The Sultans

Chapter Five

Nyla was woken up that morning just after dawn by the crowing of a rooster. She made her way downstairs to see Anwar cooking and the triplets were scattered about the kitchen helping him rather gloomily. They didn't look the least bit interested in helping.

Get me an egg, Anwar instructed Shaam. He walked over to the fridge and opened it.

"There are none. He said as he shut it." 

"Haaris, you were supposed to get them," Anwar said exasperated.

"I checked, outside and there were none" Haaris said throwing his hands up.

"You guys have chickens?" Nyla asked.

They all looked at her, "Oh yeah, she didn't see the coop yet." Deen said.

"We can show you if you want." Shaam offered.

"After breakfast though" Anwar said turning around.

"Should I help?" Nyla asked."Suuuure" Deen said slyly, as he attempted to walk out. Anwar pulled him by the back of his shirt.

"I don't think so," he said shaking his head.

"Whaat?" Deen said, "she wants to help so why can't I leave?"

"Because Asad told you to help out," Anwar said. Then he turned to Nyla, "you don't have to help" he said.

"This wouldn't happen if not for you," Deen said turning to Nyla, you shouldn't have shown him those photos"

"We'll let it go this time," Shaam said. "only cuz you didn't know."

"But next time, I'd be careful if I were you, you wouldn't want to be bald now would you?" Haaris said, and she couldn't tell whether or not he was joking.

"Try, and watch what happens." Anwar said. And the triplets scowled at him.

Nyla sat on the bar stool on the other side of the counter. in the dining room watching them as they argued back and forth.

"What are you making?" Nyla asked curiously.

Traditional Mediterranean food." Anwar answered. Our Dad's family is Jordanian and Palestinian so we learned a thing or two from him."

Shaam was rolling out a large piece of dough, and Anwar was instructing Deen and Haaris on how to cut an onion

.Haaris had tears rolling down his cheeks and he turned away when she saw him pretending to be crying while Deen patted him really hard on the back grinning mischievously as he did so.

He smacked him too hard though, and Haaris straightened and whacked his brother even harder making a loud sound in the kitchen. Anwar immediately moved away from Shaam and pulled them both apart before they could hurt each other any further.

After breakfast was over, Nyla went out with the triplets who were giving her a tour of the farm as promised. They began by showing her the barn first where there were a total of four horses in their stables, there was one black one, two dark brown ones and a white one.

A few chickens were roosting on the other side of the barn and Nyla watched the rooster with particular interest as it's red comb bobbed along with its tiny head.

Deen noticed her reluctance to approach any of the animals as she stood in the doorway of the barn and would not step foot inside. She didn't trust the triplets not to try something and she was right not to since Deen had run after her and tried to grab her, but she squealed and quickly ran out the barn getting a nice head-start and managed to safely get away.

Afterward, the Trips also showed her the pen where a few sheep and goats were. And she watched as they quickly ran up to the bale of hay that was thrown into their pen. The goats had tiny horns on them which Nyla was quite afraid of. She didn't dare come as close to them as her brothers. The triplets noticed her fear and decided to have a little fun. Deen had picked one of them up and it was protesting loudly as he did so making loud sounds and squirming in his hands. His eyes glinted mischievously as he held it.