In her living room, Haifa sat with a
forced smile, feigning agreement as she nodded to her aunt's story. She noticed
the familiar tension in her mother's stance – the same rigidity that always
appeared when her father's family came to visit.
"We actually intended to visit Vavathi
during the last school break," her aunt Salma recounted, her voice carrying
a light tone. "However, the girls had excelled in their studies, and we
decided to reward them with a trip abroad. Malaysia had been their dream
destination, so we couldn't possibly turn them down." Aunt Salma,
half-sibling of her father, was quite the show-off. She seized every chance to
flaunt her extravagant lifestyle and her daughter's impressive achievements.
And Rukshath, well, she was cut straight from the same cloth as her mother.
With only two days remaining until
departure, Haifa's relatives from Male', the two families who had relocated
there, arrived to bid them farewell and present gifts to be conveyed back to
Vavathi. Haifa chose to disregard the pitying glances her two cousins directed
her way. She was well aware of their sense of superiority – they were the
urbanites while she was now merely an islander.
Ordinarily, her cousins never
accompanied their mothers on such visits. Yet, this time, they made the effort,
and Haifa was under no illusion as to why. They aimed to revel in their
perceived triumph. However, she was determined not to grant them the
satisfaction. Instead, she adopted a composed demeanor and managed to feign
enthusiasm convincingly.
Arriving a few years after Haifa,
these two families had always been keen on showcasing their accomplishments.
Her younger cousins, Rukshath and Thauma, were both still pursuing their
studies. Rukshath was engrossed in Human Resources, while Thauma was immersed
in Marketing – the two most common fields of the present day. Their parents had
elder brothers who had studied and departed to work at resorts near Vavathi.
Among all her cousins, Haifa held a special aversion towards them. Their
notoriety stemmed from their ostentatious way of life, and they seemed to
relish nothing more than ridiculing Haifa at every conceivable opportunity.
Nasreena's unease around them, however,
ran much deeper than her own. Haifa's father's family, the Khalid family, held
considerable influence in Vavathi. Their lineage traced back to her Kaafa
(grandfather), who had been a prosperous figure in his time as a skilled
fisherman with his own boat. He had four children, stemming from two distinct
marriages. Uncle Zuhair was the eldest, followed by her Bappa (father) from the
first marriage, while Aunt Salma and Aunt Haleema were from the second.
Following in his father's footsteps, Uncle Zuhair had taken up fishing as well.
As the years went by and fuel prices
escalated, a time when numerous boat owners found themselves compelled to part
with their vessels, Uncle Zuhair astutely capitalized on the situation. He
seized the opportunity to acquire three additional boats at more favorable
rates. With the backing of his family, he spearheaded the expansion of their
enterprise. They enlisted the assistance of local men and embarked on fishing
endeavors of grander proportions, catering not solely to Vavathi but extending
their reach to the neighboring islands as well. Through this strategic
evolution, they had metamorphosed into an island-spanning empire. While their
wealth might not have reached the realms of millionaires, it had garnered them
a stature that commanded respect.
Conversely, her mother's lineage,
the Shihab family, did not enjoy the same affluence. The Shihab family
comprised Aunt Naseema and Uncle Naseer, with her mother Nasreena being the
youngest. They embraced a modest existence, their means of subsistence
involving the preparation of dried or fried goods for sale at island shops, and
occasionally even at Male'. Their ambitions were not as pronounced as those of
the Khalids; their focus leaned more towards sustainability.
When her father married her mother,
their union did not meet with the family's approval. The disapproval only
deepened when her father chose to relocate to Male' upon Haifa's birth, thereby
relinquishing the family business. Though unspoken, this sentiment reverberated
through the whispers of gossip.
"It
appears that everything has been packed," Aunt Haleema commented, casting
her gaze around the room. Aunt Haleema, the youngest of the Khalid family, was
the gentlest soul Haifa had ever come across. She had transitioned directly
from her father's home to her husband's. Haleema always trailed her sister,
never leaving her side." Did you arrange for the Niyama boat to transport
the items?" she inquired.
