Nusayba

Part Four

Part 4

It was the beginning of the end. Aamir had had enough. He had seen and heard enough. What he hated the most was that his mother and father seemed to be doing nothing. They both stood rooted to their spot. And even worse than that?

Nusayba's brothers looked utterly lost. They looked torn – do they defend their sister? Or do they stay silent and betray their sister? Do they insult their hosts? Or do they go with their baby sister?

Aamir watched as they choose to walk over to a crying Nusayba and each of them placed a hand on her shoulder, supporting her, towering over her like a pair of bodyguards.

"ENOUGH, APA!" Aamir said clearly. He was agitated. He turned a pair of accusing eyes on his parents first as his elder sister silenced. "You invited the triplets here. You asked them to come into your home, and you embarrass them by having your daughter humiliate Nusayba? Is that what India has done to you?" He turned in a full circle, staring at every family member, wanting them to feel guilty for watching the spectacle that his sister was making but no one stood up to. "You should all feel ashamed. Not a single one of you have stood up to Yaseera, yet you all allowed her to stand and shout at a guest? Is this the right way to treat a guest? Is this fair? Not one of you have defended her. I am ashamed of my family," he said in a lower tone, yet it was loud enough to have travelled.

"Don't you tell me what to do, Aamir!" Yaseera yelled at him. Her long black hair flew around. "I can see the way that she looks at you. How can you even bring someone like her into my home? She is without manners!"

He stayed silent, but then let out a disbelieving scoff. "Without manners, you say?" He shook his head. "No, Apa, it is you who is without manners. I have been in her house for so long, for so many years, and not once has she ever made me feel like I am a burden. Yet, she has just arrived and instead of being courteous and showing her the city and being welcoming you are chasing her out of a house that does not even belong to you? What right have you?"

Yaseera lifted her hands to her hips and stalked to where her tall brother stood. "You love her!" she accused him. Her beady gaze studied him, and he did not flinch. He was no longer threatened by his sister. Aamir had grown tired of her bullying antics. He was sick and tired of the way his parents constantly indulged her.

"You want to marry her! That's why you brought her here! How could you?" Her face scrunched up.

It was in that moment that something in him spurred and began preparing. "You are making a scene out of nothing."

She swung wildly, her waist long hair slapping his chest. Yaseera's dark eyes fell on Nusayba's crying face. "Look at her, she is pathetic. She is a snivelling mess, crying here. She has no place here. I have seen her in high school. I have seen the type of person that she is." She shook out her hair with one hand. "Take your bags and get the hell out of my house!" Yaseera screeched at Nusayba and at that moment one of the many domestic helpers in the house brought all of Nusayba's bags.

Despite her tears, Nusayba stood tall. "Fine. I will leave." In one hand, she grabbed all of her luggage, rolling the big bag with her toiletry bag's handle thrown over the handle. She shrugged her handbag onto her shoulder and strolled out of the villa.

The family watched in silence as her brothers ran after her with their best friend.

Nusayba walked out of the villa with her back straight and her head held high. The tears streamed down her face steadily, but she refused to look weak until she was certain that no one could see her. Once she was safely away, she leaned against the wall and cried. She could hear her brothers following after her – without their luggage.