Edited:
If I get 10 comments in this chapter, I'll update again today...
Published: Saturday, December 5th 2015 12:09 pm
Ayah:
"Alright, my feet hurt from all of this walking. Can we please sit down before I lose a toe?"
"Jamila, calm down with all the dramatics," Zahrah rolled her eyes, looking down every so often to make sure Rahil was still sound asleep. I don't blame her for checking. For the last hour he was screaming his head off to the point where she had to sit down and physically put him to sleep. During that time, Jamila, Tehreem and I were walking around the stores, aimlessly going into store after store. The last time I went shopping was with Safeer, Annie and her sister, which was for one purpose: baby shopping. Shopping for myself has never been appealing. Well, shopping in general hasn't.
I didn't really feal it before, but now that I'm farther along, I can really feel the difference in my feet and my energy span.
"Where did you all go?" Zahrah questioned once we successfully sat down at one of the surrounding restaurants. The local mall isn't that big, but for some reason the restaurants are delicious. And since we're going today,it's one of the only times I'll eat out for a while.
"We went to Rue 21 and found the cutest skirts," Jamila started off, staring dreamily at one of her many bags. "Then we went to shi and I found some killer heels for my friends Alia's henna party, and bath and body works for some smell goods. You missed out."
"These were Jamila's stores," Tehreem said with a huff. "Now that I have kids, I forgot what it was like going in them."
"What about Amna?" I asked. "Isn't she at that part of the tween stage?"
"She's edging close to it," She huffed. "And Zak has started likeing stores like Abercrombie and American Eagle. They grow up so fast."
"Why don't we get some food before we head out," Zahrah suggested. "We're having company later."
"That's right," Tehreem said with a distant smile. "I can already smell the awkwardness."
-*-
Jafar:
"Wasim, I really need to talk to you, man. Call, text, whatever you can to contact me. It's important."
I hung up my phone with a huff and continued to drive towards the hotel with a growing headache. There is just so much that I have to do. A lot of it having to do with my family. Well, all of it. I haven't spoken to Wasim since that day at the school and that's not good. Our relationship has always been spotless, so not talking to each other is a rare thing. As I pulled up to the hotel, I parked my car and took out of my phone, dialing the number.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's Jafar. I'm out front."
"Okay," I heard some shuffling in the background and quiet whispers, then he cleared his throat. "I'll be down in ten."
True to his word, Luca walked out of the hotel with a woman, looking slightly hungover. From all the years that I roomed with Allen in college, I came quite aquainted to the look. As they saw me leaning against my car, she pulled him towards me, a guilty smile on her face as she steadied him.
"Are you Jafar, the brother?"
I nodded. "Yes. And you are...?"
"My name is Danielle, but you can call me Dani. And this is your hungover brother."
"Dani," He groaned, swaying slightly. "You're talking too loud."
"Well, next time don't drink your problems away," She scolded and proceeded to open the car door for him. Once she situated him in the car, with a little help from me, I was greeted with a frown. "I'm sorry about him. Ever since he found out about his dad, he's been drinking heavily. Our best bet is to get him some coffee before showing him to your family."
"Yeah, that's fine," I said to her, but my eyes kept wandering to the drunken state he was in, but I also knew how he felt, minus the drunk part.
-*-
"How many cups of this stuff are you going to have me chug, Dani?"
"As many as possible until you can walk in a straight line. Now drink."
"It's black. Couldn't you add a little sugar?"
"No I couldn't. Hurry up and drink it, your family is waiting."
I stood on the side of my car texting several people as I waited for Luca to sober up for the past hour. So far he's had three cups of coffee, but Dani said that won't be enough. When he's drunk, he's drunk, and you don't want anyone to see him act like a goofy monkey. Her words, not mine.
Zahrah: Where are you guys? Tehreem is trying to leave.
Tehreem: Jafar, I have to get back home. The kids are driving Noor crazy.
Ayah: Is everything okay? Your sisters are freaking out over this.
Dispite all of them texting me, I only replied to one.
Jafar: There was a small incident that we're trying to fix. Be there soon.
"He can walk, so that's a good sign," I put my phone away and turned to Dani who had her arm around Luca's waist. "If we want him saying anything intelligent or tying his shoe, we'll need some more coffee."
"Listen, Jafar," Luca said with red eyes directed towards me. "I'm just not up for this today, and coming here might not have been the best--ow, Dani!"
"What he means to say is," Dani glared at him, then turned to me. "That he shouldn't be intoxicated and is deeply sorry for making a complete ass of himself. Aren't you."
"Dani, I'm not--"
Slap
"Aren't you!"
"No."
Slap
"Yes!"
"No--ow, stop slapping me. I already have a headache."
"Well, you shouldn't have drank. Jafar, we're going."
Without protest, I nodded my head, opened my door and got in the drivers seat.
