“My God! You will make such a beautiful bride!” The bridal shop sales lady exclaims as I come out of the dressing room. “You look absolutely beautiful!”

I try to blush and giggle, “aksante.”

“Your husband to be must be ecstatic!”

I try another giggle.

“So where is he from, if I may ask?”

“Erm. Sijui …”

“What do you mean hujui?”

“I don’t know.”

“Have you not met his family? Been to his place? Have you not done the mahari thing?” In naked panic questions pour out of the sales lady’s mouth.

“No. Nl. And my family does not do mahari.”

“You have not met his family? Is he not from here?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know where he is from?”

“No.”

“You don’t care to know?”

“I do.”

“Sasa?”

“We have not had a chance to talk about it yet.”

“Ain’t you getting married next month?”

“Yes. June 30th.” I shift in the bridal dress. Much as I am enjoying the drilling, the dress is now making me feel rather hot.

“Sasa? Why have you not talked? Don’t you think its important to know? Atleast his family?”

“We have not yet met.”

“Who?”

“My husband to be.”

Stares as her brows slowly bunch up together into a frown. And takes a step back. And another.

??????