The Fall and Rise of the Amir Sisters

‘Yo! Bubs. You gonna stay in here all day? Thought you feminist types hated the kitchen.’

Mae was chomping on a celery stick.

‘Just eat a samosa, you brat.’

Mae laughed. ‘No, thanks. I’d rather let my arteries breathe.’

‘Arteries don’t breathe,’ replied Bubblee.

‘Whatevs.’

Bubblee regarded her little sister. So slight and pretty, pixie-like – full of energy and life. She envied the way the future was laid out in front of Mae. There was no doubt she’d thrive. Things would fall into place for her because nothing seemed to bother her – there were no insecurities, no second-guessing. God, how depressing. Bubblee wanted to be Mae. She shook her head.

‘Are you, like, having a spasm?’ said Mae, scrunching up her face.

‘Shut up and take these samosas in.’

‘Sure thing.’

They were leaving the kitchen as Bubblee asked: ‘What’s wrong with our mum, by the way? She’s acting a bit weird.’

‘God knows.’ Mae gave an exaggerated shiver. ‘Ugh. Needs. What was that?’

It was odd, but then people were always going on about men’s needs. No one else’s seemed to matter. Bubblee scoffed. It was just typical. Bubblee noticed the colour had risen in Mae’s cheeks.

‘I hope university opens up your mind a little to feminism and sexuality.’

Mae looked at her, hesitating. ‘Bubs, can I ask… Have you…?’

‘What?’

‘Have you… had sex?’ whispered Mae.

‘That’s none of your business,’ said Bubblee, raising her head.

Mae stopped. ‘But you’re not married.’

Mae seemed to consider it, looking by turn amazed and bewildered. Living in a small village with her traditional parents had done nothing for Mae, but Bubblee couldn’t help her own heart from beating faster.

‘We’re not talking about what is, essentially, a person’s private matter,’ replied Bubblee. She walked past Mae, into the living room, adamant that she’d not let her flushed face prevent her from acting normally.

They’d all eaten, cleared the table and were sitting around, drinking tea and eating jalebis. After so much gabbing and noise that was brought about by too many people trying to fill their bellies, a quiet calm had descended upon them. Farah felt content as she watched Mustafa talk to Fatti. It wasn’t as if they had a new-found bond since discovering they were actually brother and sister, but there was a respect that they showed each other, which Farah felt comforted by. Their dad stood up, unexpectedly.

‘Okay, okay. Listen now.’

Everyone turned their heads towards him. He brushed down his brown trousers before patting his dyed jet-black hair.

‘Mae is leaving us.’

Farah noticed Mae look at Fatti.

‘I’m not dying, Abba,’ said Mae.

‘Tst tst, such things you say,’ said her mum. ‘You will give yourself the evil eye.’

‘Mae is leaving us,’ repeated their dad.

‘Yeah, rather unfairly since none of us were allowed to leave home for university,’ said Farah.

She’d have liked the chance to be alone and independent. Fatti never seemed to have the desire, but if Farah had known it was within the realms of possibility there’s no way she’d have passed up the opportunity. As for Bubblee, she didn’t care about whether the opportunity was there or not – she created it for herself, no matter how much their parents, especially their mum, had told her she couldn’t.

‘Can you let Dad speak?’ said Mae. ‘Finally it’s something about me rather than you lot. Go on, Abba.’

Mae settled into the sofa, curling her feet under her and holding on to her mug of hibiscus tea.

‘Mae, we hope you will be a good girl and come home every weekend.’

There was a pause.

‘Is that it?’ Mae asked.

Farah had to suppress a laugh. Their dad cleared his throat, seeming to struggle for words.

‘Uff, Jay’s abba. Hurry up,’ said their mum.

‘Study the media well,’ he added. ‘It is very bad and maybe you will fix it.’

‘God help us if Mae’s about to help to fix the world,’ retorted Bubblee.

Mae leapt off the sofa and gave her dad a hug. ‘Thanks, Abba.’

He held on to her and kissed the top of her head. Farah noticed Mae looking at Fatti again. Farah glanced at Fatti who was shaking her head.

‘What’s going on?’ asked Farah, her eyes darting between both of them.

‘What? Nothing,’ said Fatti.

Only now Ash was looking at her too. Fatti seemed to be suppressing a smile as her hand went to her stomach.

‘Well, the thing is…’

‘She’s only preggers, isn’t she?’ interjected Mae, beaming.

Their mum and dad seemed confused.

‘With a baby, Amma and Abba,’ explained Mae. ‘Up the duff – having a baby.’

Mae gestured a large curve around her stomach with her hands. Their parents looked at Fatti as Farah saw her mum’s eyes fill with tears.