-*-
Ayah:
I sat on a bench in the park, waiting and watching as cars drive by, wondering where Jafar could be. It's been a little over an hour and he hasn't come back yet, or said where he was for that matter. It's a nice day to just sit outside and watch the kids playing, so I have no complaints. It's a lot like when I was in New York at the park, sitting and watching as the children played.
I recognized a few people from around town, even some I went to school with, and the sight just warmed my heart. One girl I remember, Ashlyn, was running around with two little girls, laughing as they tried to catch her. Then there was a couple that runs the little pizza place, their son who is about seven now, swinging on the swings together. I even recognized a few Muslims from our neighborhood, laughing and talking amongst themselves as they had a picnic. We knew of them, but we weren't really close with them. They're a middle aged couple with a few teenagers and younger kids, but they keep to themselves, as do we.
Jafar and I's family have been connected since our parents teenage years. The families have always done something with each other almost everyday, as did we go to each other's homes a lot. We weren't really close with Jafars step-father at first, but when we started to hang around him more, he became like a fifth father to me: my father, my two uncles, Jafar's father and now him. And when I was younger, I was around Jafar a lot. We weren't exactly best friends, but we were kind of close. The parents even made jokes about us marrying each other, which turned out hilarious when we did.
"They're here!"
I turned around towards the parking lot, smiling as I saw Jafar waking towards me, two people behind him.
"Hey," I smiled as he came and stood in front of me, letting out a deep huff. "Is everything okay?"
"Define okay."
"Well, he's swaying on his feet, so I'm guessing no not good."
"He's half drunk," He whispered to me and I widened my eyes. "Like, coffee didn't even help drunk."
"Was it the right thing to do to bring him here?" I asked as I watched him talk to Zahrah and Tehreem, still swaying on his feet. "He looks like he's going to throw up."
"Probably not, but it was now or never. Tehreem is suppose to leave, and we've already put this meeting off for thirty years."
"Who's the woman?"
Jafar turned around to glance at her before turning back to me with a shrug. "Her name is Dani, I know that. As for how they know each other, I don't know. But she does have an Italian accent."
"Why don't we go over there?" I suggested, and he smiled at me, extending his arm for me.
"...I know that the way we're meeting is not how any of us had originally planned, but I'm glad we did."
"Yeah...," Luca trailed off, clearing his throat. "It's, uh, nice to meet you all too. I know you just told me, but could you repeat your names? I'm a little...out of it today."
Jafar and I exchanged a knowing look, while Tehreem and Zahrah were oblivious to the situation."
"I'm Tehreem," She said, pointing to herself. "And this is Zahrah and her baby Rahil."
"Isn't he a cutie!" Dani exclaimed, waving wildly at him, and he smiled slightly in Zahrah's direction. "Luca, your nephew is adorable."
Dispute his state, Luca smiled at the baby. "He is."
-*-
We spent a good couple hours in that park talking with Luca and Dani, mostly talking about Italy and each other. It seemed that the more time passed, Luca sobered up some, laughing and talking along with everyone at the table. Well, except for Wasim that is. None of us have seen him in a while. Aunf Fatima assures us all the time that he just needs to take everything in for a while and that he will come around, but even she's worried.
No matter what problems he and his father have had in the past, he's still his father. And even if he doesn't want to admit it, he cares for him deeply. And what's happening now in the last couple of months is hurting him.
"I can't wait to finally sleep after such a long night."
"I feel the same way," I agreed, putting my phone on the nightstand as I turned around in the bed, eyes connecting with Jafar's.
"Today was a good day. I thought it would go with us hating him and him hating us, but that's what I get for assuming such things. I'm looking forward to doing this again."
"It wasn't too much?" I asked. "You know, knowing where he came from and being okay with it?"
"Like I said, I thought we would hate each other because of the way we were brought together, but we didn't, and I'm glad. I'm glad to know that we embraced the chance to put our differences aside."
"I agree. In fact..." I trailed off as I heard rustling out front. "What was that?"
"What?"
"Listen..."
We both stayed quiet as we heard it again, and this time Jafar jumped up and moved towards the door.
"Be careful," I whispered to him as he opened the door.
Once he was out, I quickly got up and grabbed my hijab, wrapping it around my head, I went out of the door.
At first all I saw was darkness because the lights are off, but as I got closer, I recognized Jafar standing in the living room, his shoulders shaking from laughter. Why is he laughing? We could be getting robbed or something!
"...I know she's thinking that I'm robbing you or something, right?"
"More than likely," Jafar laughed.
"Mama?" I asked as I stepped into the room to see her sitting on the couch, a smile on her face as she talked to my husband.
"Ayah," She stood up from her seat and came over to me, wrapping me into a hug. "I missed you, Habibti."
I relaxed into the hug. "I missed you too."
-*-
As I said before, if I get at least ten comments, I'll update again today!
Please...
VOTE
COMMENT
FOLLOW
SHARE