Refugee

Chapter Thirty-One - Goodbyes.

It's sometimes odd how things work out, fall into place, in a way you could never imagine. Something is said, something happens, one thing leads to another. The ripple effect. A tiny drop in the ocean spreads out in all directions, touching different people in different ways.

They were all four there to meet Jeff and Alec off the plane. It was kind of weird, like a family event. Only Jordan and Amelie were not old enough to be the parents, but Jeff and Alec certainly qualified as grandparents. Suddenly there they were, emerging from behind a real family. Pushing a trolley loaded with two cases and hand luggage.

Samir waved at Alec, who smiled back nodding and raising a hand from the trolley in acknowledgement. Soon after, they were standing around in a group, speaking all at once.

“Good flight?” Jordan asked.

“Okay,” Jeff replied.

“You look like the photo,” Samir told Alec.

“Well yes, I guess that's good then,” he smiled.

“I can't believe you came,” Firas was saying.

“Why? Why Not?” Jeff replied.

“Because...” And now Firas went all shy.

Jeff put an arm around the boy, “Because what?” He said gently.

“Because it’s so far for one thing, because you only just spoke once with us, because you...” he trailed off again.

“I know,” Jeff told him, squeezing his shoulder. “Because we don't know you. And you don't know us either.”

“But that will all change soon enough, if you want?” Alec added.

“Yes we do, we do,” Samir was just so excited.

Firas was too, but he couldn't believe it was really happening.

“We want, yes... please,” Firas said, bowing his head and looking down at the floor. He didn't know if he had said the right thing or the wrong thing.

Alec came over and gently lifted his chin up.

“Don't worry, my boy. We are here for you and you can count on us. Sometimes there will be misunderstandings. Language, life, whatever. We'll get through it all together. Okay?”

He smiled his biggest, friendliest, smile. He knew it would not be easy, but this seemed like destiny. Something that the two of them had talked about, but never thought would happen. ‘God it's strange how things work out,’ he thought.

*****

They'd arranged to eat again at the little restaurant where the vines climbed over the roof of the terrace. The food, even if it was a hamburger and fries, was simple and good. It was a place where everyone could feel relaxed and talk. There was a lot of getting to know you to be done.

Amelie chatted to Jeff during the trip from the airport. She explained what Bazyli had done through the people he knew. There would be no need to attend an interview in person. It was more or less all arranged, almost a formality. But it would take a couple of weeks. Then both boys would, all things going as planned, be granted asylum – refugee status. Jeff and Alec could return to Canada once the boys had their papers. The rest was over to them to sort out. Amelie explained her time was almost up and she had to be on a plane home at the end of the week. She also told them Jordan would inevitably be going home when they left with the boys.

“He could always fly back with us to Toronto,” Jeff told her.

“I don't know. You will have to talk to him about it. But not when the boys are around. The separation is going to be hard.”