O-Negative: Extinction (12 page)

It had taken a bit of effort on her part to arrange but she hadn’t become a successful business woman without being able to solve a few tricky problems.  For the first time in years she was actually looking forward to the family party she was going to that evening.  Instead of the normal feeling of dread she found herself with butterflies in her stomach.  She’d gone to great lengths to make sure her deep auburn hair was freshly cut and arranged to accentuate her slightly angular face.  Considerable time had also gone into choosing her outfit.  Her clothes though still loose fitting and conservative were attractive and of the latest style. 

Rahmaniah knew something was up.  She’d been giving her strange looks all afternoon. 

“Have you been to the hairdressers this morning?”

“Err yes why?”

“Well for a start I can’t recall you ever going to the hairdressers the morning before one of your family’s parties…. and are those new clothes?”

“Err yes I just felt like I needed to refresh my wardrobe”

“You’ve got something going on haven’t you…oh I can’t believe it there’s somebody you like who’s going to be at the party isn’t there?  Oh you minx you’ve got someone invited who you actually like after all this time and you haven’t mentioned a word of this to your closest female friend and cousin who also happens to be living with you – I am deeply hurt.  But more importantly who is this mystery gentleman? Tell all immediately or I shall be forced to reveal to your father who’s behind Saudi Arabia’s most successful dating agency”.

“You wouldn’t do that Mani, if you did you’d be in as much trouble as me”

“I would not and you know it, anyway even if I did get into trouble I can always throw myself on my mother’s mercy.  I’m not sure we could say the same for you.  Anyway enough of that spill the beans now!

“Well there may be someone there that I have a passing interest in…”

“I knew it I knew it you were up to something now never in a million years did I think it had anything to do with a potential suitor.  Who is it come on tell me tell me”

“Well you’ve already met him actually.”

“I’ve met him already?” She paused for a moment and then laughed softly oh Javeira Al Bajubair you are priceless – Rashid Al Shiddi from Tabuk!  How on earth did he get invited to one of Jeddah’s most important family’s party?”

“Well…”

“Oh you’ve got it bad Javeira, you got him invited didn’t you.  How did you do that?”

“Err well it wasn’t so difficult apparently Salem’s mother’s sister is married to an Al Shiddi from Riyadh…I just went from there…”.

“Not too difficult you little liar that sounds like you’ve been working behind the scenes for

weeks on this and not one word to me your dearest cousin I cannot believe it, well I was going to make some sort of excuse like I normally do for not going but you can guarantee I’m going now..”

Javeira hesitated slightly when she said this.  But Rahmaniah spotted it immediately.

“Ahh you didn’t want me there to steal your thunder.  Now I know why you haven’t told me before.  Listen cousin there is no way I’m going to spoil this for you, I shall go and dowdy myself up immediately – in fact not only will I wear all my worst and oldest clothes I shall also smear make up up and down my face so I look like a clown…”

Javeira laughed

“You don’t need to do that but if you could be slightly less glamorous than normal….”

“For you Javi anything.  But wait doesn’t Rashid think you work for me in some sort of administrative role?  Isn’t he going to be a bit surprised when he finds out you’re a scion of the Al Bajubair clan?”

“Mmmmhhh yes this is the one issue I haven’t entirely got sorted.  I guess I’m playing it by ear….”

“Oh don’t worry he’s probably going to be over joyed to see you there.  I saw the way he was looking at you at the hosts and hostesses event.  He couldn’t take his eyes off you.  Oh this is fabulous anyway enough of this I need to go and find my blackest Abaya.  Don’t leave without me Javi”.

Javeira watched Rahmaniah dash to her bedroom and turned back to looking at her own reflection in the mirror.  She hoped she didn’t look too attractive which would be inappropriate at a family party where people from outside the family would be present but at the same time she wanted to be attractive enough to catch Rashid’s interest.  They’d hardly spoken after they’d adjusted the chairs while at the hosts’ party and then during the presentation as was proper men and women had sat on different sides of the room while Salem gave his talk.  She’d seen him across the room when the food was served but she’d also had to do her bit with regards to meeting all the other hosts and hostesses and so no further opportunities to talk had presented themselves.  Despite this almost total lack of contact and for some inexplicable reason she’d spent the next few days incessantly thinking about him.  Such feelings were unfamiliar to her and eventually she’d decided that she was going to have to arrange another meeting and in a context in which should they appear to be compatible could be taken forward further should she and of course he wish it.  That basically meant getting him to one of her family’s ‘suitor’ parties.

