The Father And The Sons

Jamila wondered why her brother was getting defensive over the new girl that came to their house. He was always like that, calling out injustice and cautioning her to have principles and treat people well, as if he were some kind of saint or aspiring to be one.

"You can take the seat close to me, Zara. Eat till you're satisfied before going back to your room" Ayman made sure to call her by the name she had introduced herself with. She must have done that for a reason, and he only wanted to give her all the privacy she required.

Tariq stared at Ayman angrily,and then spared his eyes for the girl who walked over to where Ayman sat. He wished that were him sitting there. But those were just wishes. His wife was right in front of him, he couldn't go overboard unless he would want to hear her nah at him for the rest of the night.

Zara noticed two older women seated at the dining and eating. None had replied her greetings mor seem to notice her presence.

She quietly sat down at the seat beside Ayman, just like he had instructed her to. It was closer to the dishes than the farther ones.

"This is Tariq Fahad" Ayman began and Tariq looked up at him, wondering why he called his name.

Zara too was curious why he had called the name and while looking at her, so she kept her head, staring at himself and waiting for an explanation from him.

"He is Fahad's second son from his second wife, Madam Rabiatu of Zallu" he introduced while pointing towards a middle aged woman seated at the opposite end of the table.

She could tell whom Tariq was already, the sharp red eyed man that had raised his head when the name got called was.

"You must already know Jamila. She is my sister. We are from the first wife" he explained again and Zara nodded her head as if she was understanding what he said.

"And this is the first wife" he looked in the second lady's direction and Zara stared at her. She was by far more matured in age than the other woman.

"This is Nada and her twins, Rayan and Rashid" he turned towards the other younger lady seated beside Tariq and the two boys near her.

They didn't seem to care anymore that Ayman was doing the formalities with her,except for Jamila whose eyes were still angry, perhaps because her brother had raised his voice at her.

"Who are those ones?" Zara managed to ask while staring at the direction of the last seats that house a teenage girl and boy who were still very young.

"Leila and Majid. Siblings to Omar Fahad who ran away from home after sinning against his father. Children of the third wife who died from the curse of her children's ill fate" Jamila blurted on seeing that her brother was hesitant to introduce them.

Zara didn't know whether she told her this for her to know because definitely,it wasn't for her to feel pity for the little boy and girl given the tone of her voice, but for her to possibly know that she had no place being at the top in the house. For her to know that she could die if she committed any grave mistakes or if her children,if ever she were to have one for their father, committed grave mistakes against the family.

The little girl didn't even seem to take into account what she had just said about her missing brother and dead mother but kept on munching at her food. Her brother her side however did, and had drastically reduced the quantity of food he took to his mouth,and the minutes it took him to be able to masticate properly.

Zara blamed herself for a while. If only she hadn't asked. She could have been contented with what she had been told and could have kept quiet and let her curiosity about them slide, but no,she is always wanting to know everything.

Ayman didn't seem pleased with what his sister had said and he had tried to stop her from talking the entire while she blabbed her mouth but she had been too blind to notice she to the way she had been interested in ruining the other's image.

"What?" She hurled at her brother." I was only saying the truth"

Ayman's eyes shot her a fearsome gaze but he was quick in keeping his temper under control. No other person at the table seemed to notice that Jamila had crossed the line with her words and not even the elders pointed out the need for her to bridle her tongue.

"What would you like to have first? Seasoned beef or chicken wings cooked in samosa oil?" Ayman asked, showing Zara the varieties of foods they had on the table.

It was large and bountiful but Zara also knew that it was the right amount of food to go round the stomachs of all present at the dining. If anything was to remain,it wouldn't be much and even if it were, the domineering house workers would make sure to pack everything to themselves and take the rest to their families, if they worked from home, that was.

"Anyone you serve me" Zara sweetly said,not wanting to appear too greedy or refusing their food before that would land her in a problem with their customs.

Ayman took a spoonful of rice and placed on Zara's plate, adding more of the beef and chicken sauce onto the plate for her as well.

"Why are you behaving that way to her man? She's not your woman. Why are you behaving as if she can't take care of herself?" Tariq questioned angrily,already fed up by Ayman's displays of kindness. The lousy fool.

Seeing that the sceneryvhad shifted and the step brothers were almost at war with each other again,Jamila found it as the perfect opportunity for her to pounce on her enemy again,just like a cat pounces on a mouse and chases it til it catches up with it.

"So tell me Zara,what made you agree to marry my father? If I recall, you're both from two different castes,why then did you accept his proposal?" Jamila asked as the tension unfolded with the others.

Zara almost choked on the food in her mouth when she heard that.

It was so sudden and she wasn't expecting such a question as that. What did she mean by it? Had she done a background check on her?

"Your father knew that we were not from two different castes and yet he still asked for my hand in marriage, don't you think the question you just asked me now should be what you keep while awaiting his return?"

Zara has tried to control her own lose and unhinged mouth from saying things just as they were without following rules or sugarcoating them.

Ayman had paused in the beef he was cutting with his fork and Tariq too had been equally piqued by what he had heard.

Jamila's jaws were still open given the surprise answer she had received.

She hadn't thought a deep meaning into it. Women younger mostly came to the marriages because they wouldn't marry a much older man to a younger looking one, and because they needed money counters. The easiest way to get them.

But with such an answer, I will want her to learn yr cultures and demand she ynkg kv