‘Did Sumati come home?’ she asked.
‘Yes,’ Daya replied. ‘But she could do with somebody like you to talk some sense into her. You have a good daughter there,’ she said to Devinia.
Amina smiled at them both, then left to get changed and do her chores.
Amina was ready to leave the house when Sankar called after her.
‘What is your hurry?’ he said, holding a red cloth in his hand. ‘I brought this for you.’
‘I have to go – sorry, Pa.’
‘What is it with you these days? You’ve changed so much. Before you were sick, you couldn’t wait to see what I brought for you.’
‘The sickness has changed her,’ Devinia agreed sadly. ‘She is only interested in one thing.’
‘Yes, my sister’s really changing,’ Etwar put in. ‘She’s getting some big plums on her chest.’
Sankar looked at his son and smiled ‘I see there’s nothing wrong with you or your eyesight.’
Amina threw a feeble slap in Etwar’s direction.
Sankar opened the red cloth showing them the deep orangey-gold pieces inside.
‘That is lovely!’ Devinia said. ‘Your father is a master craftsman. He used to make pieces for me too. All put away for special.’
‘I just want you to choose which pattern you prefer. The flowers, or the ones with all the flat diamond-shaped gold splices.’
‘I don’t want them,’ Amina said.
Sankar looked surprised. ‘Why don’t you come with your mother to market in Point Fortin tomorrow. Come to the shop and see what you like. I have some pieces ready for a woman whose daughter’s getting married soon. Take a look at them.’
‘I don’t have time,’ Devinia said. ‘Just bring them here.’
‘You want me to get beaten up on the way home?’ Sankar huffed. ‘Don’t worry. The shop will most likely be full as it’s a Friday. People appreciate my craft, even if you don’t.’
‘You sure it’s the craft they appreciate?’ Devinia said, holding herself back from telling him about the village gossip about his shop being full of women, and how it made her feel. But she didn’t want to upset him or herself, so she went off to carry on with her chores.
THIRTEEN
On her way to the standpipe, Amina called in to visit Sumati with the letter from Farouk hidden in her pocket. Daya was in the yard and saw her.
‘That necklace is as pretty as you,’ the woman said. ‘Your father is a clever man.’
Amina smiled modestly. ‘I’ve just come to see Sumati.’
‘I hope you can talk some sense into her.’
Amina dropped her bucket and hurried up the steps and peeped through the gauzy curtains blowing in the doorway. Sumati was sitting inside against the wall, shelling peas.
‘Guess what!’ Amina said excitedly. ‘Our mothers are going to learn English. My first pupils! Wait till I tell Mr Clifford!’
Sumati didn’t even glance up.
‘You look like you just sucked a lime,’ Amina commented. ‘What happened to you last night?’ She sat next to her friend.
‘It’s a jail in here,’ Sumati muttered. ‘They won’t let me go anywhere. They’re trying to marry me off – in a fortnight! At least you have some months to work out what to do. They don’t want me here. Not even Ma.’
‘Your mother just told me to talk some sense into you. What does she mean?’
‘I think she’s found out about – you know who,’ Sumati whispered.
‘Oh, Farouk? He gave me this to give you.’ Amina handed over the letter.
‘Shh! I’m in enough trouble! Keep watch for me.’ Sumati grabbed the letter and disappeared into the bedroom.
Amina stood at the window. The chickens were scratching in the dirt. A hen dug a hole deep enough to sit in, and wriggled her belly frantically in the dust. Her wings were everywhere, flipping dust all over herself, using her feet to spray it up.
Then Sumati returned, her face pinker and happier. She shoved a piece of paper into Amina’s hand, and warned her not to tell anyone. Not even Etwar. Amina stiffened when she saw the purple bruise on Sumati’s neck as her hair swung back.
‘What is that on your neck? Soucouyant sucked you?’
‘I think so,’ Sumati lied. ‘I saw the red ball of fire just as it flew out of the window.’
Amina shivered. ‘Gosh, Sumati. I’ve never seen a real one.
