LUCENT

4

NADIRA

I curl my lashes as I speak with Muhibba on the phone. I was meeting Tayyib's family later today and decided to go all out on the face card.

M: Are you making yourself look good for me?

N: Lol. I'm meeting my future in-laws.

M: What kind of joke is that? You can't marry before me.

N: Unfortunately, I will in a week.

M: Nadira Faruk! Tell me you're lying.

N: I'm for real, Hibba. I called to tell you on Friday, but you just called back today.

M: Nadira! What! I dunked my phone in water and had to put it in rice for a day! You should have come to my house!

N: You know I can't go out.

M: Girl! To who? Why? How? Why are you not freaking out?

N: You're asking as if you don't know me. I have my reasons for doing it. Plus, I won't have to live with him until I return from school.

M: You're insane, Nadira. Who is the guy? Is he going along with this plan of yours?

N: His name is Tayyib, and yes, he's complacent.

M: Tayyib? That Tayyib or another Tayyib?

N: I have no clue what you're talking about. How many Tayyibs exist?

M: That's the thing. I only know one. And if it's that Tayyib, you've hit the marriage jackpot. What's his last name?

N: I don't know. I didn't ask cause I didn't care. My father seemed excited, so I assumed he was from a good family.

M: I'm sending you a picture right now. Tell me if it's him.

I look at the picture and laugh. He was unsmiling, clad in a suit shaking some man's hand while the man grinned from ear to ear. Clearly more excited than Tayyib.

N: He's the one.

M: OH MY GOD, NADIRA! How did you pull this off?

N: I didn't do anything. My mom just told me my dad received a request for my hand. I have no idea how it all happened, but here we are.

M: Nadira, you're going to be swimming in cash. Do you know who he is?

N: No. I'm not nosy like that.

M: We both know that's a lie. No way you resisted the urge to stalk him.

N: Can't lie. I tried, but I don't think I spelt his name right, and I don't know his last name.

M: I'm hanging up. You'll see me at your in ten minutes. This requires a face-to-face.

N: Okay!

She hangs up the phone, and I return to curling my lash. I resisted the urge to pick up my phone and try stalking him again as I applied lip gloss. Muhibba had made me even more curious than I was before. My mom came in to help me pick out a dress, and by the time I was done dressing, Muhibba had already arrived.

"Girl!" she yells, and I wince.

"Calm down, Hibba. It's not that big of a deal," I respond.

She smacks my arm and glares, "Not that big of a deal? You're getting married!"

"And?" I retort.

"Go see Ahmad downstairs before I lose it," she says, pushing me towards the door.