Palace Walk

23

Mrs. Amina was busy getting ready for the traditional family coffee hour when Umm Hanafi rushed up to her. The gleam in her eyes suggested that she was bringing good news. She announced importantly, "Three ladies I've never seen before wish to call on you".

The mother set everything down and straightened up quickly in a way that showed the impact of the news on her. She stared at the servant with a look of intense interest, as though it was likely the visitors were from the royal family or even from heaven. Then, seeking confirmation, she stammered, "Strangers?"

Umm Hanafi replied in a tone that had a happy, triumphant ring to it, "Yes, my lady. They knocked on the door and I opened it. They asked me, 'Isn't this the home of al-Sayyid Ahmad Abd al-Jawad?' I said, 'Yes, indeed.' They said, 'Are the ladies in?' I replied, 'Yes.' They said, 'We would like to have the honor of calling on them.' I asked them, 'Shall I say who the visitors are?' One of them told me with a laugh, 'Leave that to us. All the messenger needs to do is carry the message.' So I flew to you, my lady. I've been saying to myself, 'May our Lord make our dreams come true'"

Her interest still showing in her eyes, the mother said quickly, "Invite them to the parlor… hurry".

For a few seconds Amina did not move. She was sunk in these new thoughts, in a happy dream world that suddenly revealed its riches to her, after she had worked for nothing else all these past years. Then she snapped out of her reverie and called Khadija in a voice that made it clear she would not tolerate any delay. The girl came at once. The moment their eyes met she smiled and, unable to restrain her joy, told her daughter, "Three ladies we've never seen before are in the parlor… Put on your best clothes and get yourself ready".

When Khadija blushed, Amina blushed too, as though she had caught this contagious embarrassment from her daughter. Then she left the sitting room to retire to her room on the top floor to prepare herself as well to receive the visitors. Khadija was looking vacantly at the door through which her mother had vanished. Her heart was pounding so much it almost hurt. She asked herself, "What’s behind this visit?" Then she pulled herself together. Her mind immediately resumed functioning. She summoned Kamal from Fahmy’s room and told him, "Go to Miss Maryam and give her my greetings. Tell her that Khadija asks her to send some powder, kohl, and rouge".

The boy jumped at the chance to obey this order and rushed out of the house. Khadija hastened to her room and proceeded to remove her housedress. Aisha looked at her with inquiring eyes. Khadija told her, "Pick out the best dress for me… absolutely the best one".

Aisha asked her, "Why are you in such a state?… Is there a visitor? Who?"

Khadija replied in a faint voice, "Three ladies…" With special emphasis, she added, "Strangers…"

Aisha drew back her head in astonishment. Then her beautiful eyes grew wide with delight. She cried out, "Oh!.. Should we understand from this that… Oh, what news!"

"Don't get your hopes up… for who knows what it really means".

Aisha headed for the armoire to select an appropriate dress. She was laughing and saying, "There’s something in the air… A wedding smells like pure perfume".

Khadija laughed to hide her uneasiness. She went to the mirror and looked carefully at herself. She covered her nose with her hand and said ironically, "There’s nothing wrong with my face now". Removing her hand from her face, she commented, "Now, like this, only God can save me".

While helping her sister put on a white dress embroidered with lavender flowers, Aisha laughingly remarked, "Don't be so hard on yourself. Can't your tongue spare anything? There’s more to a bride than her nose. What about your eyes, long hair, and quick wit?"

Khadija wrinkled her nose as she answered, "All people see are the defects".

"That’s true for people with your temperament, but not everyone is like you, thank God".

"I'll answer you when I can find the time".

As Aisha smoothed her sister’s dress, she patted her waist and said, "And don't forget your soft, plump body… What a great body you've got".

Khadija laughed happily and said, "If the bridegroom was blind I wouldn't worry about anything… I wouldn't mind a blind one, even if he was a religious scholar from al-Azhar Mosque".

"What’s wrong with the religious scholars from al-Azhar? Don't some of them have treasures as boundless as the ocean?"

When they were done with the dress, a murmur of displeasure escaped from Aisha. Khadija asked her, "What’s the matter?"

She grumbled, "There isn't a bit of powder, kohl, or rouge in our house, as though there weren't any women living here".

"The best thing would be to take this complaint to Father".

"Isn't Mother a lady? Doesn't she have a right to use cosmetics?"

"She’s beautiful just the way she is, without any need for them".

"What about you? Are you going to meet the visitors like this?"

Khadija laughed and replied, "I sent Kamal to Maryam to get the powder, kohl, and rouge. Is my face one to leave bare when I meet matchmakers?"

Since there was not enough time to waste even a minute, Khadija removed her scarf and began to take down her two long, thick braids. Aisha started combing the flowing hair. She remarked, "What long, straight hair you have. What do you think? I'll plait it into a single braid. Wouldn't that be the more beautiful?"

"No, two braids… But tell me: Should I leave on my stockings or have bare legs when I meet them?"

