As we lay on the bed I finally told him it was OK for him to go ahead, and he gently pushed himself inside me, but the pain was too much so I screamed in agony and pushed him off. Mana jumped up, distraught because he had caused me pain.
“I’m sorry my love, I’m truly sorry!”
But I wasn’t listening. Kneeling on the bed I looked down on the cloth and noticed a tiny little bit of blood.
“Oh my God! Blood! I bled!” I squealed in delight.
The look on Mana’s face was that of pure delight, full of love. “Turn around for a moment!” I beckoned with my hand for him to turn around, and as he did I took the cloth and wiped myself carefully. I wanted to see if I could get any more blood. “The more the better,” I thought to myself! There was a little more, and after I’d finally finished getting ready I stood up and told Mana he could turn around. He looked the proudest man in the world as we both folded the cloth ready to hand it over.
As we got ready to hand over the cloth he couldn’t stop kissing me and telling me how beautiful I was. He now had to go and re-join the men for their celebrations, and I would have to get ready to unveil for all the women of the town. At least now I could hold my head up high and know that the worst was over!
Mana knocked the on the door and within seconds his mother stepped inside. She took the cloth from Mana. “Mother there’s not much, it’s very little!” he said, concerned.
“Every girl is different my son, we only need a drop!” she reassured him as she carefully unwrapped it, as though it held precious diamonds.
As soon as she saw the blood she let out a whistle and as soon as she did, so did the other females from outside; you could hear the whistles far into the distance. She looked over at me and smiled, blessing Allah for giving her such a beautiful daughter-in-law. Just as she was about to leave, she told Mana to get ready while she prepared the water.
As soon as she stepped outside the room the whistles got louder and louder. The blood stained cloth was being shown to Mana’s family and friends. Not knowing what his mother meant when she said she was preparing the water I asked him. He explained to me that every time a man and women were intimate they had to have a full wash because they had become unclean. This was a religious thing. When his mother called him out to have his wash, he kissed me goodbye and told me he would wash and go straight to his celebrations and wouldn’t be back until the evening.
As soon as he left the room Yas came in and closed the door behind her, pouncing on me as I was sat on the bed, a big smile on my face. “Ugh, you dirty bugger, his mum’s out there passing around your blood! You OK Moo? Did it hurt? That was quick! What happened?” She had a ton of questions for me and I tried to answer them all, but Mana’s mother came back to tell me my water was waiting.
“Why do you need a wash?” Yas asked, looking confused.
“Maybe it’s because I’m a dirty bugger! Tell you when I get back,” I laughed.
I was hidden under a blanket when I was escorted into the bathroom because nobody was allowed to see me and the house was packed with people. The main room was already overflowing and the hallway was full, I’d never seen so many women at a gathering before and they were still coming! The bathroom was big; it could have fitted at least 20 people in it, a big change from Granddad’s. The floor was cemented with a hole at the far end and a huge bucket of water waiting for me on the side. I quickly washed and went back to the room where I was helped to get into my wedding dress. My make-up, tiara and veil were fitted and I was ready to go.
I felt relaxed and the happiest I’d been in a long time, with my sister by my side we enjoyed the celebrations together. Mana came back earlier than expected that evening before all the women had left. His mum called me and escorted me to my bedroom.
“I’m sorry my love, I couldn’t stay away from you any longer. I don’t want to go back and sit with them anymore,” he moaned.
I didn’t want to disappoint him but I wasn’t going to leave Yas alone with all those women, it was too early and she was only here for a few more days. Anyway, he had snuck out of his celebrations and his guests wouldn’t be happy when they realised he was missing! Like earlier today he was going to be escorted back with all men dancing, singing and firing their guns. He knew he had to go back, so he stayed for a while then showered me with kisses and compliments before leaving and going back to his guests.
I was really happy to see everyone go; although the day had gone the best it could it was long and exhausting. Dad came after the guests had gone to congratulate me on my wedding and even though he didn’t come right out and say it, I knew he meant the fact I’d bled. He didn’t stay long and that was the last I saw him that night. Loads of guests stayed because they were from out of town and were relatives, therefore would be staying for a few days. That meant Yas would be sharing a room with some of the other women, but she was fine with that because everyone was friendly and happy.
This time when I heard Mana was being escorted back home the only thing I felt in my stomach were butterflies! I had nothing to fear anymore. I was terrified of having sex again because it hurt so much, but I knew he would never pressure me or hurt me. That night we stayed up until early hours of the morning chatting about everything and anything. We didn’t whisper and we didn’t hide. We laughed and joked and sex never came into the conversation because he didn’t try or pressure me, but the best thing was, we didn’t have to do any of this by candle light, because Mana’s house had electricity!
The next morning Mana’s mother knocked on the door to let us know our hot water was ready. We hadn’t long fallen asleep and I just wanted to crawl back under the covers.
“You go first,” he said playfully, pushing me out of bed.
“But we didn’t do anything! Why do I need to wash now, why can’t I wash later!” I sulked; covering my head with the sheets while slumped at the edge of the bed.
