Africa.

Africa. Chapter 1 : That Feeling.

              My mum just called by phone to give me the good news that my little sister had been accepted in college, and will soon begin to study English Studies. I was excited, and even though she had called at half past eight I was glad, and it was a good reason to start your day in a good mood. I remember the conversation. I was still in bed because I didn't have class until ten o'clock. I was awake, knowing that soon I would have to get up for breakfast, get dressed and go out, but since yesterday I  stayed late I wanted to rest a few minutes more. Then, when I was about to return to sleep I heard the phone ranging. I waited for it to stop but when it did rang again and when it was the third time they have called I figured it was time to get up, so that's what I did and when I replied with a vague and almost inaudible "Yes" I listened to a  strong and happy voice, it was my mother that was such glad she could hardly speak.

  - Lamia?! Are you? I almost don't hear your voice. Is there something wrong with your phone? Lamia?

 - Yes mom, it's me. Calm down and tell me.

  - Lamia, dear. Sorry for calling so early  but I guess you wont be sleeping.

- Don't worry Mom, I was not sleeping, unlike I was awake having breakfa...

 - Better, now listen..

  - I am.

  -  Your sister has been accepted in college!, we have known it  this morning when checking the mail!

  - Who? Mariam?

 - No, dear. Rima. Mariam is still in high school.

 - Yes, it's true. I don't know what I was thinking.

- I woke you up, right?

- The thing is that yesterday I went to sleep late, but I was about to get up so don't worry.

 - Well dear, when you can , call your sister and congratule her as she is sleeping now. I'm sorry for waking you up, but I knew I wont catch you any other time.

- Don't worry mom. 

 - I'm letting you now dear. Salamu Alaikum. I love you.

  - I know. Waleikum as-salam mom.

                   I hung up happy to receive good news and my sister deserved it. I decided to take a quick shower because otherwise my body would not hold the six intense hours that lay ahead.

                   It was almost nine o'clock when I left home and this time I decided to walk to university. It wasn't very cold outside and it was good for me to go walking, to clear my head, think and of course, work out. But I didn't realize it was raining, the rain was growing more and more. I ran back home, although I had not walked a long way, but when I looked for my keys I didn't find them. I had  forgotten them again. I supposed that my mother's call had distracted me and I should have remembered that there were so much chance of rain today, mainly because they were announcing it over the weekend.

              It rained more and faster as time was pasing. I like rain but now, when I have to enter in a class full of people where I've hardly spoken to half of them, as you will understand  I didn't want to go wet. I looked for the keys again but nothing, I couldn't find them. I definitely had forgotten them indoors and I was beginning to need an umbrella and what was more important, I had to arrive early to class.

                Maybe I had a stroke of luck, you can call it that way, but at that time I didn't see it like that. Just as I was about to go running to the nearest bus stop or try to see if there was a taxi around, a taxi stops in front of the house next door. From it, comes down an attractive man with an umbrella, but that was the last thing I cared about. Behind him was a pretty girl, much younger than him, I though she would have my age. She was laughing, as if the joke he had just told her  was the best she had  ever heard, as if the fact that it was raining was not going to stop them from playing. They were heading to his home. How do I know?, because he's my neighbor.

                I stayed watching them and he may notice it as once he  opened the door of his house so that the young girl could go in he come towards me. Towards the fence that separated his yard from mine.

-It is raining a lot, right?

- I didn't notice it- I said in a sarcastic way, sorry but I don't get on well with him.

-Look, I would let you go into my house to dry or take an umbrella but you might be late then instead of thanking my good deed you would blame me.

-Not funny.

- If you say please...

-Please. - I had no choice, not if I wanted to go to class dry.

-Go ahead.

                 When I entered I saw no sign of the girl who was with him before but that was a relief for me, at that time I was not eager to maintain any kind of conversation with someone who I didn't know.

                   He took me to the living room where I lost the track of time while watching it. Little did I know he had a room that beautiful. But the impressive thing weren't the various paintings that he had hung on the wall above the sofa, or the black and white photographs of different places of the various countries in which I supposed he had been. Even the curtain fabrics, sofa tapestries and carpets or even the various restored furniture that he had were able to compete with the feeling that I had soaked in the moment I entered the room. It was a feeling of tranquility, peace even harmony. Something that relaxs you even if you were the one with more stress that existed in the world. I didn't  want to move from here. Also contributing to this, the light coming through the living room window that overlooked his backyard even though it was raining. I never imagined that I could feel like that at his home, perhaps for the first impression I got the first day I got home. That summer night after the long journey I needed to  rest, I couldn't  because he had decided to make a big party. Maybe I should have given him an opportunity, I think that even I didn't had a serious talk with him because I thought he could not be able.

-You felt it too?

- Excuse me? - I was caught completely off guard and even though I knew what he meant I didn't know how to answer him.

- That feeling of tranquility. Whenever he is here, my house is another. Everyone who visits me at that time say the same thing.

- He ... Who?

- My brother, who if not. Well as I was saying. I can leave you an umbrella for you to get to the subway, but I have no clothes for you.

- Say what? - I was still was enthralled  and his answer had called my attention : "my brother".

- And how did you wet?

- It's obvious right? Rain.

-I know, but how.

- Ah, I forgot the keys inside my house and I could not get in, by the way, can I borrow an umbrella?

- That's what I said before.

- Sorry, I didn't hear it.

- How about if I give you one of my brother's sweaters for you to change yours? You cann't go out like that.

- they wont fit me.

- They will.

- Thanks.

                     He was right, it fit me. At least it wasn't very big, I could stay a day with it. I dried my hair with one of his towels and left the bathroom. I picked up the umbrella that he had left with my things and went outside. I know, without saying goodbye but he wasn't there when I went out the bathroom and I had no intention to seek him and I will find him another day and thank him then.

                       I left the home still thinking about that feeling, about what he told me. I know I shouldn't but I left the house thinking about his unknown brother.

_______________________________

COMENT, VOTE and SHARE.

Let me know what do you think about it, what do you expect may happend and if I should change anything :)

xx

Laila.