With mere days
until the definitive departure, their living space bore the brunt of the
preparations. The room had been stripped almost bare, with the exception of the
sofa and dining table. The TV rack stood vacant, shelves devoid of their usual
array, walls bereft of decorations, and even the floor seemed forlorn without
the vibrant mats at each doorway. As the apartment was not initially fully
furnished, they had procured furniture upon moving in, and now, all of it lay
meticulously packed somewhere in transit between her apartment and her home in
Vavathi. Even her cherished pink velvet chair and compact desk had been bid
farewell.
The days had
whisked by in a blur. Haifa found herself reluctantly assisting her mother in
the arduous task of packing their belongings, from books and clothing to dishes
and cookware. Nasreena had gathered an array of empty boxes in different sizes,
along with bubble wrap, meticulously labeling each box once it was filled.
Jalal had departed a few days earlier, carrying most of the boxes with him and
making arrangements for the transportation of the remaining ones. Haifa
refrained from delving into the logistical process, not bothering to inquire
about the specifics.
Her utmost attention was centered on
crafting the perfect strategy and executing it flawlessly. Aish, her trusty
partner-in-crime, practically became a fixture at her place, lending a hand
with the packing and hatching elaborate plans to ensure their triumphant
return. They dove into Haifa's memory bank, unearthing topics that had the
potential to spark arguments. It was all about starting with tiny issues,
turning them into full-blown debates, and saving the grand finale for the most
dramatic effect.
Amid their brainstorming sessions,
Haifa delved even deeper into her past, uncovering juicy details to bolster
their scheme. Every piece of the puzzle had to fit perfectly to make sure her
mother would be utterly convinced her relatives were unbearable. Haifa was
ready to put her top-notch acting skills to use, channeling her inner drama
queen to show just how utterly miserable she was. And, in a dazzling twist,
they would eventually make their triumphant return, leaving her mother
blissfully unaware of their masterful plan.
"Yes," her mother
responded courteously, "Jalal has accompanied the belongings. We're set to
catch the afternoon flight to Hanimadhoo on Sunday."
Haifa had never experienced a flight
to Vavathi; in fact, she had never flown anywhere in her life. She couldn't
help but feel a twinge of apprehension. Vavathi wasn't the first destination
she had envisioned flying to, she thought warily. Her last journey to Vavathi,
a full fourteen years ago, had been a twelve-hour boat ride. Fortunately, this
time they were scheduled to touch down at Hanimadhoo airport in less than an
hour. From there, a speedboat would ferry them to Vavathi – a journey her
mother estimated to be around thirty minutes or less.
"You must be brimming with
excitement to head back after all this time, Ifa," Rukshath chimed in, her
eyes gleaming mischievously. "Don't forget to give us a ring once you've
reached there."
Haifa managed a warm smile, although
inwardly her insides seemed to cringe. "Absolutely, Mamma has related
countless tales of all the developments and changes. I've been eagerly waiting
for the chance to see it all firsthand," she declared, putting on the
brightest façade she could muster.
Rukshath nodded, her lips twitching
in a way that Haifa knew held a hint of amusement. She was well aware they
relished these moments. "Your friends must be utterly devastated to bid
you farewell. We've all seen the farewell party extravaganza on Instagram,"
Thauma added with a sassy edge.
Haifa had shared the news with her
closest friends, and much like Aish, they were taken aback by the revelation.
They gathered in groups to help her, in addition, devised plans to visit her
soon. Their support had been a tremendous source of comfort, and to top it all
off, they had orchestrated a surprise farewell bash. Witnessing her friends
showering her with the love and support she so deeply desired held a profound
significance for her. The realization that she would soon be without these
cherished companions weighed even heavier on her heart.
"Yes, they're really sad,"
Haifa muttered through clenched teeth.
"How about
your boyfriend? Is he planning to move to be with you?" Rukshath
persisted, her face appearing innocent. Her line of questioning no doubt aimed
to provoke a reaction from Haifa.