“You can’t let them know we didn’t do anything! We are newlyweds! They will have me seeing a witch doctor and taking all sorts thinking there’s something wrong with me! Trust me my love, we will wash morning, midday and night if that’s what it takes to shut my mother up!” Mana started to ruffle my head under the covers until I got up and agreed to go and wash.
As the morning went by, Mana was in and out of the bedroom. He and Yas got on like a house on fire and all three of us chatted in our room as he popped in and out. His mother would always come and tell him to go and get back to his own celebrations, but no sooner had he left than he would be back again, trying to sneak past his mother who was in the kitchen.
The celebrations would last for three days and whilst they went on, the men would be down the street in his uncle’s house, because this house was full of women. He was only supposed to be allowed back to sleep or change his clothes. That day after dinner Mana came back to the house to talk to me; I was alone in my room. He told me his cousin had spotted my sister when she arrived with the wedding convoy and had asked who she was.
When Mana told him she was my sister he asked if she was spoken for. Mana said his cousin was called Abdul Kareem and was around his age. He said he had told him it was love at first sight when he saw Yas, just like it was for him when he first saw me. He told me Abdul was willing to do anything to marry Yas and if she agreed we would always be able to visit each other whenever we wanted. He told me Abdul would never break his promise; he would vouch for him because they had grown up together like brothers and he trusted him at his word. He also said that he was in university studying politics and that he would soon be travelling the world and he would take Yas with him.
Mana wanted me to speak to Yas and ask her to see Abdul. He said he would set it up so that Yas could see him stood talking to Abdul Kareem outside the window, that way she could at least see what he looked like. Mana left the room as Yas was coming in, a grin on his face.
“He can’t stop smiling can he, poor thing doesn’t know what he’s got himself into!” she joked.
&
nbsp; “Ha ha, funny! He’s smiling about you, not me,” I said as she sat next to me.
I told her about Abdul and everything he had promised but she didn’t look happy. I felt uneasy in myself. It felt as though I’d become like the others, trying to sell her off to the first man that came along. I tried to make her understand that if she looked at Abdul and didn’t think she could ever live with him as his wife then she must immediately say no!
To my surprise she agreed to see him, and Mana set up the time for them to be stood outside the window. Mana was back and forward all afternoon and finally he was stood outside the window with Abdul Kareem. Abdul was stood as if he was posing for a photo! Moving from side to side, holding his head up high!
“Look at the size of that nose!” I burst into giggles at my sister’s sarcasm.
“Don’t be horrible, he’s not bad, I think he’s OK,” I said as we both looked him up and down.
I could see Mana anxiously stood beside Abdul, pretending to talk to him while waiting for me to give him the signal to tell Abdul to stand down from his posing!
“He’s shorter than me, look at that nose, and what’s with the hair?” Yas sounded uncertain.
I had noticed the hair but didn’t say anything! He had really thick wavy hair that just didn’t suit him, he also had a long pointy nose, but he wasn’t bad looking.
“Do you know what? I want to talk to him.” I nearly lost my balance when she spoke!
“You were just telling me how much you hated him! Make up your bloody mind,” I sighed.
Yas explained she was merely picking out that he wasn’t her type of lad but she could tolerate living with him if he gave into her demands, which she would put to him if he had the balls to meet. Yas didn’t believe Abdul would have the guts to meet her face to face in secret before marriage. I gently tapped the window and ran to the door to speak to Mana to pass on Yas’s demands, then came back in; now we would wait for his answer.
Mana came back within minutes to tell us Abdul agreed to meet Yas in secret, he said for Yas to set up the time and place and he would be there! That afternoon as we sat in the gathering I asked Yas what her demands were going to be for Abdul, but she refused to tell me, she wanted it to be a surprise. We had set up the meeting for the next day when it would be quieter. Many of the guests would have gone home by then and the plan was for Mana to sneak Abdul into our room. His family members were in and out of the house all the time so nobody would suspect he was here for us.
The next day the plan went ahead and Abdul was snuck into our room without anyone seeing him. Yas had insisted Mana and I stayed in the room with them. Abdul was nervous as he sat down and we could see that his skin was much fairer closer up, and his hair a dark brown and not black like most Yemenis. We all made idle chit chat for a few minutes before Yas came to her demand.
“If I agree to marry you I want everything you have already promised and one thing more!” She looked straight at Abdul when she spoke.
“Yes OK, ask me what it is you want and if I can give it to you then I will.” You could hear how nervous Abdul was when he spoke.
“I want you to find a house and allow the four of us to live together,” Yas said.
I was gobsmacked! Only Yas could think of something this genius! But surely he would never say yes, and what would Mana say? I glanced at Mana but he was looking at Abdul waiting for him to respond.
“Yes, I’m OK with that as long as my cousin is?” he said, looking at Mana.
“Yes, yes, I’m good with that idea,” Mana agreed, looking at me for approval, but I was already nodding for him to say yes!
“But I won’t lie, it won’t be straight away, it will most probably be next year because I am in university at the moment and can’t afford it. Until then you can both visit every month, maybe more, you have my word,” Abdul said anxiously. Yas told Abdul she would let him know her answer before she left.