Sumati blushed. ‘Maybe if I turned Catholic they couldn’t force me to marry a Hindu.’
‘They will be really upset with you, but you could be right.’ Amina looked thoughtful. ‘Maybe that is what I will do too. Tomorrow I’m going to ask Mr Clifford about his God. It is different from our god. For a start, there’s only one of his. Makes things a lot easier. And you can talk to Him anywhere. He prays while he is walking. It must mean his is everywhere even though it’s only one God. Christians don’t even have to do puja. Come to school tomorrow and we will go and see Mr Clifford about it. He will be pleased.’
But Sumati wasn’t in school the next day or the next. A few evenings later, as the light was fading, Amina was making a last trip home from the standpipe when she heard someone call her from the bushes. She recognised the voice, but the suddenness of the sound coming from the darkened surroundings frightened her.
‘Who is it?’ Amina’s body jerked, and water spilt all down her clothes.
‘It’s me!’
‘Sumati?’
‘Yes. I just came to tell you . . . I’m going.’
‘Going?’ Amina asked. ‘Going where?’
‘San Fernando. Me and Farouk. We’re leaving.’
Amina put her bucket down and stared, stunned. But Sumati began to laugh. Cackling in her usual wicked way when she’d done something stupid but funny. Amina’s wet clothes stuck to her back and legs, and she shivered. ‘You’re not running away,’ she said. ‘You can’t be.’
Sumati laughed again. Amina could see the face just in front of the bushes, the moon highlighting Sumati’s cheeks, her eyes sparkling with joy.
‘What about our plan?’ Amina implored. ‘Us sticking together. Our pact. Our blood joined.’
‘I’ll send for you when we get settled. We’ll always be friends.’
‘But it’ll just make everything worse, can’t you see?’
‘I have no choice. I have a better chance if I leave home now.’
‘Where will you stay?’
‘I don’t know yet.’ Sumati giggled. ‘Farouk said in the letter that he can’t bear to see me so unhappy. He wants to take me away, otherwise he might do something to Mortimer and end up in jail. He found somewhere we can stay till we decide what to do. San Fernando has everything. We can work and save up to get a piece of land to build a house. I don’t care, Amina. I love Farouk.’
‘But you said you’d turn Christian . . . so they wouldn’t force you to marry. Mr Clifford will talk to your parents for you. He hates these child marriages.’
‘But they don’t see us as children, Amina. My business started already. That’s why they’re in a hurry to get rid of me. I’m so excited. I can’t wait to be with him – you know.’
Sumati looked so happy that Amina began to doubt herself.
‘I have thought about it, but I couldn’t just leave.’
‘That’s because we’re different, Amina. Opposites sometimes.’
‘But I’ll miss you. I need you to help me get out of this wedding they’re planning.’
‘I told you I’ll send for you. I’m leaving my bag here, and I’ll pick it up when they’ve gone to bed. Don’t tell anyone. Promise me.’
‘What if they question me?’
‘I’m asking. You’re my friend. Promise me!’
‘I promise,’ Amina said against her will.
That evening, as the moon rose and partly hid behind the clouds, Sumati arrived at the spot where she had left her belongings. As she parted the bushes, Amina stepped out.
‘You!’ Sumati looked at her friend, c
ompletely shocked. ‘You’re not stopping me.’
‘No,’ Amina said. ‘I’m coming with you.’ Sumati caught sight of the brown bag under Amina’s arm, and the worry disappeared.
Half-smiling, Sumati spoke. ‘We have to meet Farouk at the Syphoo Junction. Hurry.’
It took half an hour of fast walking before they saw Farouk.
‘Don’t ask!’ Sumati warned Farouk, seeing the shock in his eyes. ‘Yes. She is coming. She too is facing marriage to some man who will rape her. Is that what you want?’
‘It’s a long walk to the coast,’ Farouk said. ‘And we will have to wait for the boat to San Fernando. It could be an all-night wait. I don’t know if there is a boat from Cedros at this time of night. I don’t have much money.’
‘I have some,’ Amina said.