Eventually Rahmaniah returned and though she wasn’t wearing her ‘blackest of black Abaya’s’ she was dressed much more demurely than normally and she’d also got her hair pulled back into a tight ponytail thereby restricting one of her best assets from being on show.  Javeira gave her a smile and they made their way down to the car where Salem was waiting to take them over to her parent’s complex out in the suburbs.

Rahmaniah spoke from the back seat of the white BMW 7 series “Salem I understand one of your distant relatives will be at the party tonight?”

Salem coughed and glanced back to Javeira.

“Oh don’t worry Salem she knows Rashid is going to be there.  She’s promised to be on her best behaviour”.

“Best behaviour well that should only result in four family arguments and the breaking of two priceless dinner services”

Javeira laughed.  “Oh you do know her so well Salem”.

When they arrived at the large house her parents owned on the outskirts of Jeddah her mother greeted them.

“Salem good to see you.  Darling Javi you look stunning tonight and Rahmaniah well this is a surprise I don’t think we’ve seen you here for over a year?”

Javeira knew her mother thought Rahmaniah was a bad influence on her but Rahmaniah greeted her mother so fulsomely complimenting her on her sari like dress and expressing delight at her mother’s earrings that her mother’s expression eased up a bit.  They split at this point as Salem went to talk with the men in one room and the women in another.  Her mother was quite traditional in this waiting for all the guests to arrive before opening the doors to the main living area where guests could mingle together and be served hors d’oeuvres.  Given that Javeira suspected they were the last to arrive this wouldn’t take too long.  She went into the ladies sitting room and began greeting her more elderly relatives and some of her other cousins.  As she did this she saw Rahmaniah and her mother retreat towards the kitchen and the serving quarters.  Undoubtedly her mother would need to alter the place settings given she wasn’t expecting Rahmaniah to attend but why was Rahmaniah accompanying her?  Javeira frowned, it meant Rahmaniah was putting her oar in somewhere.

Five minutes later her mother informed the guests that everyone could now move to the large galleried courtyard area where hors d’oevres would be served.  Javeira felt her stomach lurch a bit and kept herself towards the back of the group of ladies as they moved into the courtyard where the men were already standing chatting.  Rahmaniah appeared on her arm and steered her almost immediately to where Salem, Rashid her father and two other important looking Saudis were talking.  All the men were dressed in white Thawbs – God men had it so much easier than women – nevertheless Rashid’s Thawb looked absolutely immaculate and even from a distance he looked as good or even better than she remembered.  She tried to pull away to go towards the other side of the courtyard but Rahmaniah pulled her round by her arm and gently pulled her towards her father.

“Baba Bajubair, gentlemen, peace be upon you.  Isn’t the weather fine this evening?”

Javeira’s father looked over at Rahmaniah and Javeira.  “Rahmaniah, Javeira, good to see you both.” He paused slightly “and Rahmaniah I’m so pleased you could make it”.  Javeira smiled she knew her father knew she hadn’t been invited or at the very least wasn’t expected.  “Can I introduce Mahmud Mahfouz and his brother in law Mohammed ul Safia Al Saud.  Salem you know and this is his cousin in law Rashid Al Shiddi”

Rahmaniah answered immediately.  “Gentleman a pleasure to meet you all, now did I just catch you talking about that the Bin Laden group is moving out of the construction business?  Should my mother be worried?  She has a substantial amount of shares invested in Bin Laden Holdings” As she said this she moved herself forward into the group and Salem and Rashid politely moved back to allow her into the group.  The deliberate movement by Rahmaniah caused her father’s group to become slightly separated from Salem, Rashid and Javeira.

