Ahdan

by Nikki Clarke

  After ringing a couple of times, a face appears on the screen, and it’s not one I have seen before. This person is black, like the blackest black. He’s blue-black. Bright blue eyes sparkle beneath his curly lashes. His hair is coily and red. He looks weird just like these dudes.

  “Brother, is everything well?”

  “I have yet to decide that. However, we have a guest.” He angles the tablet up so that we can both see and be seen. I look at the image of the man and can't help but be struck by how fine he is. He nods.

  “Hello, sa’qi, are you kin to my wife?”

  “Um,” my eyes shift to the other guy.

  “This is Bati, my younger brother and partner to our dah’san’s mother, Tiani.”

  I blink back to the screen. Tiani married this dude? She always had the best luck with men, even my brother. He ain’t shit, but no one could call him ugly. I focus back on the patient face of the man on the tablet.

  “Yes. I’m her sister-in-law. Um, my mother, KJ’s grandmother, was worried about them since she hasn't heard from them in a few months.”

  “I am sorry to have worried you. If you will give me a moment, I will locate my lehti, so you may see her for yourself. Sa’an, please express my apology properly while I find Tiani.” The image goes blank, and I sit there, not sure if I am waiting or if he’s just hung up.

  “I would, on behalf of my brother, sister and family, apologize to you for causing your family worry.” Dude props the tablet on the side table and turns to face me. He slides his hands around my sides, right along my ribs. His large palms span nearly my entire torso, and his thumbs rest just beneath my breasts. I gasp as he lifts me and pulls me up to his chest, lowering his head and gently nuzzling the broad, flat panel of his nose along my jaw. I start at the intimacy of the gesture and grip his shoulders, my fingers slipping along the smooth muscle.

  “M'ah qitah, Niya.” His breath is warm at the corner of my mouth, and my eyes flutter closed.

  “Whenever you guys are done.” Tiani’s amused voice breaks me out of my trance, and my eyes spring open. Her smiling face stares back at me from the now active screen. “Hey, girl.”

  I lean back in the guy’s arms, looking past him to Tiani in urgency. “What is going on? Where are you? Are you okay? Is KJ okay? We were worried. Who are these guys?”

  Tiani laughs, and I realize there’s something different about her. After my brother left, she had a hard time. She was sad and untrusting. I know a lot of guys tried to talk to her after Kamar, but she wasn't trying to do anything serious. But, now, she looks—happy. She looks like my old friend.

  “I guess to answer them all, I met someone, I got married, we have twins, I love him, he loves me, he loves KJ, who is great, I’m at our home, it’s kind of far away, and these two hotties are Qim and Ah’dan. Qim’s by the door, you’re sitting on Ah’dan’s lap.”

  I look down and realize I am, in fact, perched on one of his thighs. I slide to the side, and he lets me; although, his eyes haven't left my face.

  “But you guys are okay? Amina and everyone else are okay? Cough once if you need a rescue.”

  “She has deterrent spray, I believe she could achieve such a feat.” This comes from dude who’s still at the door.

  Tiani cracks up. “Oh, god, Niya, please don't pepper spray my people. I promise we’re good. These guys are good and can stay as long as they want. I’ll make sure KJ visits soon, but right now we need some time to just enjoy our new life—you understand.”

  Her face loses some of its levity. She’s trying to tell me in the kindest way possible that she’s putting herself first, and she deserves it. If anyone deserves it, it’s her.

  I nod. “I get it. You deserve to be happy. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

  Her face brightens again. “It’s great. My husband’s family are really good people—the best people. They’ve changed our lives in ways you can't imagine.”

  I don't know what to say. I’m so stunned by the surety of her words that I can only nod. “I’m happy for you. Call me when you get a chance.”

  “I will. Oh, here’s KJ.” My nephew’s face pops into the screen. As always, he’s grinning happily.

  “Auntie Ni Ni, I lost my tooth!” He opens his mouth, jutting out his lower jaw, so I can see the empty space. I laugh, realizing how much I missed him. He’s such a ray of sunshine.