Aseel's moodiness persisted,
requiring multiple rounds of apologies before he finally relented. He conceded
to regular FaceTime and texting while she was away. Even reluctantly promised
to visit during the first month of her moving.
Leaving without making things right
with him was absolutely unthinkable for Haifa. He held such a special place in
her heart. Whenever they had disagreements, it felt like a storm of sadness and
anxiety took over her. The thought of him leaving her was a constant worry. She
was ready to do anything to be with him. It didn't matter if he was busy or if
their future seemed uncertain. Even if it meant putting in extra effort to keep
a smile on his face, she was all in. What mattered above all was the fact that
she simply wanted him in her life, no matter what.
Nasreena swiftly wrapped her arm
around Haifa's shoulders, as if sensing her frustration. "Ifa cherishes
her friends so deeply," she reassured, giving her a comforting squeeze.
"Once she's back in Vavathi, she'll form new connections and have plenty
of relatives to keep her company." Relatives were aplenty on the island,
as both her parents hailed from Vavathi. With both families combined, Haifa
boasted nearly twenty cousins spanning various ages.
Haifa's gaze dropped to her feet, an
unsettling sensation surfacing within her. The advantage of city life was the
luxury of anonymity; you never had to be acquainted with your neighbors, nor
did they pry into your affairs. However, in Vavathi, the tight-knit community
comprised a population of merely a thousand, their homes nestled closely
together. Many families even resided under the same roof. Discussions ranged
from everything to everyone, gossip circulated tirelessly, and the town's
inhabitants were privy to every detail.
"That's fortunate Naseer hasn't
relocated. You'll have three cousins to keep you company," Aunt Haleema
chimed in.
Haifa's gaze snapped to her mother
in astonishment. "Wait, they're going to live with us?" she blurted
out, her carefully maintained composure almost faltering.
Nasreena attempted to conceal her
unease. "Absolutely. I did mention they'd be staying there," she
replied, her tone striving to sound composed.
Haifa fought to contain her anger,
not wanting to ignite a conversation with her mother in front of their current
company. Back when she was around ten years old, her mother had taken a trip to
Vavathi. During that time, the island council had opened up applications for
those interested in obtaining a plot of land. Nasreena had submitted an
application and secured a plot, but circumstances prevented her from
constructing a home on it. The plot remained vacant for several years.
It was then that Uncle Naseer, who
lived with his family in their father's house, learned they were expecting
another child. He approached Nasreena, requesting permission to build a house
on the plot and reside there until she returned. For years, he and his family
had been living there.
Haifa was well aware that her mother
had intentionally withheld this information, allowing her to assume they would
be the sole family sharing a residence. Regret gnawed at her for not probing
further into the specifics of their living arrangements. A headache seemed to
pound within Haifa's head – the prospect of dealing with so many family members
felt overwhelming.
Surveying her surroundings, Haifa
realized that they were all anticipating her reaction. They were hoping to
witness her objection, to catch her in disagreement with her mother. It would
undoubtedly serve as juicy gossip for the folks back in Vavathi. Haifa took a
deep breath and swiftly composed herself, responding, "Actually, I was
hoping we wouldn't be alone. It's been just the two of us for so long, hasn't
it, Mamma?" She carefully infused her voice with a saccharine sweetness,
her smile radiating as brilliantly as possible. Her mother regarded her with
concern, fully aware that Haifa's enthusiasm was feigned.
Her cousins exchanged a disappointed glance, clearly realizing they
weren't going to witness the spectacle they had anticipated. Haifa found a
sense of satisfaction in that. As her mind began to function again beyond the
initial shock, a new perspective started to form. Perhaps living alongside them
wouldn't turn out to be such a dreadful notion after all, she pondered. It
struck her that she could glean more information from them, maybe even provoke
some discord among them, she mused, her scheming thoughts taking shape.
Did you love the chapter, please let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Have a wonderful day!
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