Princess Sultana's Circle

innocence, I gave
my word that I would not disrupt their talk. But Kareem did not
request that I promise not to listen in on them.
    Tammam was not expecting
us, but she seemed pleased to have visitors and was very gracious.
After greeting her Auntie, Maha went directly to the room of her
cousin, Munira.
    Prior to Kareem’s arrival,
I convinced Tammam that it was in our best interest to sit quietly
in the banquet hall adjacent to Ali’s sitting room. “We might be
summoned,” I told her.
    As soon as we entered the
large room, I began to rummage through the contents of my large
handbag.
    I had learned many years
ago that to request permission for whatever unconventional action I
might take would open the door for a negative response. Therefore,
I now simply act and let others react.
    Tammam’s jaw dropped but
she was too timid to protest when I took an electronic device out
of my purse and inserted the small listening aid into my right ear.
I smiled at the astonished Tammam, and said, “Who knows what men
are plotting against good women?”
    I had purchased this device
several years before at a specialty shop in New York City which
stocked an amazing variety of spying devices, after seeing their
advertisement in a hotel guest information book. At that time in my
life, it had been of the utmost importance to closely follow the
secret activities of Amani. Fearing she might bring harm to herself
through her extreme religious fervor, I had felt compelled to spy
on my youngest child. But I soon became bored with her endless
conversations regarding detailed aspects of our religious faith,
and I had put away the listening device. However, earlier that
morning, before leaving for Ali’s house, I had remembered the
contraption, and had come prepared to eavesdrop on the all-powerful
men who ruled our lives.
    I fiddled with the gadget
for a few moments. Past experience had shown me that, even if the
mechanism did not work perfectly, it did greatly amplify voices
coming from adjoining rooms.
    I gave Tammam a reassuring
smile, but I could see that she was fearful. My sister-in-law sat
like one stricken dumb, her hands cupped over her mouth.
    Unintentionally, I had
placed the volume level to its highest point, so when in the next
room Kareem, Asad, and Ahmed loudly greeted Ali, my feet left the
floor, throwing my body against the wall.
    Tammam gave a small shriek
of alarm.
    After I had gathered my
wits, I held my finger to my lips. Thankfully, the men’s prolonged
greetings were so boisterous that they had heard nothing amiss. I
smiled as I listened. I had always taken the greatest secret
pleasure in listening to forbidden conversations.
    The four men spent long,
silent moments preparing their tea to their liking. When they
finally did speak, their conversation dwelt on unimportant matters.
After everyone’s health was assured, there was talk of various
business matters. Their talk lingered for a long time on the
declining health of the King. Uncle Fahd is my own immediate
family’s leader of choice, and there is great dread of the day he
will no longer rule.
    I was getting impatient
when Ahmed finally approached the subject that had really brought
them together.
    “ Ali, we hear news that
Munira is to be married.”
    There was a short pause.
Then Ali rang a bell for one of his servants to go and fetch some
freshly baked pastries to accompany his tea.
    I presumed that my brother
was playing for time to deliberate his response to such an
unexpected question. Still, it is true that my brother does eat to
excess. Much to my amusement, he was getting wider by the
year.
    The listening device was
functioning so efficiently that I soon heard the smacking of Ali’s
full lips as he devoured one honey-laced pastry after another. The
other men sat in silence.
    Finally, his appetite
satiated, Ali was ready to respond to Ahmed’s question. “Yes. You
are correct, Ahmed. Munira is at the age to be wed. And, I have
found a good match.” He hesitated before adding, “Surely, Tammam
has notified my sisters of the date for the wedding
celebration.”
    Kareem cleared his throat,
then begin speaking tentatively. “Ali, consider us as your
brothers. And, as brothers, we are here to support you in whatever
decisions you might make—on any matter.”
    “ That is true,” Asad said
promptly.
    Kareem continued with great
tact. “Ali, the zigzag of human life is so puzzling. I wonder if
you have shone the torch of light on Munira’s