Our Fates: Book III of the Fate Trilogy

Twenty-Seven: Who is She?

Barakah Muhammad

Immediately after maghrib prayer, daddy arrives food from Tantalizer eatery with a man. I know his face but I can't remember his name. Mommy says he’s going to bring someone that will guard aunty Rose while Aliyah is gone.

With my hand in my stupid bestie’s own, we go home.

Immediately we enter the living room, mommy says, “Barakah, go and prepare for bed. I want to speak to Aliyah alone.”

I frown but climb the stairs. I hope she’s not planning to change her mind. Or did they find out about ugly uncle? I wonder, because I saw her talking to officer Chico and daddy, looking serious.

I enter my room and my eyes widen. “Hoor-ul-ain!” I shout. She quickly sits up, trying to look innocent.

“Why are you on my bed?” I ask, eyeing her clothes. What are those stains? Then I see the source. A pack of watercolors, all opened on my bright colored bed sheet.

I stare at her, not knowing what to say. But I don’t need to call mommy. I’ll deal with her myself. So, I move to her bed and lie down. Her eyes widen but she doesn’t say anything. “This is where I’ll sleep tonight. I dash you my bed.”

She gasps. I wait for her to start whining and crying. Instead, she screams, “Yay, thank you!”

The door opens and mommy comes in with Aliyah behind her, “What are you thanking her f-” She freezes as she sees what’s on my bed. “Hoor, me haka?”

“I’m painting.” She says, looking more innocent than before.

“Who send you?” Mommy asks.

Aliyah laughs. Hoor sees her and gasps again. “Sisi Aliyah!”

Mommy frowns, “Sisi ke?” She climbs the bed and packs the water colors. She turns to me. I groan and stand. “Mommy, Hoor should learn how to be cleaning her mess o.”

“She’ll learn if you show her.” Mommy says. She turns to Hoor hanging on Aliyah like a baby. “Ke kuma, where did you learn ‘sisi’ from?”

Aliyah laughs again, “She heard one of my mom’s friends saying it, and I thought she has forgotten about it.”

Hoor’s eyes widen as if she has remembered something. “Where’s aunty Rose?” She turns to mommy, “will she stay here too?”

Mommy folds the bed sheet and goes to the door. Aliyah and Hoor move to sit on her bed. “Not yet. Barakah, you’re in charge. Make sure Hoor brushes her teeth and performs ablution. And please,” she turns around, “make her sleep. I don’t know you want to do it. Just make sure she falls asleep.”

“Ohhhh, mommy.” I say, hitting my legs on the floor. Getting Hoor to sleep is like getting toothpaste out of an empty pack.

Hoor claps, “Yay, yaya Barakah will read me all my books.” She says, sitting on Aliyah’s lap.

I eye her. “Better stand up.”

Later, mommy brings another bed sheet and a pajama for Aliyah.

“Noooo, I want to stay with sisi Aliyah.” Hoor cries.

“No jor.” I say, sitting on the edge of the bed as she stands up to go to my bed.

“I’ll beat you o.” I shout. Time is already going.

As usual, she burst into tears. Aliyah comes out from the bathroom, “Hey, what happened?” She asks. Hoor goes to her, not minding her wet body and towel.

I sit on her bed and sigh. I turn to the books beside me. As I yawn, an idea comes to me. “Aliyah, will you like to read to her?”

Aliyah’s eyes widen. Hoor gasps, then nods excitedly. Good for me. “Yes.”