6 stories
The Coral Carver's Secret of Malindi | سِرُّ نَحّاتِ المَرْجانِ في مَلِنْدي
In the coastal town of Malindi, a master coral carver sculpts more than stone when a wealthy widow commissions a special piece.
The Arrangement
His father's new Malindi wife was supposed to be a marriage of convenience. She has other arrangements in mind.
Behind the Mosque
During Jummah prayers, while the men worship inside, his aunt leads him to the storeroom behind the mosque. Some sins are sweeter near sacred ground.
Coastal Retreat
His grandmother dies. His step-grandmother remains—alone in the beach house, mourning, and needing comfort only he can provide. Some women age like wine. Bibi Zahra aged like fire.
The Fisherman's Widow
Her husband drowned ten years ago. She still sells fish on the Malindi beach. The young fishermen bring her their catch. She pays them in ways the market doesn't understand.
The Matchmaker
She's been finding wives for the men of Malindi for thirty years. When her nephew comes of age, she has the perfect match in mind—herself.