Unthinkable (BWWM)

Chapter 8: What Will It Be?

Naomi

Tafari's family members were placing their gifts on the ground before my family and I, each giving a simple bow after placing them. Since I was not officially arranged but claimed, the gifts were not of a big deal. The gifts consisted of simple amounts of money here and there, a few clothes and specially handmade jewelry for luck, as if I was a contestant. I felt my heart tense up from the sour feeling I had. There were so many gifts that were presented, it felt as if I was the woman being considered to be Tafari's wife. I was in too much of disbelief that my parents are actually pressing the idea that I get married this soon. I had to keep reminding myself to breathe slowly and just go along with the introduction.

"This is a wonderful moment for our village. The Makena family has chosen a total of four women for Tafari," I cringed at the statement slightly as one of the elders began. "From the Acheng family, to the Muchii family, to the Simuyu family and then now, we come to the Musili family and gifts are presented to symbolize a claim in this family," I was standing in between my parents followed by my brothers and sisters, who were in each of our sides.

"Tafari," One of the elders motioned for Tafari to speak up. He stood tall and steady with his chest out still engaged in an eye contact with me.

"Thank you, the Musili family, for trusting me enough to be a possible husband to your daughter, Naomi." He started. "I have known her for a while now. The reason why I decided to chose for her to be a possible wife was because of her confidence and maturity," he continued, still never breaking the eye contact. I would look around and try to keep a friendly facial expression looking like a nervous wreck, but my eyes would always drift back to his.

"She has values and a personality that I would like for a wife," he said with a gentle facial expression this time. "Thank you once again, the Musili family." After his speech came to an end, a lot of people were cheering around us including our parents. Everyone's smiles grew bigger as they got familiar with dialect songs that the women began chanting and dancing in sync, excitement was in the midst. Everyone apart from me. I was still in shock about the news and I noticed how tense my body had gotten. After the quick celebration, Tafari's mother and father stepped closer before my parents and I.

"Mister Abasi, Miss Dafina," Tafari's mother acknowledged my parents with a bow as she said each of their names. "We have chosen Naomi out of your six daughters to be a possible wife to our son, Tafari," she continued. Her voice was loud and clear for everyone in the area to listen of the proposal. "Do you accept the claim?"

"Yes, we accept the claim," My father replied from my left side.

As the agreement passed, the elders prayed over Tafari and I for luck purposes in case I really get to be his wife. The gifts were accepted and traditional songs were sang as the family began taking their leave from our property. In all of this, you would have thought that my mind was slow, but I didn't want it to be claimed so soon. I knew I had to be arranged to someone but this felt all of a sudden. Rage had filled my heart during the whole introduction that I rarely spoke. It's as if the idea of being claimed was slowly strangling my heart. I didn't want this. But apparently, it's not up to me if I want this or not. "When you get older, you will understand." my mother would say to me based on her experience when she got claimed and then arranged to my father. The thing is, I don't think I will ever understand. My mother's experience is different than mine. She got married to one of the best men I know could exist. And as for me, I could possibly get married to Tafari. Not that anything is wrong for him, it's just that I could never look at him in a loving way, in a husband kind of way. Even though I was only claimed, something still felt like I will be the one chosen by Tafari himself. Maybe it's because of the way he looked at me when our eyes met. There was something beneath those eyes, beneath that facial expression of his that said more.