Emeralds

Twenty-two.

“That’s really good news,” I say.

“Yes! I’m so excited.”

“By the way, I’ve been asking about a house for two weeks now,” I say. “And I’ve found one in a compound near here.”

“Really?” her eyes light up. “That’s really good.”

“I know you wanted something in the same compound as your parents, but I really couldn’t find anything available.”

“No, no, it’s fine, I’ll be near them this way too,” she smiles.

“This is relieving.” I sigh.

We talk a lot more, about my trips, about the kids she teach, the books we read, and about ourselves. I’ve never enjoyed talking to someone this way, time passes as quickly as hell and I wish I could hold the clock hands back. I’m interested in everything she says, even the smallest details. I like her more with every word she says, and I grow surer and more certain that I’ve made the right choice.

“It’s dinner time!” Jenin comes out of the kitchen announcing.

We all get up and Leen hurries to the kitchen to help bring out the food. “Did you cook anything?” I say as she nears the small corridor in front of the kitchen.

“Yes,” she smiles challengingly.

“What is it?” I ask.

“Hmm, I’ll see if you could guess.”

“Hey, that’s not fair. How am I supposed to know?” She smiles and turns to leave.

They set the table and we all sit around it, her in front of me. After tasting almost everything they out on my plate, I guess I’m positive that I know what she cooked.

“It’s the rice,” I say suddenly. They all give me a puzzled look, only she looks at me understandingly.

“How did you know?” she smiles.

“It looks and tastes exactly like that I’ve eaten in Korea,” I laugh, and she laughs too.

“Do you like it, anyway?” she asks.

“Yeah, it’s really good,” I say honestly.

After we’re done eating, Aunt Laila and her daughters take the plates back to the kitchen and clean the dining table. Leen passes by me holding a couple of plates, “The chicken too,” she says.

“What?” I take a moment to realize what she’s talking about.

“I cooked the chicken as well,” she says playfully. “You didn’t recognize that.” One of the plates she’s carrying is the one where the chicken was. I take a remaining piece and bite it.

“What are you doing?” she asks.

“Memorizing the taste,” I smile at her.

We get home that night and I head to my room, Mariam comes in a while later.

“Why are you smiling like this?” I ask her.

“Didn’t you see how you both looked?” she squeals. “It was the cutest sight ever! I was about to cry.”

I snort, “Fine, get out of here.” I can’t hide the smile on my face and she shrieks. “Oh my God! What’s wrong with you?” I ask.