A Sea Of Brown

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 8

'If I were you I would go out to say hi, the view will be even better you know' Sum said from behind me but I ignored her. I watched as Sadaf and Farah got into the car while Maama walked with Umm'Ali behind them.
Ali got out and walked towards Maama. They spoke for a bit and I was wishing I could here them. Maama was all smiles and she said something that made his mother laugh. He then turned right at that moment and looked up, I could swear he saw me before I could hide. When I looked again he had returned to the car his mother joining them few moments later and then they were gone.

I stepped back from the window and faced Sum. She raised her brow in a questioning manner.

'What?' She asked
'What?' I also asked
'You've got that look'
'What look?'
'Like something happened' Sum answered.
'Of course something happened' I said, 'I think he saw me'
'He did?'
'He must have, he was looking straight at the window'
'Have they left?'
'Yes'
'So...', Sum continued, 'I got you info but it wasn't much'
'Good or bad?' I asked

'Well... You decide; first of all he is really close to his mother, like the closest to her in the family, then I found out he was in Afghanistan last year because he wanted to be more in touch with his extended family and his own roots Farah said and he came back with amazing pictures, she said he loved photography, then the last bit which I'm sure you'll be happy to learn is that he was at Greenlane Masjid this evening and that's where he was coming from to come pick them'

'Sorry it wasn't much' Sum apologized
'What do you mean by not much? Of course it's much. You know what it means for a guy to be close to his mother it means on general terms he should respect females and then the last bit... That's huge'

'You know something else', I continued, 'he's an amazing reciter'

'How do you know that?'
'Sadaf was reciting aloud before you came in and it was beautiful, she said he thought her to recite like him'
'Ooooh... The perfect brother' raising her brows, 'wasn't that what you've always wanted?'
'Sum nobody is perfect... His flaws are just not obvious'
'Safiyya'
'What?' I turned to look at her
'Is it that you don't want to believe that there are people like Ali or you don't want to accept this as a blessing?'
'No...'
'Then why are looking for flaws instead of focusing on the great points?'
'It's not that... I'm just... I don't know... I want to be able to make up my mind and not hate myself afterwards'
'Forget about the future, it will sort itself out'

With that Sum managed to ease my worries, God bless her.

* * *

On Thursdays I finish early from work and I usually walk round the corner to the next street to one of my favorite spots ever. I walk to Nick and Becky's. It's a tea shop where they make the best sandwiches and cupcakes I've ever tasted. They have everything sweet that comes out of an oven, like a cake and scone heaven. Nick and Becky are an old couple and they run the place themselves, the place has this homey feeling which has a lot to do with the smile you receive from nick and Becky the moment you walk in.

I walked in today looking forward to that heavenly taste in my mouth as always. I sat on my favorite table at the back by the window which gave an unobstructed view of the street and waved at Becky

'The usual Thursday evening treat?' She called out
'The usual' I nodded and smiled

I looked out the window watching passers by, something I've come to develop a liking for, watching people and imagining what was going on between their ears.

From the corner of my eye I knew someone was approaching but I didn't look until I remembered mine was the last table and this person had stopped at my table. I turned and found myself looking at Ali.