Against The Tide (Formerly Two Tribes)

66: Elusive Concept

Afrah sat across from Jameel, on the edge of her bed; her eyes fixed on him as he dressed up for work. A sense of determination emanated from her as she slowly slipped her tea, her mind consumed by a devious plan.

"My love," she started; her voice low-pitched. She had meticulously planned her words, rehearsing them in her mind like a well-practiced monologue. She knew very well that the key to breaking the chains of Jameel's loyalty to his mother was through gentle persuasion, not forceful demands. She had already planted the seeds of doubt in his mind and was waiting patiently for it to fully develop. "What does Hajiya like doing? I want to do something nice for her...maybe it would soften her heart towards me."

Jameel gave a closed-lip smile and opened his arms, inviting her to his embrace.

Afrah walked to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She closed her eyes when she felt his lips on her head.

"I love you, Afrah..." He planted another kiss on her temple. "I know this hasn't been easy for you. I can see how much you want to impress Hajiya and I truly appreciate your effort. I'm sorry for the way she treated you yesterday. I wish there was something I could do to make her stop being mean to you, but there's nothing more I can do than talk to her and pray she changes."

"It's fine," Afrah replied, snuggling further into his chest. "It's all for you. I realize that I was rude to her the day she arrived. I'm only trying to make it up to her. I don't blame her for being that way with me. I should have put in more effort to be in her good books."

Jameel placed one final kiss on her forehead before pulling back: his arms on her shoulders. "I'm going to be home early today. What would you like me to get for you?"

"You know the things I like," Afrah winked. "I'm such I'm going to like whatever you get for me."

Jameel nodded. "See you later."

"Bye," Afrah nodded.

Immediately after Jameel exited the room, Afrah sat back on the bed and threw her head back in laughter. The whole thing was suddenly so funny to her. She knew she had the upper hand when it came to Jameel. All she needed to do was put in a little effort.

As Afrah sat there, contemplating her next move, she couldn't help but feel a surge of confidence. She had always been one step ahead of Hajiya, and this time was no different. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she began formulating her next plan to assert her dominance.

•

Walking into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for herself, Afrah met Hajiya and Najah cooking.

As she observed them cooking together, a wave of irritation washed over her. She couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at their closeness. Determination welled up inside her, fueling her desire to prove to Hajiya that despite her hatred for her, Jameel would always choose her first.

Afrah tried her best to ignore them and just do her thing, but their laughter and easy camaraderie intensified her unease.

Trying to suppress the negative emotions bubbling within her, she clenched her fists. She knew she shouldn't let them bother her, but it was so difficult to ignore the fact that she was hated by her mother-in-law just because she belonged to a different tribe, and Najah was the favorite daughter-in-law because they belonged to the same tribe.

It was unfair and hurtful, but at the same time, she knew she couldn't allow them to notice how affected she was. The last thing she wanted was to give Hajiya the feeling of victory. The war was far from over.

Afrah took a deep breath, mentally reminding herself that she was loved by her husband and her own family. She had to focus on bringing Hajiya to her knees. She would make her regret ever treating her like trash. She had done nothing to warrant the hatred she was being shown.