EPILOGUE
Many years had passed...
The young, rather tall and slender black woman had turned 18 a few months before. She was standing beside her groom under the large white tent that had been set up on the perfectly maintained large lawn. It was a beautiful sunny day, albeit scorching hot. The young bride was drenched under her immaculate white bridal abaya and niqab with lace face veil. Only her eyes and feet were visible.
Beside her was standing her 63 years old groom. Her billionaire Indonesian groom, named Bachtiar. The two soon-to-be spouses had met at a large reception at her father's home a few weeks ago. The man had fallen under her spell at first sight when they had been introduced by the young woman's parents. He was immediately conquered by the girl's appealing timid look. Now he could not stop admiring her blue eyes enhanced by her extra long eyelashes through her face veil.
And they had met again a few times after that memorable evening. Bachtiar and the young woman's father were doing business together. When asked by Bachtiar, the father never hesitated to give him his daughter in marriage. The age difference was utterly large but the father could not dismiss the immense financial benefits that the marriage would provide.
The ceremony was taking place on the vast and lush property of the sexagenarian groom in a remote suburb of Jakarta. There were more than 200 guests under the large white tent.
In the front row, close to the old man, his young bride and the imam, were sitting the bride's parents, full of awe and elation: a handsome and athletic black man 44 years of age wearing an elegant djellaba, and his favorite wife, an obese but nevertheless attractive white woman in her mid-60s. The mother was very affected by the scorching heat, trying to cool herself off with a hand fan. Despite the heat, she could not be happier. Such a marriage was a gift of Allah. She still could not believe their good fortune. Their beloved daughter Daneen having been chosen by a billionaire as his fifth -- and youngest -- wife. Tears of joy were running down her cheeks.
All members of Bachtiar's harem were present: his four other wives, aged between 35 and 60, and seven concubines ranging widely in age and physical appearance.
Behind the two proud and overjoyed parents of the bride were the members of their household: the father's other wife Saamiya -- who was another attractive fat, classy lady -- his twin black sons who were now 13 years old, his two concubines and their butler, a white bald-headed man in his late 70s, who was considered as a family member.
Once the groom and bride had exchanged their marriage vows before the imam, Bachtiar gently lifted his young wife's white lace face veil and gave her a long, tender kiss on her white lips, while holding her other white-gloved hand. Her eyes reflected her joy to give herself to her husband in her true virginity. He was struck by the sensuality of the overly pouting white lips contrasting with the dark black skin. The same sensual effect was produced earlier on the guests who had seen the young bride walking barefooted in the alley, her white painted toenails contrasting with her black feet.
Under the expert advice of her mother Abida and her father's second wife Saamiya, who had given birth to the two twin boys, the young Daneen had readily accepted to sport white lipstick and polish on her finger and toe nails to increase her sultriness.
Having been raised in a strict, although loving, Muslim context, Daneen was a very obedient and outwardly modest young woman. She had followed all Islamic precepts since her young age and had always obeyed her parents in every circumstance. Therefore, she was a very happy young newlywed striving to please and obey her husband in every way, although she would have preferred to marry a young Muslim man of her age if it only had been of herself. But she would have never went against her parents' decision nor Allah's will. She had been taught by her mother and Saamiya, as well as the two concubines, all the ways to satisfy a man, as a good Muslimah should. And her old husband could easily see that in her beautiful eyes and smile. He was very satisfied of this new addition to his harem.