  “Ooh, I see. Did you put it under your pillow?”

  His head bobs up and down. “Yup, and my ahpa gave me new blocks, even more fancier blocks than I had, and Uncle Kwarq bought me candy. Uncle Ah’dan sent me money, but he had to give it to ahpa to give to me because he’s in Chicago and we’re in space. Hi, Uncle Ah’dan!” KJ shouts his greeting to the guy next to me. He finally turns away from me and faces the screen.

  “Hello, my dah’san. Have you been behaving well for your mother?”

  “Yup.”

  “Have you been caring for your cousins?”

  “Yup.”

  “Good. I love you. I will see you soon.”

  “Love you, too, Uncle Ah’dan. Bye, love you, Auntie Ni Ni!” KJ dips away, and Tiani comes back into view.

  “That kid,” she says shaking her head. “You good now?”

  “Yeah. Sorry, yeah.” I frown. “Did he say you guys were in space?”

  Tiani’s eyes widen for a moment before she flips them up and to the side. “Girl, kids, you know how they are. Anyway, I have to go, but I’ll call soon. Love you. Don't let them Lyqa negroes get you with that m’ah qitah bullshit. It’s a trap.” She cackles and the screen goes dark before I can get clarification on exactly what she means. I stare at the blank tablet, trying to make sense of this information.

  “Are you satisfied that we are here with permission and your friend is well?” The guy beside me snaps me out of my trance. I meet his golden gaze and nod.

  “Yes, thank you. I appreciate you doing that.”

  “It was no bother. Is there anything else you require to ease your mind about our presence in Tiani's home?”

  He’s facing me, the angle of his body has me leaning back a bit as I slide off the bed.

  “No, I’m good, thanks.” I turn to the door where the other guy is still posted up looking like he’s enjoying some private joke. When I approach, he shifts to the side, forcing me to slide past him again. This time, I face him, my nose almost brushing his chest. My eyes close involuntarily when I get a whiff of whatever scent he’s wearing. It’s clean and spicy. I immediately make my way down the hall with hurried steps then push out onto the porch and take a deep breath to clear my head. When I look back, I can just see both men in the hall watching me through the screen door. I raise my hand and give an awkward wave, but they just stand there watching. I pull a face at the strange behavior and skip down the steps. Halfway up the block, I turn back to see them standing on the porch. The red one is still in his boxers, and even from half a block away, that bulge is impressive. I turn, continuing to my mother’s house. The whole time, I can feel their eyes on my back.

  “I knew it!”

  My mother is rushing around the room, snatching up random objects and shoving them into her purse. She grabs the remote and pushes it down into the already full bag. I roll my eyes and spoon a syrupy, cinnamon coated peach into my mouth. “You know what, Ma? I spoke to Tiani, I spoke to KJ, and they are fine.”

  My mother turns and dips her chin down to her chest, looking at me over the top of her glasses. “You think it’s fine that they got two strange men living in their house out the blue? You think it’s fine that Tiani and her sisters have up and gotten themselves married to some foreigners that no one has ever met? You think it’s fine that she’s traipsing all over the world with my grandson like they’re some happy family and KJ doesn’t have a daddy?”

  I sigh, scraping the last of the peach cobbler from the bowl and setting it aside. I should have known this was less about my mother seeing KJ than it was about Tiani living her life. Denial is
not just a river in Egypt.

  “Look, Ma, I know you think that Tiani is supposed to sit and be depressed about Kamar forever, but I’m glad she isn't. Your son left his twenty-year-old wife and one-year-old son and moved to another country. You think that’s fine? Am I going to miss KJ, yes. Am I glad he has a real father figure in his life, absolutely. Kamar had the choice to be a good man and a good dad, and he chose to be who he is. He didn't deserve Tiani, and he didn't deserve KJ. Tiani, on the other hand, deserves every bit of good that’s coming to her, and if that means she leaves forever, and I only get to see KJ once a year or once every two years, so be it. She’s putting herself first like she should have done years ago. And whether you want to acknowledge it or not, that’s her right. So, you may as well get fine with it now.”

