Just like another different day, it was an early morning when the public eye woke up to an intriguing headline on the front page of one of the most prominent and desirable newspaper outlets, accompanied by a photo right below the bold letters which stated:
"MADRAT; SO STUPID IN LOVE!"
During a rush hour, pedestrians who were in a hurry to get to their work places on time that early morning, almost every individual could not wait to take a step back immediately after setting their eyes on the front page of the news paper, and at least kill a second or two, to buy themselves a hot news booklet to dive into a rare topic concerning one of the most loved artists in the entertainment world when they get to their work places.
Madrat's photo was at its best, occupying the whole front page. And right by the side, was a photo of a young woman whose beauty was heaven given according to the Passers-bys. The young woman was none other than Shee Bah, making headlines on the front page of the newspaper.
At different selling joints, some pedestrians ordered:
"Hey, can I have a booklet really quick?"
While others picked it up quickly and quietly with a cent in hand, paid and continued their way, leaving the seller in an open-mouthed gaze, murmuring:
"Dont just leave your change behind! At least ask me to keep it!"
*****
Having decided to stop visiting the internet a week ago after committing herself to building a stable family with her husband Madrat, she had not even scrolled her phone screen into social media. Her favourite TV channels were those showing music and entertainment news programmes. Still, one week ago, she had resorted to watching movies anytime she felt like television. No clubbing no listening to radio.
All in bid to forget about the thing she loved so much to do, which was music.
But, just like a pandemic, the speed at which the news was circulating, there was no way Shee Bah could not know about her smiling face on the front page, making headlines on the top most newspaper company.
Later that evening, Shee Bah had to stop by the supermarket to pick up some groceries for supper.
Taking dark shades off while at the cashier waiting to be billed, the cashier recognized her face from the newspapers. After giving in her credit card, Shee Bah was confused that the cashier, inattentively kept an unsteady gaze at her. She frowned just a little bit and asked:
"What's wrong? You want me to pay with cash?"
And when she talked, a grown-up lady who was standing next, right behind her, waiting to get to the cashier to meet her bill too, was overly intrigued by the question. She felt an urge to know what was going on. But nothing seemed so serious. On lifting her eyes, the grown-up lady noticed Shee Bah's face from today's hot news, making headlines as a young lady on a front page who is confirmed to be privately married to a renown superstar Madrat.
The grown-up lady blurted with a suprised gaze:
"You're the one!"
Shee Bah threw a confused gaze at the lady too, in wonder:
"What is she trying to talk about?"
Immediately, the grown-up lady delved into her sized handbag and pulled out the news paper. Looking at the front page and at the sametime looking at Shee Bah, so amazed she blurted once again:
"Unless you have an identical twin sister, this is definitely you!"
By the lady's confirmation, the cashier stood in guts and supplemented her voice while forwarding Shee Bah's credit card back to her after billing:
"At first I wasn't sure when I looked at you!"
Shee Bah, looking confused, was forced to snatch the newspaper out of the grown-up lady's hands.
How would she have known when she is always at home taking care of her pregnancy and husband? If she's not cooking, she was right by the swimming pool side chilling, in a bikini outfit with dark shades on.
From the newspaper, Shee Bah saw herself with her husband Madrat, covering the whole front page, making headlines. She grabbed her credit card out of the cashier's hand, held her groceries which were well packed in a bag and without saying a single word, hurried out of the supermarket, entered a two seater yellow convertible, leaving the grown-up lady shouting:
"Hey, my newspapers!"
Ignited the engine and took off.
Upon reaching home, with the newspapers in hand, Shee Bah climbed upstairs in hurry to the bedroom. On her makeup table was her mobile phone which she immediately grabbed.
"Over 100 missed calls!"
Her 16 years old young sister who was at the high school, her two elder brothers who were in different cities _ one working for a delivery company and another one driving a taxicab, her mother who was a choir leader and father who was a pastor in the same local _ small county church, all had called her phone back to back when she checked.
Looking at the phone screen as she scrolled, over 30 direct text messages lined up in her inbox waiting to be read and replied to when she checked.
"I've lived like a stray dog for five years now. Why my family?"
But all her attention was about the internet, after spending a full week without paying a visit.
Shee Bah, eyes widely open as she scrolled the phone, viewing unexpected information about her marriage and Madrat, but more so, what the internet was saying about her was so unbelievable.
It proclaimed:
"Shee Bah you've made it!"
For a moment, she stood frozen, her mind racing. Then a flood of disbelief and joy washed over her face, and she let out a delight gasp. Her hands trembled slightly as she clutched the phone, unable to believe her luck. Her suprise was written all over her features _ a wide smile, bright eyes, and a moment of stunned silence before she finally whispered:
"No way!"
Shee Bah had gained over a million followers on most of her socials, and this is where she came to know about how her music album felt like an oasis in the middle of the desert, a pain killer, a strong love potion between two love birds, and a sound which awakened the dead to dance to.
Most of the songs on her album were duetted and posted, not only by ordinary listeners, but even different celebrities were singing to them and posting to their socials as she was tagged.
One video nearly stole her smile.
"Angie too!"
In Angie's profile, there Angie was, singing word to word, feeling the song to the bone, expressing deep affection. On looking at a million views, it was overwhelmingly okay.
Long time friends and the people she used to know from way back, talking about how she was so blessed, and how they needed to link up with her bla bla bla, flooded her inbox.
But a message from her parents required the first approach.
"After the church service tomorrow, me and your father are travelling to visit you. Do not hide!"
"Hide?"