"How can you not know what your sister likes? What kind of siblings are you? What do both of you converse on?" Kameela complained as she picked the lilac gift box filled with soaps, perfumes and powder and walked towards the counter with Ismail following behind her with a basket of other gifts.
"There is a huge age gap. When she was born, I was in primary school and I didn't live with them. When she was in primary school, I was in a boarding secondary school. When she was in secondary school, I was in another country doing my degree. I'm closer to Aisha cause she lived with me at Gwaggo's for like two years and the age gap isn't that wide." He put his card in the P.O.S. as he waved it around, explaining himself.
"That doesn't matter. You should've tried to make a bond. So if you're told to write a eulogy, what will you write? 'She was my sister. She was x years old. She was fair in complexion with a long chiseled nose.' I bet I'm more of a sibling to her than you are." She said as they walked out of the store with plastic bags in their hands. As they walked towards the exit of the mall, Kameela saw a sight that made her eyes widen in surprise but her skin got coated in goosebumps in absolute horror.
"Um let's go to that store. I want to get cheese." She said turning around and pointing to a random store that sold gym equipments.
"We just got cheese two weeks ago. It couldn't have possibly finished." He said calmly but he was eager to get the day over with and go home.
"Am I not the one using it? It has finished. Let's goooo!!!" She dragged on as she pulled him away from the entrance of the mall as she saw them approaching, nearing them.
"Fine. Let's go. But you'll have to tel... Ahmad!" He said as he saw his ex school mate with a woman beside him and a child on his arm make their way into the mall. Kameela stood in her spot, her hands clung to Ismail's arm. She couldn't turn for two reasons
1) She didn't want to face the family Ismail beckoned on.
2) She didn't want the family Ismail beckoned on to see her.
"Ismail is that you? You have a way of appearing and disappearing anytime you willed. The last time we spoke was on my wedding day. You just called, never came for any event. I'm still hurt you know." Ahmad placed his free arm over his chest feigning hurt.
"Haba Ahmad, I told you I couldn't make it for the wedding. The least I could do is call."
"Okay I've heard you. I might consider forgiving you."
"Is that the bride?"
"Yes." Ahmad said a bit reluctantly like he was forced to answer.
"Sannu Amarya. Is that our daughter?" Ismail said as his attention shifted to the little girl in Ahmad's arm.
"This is Fadeela." He said as he tried passing the girl over to Ismail but she disagreed, wrapping her tiny arms around her father's neck. Which caused everyone to laugh asides Kameela who was happy that nobody had noticed her.
"Bappan naki zaki wa kyuya?"
"Don't mind her. She doesn't want the sweets I bought for her." Ismail's statement made the toddler turn her head anxiously towards Ismail with bright expectant eyes.
"Is that your sister?" Ahmad finally asked, which made Kameela's back straighten because she knew it was her he was referring to.
"She's my own Amarya."
"Amarya are you shy? Turn around. Let's see who made our very own Ismail finally settle." Ahmad pressured on. Ismail had to turn Kameela cause if it was left to her will, she wouldn't turn. As she was turned by Ismail, Ahmad realised who the lady was. The one he was ready to take home, to call his wife. Ready to shift mountains for her at anytime she needed it to be done. He didn't expect their next meeting to be like this.
"This is Kameela, my wife." Ismail presented her to the family, like she was an accolade he had earned.
"Oh, we've met before." Ahmad said, hoping Ismail wasn't going to ask how. He was worried about Kameela but he had to mind his business and the past was in the past.
Kameela put on a smile but anyone that saw it knew it was out of politeness. Na'ima hissed as she saw Kameela's face. Kameela expected worse. Now she knew that she was sour when they met the first time because she actually knew it was Kameela that was taking up her husband's weekend.
"Um we have to go. I'll call you." Ahmad said as he moved past them and got lost in the crowd of people going in and out.
"But you don't have my number." Ismail said a second too late as he watched them disappear in the sea of strangers.
Kameela's eyes were stuck to her feet as they walked to the car, put their bags in the back seat and entered the car.
"Why are you so quiet? You look like you've seen Casper." She asked herself if she should tell him. She thought against it but she thought 'he's your husband, he should know everything'.
"Remember when I came to see Aunty Khadijah in the night, distorted." Ismail squinted his eyes as he tried to remember the event she was referring to.
"When I wore an Ankara scarf with sweats and a hoodie." That jogged his memory back to the night. He held in a laugh, remembering exactly how she looked.
"Yes I remember. Why are yo..."
"He's the one." He had a straight face on till what she said dawned on him.
"His wife is also my friend's sister." Ismail drove them in silence. Now he felt like he needed to protect her. He was getting riled up thinking that someone wanted her. His exterior presented a calm sea but what he was thinking should be in books disallowed to be read. He squeezed the steering wheel till his knuckles turned white. He released them as he kept reciting Asmau-l Husna. He felt the cold release of his blood as he let go.
They went to his uncles and aunts houses the whole day, delivering their gifts to them. They still had hardly said a word to each other the whole day till he dropped her at Manal's. He spoke like nothing had happened at all. He even pecked her goodbye. He told her he was going to see a friend and he was going to pick her up after the Isha prayer.
°°°
"So how is marriage treating you?" Rasheed asked as he sat down on the sofa.
"Normal." Ismail said as his eyes moved to the TV.
"Oh oh. Is there a problem already?"
"Mm." He mumbled, not wanting to say a yes or a no.
"I didn't hear you."
"I won't exactly call it a problem."
"Then what is it?"
"I haven't had sex with her yet and I don't know if it's because she doesn't find me attractive or she's scared or something else!"
