Nilefa: The Union

CHAPTER 2

Earlier that day

It was eight o'clock in the evening and the Mai Kuras were set to receive Bashir Shettima and his family. Father invited them to have dinner with them as a means to get to know each other as it was only a week since they arrived Nilefa town.

Aishe made sure the food was of Kanuri distinction. She had started cooking early in the afternoon, filling the house with the mouthwatering aroma.

Yasmeen and her brothers could not wait to get a taste, but mother was quite keen on letting them only during dinner.

Yasmeen was made by mother to dress in a beautiful gold atampa sewn into a blouse and skirt, quite fitting. She had protested pointing that it would suffocate her under the harsh weather, but all in vain. She found it rather unfair that her brothers weren't under the pressure she was to have worn the local attire. She had been responding poorly to the weather here since their return , having lived most of her life in the UK. The dress she was wearing was the greatest of her problems at the moment until she stepped out of the closet and glanced at the mirror. She was left agape at her own appearance. Her curves were nicely defined in a chaste manner.

"You can take those off and wear these." Mother said holding up a beautiful atampa sewn into a long sleeved gown. "They are less fitting"

She appreciated her current look and kindly declined her mother's considerate offer.

"I'd rather keep these on" she turned to the side and back looking at her mother who was standing behind her through the mirror " I'll settle for the air conditioner. I mean,these don't look bad either. I'll just....."

Aishe shook her head knowing her daughter well. She had always had to keep up with her thoughtless blabbering until she was proven right. " Downstairs in five minutes "

After mother left, Yasmeen applied minimal makeup, wearing simple jewelry. She took a sky blue veil that matched her dress. She took out black sandals that complemented her black leather watched and took one last look in the mirror before she left to join the family downstairs.

The sitting room smelt heavenly with one of mother's most expensive incense. Incense was Nilefa's crowning glory in her opinion. Mother always had them in the house and on her clothes. The smell of musky wood and fragrance was making her flare her nose to take in more of the scent.

On descent to the floor of the hall, Amir her youngest brother who was a splitting image of her ran to her. The eight year old boy took after his mother with the Shuwa fairness and dark long hair. He was wearing a light-blue Getzner fabric sewn elegantly into afarangiya , with local embroidery work.

"Jazz!" he looked up at her happily addressing her with fondness. He called her jazz, as in Jasmine. (Yasmeen was the Arabic word for the flower, jasmine). " Look at my cap, you remember the ones dad got from the Caps Complex? Mine is matching three of my clothes. Dad and I am matching clothes this evening.... You'll see" the boy announced with excitement.

"You look perfect my champion!" She bent to kiss his right cheek making him flash her his cute toothed grin. " I see we are matching too, I am wearing blue." She said raising her eyebrows with interest.

Amir was about to make a remark when a groan came from the couch behind him and the dou took their attention there. Sadiq, 15 was resting with his back against the backrest and his long legs stretched out on the table. He had that striking resemblance with their father Yasmeen, thought. He did things the way their father did. Despite the fact that all of them resembled father in a way, Sadiq was the one to point out first as his child.

" Stop pretending he's a baby. He's a fully grown man with the voice and an attitude. "

"Well I hate to admit that it's a futile attempt you have made ruin the mood, but I am glad you brought up the voice because yours is like drawing nails on a chalkboard" Amir laughed and lightened up in anticipation of their usual banter.

Sadiq looked offended" well it wasn't me that cried over the neighbor's sick dog to whom I fed ice cream" he was satisfied when he saw all excitement fade from Amir's face, a pout replacing it.

The boy looked up at his big sister his eyes pleading for a good comeback.

" That doesn't change the fact that you snored like a wild animal even as a baby"

"I do not snore! " Sadiq sat up dropping his legs from the table. His expression was priceless for Amir. Yasmeen laughed and stuck her tongue out to provoke him more.

" Come on guys, behave" mother said sternly" can't you hear there's someone at the door?" She grumbled her way to the door and opened it.

Silence struck the house as a tall woman made her way through the door. She was draped in an expensive laffaya . The oozed confidence and the people in the room were lost in it, except for mother.

Aishe's face lost all expression and her face turned cold. She calmly invited the woman to sit and without a word or look in anyone's direction made her way up the stairs.

Zainaba, the chief maid who was arranging food on the dining table quickly made her way to the strange woman, bending to greet her. She addressed her Ya Hajja , making the siblings exchange glances. Zainaba addressed their mother with same.

Was she the woman they were told about? The one their father had married for the benefit of his  political career? Oh how mother had resented the day they'd come in a confined space. Mother was not informed of her coming. It was obvious in her reaction to seeing her and with her never mentioning it.

"This evening........ A disaster it will be" Yasmeen thought to herself.