44 stories
The Elder's Wives
When the elder leaves for business, his four wives turn to the household's young driver. What starts with one becomes all four—together.
The Henna Night
The night before his wedding, the groom is summoned by the bride's mother and aunt. They have traditions to teach him—and tests to administer.
The Arrangement
His father's new Malindi wife was supposed to be a marriage of convenience. She has other arrangements in mind.
Three Widows
His brother's funeral brings the three widowed sisters-in-law together. Their grief finds an unexpected outlet—and they decide to share it.
The Patriarch's Wife
His father remarries a Zanzibari woman half his age but twice his appetite. When baba travels, she shows her stepson the old Stone Town ways.
Caught at Fajr
His aunt catches him with the housekeeper at dawn prayers. Her silence has a price—and it's due every morning before sunrise.
The Customs Officer
She controls the border between Kenya and Tanzania. His goods are suspect. His documents are questionable. But she offers an alternative to the official process.
The Translator
She translates for foreign delegations visiting Zanzibar. He's the junior trade attaché. Between languages, they find a communication that needs no words.
The Perfume Maker
She creates custom perfumes for Zanzibar's elite. To make his scent, she needs to know his body intimately. The best perfumes are mixed on skin.
The Seamstress
She makes wedding clothes for Stone Town's elite. When measuring the groom, her tape goes places tradition never intended. Some fittings require private adjustments.
The Night Nurse
He's recovering from surgery. She works the night shift. In the dark hours when the hospital sleeps, she provides care that isn't in any medical textbook.
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.
The Henna Artist
The night before his wedding, the henna artist comes to prepare him. Her designs are intricate. Her preparations are thorough. Some traditions require more than just decorated hands.
The Kanga Seller
She sells kanga fabrics in the Mombasa market. When he comes to buy a gift for his mother, she insists on showing him how the fabric drapes. On her body. In the back room.
The Quran Teacher
She teaches Quran to the children of Zanzibar's elite. When a grown man comes to her for lessons, she teaches him things not found in any holy book.
The Second Mother
His birth mother died when he was an infant. His father's first wife raised him as her own. Now widowed, she wants repayment—and the currency isn't what he expected.
The Island Caretaker
A storm strands him on a private island. The only other person is the caretaker—a widow who's been alone for years. Three days until rescue. Three nights of shelter.
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 Mourning House
After his mother dies, he visits the mourning house—a place where widows gather to grieve. But these widows offer more than condolences. Some comfort requires a man's touch.
The Sheikh's Mother
His best friend is the most respected religious leader in Mombasa. His mother is the most forbidden woman he's ever wanted. Some friendships come with complications.
The Marriage Counselor
His marriage is failing. The counselor says she needs to understand the problem from both sides. Her therapy methods are unconventional. Her success rate is perfect.
The Spice Merchant's Wife
Her husband sails the old routes—Lamu to Oman, gone for months at a time. She manages the warehouse. He manages the inventory. Some spices require personal handling.
The Debt Collector's Wife
Her husband collects debts for Mombasa's moneylenders. When a young man can't pay, she offers a different kind of collection. Some debts are settled in flesh.
The Convert
She converted to marry his father. Now a widow in a foreign land, she turns to her stepson to learn what her husband never taught her. Some lessons require hands-on instruction.
The Boat Builder's Wife
Her husband builds dhows. The apprentice helps with the wood. When the master is away testing a new vessel, the apprentice helps with other things too.
Eid Visit
He returns to Lamu Island for Eid and finds his cousin—once a skinny teenager—now a voluptuous divorcée with unfinished business.
The Water Seller
She delivers water to the homes of Dar es Salaam's wealthy. Behind every door is a woman alone. Some need hydration. Some need something more.
The Witness
Old tradition requires a witness to the wedding night. His mother-in-law volunteers. But watching isn't enough—she needs to verify everything personally.
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.
Nikah Mut'ah
A temporary marriage contract. Renewable monthly. Between an aunt and nephew who've found a loophole in tradition. Some marriages are meant to expire—and be renewed.
The Mosque Cleaner
She cleans the mosque after everyone leaves. He stays late for prayer. In the empty halls of the holy place, they find something unholy together.
The Delegation
Three aunts arrive to negotiate his marriage. But the bride's family has one condition: proof of the groom's capabilities. The aunts volunteer to provide the evidence themselves.
The Landlady of Stone Town
She owns half the rental rooms in Stone Town. When a young student can't pay his rent, she offers an alternative arrangement. Some debts are paid in currency. Others in service.
The Midwife
She's delivered every baby in the village for forty years. When a young husband's wife can't conceive, the midwife offers an old remedy—one that requires his personal participation.
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.
The Dowry Keeper
She holds the dowries of Lamu's elite families in trust. Before any groom receives his bride's wealth, he must prove himself worthy. Her standards are high. Her tests are personal.
Inheritance Claim
Four aunts. One nephew. And an inheritance that requires him to choose. They decide to let his body make the decision.
Tarawih Break
Ramadan nights are for prayer. But between the long tarawih sessions, there are breaks. His neighbor uses those breaks to teach him something other than Quran.
The Imam's Wife
While the imam preaches to his congregation, his wife preaches something different to their houseguest. Some sermons happen behind closed doors.
Milk Kinship
In Islam, if a woman nurses a child, he becomes haram to marry. But she only nursed him twice—not the five times the law requires. They're forbidden by tradition. Permitted by technicality. And desperate for each other.
Sisters of Stone Town
Two sisters. One nephew. A wedding night competition that started as jealousy and ends with them sharing. In Stone Town, some traditions are made on the spot.
The Madrasa Teacher
She taught him Quran when he was seven. Now he's twenty-five, and Mwalimu Khadija has lessons of a different kind. Some teachers never stop educating.
Iddah
Islamic law says a widow must wait four months and ten days before remarrying. She's been waiting three weeks. Her stepson has been waiting longer. Some rules are meant to be broken.
Pilgrimage Sins
The night before his aunt leaves for Hajj, she asks him for one final sin. She wants to arrive in Mecca with something worth repenting.