Jalabiya

SCENE I

A kitchen. Two women sit on stools and look out the window at men slaughtering a ram outside. The younger, Faiza, is dark skinned and slender, looks about 18. It is difficult to determine if she is pretty or not. Halima, her mother, is light skinned and plump. Her elegant face is framed by a hijab.

Faiza: (her jaw in her left palm.) I cannot understand why something as peaceful as the Ramadan must end with so much violence. See how they butcher the poor thing.

Halima: Stop talking nonsense and go put water to boil.

Faiza: If you were the ram, you wouldn’t think I’m talking nonsense.

Halima: You always talk nonsense. You think you’re the only one that has been to school.

Faiza: You always have something derisive to say about my schooling.

Halima: Because you think you know more than everybody. That is why Allah will not give you a husband.

Faiza: Allah can keep his husbands, I am not interested. (Halima removes her slipper to hurl at her as she runs out, shrieking.)

Halima: (puts the slipper back on her foot.) Stupid girl. I blame her father for spoiling her so badly.

SCENE II

Twilight in a park. Faiza is standing by a tree, facing a boy about her age, Arinze. He is tall, even darker than she is, but decidedly handsome.

Faiza: This is a favourite place of mine.

Arinze: Eid Mubarak.

Faiza: It’s so beautiful to hear you speak Arabic.

Arinze: Your mosques should hire me to read the Qur’an for them. Allah would bless them more because of my fine voice.

Faiza: (laughs.) You think too much of yourself. (She reveals the paper bag she is holding.)

Arinze: What is that?

Faiza: It is a jalabiya. (Hands the bag to him.) I made it myself. For you.

Arinze: You are so sweet, thank you.

Faiza: It is nothing.

Arinze: You should teach me more Arabic, too.

Faiza: (smiles.) A-naba-he-bak.

Arinze:A-naba-he-bak. What does that mean?

Faiza: I love you.

Arinze: Beautiful.

Faiza: (whispers.) Ana bahebak.

Arinze: Yes, it sounds beautiful.

Faiza: No. I love you.(Arinze looks at her confusedly, then seems to understand. He opens his mouth to speak but closes it.) Well, what do you have to say?

Arinze: I…I…

Faiza: It is okay if you do not love me. You can say it.

Arinze: I have thought of you every day, since that first time you walked into me. I did not know if that was a prudent thing to tell you.

Faiza: (smiles.) What about me do you think of?

Arinze: I think of your bushy brows and your big eyes, your lush skin. And your smile. When you smile, it is like the moon.

Faiza:Do you think I’m beautiful? My mother calls me ugly whenever I make her angry.

Arinze: (places a palm on her cheek.) If this is ugly, then beauty is a sham.

Faiza:Your words are so flowery, they flutter in my belly.

Arinze: I speak the truth. You are lovely to look upon. Don’t listen to your mother.

Faiza: Do you love me as I love you?

Arinze: (puts his other palm on her other cheek and speaks carefully.) Ana bahebak.

Faiza: (smiles and takes his palms in her two hands.) I want to call you mine.

Arinze: (moves closer to her.) And you’ll be mine as well?

Faiza: As the moon is the sky’s.

Arinze: It is done. You are my crescent moon.

Faiza: And you, my clear night sky.

Arinze: (brings his face closer to hers.) May I kiss you?

Faiza: (closes her eyes.) I have dreamt and dreamt of this moment. And my dreams were never this beautiful. (They kiss.)

SCENE III

Faiza’s room. She lies on her bed, drinking kunu from a mug. Lying amidst pillows on the floor are Layla and Aishat (The Twins), drinking grape juice from champagne flutes. They look about 10, beautiful and light-skinned, and plump as their mother.

Faiza: You think you’re better than me because you’re drinking wine and I’m drinking kunu? Dumb children. Kunu is healthier than processed juice.

Layla: And what good has that done you?

Aishat: We’re finer than you. And happier.

Faiza: Your beauty is a sham. (The Twins roll their eyes.) Also, you are far from being happier than me. (Layla opens her mouth to speak.) Shut up, let me tell you the story of my happiness. I am in love!

The Twins: With whom?

Faiza: His name is Arinze.

The Twins:Igbo boy!

Faiza: Shut up! He is better than all the boys in Kano. He is so fine, so gentle. His voice is finer than the milk from Abdullah’s cows. (Looks dreamily at her mug of kunu.) Very, very lovely boy. (The Twins exchange mocking looks.)

Aishat: Where did you meet him?

Faiza: I bumped into him in the university.

Layla: Is he your…boyfriend?

Faiza:Yes! He is mine. And I, his.

Aishat: Do you sleep together?

Faiza: Aishat, I keep on asking Allah why he skipped your turn when he was gifting sense. Pervert child.

Layla: But you must be doing something. Boyfriends and girlfriends do something.

Faiza: Well, we kiss and we cuddle. (The Twins grimace.)

Aishat: Your body is sinful.

Faiza: (laughs.) Stupid children. Have you not kissed before?

The Twins: Never! Allah forbid it.

Faiza: (still laughing.) Indeed. You, who look like you’ll lose your virginity before you turn seventeen. (The Twins scream and throw pillows at her as she laughs and protects her kunu mug.)

SCENE IV

Faiza’s room. It is the morning after a suicide bombing. She is crumbled on the floor, cradling her phone and weeping. The Twins enter and rush to her side.

The Twins: Faiza! Faiza! What has happened? (Faiza wails some more.)

Layla: Faiza, talk to us.

Aishat: Is it the bombing? Do you know someone hurt?

Faiza: Arinze is dead! (The Twins scream.) He stays at SabonGari, where the bombing happened. I have been trying his number, and it won’t go. (Wails.) The love of my life is gone!

Layla: Have hope, Faiza. Allah is merciful, he will not let it be. Maybe he was not at home.

Aishat: Maybe his phone got spoilt and he went to repair it. Comfort yourself.

Faiza: I cannot know comfort, it is false. My heart is broken into a thousand pieces. I have had trepidations for two days, and now this. (Screams and trashes about while The Twins try to hold her down and comfort her. She cries Arinze’s name.)

SCENE V

The living room of Faiza’s house. She is lying forlornly on the sofa. It has been a week since the bombing and she is still in mourning. She wipes a trickling tear as The Twins run in.

The Twins: Faiza! Faiza!! Come and see!

Faiza: (angry.) You mad rams! What is it?

The Twins: Come outside and see!

Faiza: Go away, leave me be. I want nothing of your stupid pranks. Can’t you see I’m still mourning?

Layla: You can continue your mourning outside, Faiza.

Aishat: Just come out and see.

Faiza: Do I look like I wish to play with you?

Aishat: (slaps her palm across her face.) Why are you more stubborn than Baba’s rams? Do we look like we’re playing?

Layla: Just come outside for a second. If it’s a prank, you can have our heads for dinner.

Aishat: And we’ll be your servants for a month.

Layla: No, a year.

Aishat: Yes, a year.

Faiza: (lets herself roll off the sofa onto the floor.) This had better be worth it, you crazy children.

She rises and follows the excited twins outside. They direct her gaze to the orange grove on their left, where Arinze stands, smiling gaily, completely unscathed. She screams with joy and runs towards him as he stretches out his arms for the embrace, looking like a groom in her peach jalabiya.

Lights fade.