Two Hearts Apart

Chapter 22: Close Encounters

Saturdays, for Zahraa, was usually either spent running errands with her mother, or just relaxing at home. This Saturday she found herself, along with her sister Saleeha and her mother, shopping in the Oriental Plaza. Saleeha had just moved into a new house and insisted that they help her find material to make curtains. They spent all afternoon in and out of various shops looking for the perfect material to match the idea in Saleeha's mind.

"No!" Saleeha would argue when Zahraa and Farida suggested a type of material.

"This material doesn't flow loosely enough." "This orange is too bright; I need an orange that matches my bedding."

What was supposed to be a quick errand turned into a shopping expedition and Zahraa and Farida, as much as they enjoyed shopping, were beginning to grow weary. At last, after hours of searching, Saleeha finally began making progress; finding a succession of fabrics that she happened to adore. When they were almost completed, Saleeha realized that she was still in need of cotton. Since they were running out of time, (and energy) Zahraa volunteered to go and buy it while Saleeha finished what she still needed to do.

She was on her way to the cotton shop, silently remembering all the different colour cottons that Saleeha needed, when she failed to notice that Zaheer- the same Zaheer who she hadn't spoken to in ages, the same Zaheer who she had just contacted so recently, was standing just several feet away from her. Suddenly she heard her name being called and turned to see who the caller was. It was only then that she noticed him making his way towards her.

"Zahraa" he said when he arrived. "I thought that was you, but I thought I was probably wrong since we never ever bump into each other. But then when you came closer I realized it really was you."

"Well this is not a usual hangout spot for me" explained Zahraa. "I just came to do some shopping with my family."

Before she could enquire as to how Zaheer was, he asked her: "So what's up with you these days?"

"Well I work for a local newspaper, the everyday Muslim- I'm sure you've heard of it. Before she could continue Zaheer interrupted her.

"So are you married?" he asked her eagerly.

She responded with a simple: "Not yet".

"Well what does that mean?" he asked "are you engaged or something?"

"No" she replied with a giggle, "I didn't mean it like that. I just mean that I haven't yet gotten married.

For a minute there it almost seemed to her as if Zaheer looked relieved, but since she thought that he couldn't possibly still harbour any feelings for her after all this time, she assumed that she had just imagined it.

"What about you Zaheer" Zahraa asked him. "Are you married yet?"

"No" Zaheer replied with a sudden pensive look. "I came close actually. Had someone who I thought was the one but well, she turned out to be not-so-great after all."

Well that's far closer than I ever got, thought Zahraa silently. So much for my theory of him still being hung up on me. Clearly he's still hung op on this other girl. To Zaheer she simply said: "Shame man, maybe you'll have better luck next time."

It was then that she realized that she still had cotton to buy and that Saleeha and Farida were probably already waiting. So she quickly apologized to Zaheer for having to leave and assured him that she would send him a message and that they would continue their conversation online.

"I really enjoyed bumping into you after all this time" Zaheer told her as she began leaving. "Me too", she said as she walked away smiling. Before turning the corner she turned around to find that Zaheer was still looking at her. She smiled simply, waved at him, and continued to walk.