Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 141492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
They watched Farah for a few minutes as she meticulously continued her work, and then Safia asked for advice.
“Amara,” she ventured cautiously. “You must have been so frightened when your family agreed to the marriage when Izem made an offer for you.”
Amara ducked her head for a moment and then nodded. “My family is very different from yours. We were not allowed a say in anything. Izem is older and appeared very stern to me. He came to our home with your parents and sat with my parents to make the offer. I listened from the other room and tried my best not to cry. I knew they were going to accept him. My parents are older. I am the youngest, and as you know, I am not very graceful or quiet. I tried to be, but I was punished often for being too loud. They didn’t think anyone in our tribe would make an offer for me.”
It would have been impossible not to hear the hurt in her voice. Lunja wrapped an arm around her. “We’re all so lucky you caught Izem’s eye,” she said. “You’re very loved, and you bring so much joy to our family.”
Tala, always empathetic, hugged Amara’s waist. “I love you, too, Amara. You make us all laugh, and anytime we’re hungry, you stop to get us food. Charif and Igider are always hungry.”
Amara kissed the top of her head. “They are growing fast, little dove.”
Safia nodded her agreement with Lunja. “Amara, I hope you will share with me how you were able to make such a good marriage with my brother. I want to do the same. You had to adjust to our customs and ways, which must be so different from yours, and yet you’ve managed to fit in so perfectly. I could use as much advice as possible. You’ve made Izem so happy.”
Amara beamed at her. “I’ll admit it wasn’t easy at first, mostly because I was so afraid. Izem made it easy for me. It was really him in the beginning. I would cry whenever I was alone, but he seemed to know it, and he would seek me out and be so understanding and sweet. He kept telling me to trust him, that he would take care of me. He never once hit me. Not one single time, even when it was my turn to cook dinner for everyone and I ruined it.”
Safia was horrified. “You expected him to beat you?”
Amara nodded. “Of course. I made him look bad. I ruined the meal and destroyed all the ingredients. Instead of being upset with me, he helped me cook. And you”—she looked around the room at the other women—“all of you were so understanding and kind, you helped me as well. No one ever made fun of me. Even Charif and Tala whispered they would help me learn.” Once again, she kissed the top of Tala’s head.
Tears glistened in her eyes for a moment, but she blinked them away. “I fell in love with Izem and wanted his happiness above anything else. I became determined to put him first in all things. I quit thinking about me and what I wanted or what I feared and just thought about what I could do to make his life as good as possible. I found the more I put him first, the more he gave to me. It never seemed a fair balance as much as I tried.”
Lunja nodded. “I understand what you’re saying completely, Amara. Zdan made an offer for me, and I couldn’t believe it when Jeddi and Baba accepted the offer without asking me if I wanted to marry him. They asked Illi when Kab made an offer for her, so I was really upset that they didn’t do me the same courtesy. Zdan is very handsome, but his ways are different, and I thought he was arrogant and overbearing. And his aunt was so condescending. She made it clear she despised me and thought our family beneath hers. I would have said no had Jeddi and Baba asked me. That would have been so terrible, and I would have lost out. Zdan is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Safia had to agree with her. Zdan was loving and kind and very protective of Lunja and their three children. Safia had grown to love him as a brother.
“I did the same thing, Safia,” Lunja admitted, turning to her younger sister. “I cried often and was afraid of how he might treat me when no one was looking or when we were alone. I went with him to see his aunt, and no matter how hard I tried to please her, she would make very cutting remarks. I tried not to let it show that she hurt me, but when I thought I was alone, I would fall completely apart. I never had anyone say the things about me or our family that she did.”