After her parents accepted the arranged marriage agreement, Sa’idah knew she would never be allowed to pursue her life I she wanted. As the day of her nuptials to a man she barely knew crept closer, she tried to find an escape. Sensing her distress her sister pulled her away from the engagement celebrations to speak with her privately.
“Sa’idah, what is wrong? Are you not elated to be marrying a man of such status? And handsome too! How did you get to be such a lucky sister?! Father is so proud…”
“Proud? Proud of what? I have done nothing in this to deserve his favor!”
“What are you talking about? Don’t you see all of those women preparing for your wedding feast? Soon you will be the wife of a very wealthy man.”
“But I do not want to be his wife. This is not how I thought it would be for us. We are American women! We do not have to live by the traditions of our parents.”
“Bite your tongue! You must not let your future in-laws hear you speak this way. Besides, they are submitting to more western cultural norms for the ceremony. Don’t you like your dress?”
“Rida, how can you think of something so frivolous when I am trying to tell you how unhappy I am?”
Just then their mother enters the pallor. They immediately stop their conversation as she eyes them suspiciously. Sa’idah looks out the window as Rida diverts her eyes away from their mother to the floor.
“Girls what are you doing in here? You should be preparing for more guests to arrive. Sa’idah you cannot wear those clothes to greet Kalil’s family.”
She rushes over to them and puts her arm around Sa’idah guiding her upstairs.
Rida interjects hoping to get more time with her sister, “I’ll help her mother.”
“No- you go help in the kitchen. I would like to speak with your sister privately.”
Rida briefly clasps and releases Sa’idah’s hand and they glace at each other, a sign they would finish their conversation later. As their mother hastily take Sa’idah up to her room, she imagines what she could say to get her mother to see things her way.
“Mother, why did you and Father move to America?”
Her mother looked at her with a curious expression for a few seconds before answering.
“We came here so that you may have better opportunities, a better education, and more stability.”
She seemed very satisfied with her answer and turned to look through the wardrobe closet for more presentable attire for the occasion. Sa’idah knows this is her way of closing the conversation, but she couldn’t give in to this madness without first pleading her case.
“And why did we never go to your homeland until five years ago?”
Without turning around or stopping her pursuit of the perfect outfit she replied, “We needed to insure you fully understand the values of our family; and of course to present you and you sister to the right people. I think we have succeeded in that, well at least somewhat. Hopefully we will be able to find your sister a husband from such a high standing as you have.”
“Mother you do understand that as an American woman I have the right to choose when and whom I marry? I am only 23 years-old! I have just finished college and I want to do more with my life than to be someone’s wife.”
Her mother stopped looking through the clothes but did not turn around. She dropped her head as she said, “Is it not enough for a woman to be a good wife and a mother?”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Her mother turned to look at her with tears in her eyes. “What is it you mean daughter? Is my life so bad that you would destroy your family’s honor not to replicate it?”
It is at that moment Sa’idah knows she is stuck. There would be no reasoning her way out of this. In a few days she would be married to the man her parents had chosen. The man she had met only twice. She would do whatever she could to make her parents happy, even at the price of her own happiness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just as the car pulls in front of the modest house Kalil’s hands begin to sweat again. “I can’t believe I’m actually going to do this. She doesn’t even know me! How will I convince her to love me?” He looks down at the beautiful pink roses he has brought for Sa’idah and the box sitting in the seat next to him.
He reaches for the gift as the door opens and the driver pops his head in, “Sir, we’ve arrived.”
“I know. Thank you.”
As he steps out he looks around at all the vehicles parked out front. His parents’ limousine, his brother’s car, and his soon-to-be in-laws cars sat amongst many other he did not recognize. “Here goes nothing”, he thinks as he squares his shoulders and walks to the door.
Inside the house is abuzz with all the wedding commotion. There are people everywhere and Kalil is scanning the room for a familiar face. He is about to give up on that room when he sees her again. He can swear the lights of the room are creating a halo around her shiny black hair. Before he can approach her, his mother steps in his path, with his father following close behind her.
“Hello son! Are you ready? There is much preparation to do today. Have you spoken to Sa’idah’s parents yet? They have been so gracious! We think that you will be very happy with her.”
“Mother I think we should talk. There is something I want to discuss…”
“Oh! Here they are now!”
Sa’idahs parents join the group and out the corner of his eye he sees Sa’idah and Rida move out the back door.
“Please excuse me for a moment I would like to speak with you daughter.”
Before anyone can stop him, Kalil rushes to where he saw the sisters leave. Outside, he doesn’t see them, but can hear voices coming from beyond the tree line of the yard. He quietly sneaks to hear the conversation better.
“How could you think he will not make you happy? I researched everything I could find about him and he is such a good man. He has charities, and he is very well educated. I can only hope to find a husband half as good willing to marry me.”
“Rida, it’s not those things. Of course I think he is a fine gentleman- but I don’t feel any passion for him. I actually feel nothing for him that could possibly turn into love. How will I be a good wife?”
Just then the sisters hear a rustling in the leaves. Startled they stop talking and Rida says, “Who’s there?” Kalil steps from around the tree where he was listening and both girls are shocked and a little embarrassed by his presence.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”
“I’ll leave you two alone to talk”, Rida says as she begins to leave. In unison Sa’idah and Kalil say, “No!”
“There is something I would like to say with both of you present.” Kalil wants to hurry up and make his confession before he loses his nerve. Even though the conversation he heard makes him surer of his decision, he still doesn’t want to hurt anyone. The confused faces of the sisters are somewhat comical and he breaks his firm face into a little smile. “Sa’idah you are a smart and beautiful woman. Any man would be lucky to have you for his wife, but I must say I am not the right man for you. I’m sorry but I must resend the marriage proposal today.”
Both Sa’idah and Rida stood in front of him with their mouths open in utter surprise.
Kalil continued, “I know this is crazy, but I think I am in love with someone else.”
“YOU WHAT?!”, shouted Rida. “How dare you come into our father’s home and say this to my sister!”
“Rida, please let him finish. It is obvious there is more he would like to say.”
“Thank you Sa’idah. There is more. Spending time with your parents and you ladies has made me realize we were making the wrong arrangement. Rida, it is you who I want to marry.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back inside the house they pulled their parents aside to tell them the news. After some disbelief, and at first double refusals, both sets of parents saw the connection between Kalil and Rida that was lacking in the first pairing. With that evidence standing in front of them they agreed to go on with the wedding plans, with Rida as the wife of Kalil. Sa’idah could not have been happier for her sister and new brother-in-law and agreed to be the maid-of-honor.
To make the situation for Sa’idah even better, her parents agreed that since her sister had kept the family tradition and honor she could pursue her career first and think about marriage later.
In the end, fate turned Sa’idha’s dilemma in to Rida’s dream.