“This is shit,” Yas said after they left. “We should be at home in England, hanging out with our mates having fun, not trying to sort out who we need to marry so we don’t end up as sex slaves for the rest of our lives!”
I wished I could have told her something to make her laugh at this point, but I couldn’t think of anything. She was right, but we weren’t home and we both knew she had to make a decision fast. She looked at me, her face full of concern. “Do you trust him?”
I’d only met Abdul for the same amount of time that she had, but I’d known Mana for longer and I trusted him. “I don’t know Abdul yet but I can tell you this Yas, if Mana says he’s a good man then I believe he’s a good man, and I believe he will stick to his word and maybe one day he could take you home, back to England!” We both sat in silence for a while.
“I know I will never fancy him or love him, but I’m going to do it because it’s going to happen to me anyway. I’m going to be married off to someone sooner or later, and it’s going to be someone I don’t want to marry. You never know, he might even take me back to England! At least this way I’m living with you even if you are a moo cow!” she joked. I picked up a pillow and threw it at her.
“Piss off Yas! You haven’t called me that in ages!” I giggled, picking up another pillow.
“Moo cow, moo cow!” she taunted, as we started throwing pillows at each other, but were interrupted by Mana’s mother who once again came back to the room to check he hadn’t snuck back to see me.
“Good, good!” she said, looking around the room, totally ignoring the fact that there were pillows thrown around the room. “He would sit here all day with you if you let him!” she said, closing the door.
Within seconds of her leaving, Mana came back; he opened the door and quickly popped his head around. “Quickly my love, I’m in a hurry! Any news?” he asked, out of breath. He had run all the way.
“Are you kidding me? You’ve been gone all of five minutes!” I tried to sound angry, but my voice was too soft and Mana giggled as he apologised.
“Sorry my love, but my cousin is also a man in love and I’m trying to help him.”
Yas cut in, “OK! OK! Tell him I said yes!” she said impatiently. Mana, who had until then only had his head around the door, stepped in and closed the door behind him.
Looking at me he gasped, “Did you say yes?”
“Don’t look at me I didn’t! I’m already married to you, but she did!” I smiled, pointing at Yas. Mana rushed over and cupped my face with both his hands, he kissed me gently on the lips while Yas looked on, pulling a disapproving face.
“Yes, my love, you are my wife! My heart! My life and my everything!” Then he looked over at Yas and gave her the biggest smile. “Thank you, thank you sister, he will treat you as his queen!” he promised her, rushing out the door.
The wedding celebrations came to an end and it was time for Yas to go home. We said our goodbyes, not knowing what the future had in store for us. If our plan worked and Abdul got to our family in time then we would soon be together again, but if someone else asked for her hand in marriage before he did we could be separated forever.
As I watched Yas get into the jeep to go home I saw a group of men waiting to get a lift in the same jeep; I smiled to myself when I saw Abdul also waiting in the group. I thought to myself how difficult it would be for them on that journey. They would not be able to look or speak to each other because the jeep was packed with other people including Dad. Hopefully Dad would get to know him and that would make it easier for Abdul once he went to ask for Yas’s hand in marriage.
Once everyone left I got to know Mana’s family better. He introduced me to all his family and some friends, both male and female! He didn’t try and hide me when his male family members were in the house; Saada and I were allowed to walk around freely if they were there.
Mana was kind and funny and always did everything he could to make me happy. He took time off teaching after the wedding to be with me but while off work he helped his father in his shop. His father’s shop was up the roa
d from the house and it was a proper little shop, as shops go! His father was called Ahmed, he was tall and slim with grey hair, and he was a quiet and gentle man who was always smiling.
He would always praise his sons and speak nicely to Saada. He would leave the house in the morning to go to the shop and only return to eat dinner and sit for a bit before returning to the shop. Saada would always have a bucket of hot water ready for him at night when he came home; she would sit him down and take off his shoes then bath his feet in the water while she sat next to his feet, rubbing them in the water as they talked about the day’s events.
Mana had a little brother called Hameed who was 11 years old and the spitting image of Mana; he adored his big brother and Mana would sit and teach him in the evenings and even tried to teach me some Arabic. Mana also told me that the photos in his room were of his older brother Mahmoud who had died when he was younger.
Mahmoud had died in England where he had been studying. He died suddenly; he had previously been in good health. They were told he started to vomit blood and days later died, they never had answers to why he suddenly died.
Mana told me that although he was very young when his brother died, his mother never fully recovered and till this day they would find her crying in her room. Mahmoud was around 18 years old when he died. Mana said that he had wanted to go and study in England but his mother had refused to let him go out of worry that something would happen to him. Now he was happy that she had said no, because if he had gone he would never have met me.
Saada and I got on really well; she was kind to me and fussed over me as we did the house work together when Mana was at the shop. The house had running water and electric and although we still had to cook everything on the big clay oven every morning, they also had a tiny gas stove that we could use to heat water or cook on when we needed to cook something quickly.
A Father's Betrayal Page 17