‘I suppose you’ll be of use then,’ Farouk said.
‘And I brought some food,’ Sumati said, cheerfully. But Farouk said nothing.
The three of them walked along in silence. Amina struggled to keep up. Soon she was way behind until she lost sight of the pair as they walked arm in arm. She eventually reached the coast and found them sitting on a log. It was there she discovered the plan. Farouk had arranged for them to stay a while in San Fernando with a relative of his friend, Rajnath Kamalsingh, until they got on their feet and found work. Amina saw the glint in Sumati’s eyes and envied her joy. She too could be that happy if she ignored her doubts.
‘See?’ Sumati said to her. ‘I knew you would make it. I told you, Farouk. Amina can do anything she puts her mind to. And not just end of term tests.’
FOURTEEN
Daya discovered that her daughter was again missing, and this time half of her clothes had gone. The woman spent the day searching every friend, but with no luck. The following day the panch, the village elders, arranged a search. She had no choice but to involve them, though this could be harsh. Amina was the first on their list, but when they questioned her, the girl was totally incoherent. They continued to visit and question every friend, every person, every house. They searched every shed, every yard, every track – for days. But Sumati was not found and no one knew where she might be. They returned to Amina, but she was still in such a blubbering mess, that they couldn’t force answers from her.
Daya spent her days walking up and down the village, going from house to house, searching under every bush, any piece of deserted land, and questioning anyone she passed. Everyone was on edge for weeks. Amina felt worried and guilty, but was unable to break her promise. She was sure that Sumati and Farouk would return soon like she had, when they thought it through. Now she was sorry she had left her money with them. She tried to plunge herself into schoolwork, the evening classes, and studying English literature, but it was like trying to keep a mad dog tied up inside her. She was frantic with worry and guilt. One day she talked to Mr Clifford about what Christianity taught concerning dishonesty. Her lies about Sumati weighed on her mind.
‘It was the start of the downfall of man,’ he said. ‘Disobedience, lies, blame and guilt. Ye shall not eat of the tree, neither shall ye touch it, for thou shalt surely die. And the serpent beguiled Eve, and told her, “You shalt not surely die. You will be like gods, knowing good and evil.” And when God walked in the Garden of Eden in the cool of the day, and asked Adam, “Hast thou eaten of the tree wherefore I commanded you not to eat?” And Adam said, “the woman gave me, and I did eat.” And the woman said, “the serpent gave me and I did eat”. And the Lord cursed them all, and said, “for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return”.’
‘So the serpent lied, but it wasn’t an outright lie?’
‘Lied nevertheless. The serpent meant to deceive Eve. And he was cursed – to crawl on his belly for the rest of his life.’
‘That’s like my religion,’ she smiled. ‘A talking snake.’
‘Listen to me, girl. Who knows? It could well be a snake. But on the other hand, you know what temptation is like for us human beings. There’s no snake that tells me to pick a ripe mango off somebody else’s tree and eat it. It’s my own mind making me do it! It is not the important thing. It is the lying that is wrong. The scriptures are full of it. ‘Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord. But they that deal with truth, are a delight.’
Amina stared at Mr Clifford.
‘What’s wrong?’ he asked. ‘You seem distracted these days.’
‘Yes, sir. I’m worried – about Sumati – and me. Your religion and mine are kind of similar, but so different.’
‘An honest witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies.’
‘Sir, how do you know these things?’
‘Honestly? I think—’ He looked at her for a moment as if he wanted to say something he ought not to. ‘I had the opportunity to get hold of such a book as the Bible in my younger days, from the house of a rich man where my mother worked. In English. Not Latin. English, girl! A King James Version. Fascinating! More than any work of literature I have ever come across.’
‘The last time I saw Sumati, she was thinking of converting to Christianity. Did she talk to you about it? Is it even possible?’
‘Of course!’ he assured. ‘Anything is possible. But she never came to see me.’
Amina returned from school to find Daya in her house, crying to her mother. She hurried upstairs quietly, but Devinia called her back down and asked her if Sumati had said anything recently about going somewhere.
