Page 11 of The Sun Sister

‘So, what are your plans for tonight?’ she asked me.

‘I don’t have any. You?’

‘Nothing but bath, bed and a good book,’ she replied.

‘I mean, I’d like to go out – visit the café I used to work in as a waitress and just eat normal food like a normal person – but I’m not in the mood to be recognised.’

‘I understand.’ She stared at me for a few seconds, then stood up. ‘I have an idea. Wait there.’

She disappeared from the room but was back within minutes holding a scarf.

‘May I try it on you? See how it looks?’

‘You mean, round my shoulders?’

‘No, Electra, around your head like mine. People tend to keep their distance from a woman in a hijab, which is part of the reason why many women of our faith choose to wear one. Shall we give it a go?’

‘Okay. It’s maybe the only look I’ve never tried,’ I added with a giggle.

I sat on the end of the bed as Mariam wound the scarf deftly around my head, draped the ends over my shoulders, then pinned it in place.

‘There, take a look.’ She indicated the mirror.

I did and could hardly believe the change. EvenIdidn’t recognise me.

‘It’s good, real good, but there’s not a lot we can do about the rest of me, is there?’

‘Do you have any dark-coloured pants or leggings with you?’

‘Only the black sweatpants I travelled over in.’

‘They will do. Put them on while I go and get something else.’

I did so, and soon Mariam was back with a garment over her arm. She shook it out and I saw it was a cheap flower-printed cotton smock with long sleeves.

‘I brought this in case we were going anywhere smart. I save it for special occasions, but you can borrow it.’

‘I doubt that it’ll fit.’

‘I don’t think we’re that different up top. And although I wear it as a dress, I think it would work on you as a shift. Try it on,’ she urged me.

I did so, and saw that Mariam had been right. The dress fitted me fine up top and fell to my mid-thighs.

‘There! No one will recognise you now. You are a Muslim woman.’

‘What about my feet? I only have my Louboutins or my Chanel pumps.’

‘Wear the sneakers you had on to fly here,’ she suggested, heading for my suitcase. ‘May I?’

‘Go ahead,’ I said, staring at the new me in the mirror. With the headscarf and the simple cotton dress masquerading as a top, it would take a pair of eagle eyes to spot who I was.

‘There,’ Mariam said as I slipped on my sneakers. ‘The transformation is complete. Just one more thing...may I look in your make-up bag?’

‘Okay.’

‘Here, we just need to put some kohl around your eyes. Close, please.’

I did as I was told, my mind skidding back to when us sisters were on Pa’s boat during our annual summer cruise and going out for dinner wherever we’d docked. Deemed too young at the time for make-up myself, I’d sit on the bed and watch Maia help Ally with hers.