“Asalamu Alaykum. You look well as good as you look every day. Same order as yesterday”.
Lena said when she saw me enter her coffee shop the next morning after gym.
“Waalaikumussalam. Oh, I just threw this on this morning. You guessed right like always”.
I replied taking my usual seat at the table next to the window.
Lena came over and sat next across from me.
“I just don’t know how you do it?” she said putting her hand under chin and taking look at me.
“Do what?” I raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow.
“Drink all that weird green stuff. It’s so well may Allah forgive me for sounding ungrateful but it’s sort of disgusting”. She said making a funny face which made me burst out laughing.
“It may be disgusting but it’s good for me. And it’s a good need to keep your body in shape and healthy”. I explained.
“I think you’re nuts! When you spoke to me yesterday morning you said you’d call your cousin the one who got engaged. Did you call Isabella yet?”
She took a sip of her cup her coffee. She’s always been a coffee person
“I completely forgot. I was supposed to call her yesterday after I got home from the old age home. I must have been so mad I forgot”.
I said putting my head into my hands.
“Mad about what?” Lena asked me.
“I was mad that the guy who nearly ruined my favourite hijab is Clara’s grandson”.
“Oh my word that’s Nuts! What did you do? What did you say”?! Lena covers her mouth with her hand that was hanging open with shock.
“Nada (nothing), unfortunately”.
“If I were you I would have gone all Jalapeño on him right then and there”!
“Well there's nothing I can do about it now. I really should have called Isabella. Inshallah if I have time after work I’ll call Isabella”. I said writing a memo on my phone so I don’t forget.
“How long has it been since the two of you have spoken, anyway? Haven’t heard you mention her in a long time”?
Lena and I have been best amiga’s since we were in middle school. Back then Isabella and I were less like cousins and more like sisters. But things really changed when she moved away to Madrid.
“I think it’s been years since the last time we sat down and spoke properly”. I answered Lena.
“The world has changed”. She sighs adding some honey to her coffee. She’s also always had a sweet tooth.
“The world's stayed the same we are the ones who’ve changed”. I sigh this and Lena sighs again.
“Order for Nuriyah”. Called Lena’s older brother Khalid.
“I better get you your weirdo green stuff”. Lena said getting up her seat and walking over to the counter.
“I can’t believe you still think that’s funny”. I say sarcastically.
Khalid was not only my best friend’s brother but also my brother’s best friend. Lena always teased me that I should marry Khalid and then we’d be sisters. Sooner or later everybody else including Mama and Papa too thought it was a good idea. Not that there's anything wrong with Khalid it’s just that I will only ever see him as a hermano (brother).
“I wasn’t joking. I still think it’s the perfect plan”.
Lena said jokingly handing me my drink and sitting back down. I drank it all down with one gulp. Lena stared at me.
“Now back to the topic. The other day you thought Ahmed and me getting together was the perfect plan. What’s happened that you changed your mind? You really need to stop shipping me”.
“Where would the fun be in that”? She smirks.
“You need to go to shippers anonymous”. I say seriously.
“I do”. She giggled. My smart watched beeped alerting about the time, and so I had to stand up.
“Leaving already”?
“You know the drill. I have to get to work early or else Sara will try and steal my job. Inshallah, I’ll see you soon”. I say picking up my stuff.
“I better not keep you any longer then. Asalamu Alaykum”. She says getting up too.
“Walaikum salam”. Putting the straps of my backpack over my shoulders I then blew Lena a kiss before continuing on my way.
