Money's Victim

Chapter 2

2

Of course, she did not.

I waited, I still wait for her to come in and tell me she has cancelled it. Even on this day when his mother and his sister are waiting in the guest room for me to come out so they would see me, talk to me, and see if I am good enough for their standards.

Mama talked to me about nothing other than my behaviour, I wish I could spoil it. Throw an outrageous quip. Say I am barren. Something to make them walk away, terrified of my addition to their ranks. But what would come after that is worse than this marriage itself.

She had warned me, already, knowing her daughter only too well.That  I would not be able to finish my studies and that my father would marry me off to some lad of the country where I could live my life milking cows, my dream pushed further away.

Her threatening look was so fierce that I could not disbelieve her. At least I have a chance now.

I stare at my reflection; my brown eyes accentuated by the dark eyeliner.

‘You’ll be fine,’ I say, ‘it’ll be fine.’

The colour of my dress makes my skin look lighter and radiating. It is my favourite shade of blue; royal blue.

‘Nora,’ my older sister, Yusra, knocks on my door, ‘come on, we are waiting.’

I sigh, ‘I’ll come in a second.’

I wear my scarf and take a deep breath. ‘You’ll be fine, I promise,’ I say again to assure my nervous reflection.

     Their eyes scan me curiously and I find I am hesitating to walk in. I force my legs to lead me to his mother and kiss her hands and her head.

‘I’m Amal, I hope you are fine,’ his sister smiles as I shake her hands.

‘Yes I am,’ I say, ‘pleased to meet you.’

I catch my mother’s approving nod, ‘I will go and get the tea.’

Yusra and Hanan get up and trail behind her, and I want to cry out and beg them to stay with me. I know I am being examined, being rated like a cow for sale.

‘What do you think?’ his mother smiles at me. ‘Would you like to marry my son?’

I gulp, ‘yes, yes very much.’

Lie.

His sister, a bonny warm face, gives a delightful chortle, ‘I have to warn you we are a very large family.’

My smile is perfect if not for the smallest quaver. ‘How many could that be?’

She eyes her mother. ‘You have not been told?’

I have, of course. I would remember it if I am not under such darn scrunity. ‘The number is so huge I am having a hard time believing it.’

‘Oh it's true,’ she laughs. ‘I am the only girl, and the youngest of them all, but other than me I have eleven brothers, Faris the youngest amongst them...you’ll be the youngest wife till now.’

Damn it, but I am in over my head. ‘They are all married?’

‘Except Saif and Faris,’ she nods.

‘But Faris will be if he married you,’ his mother says. ‘We all, except for Feras and Adel, live in our large house.' Her pride resonates around the room. 'Wonderful isn’t it? My children and grandchildren all together under the same roof! It is a dream come true, you will love it, the atmosphere is bustling and it is never dull.’

Supressing my expression is becoming very hard, I try at excitment, ‘Of course I will...and I am sure each one has a room for him and his.’

Amal’s eyes sparkle, noticing my doubt she boasts, ‘oh, don’t worry about that, you will have your own room! As large as any of ours! Our house is very huge and vibrant I promise.’

I nod. ‘How old are you?’

‘Twenty nine, just two years older than you, we’ll be close friends.’ She grins.

‘I am sure.’ I lie, ‘I cannot wait.’

                                                                                                                                                         

     My mother tells me the men will come asking for my hand next week. Horrible as it is to me my mother is as happy as if it is her own wedding.

‘This might save us! This is a very well-known family and they will be our kin…’ She giggles, her eyes twinkling.

I look at her with my eyebrows raised, ‘and it stops me from reaching my dream! They did not even care about my studies! Wait, scratch that-they did not care about me!' I sigh. 'All what they spoke of was their family, their house and how every wife competes to be better in helping around. I will die before I can get used to that. You know I do not know how to cook!’

My mother glares at me, ‘hush, Nora. You will learn everything you need. Or I swear it you will never get anywhere besides curdling milk into cheese! I will not tolerate you refusing this marriage, not even on my dead body!’

I look away, ‘this is not at all fair! I have the right to pursue my own dreams and make my own choices! I am a free human being!’

She raises her hand to stop me, ‘not anymore. I am your mother and I say you will marry this man. Full stop.’

‘But…’ I play with the rice on my plate, ‘I beg you…’

She sighs, ‘I am tired, give me a break. Just do this, I know what is best.’

The look on her face is painful, exhaustion engraved on her face, that I cannot go on, ‘sorry ma. Of course I will marry him; you have not raised me to refuse you.’ I rise and kiss her hand.

As she smiles at me then a shadow of regret crosses her gaze for a second, ‘Good,’ her eyes soften, ‘I have never raised you to refuse me.’

                                                                                                                                                                                        

     This is a nightmare, I know it is, eleven men and their children in one house. They think I will survive but I would rather kiss a frog and turn into one myself.

‘It’ll be fine,’ Hanan, my youngest sister, tries to assure me sweetly, ‘it might be fun.’

I feel the tears at the back of my eyes. Nora, what use will shedding them do to you? ‘Why would they do this? I thought they finally understood.’

She takes my hands in hers, ‘I think you should talk to mother; I am certain they are not doing this without a reason, Yusra talked to her and surprisingly agreed. There must be something serious to make the most stubborn sister from the three of us consent to this. Try, ask mother when you feel time is right, I could promise you there is something.’

I look at her passionate gaze. ‘You must be right, I will talk to mother.’

‘Nora, soon it might be me, I am sure. Accept this and embrace it, at least you got to finish your Masters,’ she says.

I frown. ‘I want to be called Doctor Nora…’

‘Well, Yusra did not even get to finish her Masters, and I cannot imagine what I will get to accomplish.’

I sigh. ‘You are right. I am going to talk to them, I have to accept my fate.’

She laughs at that, ‘we are such great lovers of histrionics.’ 

Damn me if this situation was not dramatic enough without our melodrama.