Frightened and guilty, Amina turned hostile.
‘How could I know? I’ve been here all this time, worrying about her just like all of you! How do you think I feel? We were friends – like sisters. Now she’s gone, and everyone is harassing me as if I caused her to leave.’
‘No one said that. Everybody wants to know. How do you think her mother feels? What if it was you who just disappeared?’
‘I’m sorry,’ Amina said dully. ‘I really don’t know where she is. I’m tired.’ She ran upstairs and threw herself on her bed in despair. A few minutes later, Devinia entered her room and sat down.
‘I wasn’t meaning to cause you more upset,’ she said. ‘Her mother is not too good – saying some strange things. Roopchand is very angry and blaming her.’
‘They are both to blame,’ Amina spat. ‘Forcing her to marry an old man who she has never even met. And he has two children. She is only fourteen! Moonia killed herself. Is that what you all want us to do?’
‘The teacher beat her very badly,’ Devinia said. ‘Maybe that’s why she ran away?’
‘Then all she had to do was leave school. Not home. If school isn’t safe, and home is even worse, what are we expected to do?’
‘Daya thinks that school is putting too much pressure on children to remain. They need to go out and work. The money is more important.’
‘That is where you are all wrong.’ Amina glared at her mother. ‘Learning is always going to be more valuable. It is the difference between the clever and stupid people.’
‘Just don’t say that in front of your father. You hear me?’ Devinia wagged her finger at Amina and left the room.
There were nights when Amina slept very little, guilty about the lies she had told to keep Sumati’s secret. Mr Clifford had recently taken to talking about keeping God’s commandments at morning assembly, and saying that lying was abhorrent in the eyes of God, that it was a sin that would surely bring damnation upon those who lied.
Amina tossed and turned one night after another, trying to work out which was the one to obey – the Bible or the Bhagavad Gita. Mr Clifford, or Pundit Lall. One God or a hundred? The Ten Commandments and Jesus, or karma? Jesus was forgiving of sins, but karma was about paying for past lives. Jesus was about the promise of eternal life, and their gods made fate the only hope for the future. A future that could never be changed. Karma was not even about disobedience to the gods. It was just a reflection of a person’s past life, good or bad. There was no repentance. So, if she lost her leg in an accident, she was paying for
something in her past life?
Amina was sick with worry. It was impossible to repay your debts. It could go on forever. There was no Jesus to forgive sins, only reincarnation. So how could she redeem this lie she had told? There was no control of her future, and she could reincarnate as anything. Night after night she struggled to sleep, worrying which to believe – a God, or the gods. Amina craved some peace. She needed to know what form her reincarnation would take. She was a human girl now. Did that mean she had been good in a past life? But that could not be true, because why did she suffer a horrific illness such as typhoid and almost die? What could she have done to suffer so?
Each day she reached school more and more bleary-eyed than the day before, and confused from lack of sleep. She asked Mr Clifford more and more questions, and he answered them in school assembly every morning. When she asked her mother questions though, Devinia would feel her forehead for a fever, and ask if she was feeling ill.
Amina made a decision once and for all.
One morning, Amina called by to see Daya before she went to school, to tell the grieving woman the truth: that Sumati had left because she was in love with the Muslim boy, Farouk, and that she had wanted to escape the arranged marriage to an old man with children.
When Amina had finished, Daya was in a state of shock, but thanked the girl from the bottom of her heart for putting an end to her misery. Amina left, believing she had done the right thing.
FIFTEEN
A week earlier
Sumati and Farouk took the sloop from Cedros to San Fernando. The journey was rough, but it was their journey, and the beginning of a life together. They walked through the market and found their way to the address they had been given – a big gated house, about ten minutes from the wharf. The place looked like a palace compared to Granville houses, and they thought at first it was the wrong house. But they were tired and feeling seasick, so they called. Dogs bounded towards the gate at the sound of the voices, barking ferociously. Then a woman in her twenties appeared.
The Wedding Drums Page 8
