BANE

CHAPTER EIGHT (1)

Aseel Jabir looked out the car window as the car sped through the street. She was glad to be back home; nobody had any idea of how traumatizing it was for her to see all those sad faces talking about what a great woman her mother was, like she didn’t know.
Her husband promised to come back by the end of the week. She knew it would take her time to fully accept her mother’s departure, but she was a woman of great faith.

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“Don’t you think we should go check on that woman?”
“Come on Zaid, give me a break. I am exhausted.” He decided to push it no more. He decided to go for a walk to kill time before Banan made up her mind on whether or not to go.
He strolled leisurely. There were but a few people around and that made it more perfect. He cleared his mind and tried to think of what to do next. He felt like he was losing touch with himself and somehow he couldn’t explain it to anyone. In all honesty, he didn’t understand it himself.

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His heart sank as he listened to the person at the other end of the call. He didn’t want to believe that the police had no leads on where his daughter might be.

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He was feeling better than he did yesterday. The drugs Mubarak gave him seemed to have reduced the pain, not stop it completely. He couldn’t go down for breakfast so Mubarak brought it up to him. He ate with a ravenous appetite as he was very hungry. He wondered how the kids were doing with their investigations. He wished he could help, but what could he possibly do?

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“I just pray we would find something this time.”
Banan sighed “If we don’t, then what?”
“I don’t know what we would do after that.” He said as they walked up to the door. He rang the doorbell but there was no answer.
“Hello?” He said, knocking lightly on the door. After some minutes, the door was opened by a woman; although half her face was covered by the door, but he could see uncertainty and confusion in her visible eye.
“Can I help you?” She asked softly.
“Oh yes Ma’am.” He had expected her to be older, about forty or so but the woman he was facing was probably in her early thirties.
“May I help you?” Aseel wanted to get back to her work.
“We need to ask you a few questions please.”
“Are you the police?”
“No ma’am, we are not.” Aseel stood for some minutes; uncertain of what to do, she didn’t know whether it was safe to let them in or not. She made up her mind.
“Come in.” she led the way, the house was lovely and very neat. “Have a seat.” She offered.
The children took a good look at her. She wore a lemon green dress, with no jewellery except for the simple necklace on her neck. She looked tired but pleasant. The chair was comfortable and welcoming. “What do you want to know?”
“Some days ago, an incident  took place in this area, nobody saw anything, but we believe our friend was taken somewhere around here.”
“So?” she shifted in her chair.”
“We just want to know if you saw anything.”
She wanted to lie and say she didn’t but the guilt was eating her up, maybe it would help if she let it out. ‘’I am so sorry. I did see something.“ She was glad that at last, she could let everything out, she felt lighter. They gave her time; they knew better than to rush her.
“I was in my room upstairs, I just finished my house work and was tired. In times like that, I sit by my chair with a cup of tea and watch the outside world. I smiled when I saw her, she reminded me of myself when I was her age. She was talking on the phone when I saw her, but the conversation didn’t last long. She continued walking, that was when... I... She...” Aseel broke down again.
She wiped her eyes and continued. “The man in the black van, parked behind her, she didn’t hear him, and then he covered her nose with a piece of cloth and pushed her into his car.”
“I am such a horrible person; I should have called the police. I will never be able to forgive myself. I was scared that what I saw would turn back and hunt my family. It was selfish, I know. I don’t know why I kept  quiet. What if that was my child?”
“I understand what it feels like to be scared.” Zaid soothed, he should be angry at her but he couldn’t, she’d had enough already. “It’s not your fault.”
“Of course it is, I am a mother yet I saw another woman’s child taken and I was too cowardly to do anything.”
“The police wouldn’t have caught up with them anyway; besides, you did it to protect your family.”
The woman stood up and went to the chest of drawers at the opposite side of the room. She brought out a tiny piece of paper. “I copied out the plate number, that was the best I could do.” She handed it to Zaid. By her expression; you would know she was glad to be doing away with it.
“Thank you. Can you describe the man?”
“Yes! He was tall, strange build and a little fair in complexion.”
Banan’s phone began to ring, “Excuse me!” She said, though she stood there unsure of where to go. Aseel directed her to the corridor.
Meanwhile in the sitting room, Zaid and Aseel continued talking. “Oh forgive my manners, I didn’t offer you anything.”
“Oh! Don’t bother.”
“You’re my guests, it would be rude not to.” Zaid tried to convince her but she ignored him and made her way to the kitchen.
“Yeah! She saw what happened... I tried to convince him not to come, I did everything I could but he was adamant... Okay! We can’t afford him finding out the truth…” She froze as she saw Aseel standing behind her and obviously, she had heard almost everything she said.
“You?” She couldn’t believe her ears.
“What?” Banan asked rudely.
“So, you’re involved in all this?”
“It’s none of your business.”
  “How could you do that?”
Banan eyed her.
“You have beautiful kids.” Banan said looking at a big family picture in a frame in front of her. “I wouldn’t want to lose them if I were you.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“No Ma’am, I wouldn’t dare. I’m simply advising you to mind your own business.” She replied sarcastically.
“You are just a child.”
Banan brushed passed her and made her way to the living room.
“Who called?” He asked when he saw her.
“Mother! She wanted to know if we were safe.”
Aseel came in with the refreshments, her hands were shaky, and she almost dropped the tray. She avoided Banan’s eyes. Zaid decided it was time to leave. He thanked Aseel profusely and he reminded her of how useful her information was. Banan stared on with a bored expression on her face. Aseel nodded reluctantly at her and faked a smile. Banan flashed her a sweet smile. She was such an actress, Aseel thought. She watched them go with a heavy feeling in her chest.