Javeira found herself completely tongue tied and she realised she hadn’t even greeted Salem and Rashid as she should have.  She mumbled something like “So pleased to see you both” as she looked up.  Salem had a big grin on his face and Rashid a somewhat surprised expression.

“Javeira wonderful to see you here.  I didn’t realise you or Rahmaniah would be here…err I hadn’t realised you were both related to the Bajubair family?”

Javeira could hear Rahmaniah burbling on next to her about problems her mother had been having with her maids thereby holding the attention of the older men including her father.  But her father hadn’t been fooled for long.  His suspicions were already up given Rahmaniah’s presence.  He excused himself from the conversation and stepped more into Javeira’s group.

“Javeira I didn’t see you at work today is everything ok?”

Javeira’s face fell a bit when she saw Rashid’s face registering surprise.  But she had no choice it was time to make a clean breast of it.  She was sure he wouldn’t talk about his role as a host in the Tabuk eventing franchise but she didn’t want him to give the impression he’d already met her either.  The smoothness of the lie impressed even herself “Oh Baba I was just telling Salem and Rashid here that I was feeling a bit under the weather earlier but I feel fine now and wouldn’t have missed the party for the world I know how much they mean to you”.  As she said this she found herself glancing at Rashid willing him not to say anything.

“Oh ok well yes I’m glad you’re here these parties are particularly important to your mother and I as you know”.  He stressed the word mother here in order to emphasise the primary nature of the gatherings i.e. so that Javeira could be matched up with an appropriate husband.

“Ahh I see Fasil and his son Bashir over by the mint water we should go and greet them Javeira”

“Of course father it would be my duty to do so” She couldn’t help keep the edge out of her voice at her father’s blatant attempt to get her to meet yet another ‘suitable’ suitor.

“Good.  Gentlemen it was good to see you both”

Salem politely returned the greeting while Rashid put out his hand and shook her father’s hand “Many thanks for inviting me to your gathering Dr Bajubair, it was a pleasure to meet you and your daughter.” As he said this he looked at Javeira and though she caught a hint of anger she also found her throat in her mouth as the same feeling of drowning in his eyes came upon her.

“Javeira?” Her father was looking at her as she returned Rashid’s gaze.  She swiftly looked back at the floor.

“Father?”

“Mmmmhhh.”  He parted from Rashid and Salem and she followed behind in the manner befitting a humble Arabian daughter.

30 minutes of inane conversation with a number of well to do families and their sons later her mother announced that dinner was ready and asked people to take their places in the large dining area, which had been constructed on the back of the residence.  Everyone present had their own place setting and she drifted towards the centre of the table.  Her father and his almost completely deaf grandmother normally sat opposite one another at the centre of the table with her mother to the left of her grandmother and she in between her mother and on this occasion Rahmaniah.  Javeira found this slightly strange as Rahmaniah when she bothered to turn up almost always got herself positioned towards the end of the table where the younger members of the family got put.  The conversation was much more relaxed the further down the table one went.  Abdullah had returned to the states and so Salem was positioned next to her father.  She had resigned herself to being opposite Bashir bin Fasil given her father’s overly enthusiastic conversation with him earlier in the evening.  Her father had complimented Bashir endlessly about his new appointment as a Financial Director at the Islamic Development Bank, whose headquarters were based in Jeddah.  However to her surprise when Salem joined the table Rashid sat down next to him directly opposite her.  Her father’s face said it all.  He was as surprised as she was.  He looked at her mother who murmured something about needing to rearrange the place settings due to unexpected guests.  Her father frowned but was never going to say anything in such a public place and when he realised it was Rashid Al Shiddi from the provincial town of Tabuk his frown changed to the same suspicious expression as he’d given on seeing Rahmaniah at the gathering.  The expression on Mahmud Mahfouz’s face however was thunderous.  As the patriarch of the Mahfouz clan he’d been placed to her father’s left.  Hassan who she’d rejected not a year earlier no longer attended these functions but given the Mahfouz and Al Bajubair joint business interests it would have been strange not to invite them.  She thought initially that his glare was directed at Rashid but actually it was more towards her father.  If looks could kill she thought.