signs, and they make me scared."
"Those are mere superstitions," Richard replied.
"Did you say mere? Who fixes ceremony for 13th and was the mirror a coincidence?" Folakemi stuttered.
"Everything was just a coincidence, and I strongly believe it won't have any negative effects on us," Richard replied.
Folakemi went quiet again, and everyone could hear her sobbing.
"You should trust me, and no matter what happens, I will always be by your side. Remember my promises," Richard assured her.
Folakemi unbolted the door and hugged Richard before he could say another word.
"I love you," she whispered into his ears.
"I love you more," Richard replied.
Folakemi couldn't shake off the feeling but Richard's presence was a huge relief to her, and they held each other's hands as they continued with the preparation.
As they exchanged their vows later that morning, heavy, dark clouds gathered in the sky, but their love shone the brightest. Despite the heavy downpour at the closing hour of the ceremony, the ceremony remained a memorable experience in Folakemi's life.