Your just desserts

‘Kunu at this hour Tahir? It’s not like you to seek that millet gruel at this time of the day? What is happening?’ I queried.‘It’s not for me’ he explained stepping into the room, ’Habu just arrived and prayed Magrib with us. When I asked him to join me for dinner, he said he’d rather […]

‘Kunu at this hour Tahir? It’s not like you to seek that millet gruel at this time of the day? What is happening?’ I queried.
‘It’s not for me’ he explained stepping into the room, ’Habu just arrived and prayed Magrib with us. When I asked him to join me for dinner, he said he’d rather have some kunu first because he had been fasting.’ Tahir added.
‘Really, that’s amazing coming from a man with two wives. I mean when you have two houses in one town, how can you show up at your cousin’s house looking for iftar meal?’ I asked.
‘I wondered the same thing too, but I didn’t want to seem too curious. May be they had both travelled out of town. Anyway just get that kunu done, Habu looks really hungry.’ Tahir urged before walking out of the room. I went to Cook’s room and found her praying. I decided to make the beverage myself. Having finished it in about ten minutes, I picked the flask-ful of kunu, some big mugs and a jar of brown sugar and made my way to the sitting room.
‘Assalamu alaikum Junior Hubby, to what do I owe this august but unannounced visit?’ I joked to Tahir’s cousin Habu.
‘To be honest, Big Wife, I came here to eat. I observed a fast and have no one to make an iftar meal for me.’ He replied with a smile.
‘How about my two juniors? You have them both living in this town, how come my co-wives aren’t there to cook for you, did they travel?’ I asked.
‘No dear Bint, I wish they had, then I wouldn’t have to be explaining anything to you. But they are both here and neither has cooked my meal.’ Habu explained, mysteriously.
‘Well this is curious, how come? What did you do to deserve your suffering?’ I asked.
‘Please don’t force him to say more if he doesn’t want to. Just let him eat his meal in peace.’ Tahir advised.
‘No, it’s no problem Tahir. I can tell her everything, at the risk of getting her to laugh at me of course, but I will give her full disclosure right now.’ He explained, pouring the kunu into a mug.
‘And I’m all ears my dear Habu, am all ears.’ I joked, sitting next to Tahir.
 ‘You see I was at Samira’s house up to yesterday evening.’ He started, sipping his millet beverage slowly. ‘I moved over to Safiya’s house in the evening, but because I was observing my three days’ in a month fast, Samira offered to make my favourite kunu, with which to break the fast, and also my favourite vegetable soup to eat at Sahur (the pre-dawn meal). I took both to Safiya’s house just before it was time for iftar yesterday. She didn’t say anything but she had already cooked hers for me because she knew that I was fasting. She allowed me to take Samira’s kunu at iftar without saying a thing. Then at Sahur she brought me the meal from Samira and left, she wouldn’t even warm it for me when I said the soup was cold. She went away to her room and left me with the soup from Samira. It was actually not only cold but already gone sour. I couldn’t eat it. So I drank some water and embarked on today’s fast. When I closed from work at 5pm, I drove straight home. But Safiya wasn’t there. When I called to ask where she was, she said she had gone to do her hair. I asked when she’ll be home to make my meal but she said I should go to where I got yesterday’s iftar meal to get today’s own. She added that it is obvious all I wanted was to show my new wife that she cooks better, that I preferred her meals, that was why I accepted her meal and brought it to her own house. Nothing I said could convince her that I meant no harm, that I only accepted Samira’s offer of kunu and my favourite soup because I always consider eating both a treat. In the end she said she really wasn’t coming home to cook. I called Samira to ask where she was but she said she was at her friend’s daughter’s naming ceremony and I felt too ashamed to tell her that I was looking for someone to cook my iftar meal. I hung up and went to my bed to rest, all the while hoping that Safiya will have a change of heart and come home, but she didn’t. When the time showed 6pm, I drove out to buy something at a restaurant but I changed my mind at the last minute and drove straight here. I guess I needed more than just food, I also needed a shoulder to cry on. And this is the story of my unannounced visit to you.’ Habu concluded with a smile.
‘Well, I don’t know about your cousin, but I will never give you a shoulder to cry on because you truly deserve what you got. How can you take one wife’s food to another’s house and expect everything to be fine? And Safiya was right, you were trying to tell your six-month-old wife that she is a better cook than the woman who has been cooking for you for over twelve years. You were trying to say that her cooking was so irresistible you can’t spend a few days without it so you had to take it along. Well you got your just desserts because Safiya was right to leave you without your iftar. In any case, did you not turn down the kunu she did the day before in favour of Samira’s own? How do you expect her to get over that and have the confidence to cook for you?’ I chided him.
‘But didn’t you hear what I said Bint, I said Samira offered them to me because she knew that they were my favorite dishes.’ Habu defended himself.
‘Aha, so you see the kind of wife you are married to. A devil in disguise, who couldn’t wait to cause trouble between you and your first wife. How can she offer you food when you are leaving her house as if someone told her that your first wife couldn’t cook? Learn to keep your eyes open against such provocative gestures. This Samira is capable of setting your home on fire even from the distance of her own house, believe me.’ I argued heatedly.
‘Please Bint, don’t be so dramatic, how can you exaggerate everything so?’ Tahir interrupted.
‘I’m saying the truth Tahir. If he doesn’t stop his new wife now she will do worse than this. And just so you know, even Islamically you are not allowed to do something like that. It is not permissible for you to take one wife’s cooking to another’s place to eat. Ask the ulama, if you don’t believe me.’ I challenged him.
‘Ok Bint, I’ve already learnt my lesson. I won’t ever do that again. I won’t allow Samira to make me hurt Safiya this way again. Thanks for letting me see this clearly.’ Habu replied, smiling at me.