Rasheed let out a loud laugh. Ismail squeezed his face at him, not understanding the joke.
"So that's all?" He asked after his short laughing episode.
"Yes." Ismail said reluctantly.
"Don't worry, she'll come around or you could just talk to her."
"What should I tell her?"
"Just tell her you're a ma... don't worry, it'll come to you naturally once you open your mouth."
They continued their conversation till they heard the adhaan for the Isha prayer.
Meanwhile in Manal's house, a catering class was being held. Kameela could not even apply for a sous chef position. She knew not how to cook. The list of things she knew how to cook, excluding canned food and prepackaged meals was a very short list. She had been used to ordering food and whenever they cooked at home, it was her mother that did it. So when they had moved back, she tried a couple of times but TaRasulu always had to take over. She was profusely sweating as Manal kept dishing out instructions to her. Kameela kept asking herself why she didn't go to the catering school her mother found for her.
"What have you been feeding my brother?"
"Cereal." Manal looked at her with disbelief.
"And sachet soups. He loves them."
"Please tell me you're joking."
"Charity does the cooking. I do the instructions." Kameela blew air into the soup on the ladle she held. She tasted it and smiled at her handiwork. Manal poked the chicken several times with a fork to check its tenderness then switched off the gas. Kameela walked to the cabinet that stored all the flaskets and brought out one. She turned to find a staring Manal.
"What are you doing?" She asked with her arms folded in her chest.
"I'm taking a flasket."
"Um, no you aren't."
"Yes I am."
"It's just going to disappear with the other 10 flaskets you took to your house."
"They were just two. I promise I'll bring them back, including this one. Do you want me to carry the pot on my head?" She said as she opened the flasket and wiped it out with a wiper. Manal walked into the hallway leaving Kameela sweating in the hot kitchen. As she started transferring the chicken noodle soup to the blue flasket her phone started ringing.
She dropped the ladle and received the call which belong to Ismail. He called to tell her to get ready, he was on his way. He was actually still at his friend's house preparing to pray Isha. But he needed to tell her that he was on his way because she was fond of wasting time and being late. Which was weird for a highly organised person.
On his way to pick up his wife, he practised what he planned on saying to her. Even when he parked the car and pulled the key out of the ignition he paused to repeat his speech.
The couple bid farewell to Manal and Sameer. They had a light conversion which concentrated on Kameela's self made soup. Immediately they got home, Kameela dropped the flasket on the dinning table, brought out two soup bowls and spoons and arranged them neatly before zooming straight to her bathroom to take a cold shower.
After her shower, she had walked out of the bathroom at a leisure pace. She wasn't in a hurry to dress up like she usually did when Ismail was around. She thanked God she was on her period because it came quite irregularly and hurt like a bitch when it did. But he couldn't approach her nonetheless. On a regular day she pretended to feel sick or slept early.
She stood in front of her wardrobe to pick out a night wear. She stared at the whole bunch for sometime before finally choosing one. Immediately she pulled it out of the wardrobe, Ismail entered her room.
Ismail met her with her bathrobe on as she dropped her clothes on the bed. He saw the beads of water on the places her skin was exposed. He thought it was the best time to approach her with the topic.
"Hey! Are you hungry? I've already set up the food on the dinning table. You don't have to wait for me." She said. He just wanted to get this speech over with. He wasn't in the mood for small talk. He sat down on the bed and faced her.
"We need to talk." She looked suddenly pale, all the melanin seemed to have drained off. He was going to ask her what was wrong but he knew the topic at hand would fly out of the window so he didn't ask. So hr went ahead and started his severally repeated speech.
"I am a man. I'm a human being who has needs and wants. You're my wife and I want to have the whole you to myself. I can't promise you that it's not going to hurt but I'll try my very best to lessen the pain." He suddenly realised the speech he had practised was way much shorter than the had imagined now that he said it out loud.
Tears started to well up in her eyes. Everything became blurry. She could only see the outline of his body, no longer the details. Ismail tried to move in closer to comfort her because she seemed scared. But the moment he changed positions in attempt to move closer, she pushed him away.
"I promise to be gentle." He moved in again but she used all her might to push him away. He retreated and she moved further into the bed. He was starting to lose it.
"What is wrong with you?!?! I'm trying my best to make you comfortable. I am also nervous as hell but we still have to get it over with sooner or later!" She was scared at how he yelled at her. He never did, but she understood where he was coming from. She sobbed silently for sometime.
"I'm not suitable for you." She muttered under her breath but Ismail still caught it.
"Why? What possible reason do you have for that?" She moved again and kept on crying using her hands to cover her eyes. Ismail knelt in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Talk to me Kameela." She didn't talk. He wanted to know the reason why she was crying.
"I'm begging you!" He said as he shook her a bit.
"I'm not a virgin!" She spat out once and for all. Her chest felt a bit lighter. Just a bit.
"I don't understand." He said as he loosened his tight grip on her shoulder. She felt him slipping away.
"I'm not a virgin! As per I have had sex before! Like I've had a penis in me before! You need more explanation?!?!" She yelled with red eyes looking straight into Ismail's unreadable orbs. He still stayed there on his knees for some time before he gradually stood up and started walking away.
"Ismail!"
"Ismail!"
He was unresponsive he didn't accelerate his steps out of the room and nor did he slow down.
She laid on her bed then curled up like a kitten with nothing but her bath robe and her emotions. She was expecting a divorce sooner or later. To officially cut all ties because she knew she already cut them immediately she opened her mouth. She was angry. Not at herself, at Ismail for not inquiring about it but the gravity of the fettle of her future didn't allow her move from the bed.