Looking for her

chapter 5 : The reception

This day was the D-day, the day of the reception. We prepared the decoration until late in the night. As for the dinner, aunty Zahra called a caterer. It took me the entire week to choose the perfect dress for that reception. It was my first so I had to be presentable.

I chose a long loose red dress with white laces on its top. It was enough beautiful for a reception and enough modest at the same time. It gave me a good and sensible look. As for the hijab, I chose it white with a bandana and the shoes were black cap toe ballet flats from forever 21.  

The entire orphanage was excited, it has been a long time since we have organized such a reception. Aunty Ruqaya separated the children in groups, and each group will present something to the Zahra’s family as a thank you present. There were seven groups so seven gifts. Ali would take care of the cars, he would park them and welcome the other guests. Whereas me, I’ll have to wait until Zahra comes with her family. I’ll welcome and serve them but also present them to the kids and to the journalist.

It was almost six and a half. I was standing in the hall, waiting for her and Ali was not so far from me, also waiting for them to come.

It was a typical summer day. Aunty Ruqaya decided to turn on the fountain so the wait could be bearable since the family had some problems on the road. I looked on the clock again, six and half on the dot and no sign of them.

When I began to wonder why they weren’t here, I heard a car engine. They were coming, thanks God I was just boiling in place.

I saw Ali, shaking the two men’s hand and nodding to the woman. He showed them the entrance where I was and opened the car. They made their way to me.

I walked to them smiling. “Salam aleykum Aunty Zahra, Uncle. Long time no see! I’m going to be your personal steward for tonight Insha’Allah(God wiling)!” They smiled and greeted me back.

“Wa aleykum salam habibti yes long time no see. But look at you, what a beautiful woman we have here” she took a step back and smiled proudly. I smiled too and blushed for sure, I sensed the red on my cheeks when I saw someone behind her. My smile immediately disappeared.

“Oh I forget to present you Yassin, he’s my son. You maybe remember him?”

Remember the young elegant man and his car in front of the gate? Well yes him, he was Yassin. The man in front of me was Yassin. I stopped for a moment not knowing what to do.

He looked at me smiling and greeted me,

“Assalam aleykum, nice to meet you.”

“Wa aleykum salam, me too”

I was confused, he was Zahra’s son? That was that sense of déjà vu…

I turned to Aunty Zahra.

“You may be tired Aunty, let me show you your room. There, you can rest, the reception will only begin in two hours” I explained her. She turned to her husband who was looking at the painting of the orphanage. He looked at me and I smiled, it has been a long time since I saw him. He was like a father for me. He helped me a lot when I was younger but since he went abroad he couldn’t come as he used to.