"It’s winter and people would normally wear wool stockings, but I'm afraid if you leave them on they'll think there’s something wrong with your foot or leg that you're deliberately trying to hide?"

"You're right. A court of law is more merciful than the room of women waiting for me now".

"Be brave. Our Lord has promised us…"

At that moment Kamal hurried into the room. He was panting. He gave his sister the containers of cosmetics and told her, "I ran all the way and even up the stairs".

Khadija smiled and said, "Bravo! Bravo! What did Maryam say?"

"She asked me if we had company… and who they were. I told her I didn't know".

Concern was visible in Khadija’s eyes when she asked him, "Was she satisfied with that answer?"

"She asked me to swear by al-Husayn to tell her everything I knew. I swore I'd told her everything".

Aisha laughed. Her hands kept on with their work as she observed, "She'll guess what’s happening".

Khadija was spreading powder on her face and said, "She wasn't born yesterday. It’s not likely that anything will escape her. I bet you she'll come visit us tomorrow at the latest to conduct a thorough investigation".

Kamal should have left the room then, but he did not want to, and perhaps could not, he was so interested in the scene unfolding before his eyes. For the first time in his life he witnessed his sister’s face undergo this transformation into a new face altogether, boasting white skin, pink cheeks, and eyelids with delicate black lines along their edges that enhanced her eyes and made them look splendidly clear. His heart rejoiced at this new face. He shouted with excitement, "Sister, now you're just like those beautiful candy bride dolls Papa buys for the festival of the Prophet’s Birthday".

The two girls laughed. Khadija asked him, "Do you like the way I look now?"

He rushed up to her and put his hand out to the tip of her nose, saying, "If only this would go away".

She evaded his hand and told her sister, "Throw out this slanderer".

Although he resisted, Aisha seized his hand, dragged him outside, and bolted the door. Then she went back to her beautifying task. The sisters proceeded with their endeavors seriously and silently. Although it was understood in the family that matchmakers would be allowed to meet only Khadija, she told Aisha mischievously, "You need to prepare yourself to meet the visitors too".

Aisha replied as slyly as her sister, "That won't be until you've been escorted to your bridegroom". Then she corrected herself before Khadija could speak: "Now that the moon is rising how can little stars be seen?"

Her sister cast her a skeptical look and asked, "Which of us is the moon?"

Laughing, Aisha replied, "Me of course".

Khadija gave her a poke with her elbow and sighed: "I wish you could lend me your nose the way Maryam lent me her powder".

"Forget your nose, even if only for this one evening. A nose is like a sore that grows larger every time you think about it".

By then they had practically finished their work as beauticians. Khadija’s interest in her appearance waned. Her thoughts shifted fearfully to her pending examination. She was afraid in a new way, not simply because it was a novel situation but because of its serious consequences.

She soon complained, "What’s this meeting that’s being inflicted on me? Picture yourself in my place, surrounded by strangers. You don't know the least thing about them or their background. Have they come with good intentions or am I just an amusing spectacle for them? What will become of me if they are abusive faultfinders, like me… huh?" She laughed briefly. "What can I do but sit beside them politely and submissively while they stare at me from left and right, front and back? I'll have to obey their orders without the slightest hesitation. If they ask me to stand, I stand. 'Walk'-I walk. 'Sit'-I sit. Nothing will slip by them: the way I sit or stand, if I'm silent or speak, my limbs and features. In addition to putting up with all this abuse, we must be nice to them and lavishly praise their kindness and generosity. Afterward we still won't know whether we've won their approval or displeasure. My, oh my… I could curse the man who sent them".

Aisha quickly replied in a tone that revealed her personal interest in the subject: "May no evil harm him".

"Don't pray for him till we're sure he’s ours… Oh, how my heart is pounding…"

Aisha stepped back to be out of range of her sister’s elbow before she replied, "Be patient… You'll find many opportunities in the future to get your revenge for today’s frightful meeting. How often they'll be roasted by the fire of your tongue once you're the mistress of the house. Perhaps they'll recall today’s inspection and say to themselves, 'I wish that had never happened.'"

Khadija confined her response to a smile. There was no time for a counterattack. In any case, she would not have gotten the salutary delight from it she usually derived, or any pleasure at all, because she was dominated by her terror and anxiously wavering between hope and fear.

When they had finished their work, Khadija paused to give her reflection in the mirror a thorough examination. Aisha, who was two steps behind her, looked back and forth from the reflection to the original.

Khadija began to murmur, "Bless your hands. I look good, don't I? This is the true Khadija. Never mind my nose now. O Lord, may Your wisdom be exalted. It took a little effort, but everything turned out all right. So why…" Then she realized she had said too much and quickly added, "I ask God’s forgiveness. May Your wisdom prevail in everything".

She moved a few steps farther away from the mirror, still examining her image carefully. She recited the opening prayer of the Qur'an to herself. She turned toward Aisha and said, "Pray for me, girl". Then she left the room.