“Dear sister,” she grasps my hands in hers, “come dance with me. For all your clumsiness you are a skilled dancer and soon, when we are married women dancing will be forbidden.” Adita is right, I am a skilled dancer, inexplicably so for I can barely walk down a hallway without tripping over my own feet. I follow her to the center of the room and we begin with some simple steps. Spinning, twirling, quick stepping, I am happier than I have been all month. Just the feeling of my hair flowing around me makes laughter bubble up in my chest. I want to twirl under the stars, but all the glitz around us will have to do for now. Adala and Delta join us and for a moment I remember what life was like only six months ago, when we were the best of friends, determined to stick together.

It’s important for the first five to be close. We were always encouraged to keep apart from all our other siblings as children and we were happy to do so, happy in our own little club. I’ve often wanted to ask my mother if she had the same experience, if she was unhappy with her sister’s choice of husband, but I’m afraid daddy will hear and it will be viewed as treason.