  I end my tirade, and my mother stands stunned with her purse still in her hands. I sigh, immediately feeling guilt, but I push back against it, knowing that this is what always happens when we talk facts about my brother. I’m not here for it, today, though. I’ve already spent a good portion of my morning minding other people’s business when I have things to do.

  “I have to go. I’ll call you later in the week.” I go for my bowl, but my mother rushes forward, snatching it from my hands with a huff.

  “I got it. You go on where ever you have to go. I’ll handle it like I handle everything.”

  I groan. “Leave those people alone, Ma. It’s not your business.”

  She tuts and stalks toward the kitchen mumbling. I grab my bag from the floor and leave. On the sidewalk, I automatically look to the left in the direction of Tiani’s house. In the distance, I think I just make out the figure of a man standing on the porch. I watch for a minute, and when it doesn't seem to move, I turn in the opposite direction and set off to the bus stop.

  AH'DAN

  “That looks to be going better,” Qim remarks in our language as he emerges from the steps that lead from the upper levels of my sa’aihs’ home. I have set up a studio in the basement. Half-finished busts are abandoned around the space, and I sit before a large, stretched reflective canvas, smoothing a round head brush over the surface.

  “It is going how it is going,” I reply without looking up. I only let my eyes leave the canvas when he comes around to stand at my side. His face shows surprise as he looks at the forming image.

  “This is—different.”

  I shift my eyes back to the canvas, dipping the brush into a dark shade of blue on my painting board. “I was in the mood for something different.”

  “Hm. I would say it is long past time for a new muse, but I think you know this. And I cannot fault the inspiration.”

  I cannot stop the inspiration. Ever since the woman appeared at the house looking for Tiani and KJ, I have been unable to think of little else. She was beautiful, and her scent lingers around the home. It has been a constant source of distraction for me, but I am not going to admit that.

  “I am interested in all beauty. I do not think this is exceptional.”

  Qim snorts out a short laugh. “So, is this how you will spend your time on Earth, pining after your lehti or pretending not to by doing this?” he nods to my current work. Qim works with my brother, Kwarq, but he has been one of my closest friends since we were younglings. He is also the only being I would allow to be so honest with me aside from my brothers.

  “I am neither pining nor pretending.” I smooth the brush around a curve, but my hand shakes a bit from the truth of his words. I keep catching whiffs of her. She was so determined when she charged through the house looking for my sa’aih. That fortitude rides the air, catching me off guard at the most unexpected moments. “And how will you spend your days here? Watching that ridiculous movie over and over?”

  Qim scoffs and makes a face of genuine affront. “That movie is an American classic, and it is an excellent example of Black vernacular.”

  I roll my eyes. “It is a film about two men who sit in front of a house all day.”

  “My friend, I do not think you appreciate the subtlety of human comedy—” He pauses because above us, the ceiling makes a strange noise. I crane my head back and look up at the same time as Qim. A large pipe trembles at the juncture where it connects to a bend. My gaze fixes on the quivering metal, unsure of what is about to occur. Human construction is so less advanced than Lyqa. Being here is almost like living in ancient times where I am from.

  Qim and I both stand transfixed as the pipe begins to shake more violently. Suddenly, it emits a loud cranking sound and jerks out of place. I leap forward, snatching the canvas from its stand and turning to the side just in time before a flood of water pours down right where I was sitting. Qim and I both dash for the steps, turning once we have reached the safety of the slightly higher footing, to find a steady stream of water pouring into the basement. As we watch in stunned silence, another pipe bursts to release a second flow of water. The unfinished busts scattered across the floor collapse under the pressure of the spray, and soon the water begins to turn a murky red. I look at Qim, who stares back at me in shocked amusement.

  “Will you call the Bennets or shall I?”

  “So, you guys ain't been there a month and already messed up my house.”

  Both Qim and I begin to pulse varying shades of pink as we stare at the stern face of Leslie Bennet.

