EXISTENCE: Recovery

CHAPTER 10: Fragments

It had been a couple days since summer vacation started for the kids. Mimi sat in her chair, quietly watching the family room television, occasionally glancing at Sammy and Cherif, who were playing with Jibreel. The cat had been a more than welcome family member during the first week it had been here, and Mimi really was warming up to him. 

Nadia walked into the room. "Mimi, have you seen Adam? He's not in his room."

Mimi smiled. "He's probably gone to the masjid again."

Nadia sighed. "I swear, just leaving like that?"

"I wouldn't worry too much about him now, Nadia." She looked over to the cat, who was on its back, welcoming the playful belly rubs from the boys. "He seems to be in better spirits, don't you think?"

Nadia smiled. "I guess so. I just wish he'd stop going off on his own! Would it kill him to talk to us every once in a while?"

Mimi giggled. "You two really are like siblings, aren't you?"

Nadia blushed. "Someone has to be responsible for an airhead like him!" she walked over to the counter and grabbed her hat, placing it on her head.

"Oh? And just where are you going, Nadia?"

Nadia looked back as she walked toward the door. "Just going to go see Rym. It is summer, after all."

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Adam stood in the prayer room, just finishing his noontime prayer. He scanned the prayer room for any other person in the area and saw an older man towards the front of the prayer room. He walked over slowly to the man, who looked as though he himself had just finished his own prayer. He sat down beside him.

The man turned his head and looked at the boy. "Ah, Adam. Assalamu alaikum. I'm happy to be seeing more of you these days. School's out now, isn't it?"

Adam gave a soft smile. "Wa alaikum assalam, Sheikh. Yeah, it is. That's why I can show up more."

The Sheikh raised an eyebrow at the boy. "Is there something bothering you, Adam?"

Adam closed his eyes, taking a minute to answer. "Say, Sheikh, is... is it alright to pray for a non-Muslim who's...y'know... not here anymore?"

"Ah...you must be talking about the other boy, aren't you? The old police chief's son."

"...Yeah."

The Sheikh sighed. "Well, I'm glad you came to ask me about this, Adam. I have an answer for you, but I imagine it won't be one you want to hear."

Adam looked up to the man. "Am I...not allowed to?"

"Well, you can certainly pray, but...there's only so much a prayer can do for a dead man, let alone a non-Muslim." He looked down at the boy. "As far as a funeral service goes, I'd advise you not to attend. It's not our place to sit in on the affairs of other religious groups. Do you see what I'm saying?"

"...Yeah." He paused for a moment. "So I guess it wouldn't make sense to have a Janazah for him as well, would it?"

The Sheikh smiled. "You must care very deeply for this boy." He stood up and patted Adam's head. "You're right. But, all religious issues aside, there's nothing wrong with cherishing any of the memories you have with people you cared about. They're all we have, after all. Fragments of a history, part of a future that will never be." 

Fragments of history... Adam stood up. "Thanks for the advice, Sheikh. I'll honor him the one way I can."

"And what would that be?"