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 newspapers, 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 newspapers.
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 three weeks ago after committing herself to building a stable family with her beloved husband Madrat, Shee Bah had not even scrolled her phone screen into social media. Her favourite television channels were those showing music and entertainment news programmes. Still, three weeks ago, she had resorted to watching movies anytime she felt like television. No clubbing no listening to radio.
All in bid to cut off her biggest addiction _ the thing she loved so much to do, which was music.
After all, Madrat had fulfilled his promise _ he donated a sperm to her as she requested, making her pregnant as she wanted, in return she had to stay away from the public eye as agreed.
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.
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? She has spent almost the whole day at home taking care of her pregnancy and husband. Besides, her tendency to stay grounded couldn't allow her know whispers and chaos in the public.
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!"
Giving a deaf ear, sge ignited the engine and took off.
Upon reaching home, with the newspapers in hand, in a hurry Shee Bah climbed upstairs upto 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 weeks 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 had, talking 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 three 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 to wounded hearts, a strong love potion taming a stubborn heart, and a sound which awakened the dead to dance their bones crack.
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 on their socials, tagging her as she came to notice.
One video nearly stole her wide smile.
"Angie too!"
The fact that she had a bad feeling about Angie, nearly angered her.
On Angie's profile, there she was, singing to one of Shee Bah's songs word by word, feeling the lyrics to the bone like it was her own, expressing deep affection.