  “M'ah qitah, Am’hat,” I offer, lowering my gaze. Her tinkling laughter brings my eyes back up to find her looking at me lovingly.

  “I’m only messing with you, sweetheart. Those pipes have been cranking and clanking for years. I’m surprised this didn't happen sooner. Did you shut the water off?”

  Qim and I exchange a glance, and she chuckles again. “If you go down, there is a red wheel that you can turn. It’s near the front of the house where the water comes in.”

  “I will do this.” Qim rushes toward the basement door, and a moment later, the sound of him sloshing through the water reaches me. Leslie’s eyes widen in comical horror, and I groan.

  “I am sorry. I did not realize the water could be controlled in this way. Lyqa piping is slightly more sophisticated.”

  She snorts. “Please, you guys are light years ahead of us. It’s okay, you can say it. I’m sure being there is like living in a cave.”

  My cheeks warm since this is exactly what I was thinking earlier. Leslie smiles knowingly, and a moment later, Qim appears, dripping from his calves down.

  “I did it. I stopped the water,” he announces with a wide grin.

  I shift my gaze back to the screen. “How do we get rid of the flooding, Am’hat? I would correct this.”

  “Oh, you’re going to need equipment for that. I’ll have to call someone to come in.”

  I make a face that shows my discomfort at the idea. “While Lyqa blend in well enough on Earth, I do not think it would be good to allow someone unrestricted access to your home while we are here.”

  Leslie's mouth twists as she looks away in thought. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Let me talk to the girls, and I’ll get back to you.”

  “No, Am’ha—” The connection cuts before I can request that she not inform her daughters of our mishap. I sigh. I can only imagine what Amina and Tiani will have to say when they comm back.

  While waiting for the Bennets to contact us back about the flooding, I collect my paints and easel from the basement and set up in the living room behind the couch where Qim resumes the movie he has been watching over and over for the past two weeks. He laughs loudly at every punchline as if he has not heard them before.

  “…you ain't gots ta lie,” he speaks along with the dialogue before cackling heartily. I lift a clean brush from the holder beside my easel and throw it, hitting him squarely in the back of the head. Unlike my brother, Bati, I have perfect aim. He turns, rubbing the spot and glares at me. “You have no appreciation for cultural exchange.”

  I open my mouth to tell him exactly what I think of his insistence on cultural exchange only to be interrupted by the lock
on the front door turning. We both freeze, our eyes fixed on the entryway. I wonder if Leslie has decided to risk sending a repair person anyway. However, when the door swings open, it is not a stranger as I expect, but Tiani. She pauses inside of the entrance, with my brother at her heels, and plants her hands at her waist. She searches the room with narrowed eyes until she finds me.

  “Why you fucking up my house, Ah’dan?” She glares, and my cheeks pulse. After a long second, her expression lifts, and she bursts into laughter. “I’m kidding, but we’re going to have to call someone to come work on the house, so you guys gotta come home.”

  Qim pivots on the couch. “We must leave? Can we not just reside elsewhere until the piping has been repaired?”

  Tiani drops her handbag onto the floor and comes further into the room. “Where are you going to stay? Kwarq gave up his place, here. I mean, I guess you could go to a hotel, but that might be risky.”

  “We do not look very different from humans,” Qim argues. “Many Lyqa have visited this planet undetected.”

  She shrugs as she comes around to where I am working.

  “It’s your fake money.” She stands at my side and goes quiet as she looks at the painting. "What's this?"

  I look away, so she doesn't see me blush and pretend to arrange my brushes. "It is just a piece I am working on."

  "Mm hm." Slowly, her mouth turns up into a wide smile as she studies me. “Actually, I think I know a place where you can stay.”

  “It seems late in the evening to visit someone,” I remark as we stand before the door where Tiani has brought us.

  “It's fine. She's a light sleeper.” Tee raps the metal knocker in the middle of the door. After another moment of silence, my keen hearing picks up the sound of someone moving on the other side. The movement stops, and the door swings open to reveal the face I have been thinking of all week.