Between the Grapevines

6. Sitta

He shook his head in response. "She's still as she was. It hasn't been very long so it would be unfair of us to expect that she makes a full recovery in such a short time."

"It only takes a second for her memory to return," Farhan murmured.

"We should give her time to rest and recover for now."

"She can rest and recover in her family's home."

"Why are you so rushed to get rid of her, Farhan?"

The question spoke itself into the tent of two and was met with a stillness as Riyad watched Farhan's roaming gaze slow to a stop. Slowly, he raised his fingers to his chin and turned to face the younger man who stood near the entrance. "Why are you not rushed to get rid of her? Don't soften toward the girl, Riyad. You only married her to provide housing and protection until she recovers her past. Don't make that mistake. If you attach yourself to her, you will risk your position in the Resistance."

Riyad lifted his hands defensively. "I am not softening and nothing can deter me from our mission, Farhan. I am only acting with decent humanity toward her. Sheikhy was right, you know."

"About what?"

"We don't know what she's been through or how terrible it may have been to bring her to the point she is in now, without her memory or her voice. Only something truly unbearable could have pushed her mind to a point where the only thing it could do to survive was completely forget. She's in comfort now. Let her rest for a while longer until she can tolerate the truth of her past. When that happens, I'm sure she will remember," Riyad explained, trying to keep himself from becoming distracted by the truth of her state.

Three days had passed since she'd become detached after he mentioned the bruises coloring her arms and neck. Ever since that moment, she'd been stuck in the same frozen mental state that had overcome her. When he spoke to her, she hardly reacted. She remained sat in the same place on the couch since then, refusing food or water. All day and night, Riyad found himself sitting across from the disconnected girl, his eyes silently searching in the emptiness of her unfamiliar eyes.

Farhan's voice brought an end to his momentary reflection. "Perhaps," he shrugged. "All I know is it will be better for her to remember as soon as she can. When that happens, we can return her to people who will know how to better care for her. I trust that you're accepting your role in this situation responsibly and not allowing sentiment to toy with your initial intentions, Riyad," his tone shifted to a friendly but firm warning.

Riyad nodded. "They are not. I'm careful."

"I expect nothing else from you." Riyad lowered his gaze in a firm nod but remained attentive to the way Farhan's eyes narrowed at him for a moment longer before he turned away with a passive sigh. "Gather your things and I will see you at the Froukh home as strangers, won't I?" He threw out on his way out in a simple reminder.

The afternoon sun shone brightly in the sky above Riyad while he weaved through the narrow and large streets of the town's center, making his way toward the targeted home. Around him, he saw men hurrying in the same direction from all corners of the town, but none of his friends because Farhan had been careful in planning their approach.

Everyone had to take different paths and arrive without their faces covered or their weapons evident. This would protect them in the blend of citizens around them who were not members of The Resistance that was actively hunted by Occupational Soldiers at every checkpoint, hung camera, and surveillance stops.

On his way, Riyad could not keep his thoughts from trailing back to the girl he left earlier that morning. He'd offered her daily meals, fruits, and water but she'd continued staring into the distance as if he didn't even exist around her. When he'd spent the night by the third tent, he'd gone up the next morning to find her in the same position with her eyes open in such a way he wondered if she'd even blinked. If he tried to turn her head toward him and speak to her as he'd done before, her gaze never met his.